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WEEK OF SEPTEMBER
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7-13 2017
8 VIE TO STEP INTO GARODNICK’S SHOES ELECTIONS Civility, substance and passion for service carry the day in an Our Town-sponsored debate for the open City Council seat in District 4 BY DOUGLAS FEIDEN
Every now and then in a local political campaign, the discussion is substantive, the tone is elevated, the discourse is civil, the mood is upbeat, the candidates are reasoned and well-informed, and the dialogue is leavened with wit and good humor and even bonhomie. It is a moment to savor. It lends credence to the notion that it is indeed possible, in Barack Obama’s felicitous phrase, for opposing advocates to “disagree without being disagreeable.” And to state the obvious, that doesn’t often happen these days in city, state or federal politics. But all those qualities were in evidence during a spirited debate on August 31 featuring a crowded field of contenders vying in the hyper-competitive race for the open District 4 City Council seat being vacated by incumbent Council Member Dan Garodnick due to term limits. Hosted by the Our Town editorial board at the paper’s Chelsea office and live-streamed on Facebook, the 90-minute face-off attracted eight of the 10 hopefuls who boast backgrounds, resumes, experi-
ences and competing visions that are as diverse as the district they seek to serve. The “Garodnick seat,” as it is known in City Hall for the Democrat who was first elected in 2005, encompasses East Midtown, Times Square, Central Park South, Turtle Bay, Stuyvesant Town, Peter Cooper Village and the chunk of the Upper East Side closest to Central Park. Debate participants hoping to claim the prized plum – which takes in Carnegie Hall and Bellevue Hospital, the United Nations and a swath of the Silk Stocking District — included seven Democrats who will square off in the September 12 primary, and the lone Republican who will then face the Democratic victor in the November 7 general election. They addressed the city’s soaring cost of living, its problematic transit system, rising homelessness and the burden of the commercial rent tax. They also parried questions about small business survival, affordable housing for the middle class, pedestrian safety amid a cycling culture — and the large shadow cast by the departing and still-popular Garodnick. What’s at stake in this election? Whoever the voters choose to lead City Council District 4 for the next four years will have a direct impact on the lives, security, schooling and well-being of its 108,000 citizens — and will hold the post
CONTINUED ON PAGE 22
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Kim Moscaritolo and Adam Roberts of the Four Freedoms Democratic Club campaigning at the 86th Street station of the Second Avenue subway in a recent photo. They are running for reelection as Democratic co-district leaders for the East Side’s 76th Assembly District, Part B, which runs from 78th Street to 92nd Street and from Third Avenue to the East River. Photo: Friends of Kim
CLASH OF THE CLUBHOUSES POLITICS The tale of a hyper-local campaign in which two East Side Democratic political clubs vie in a battle for the post of district leader BY DOUGLAS FEIDEN
There is a story they like to tell at the Lenox Hill Democratic Club, a little ruefully but with affection and good cheer, that speaks volumes about the political life of the Upper East Side. It is a story about the rain. Longtime incumbent Democratic district leader Pauline Dana-Bashian was running for reelection in 2015. She had the backing of her venerable club, which has been electing politicians in the Silk Stocking district since 1956.
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Her opponent for the district leader post was Kim Moscaritolo, former president of the newly minted Four Freedoms Democratic Club. Founded in 2014, the upstart has proved itself a potent political force ever since. It is never easy to topple an incumbent. But come Election Day, it rained in the morning, drizzled midday, poured in the evening — and that might have made all the difference in Moscaritolo’s upset triumph. Rainfall as kingmaker? Actually, yes. “I lost because of the rain,” DanaBashian says matter-of-factly. “My voters were older. She had younger people. A lot of my supporters were on walkers or canes and couldn’t get out that day.” No surprise: A record 1.58-inch rainfall was recorded in Central Park on September 10, 2015, according to the Weather Underground — with most of
the downpour coming as Democratic Party primary voters selected their district leaders for the East Side’s 76th Assembly District. Meanwhile, Four Freedoms, which has tended to draw support from a younger demographic, was more successful in delivering its voters to the polls, helping to boost Moscaritolo comfortably over the top. Now 39 years old, the East 91st Street resident defeated Dana-Bashian, now 76, by a 480-to-316 margin out of a total of 802 votes cast.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 13 Jewish women and girls light up the world by lighting the Shabbat candles every Friday evening 18 minutes before sunset. Friday, September 8 - 6:58 pm. For more information visit www.chabaduppereastside.com.
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SYPHILIS IN THE CITY HEALTH This sexually transmitted infection has seen a dramatic resurgence in NYC, with cases more than doubling since 2005 BY MICHELLE CESPEDES, MD
What did Christopher Columbus, Vincent van Gogh, and Al Capone likely have in common? What is one of the most common preventable causes of miscarriages and stillbirths? What disease can present in so many confusing ways that it has been nicknamed â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Great Pretenderâ&#x20AC;? by physicians for centuries? If you answered syphilis, you just may have a hint of what a typical day in my office can be like. From treating sexually transmitted infections (STI) that were once thought to be nearly eradicated to considering diseases that can affect a coupleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fertility desires, the role of the infectious disease specialist continues to evolve. In 2015, the NYC Department of Mental Health and Hygiene reported that the rates of STIs in New York City were at a 30 year high. Syphilis has
seen a dramatic resurgence with the number of cases more than doubling since 2005. From 2015 to 2016, rates of syphilis increased by 27 percent in New York City to nearly 2,000 cases according to the health department. One of the problems with this resurgence is that many health care providers may not have encountered cases before and may be unfamiliar with the various ways that syphilis can present. Early in infection with syphilis, an open painless ulcer appears at the site where the bacteria enter the body. The ulcer will heal even if not treated, but the person can still be contagious. The ulcer can be as small as a pimple or as large as a cigar burn, but because these lesions do not cause pain, the vast majority goes unrecognized. The open lesion makes it easier to get other sexually transmitted infections such as herpes and HIV. A person is often not aware that they are infected and can unknowingly transmit syphilis to their sex partner. In the secondary stage, a faint rash can appear, occasionally involving the palm of the hands or soles of the feet, which can often go misdiagnosed. While the rash disappears, the disease progresses to the tertiary stage that if left untreated, decades later can lead
Treatment of syphilis, 1920. Photo: Internet Archive Book Images, via Wikimedia Commons to arthritis, cardiovascular problems, and neurosyphilis, which affects the nervous system and can cause blindness, deafness, personality changes, and dementia. Congenital syphilis causes birth defects in children born to infected mothers. In 2015 a cluster of more than a dozen cases of ocular syphilis, a rare manifestation of the disease, was identiďŹ ed in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just major cities like New York that have seen a resurgence in STIs. In August 2017, the New York Times reported an outbreak of syphilis in Oklahoma City where 199 cases have been identiďŹ ed to date. Another 200 people who had contact with the cases and may be infected are being tracked to be encouraged to get tested and
treated. Similar to an unanticipated outbreak of HIV in more than 200 residents of a small town in Indiana in 2015, this syphilis outbreak was mainly among white residents, especially women. These outbreaks are thought to be a direct consequence of the opioid epidemic sweeping the country. As prescription opioid users increasingly turn to IV heroin as a cheaper alternative, behaviors including sex in exchange for drugs or money among small networks of people and shared needles have led to an increased in STIs, including syphilis, HIV, and Hepatitis C. Decreases in funding to local health departments and fewer outreach workers are also contributing factors. The good news is that unlike the
1800s, our armamentarium to combat these infections has grown tremendously. Syphilis can usually be treated with one to three shots of penicillin. The treatment of HIV has advanced to the point that there are several safe and effective regimens that are taken with a one pill once a day. People who may be at increased risk of getting HIV even have the option of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a daily pill that is 95 percent effective at reducing their risk of acquiring HIV. Even Hepatitis C can be cured in nearly 99 percent of patients with a pill taken for as little as eight weeks. Warm days and beautiful weather in the city means people interacting with one another more and having a good time. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also when rates of STI usually increase, keeping infectious disease specialists like myself always busy. Have fun, but practice safe sex. STI testing should be a key component of any sexually active personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health plan. Protect yourself in advance whenever possible, know your own HIV status and that of your partners, and openly discuss your sex life, drug use, and other health issues with your doctor regularly. Taking ownership and being proactive with your sexual health should be considered an act of self-love. Dr. Michelle Cespedes is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases at Mount Sinai Health System
Investing in Education â&#x153;&#x201D; Won 400 full day Universal Pre-Kindergarten seats. â&#x153;&#x201D; Invested millions in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) for public schools.
Investing in Better Parks â&#x153;&#x201D; Secured $150 million to rehabilitate and expand the East River Esplanade with Congress Member Carolyn Maloney.
Working for Faster, Improved Commutes â&#x153;&#x201D; Opened the Second Avenue Subway with Governor Cuomo. â&#x153;&#x201D; Secured new ferry stops for Roosevelt Island and East Side. â&#x153;&#x201D; Added Rá&#x201A;&#x2021; ERDUG SD\PHQW WR WKH 0 DQG 0 , and won 79 new busses for the M15.
Cleaning Up Corruption â&#x153;&#x201D; $XWKRUHG WZR ODZV WR SURKLELW RXWVLGH LQFRPH OLPLW WKH LQĂ&#x20AC; XHQFH RI OREE\LVWV DQG eliminate â&#x20AC;&#x153;legal briberyâ&#x20AC;?.
Vote in the Democratic Primary, Tuesday, September 12 Pledge to Vote at KallosForCouncil.com/pledge
SEPTEMBER 7-13,2017
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CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG HEWITT RUE IT A local school may need to vet its employees more carefully. At 3 p.m. on Thursday, August 24, a 48-year-old woman employee of the Hewitt School on East 75th Street made unauthorized charges totaling $25,000 for her personal benefit using the school’s American Express business account, police said. The illegal activity was discovered after school personnel received a call from a detective in Pennsylvania advising them that the woman, who was not publicly identified, had an open warrant in that state for credit fraud.
SENIOR WINCES As a recent road rage arrest proved, one older man apparently hasn’t mellowed with age. At 7 p.m. on Tuesday, August 29, a 32-year-old male cabbie from the Bronx and a 61-year-old male motorist from Queens were involved in a car accident near Penn Station. The situation escalated when the cabbie followed the other driver up to Eighth Avenue and West 56th Street, where the two men got out of their cars and began to fight, according to police. The older man
punched the cabbie, bloodying his nose. The cabbie called police, who caught to the older man on East 62nd Street. He was arrested on assault charges.
MAN ASSAULTED BY BIKERIDING PAIR A man was sent to the hospital by two bike-riding men in the early morning of Thursday, August 24, police said. The man, 51, was walking on Second Avenue at East 96th Street about 4:50 a.m. heading for the Q train when the pair accosted him, one of them saying, “Gimme what you got!” They then punched and kicked the man, who was later taken to a nearby hospital for a fractured foot.
DOWN AND OUT Citibank had to rely on police to handle an aggressive panhandler. From 3:50 to 4:05 p.m. on Wednesday, August 30, a 37-year-old man for the Bronx was asking people for money in the ATM vestibule of the Citibank branch at 123 East 86th St. Eventually, a Citibank employee called police and asked them to take the panhandler
away, as he was getting in the way of customers. Apparently, the same man had solicited customers at the same location many times before and had an active warrant for criminal trespass. On this occasion police arrived and arrested him on charges of aggressive panhandling.
STATS FOR THE WEEK Reported crimes from the 19th precinct for Week to Date
Year to Date
2017 2016
% Change
2017
2016
% Change
Murder
0
0
n/a
0
2
-100.0
Rape
0
0
n/a
7
3
133.3
BOOSTER BUSTED
Robbery
4
0
n/a
76
55
38.2
Barney’s shut down a shoplifter armed with a “booster bag.” At 3:06 p.m. on Wednesday, August 30, a 44-year-old man entered Barney’s at 660 Madison Ave. and put three designer handbags into a so-called booster bag lined with aluminum foil to evade detection from store security devices. Despite the subterfuge, he was intercepted by store security personnel as he attempted to leave the store without paying for the merchandise, and arrested by police on charges of grand larceny, possession of burglar’s tools, and criminal possession of stolen property. The items he had attempted to take were a Goyard bag and two clutches worth a total of $4,830.
Felony Assault
6
3
100.0
86
78
10.3
Burglary
4
4
0.0
136
132
3.0
Grand Larceny
30
45
-33.3
897 904 -0.8
Grand Larceny Auto
0
1
-100.0
34
58
-41.4
Tony Webster, via flickr
Was your life impacted by Nazi persecution because of your Jewish identity?b Did you hide or flee? Were you separated from your parents?b Were you unable to return home? Did you disguise your Jewish identity?
bYou are a survivor of the Holocaust.b You may be eligible for services.b For more than 80 years, Selfhelpbhas bettered the lives of Holocaust survivors through home care, socialization, and social work services.
For us, this is personal. We're here to listen and help.b
bContact us at 212-971-7795 or hspoutreach@selfhelp.net Photo from United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Shraga Wainer
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SEPTEMBER 7-13,2017
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Useful Contacts POLICE NYPD 19th Precinct
153 E. 67th St.
212-452-0600
FDNY 22 Ladder Co 13
159 E. 85th St.
311
FDNY Engine 39/Ladder 16
157 E. 67th St.
311
FDNY Engine 53/Ladder 43
1836 Third Ave.
311
FDNY Engine 44
221 E. 75th St.
311
FIRE
CITY COUNCIL Councilmember Daniel Garodnick
211 E. 43rd St. #1205
212-818-0580
Councilmember Ben Kallos
244 E. 93rd St.
212-860-1950
STATE LEGISLATORS State Sen. Jose M. Serrano
1916 Park Ave. #202
212-828-5829
State Senator Liz Krueger
1850 Second Ave.
212-490-9535
Assembly Member Dan Quart
360 E. 57th St.
212-605-0937
Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright
1365 First Ave.
212-288-4607
COMMUNITY BOARD 8
505 Park Ave. #620
212-758-4340
LIBRARIES Yorkville
222 E. 79th St.
212-744-5824
96th Street
112 E. 96th St.
212-289-0908
67th Street
328 E. 67th St.
212-734-1717
Webster Library
1465 York Ave.
212-288-5049
100 E. 77th St.
212-434-2000
HOSPITALS Lenox Hill NY-Presbyterian / Weill Cornell
525 E. 68th St.
212-746-5454
Mount Sinai
E. 99th St. & Madison Ave.
212-241-6500
NYU Langone
550 First Ave.
212-263-7300
CON EDISON
4 Irving Place
212-460-4600
POST OFFICES US Post Office
1283 First Ave.
212-517-8361
US Post Office
1617 Third Ave.
212-369-2747
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A DAY IN THE LIFE BY PETER PEREIRA
SEPTEMBER 7-13,2017
‘SUMMER OF HELL’ DERAILED AT PENN STATION Officials, commuters had feared extensive delays, cancellations at rail hub BY KAREN MATTHEWS AND REBECCA GIBIAN
It was billed as the “summer of hell.” Thankfully, it was more like the summer of “meh,” New York rail commuters say. Amtrak wrapped up an extensive summertime track repair project at New York’s Penn Station last week that officials had warned could create an infernal bottleneck in the nation’s busiest rail hub. Predictions back in the spring, when the station had just gone through a series of major disruptions related to train derailments, couldn’t have been more dire. Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said track closures and service reductions for the
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maintenance work would be a “potential crisis” and told rail riders to brace themselves for a “summer of hell.” But now that the repairs have been completed and normal service was scheduled to return Tuesday on Amtrak and the two regional railroads that also serve Penn Station, many riders say their commutes have been surprisingly fine. They’ve been better than normal, actually. “I’ve been commuting out of Jersey for two years now and this is the best it’s ever been,” said Christina Jantzen, an executive assistant from Wayne, New Jersey. She said her New Jersey Transit trains have been arriving on time, if not early. Wanda Phillips, also a New Jersey Transit rider, said she had prepared herself for a bad summer but was pleasantly surprised. “It was all good.
Got a seat and everything,” she said. “It’s been a summer of fun,” said Long Island Rail Road rider Dylan Mitchell. Mitchell, a lawyer, said he didn’t experience delays or crowded trains on his daily commute from Manhasset to Penn Station. Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Joe Lhota, who is in charge of the Long Island Rail Road, said the railroad’s July on-time percentage was not only higher than July of 2016 but higher than any other month to date in 2017. Amtrak says additional Penn Station repair work still to be completed between now and early 2018 will be done on nights and weekends and won’t affect service. That work will include upgrading Penn Station restrooms and waiting areas.
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Open House Sunday afternoon September 10, 1 to 3 Contact: Geri Engstrom 914 – 643 – 6185 mobile geriengstrom@aol.com geri.engstrom@sothebysrealty.com http://www.thefairwayscondo.com/
In this, the Year of the Woman:
ELECT GWEN GOODWIN Democrat for City Council District 5! (Primary: Tues., Sept. 12)
The definition of a politician is someone who makes nice-sounding promises to manipulate the vote, then leaves them behind when they take office. Gwen Goodwin is different: Someone who has already amassed an impressive public service record, from the “Breath of Fresh Air Campaign” providing Cape May mini-vacations for 400 Firefighters and other 911 First Responders and their families, to spearheading the Coalition to Save PS109,reversing a NYC School Construction Authority demolition already in progress, to getting the gas turned back on in five hours after it had been out of service for over two months and on the verge of provoking a rent strike. These are just a few examples in a small ad.
V
www.VoteEsther.org
www.VoteBen.nyc
Gwen has already been fighting to improve and expand rent regulation in District 5 and city wide, with greater protection for NYCHA dwellers and tenants in Senior, Disabled and other Special Needs Housing. She will fight against overdevelopment swallowing up our parks, playgrounds and living space. Gwen will help protect and restore small business through commercial rent regulation and mandatory negotiation with binding arbitration to keep businesses in, as advocated by the Small Business Congress, which has endorsed Gwen. Gwen’s opponents are 1) An incumbent who worked with Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito to spearhead a $36,000 raise for Councilmembers, and turned in a lackluster performance on affordable housing, school quality, transportation, sanitation, jobs, small business, etc., and 2) a first-time wannabe elected official, freshly arrived from Chicago only a year ago, about whom the community knows nothing but his boilerplate rhetoric about plans and promises.
2017 Committee to Elect Gwen Goodwin * gwengoodwin.com * gwe2000@aol.com
www.VoteKim.org
www.AdamRobertsNYC.com
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SEPTEMBER 7-13,2017
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
HURRICANE HARVEY: HOW NEW YORKERS CAN HELP Suggestions from Manhattan officials, local advocates, religious organizations and animalrescue groups BY ELISSA SANCI
Your Neighbors Looking After Your Community The Upper East Side and Roosevelt Island
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-LOO (LVQHU (Democratic Female District Leader, 76th AD, Part A) -RKQ +DOHELDQ (Democratic Male District Leader, 76th AD, Part A) ENDORSED BY YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS: CAROLYN B. MALONEY, LIZ KRUEGER, REBECCA SEAWRIGHT & BEN KALLOS á&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Śá&#x192;Ś
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Just last week, Hurricane Harvey hit Texasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; eastern coast, devastating families, businesses and schools. The situation is still critical, with anticipated ďŹ&#x201A;ash ďŹ&#x201A;ooding and rain in the forecast; according to CNN, the category 4 hurricane left thousands displaced and 37,000 without power. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In our own city, we know from the horrendous impact of Hurricane Sandy how important the highest level of government, public and private cooperation is to maximize the safety and welfare of our communities,â&#x20AC;? said Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright in a statement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I encourage my constituents to join with millions of Americans ... by supporting reputable established relief organizations.â&#x20AC;? In the wake of this disaster, those in Houston need help while they move towards recovery. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what some Manhattan officials, local advocates, and charitable and religious organizations have suggested you can do to help.
GIVING
MAKE A MONETARY DONATION While many people may want to make food and supply donations, donating cash to relief organizations can be more logical for those who want to help but are states away. While some organizations will accept supply donations, most prefer to receive monetary contributions instead.
REPUTABLE, GENERAL RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDE (BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO):
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ÂśV 6ODWH IRU &RXQW\ &RPPLWWHH LQ <RXU (OHFWLRQ 'LVWULFW More about LHDC: http://lenoxhilldems.org
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classrooms. Donate at teachersoftomorrow.org/ adopt-classroom-donations. The Montrose Center, Houstonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s LGBTQ counseling and community center, is collecting funds for the LGBTQ community members displaced by the storm. To donate, visit my.reason2race.com/cause/montrosecenter. The Union for Reform Judaism Greene Family Camp, an organization that normally functions as a sleepaway summer camp, is running Hurricane Harvey Houston Day Camp, a childcare program for families who need assistance in the aftermath of Harvey. For those looking to help this effort, URJ is asking for donations in the form of Wal-Mart gift cards to be given to displaced families, which can be sent to URJ Greene Family Camp, 1192 Smith Ln, Bruceville, TX 76630. Little Lobbyists, an organization to help support families with children with complex medical needs, is accepting medical supply donations in addition to cash donations. For more information about what kind of supplies Little Lobbyists are looking for as well as the shipping address, visit littlelobbyists.org/harvey-packing.
United Way (unitedwayhouston.org/ďŹ&#x201A;ood/ ďŹ&#x201A;ood-donation); Americares (americares.org); Salvation Army (give.salvationarmyusa.org); Catholic Charities USA (catholiccharitiesusa. org); Direct Relief (directrelief.org); Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (namb.net/send-relief/ disaster-relief/hurricane-harvey). Relief organizations with more speciďŹ c outreach include: The State of Texas Agriculture Relief fund, a relief organization that collects private donations to assist Texas farmers and ranchers rebuild and restore operations after disaster. To donate, visit texasagriculture.gov. Portlight Strategies, a non-proďŹ t organization that works to help older adults and those with disabilities. Portlight helped shore communities of New Jersey and New York City for 18 months following the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. To donate, visit portlight.org/get-involved. Houston Undocumented Communities Flood Relief Fund, a page on the crowdfunding site YouCaring, where funds will be used to aid undocumented survivors of the hurricane. Donate at youcaring.com/ undocumentedsurvivorsofhurricaneharvey. Teachers of Tomorrow, a Texan education organization, has started a relief fund for Texas teachers called â&#x20AC;&#x153;Texas Teachers: Adopt a Texas Classroomâ&#x20AC;? to help teachers rebuild their
DONATE SUPPLIES LOCALLY Rather than sending supplies to Texas relief organizations, who may not be able to receive and store the supplies at this immediate time, New Yorkers can leave non-perishable supplies at a few locations across New York City to be delivered to Texas in the following weeks:
Hamilton Beach Civic Association, a local Queens civic association, is accepting nonperishable donations. For drop-off locations and a list of suggested donations, check facebook. com/groups/NewHamiltonBeachCivic U.S. Rep. Dan Donovanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office is accepting donations, including ďŹ&#x201A;ashlights, batteries and cleaning supplies. Drop-off location is his Staten Island office, located 265 New Dorp Lane. The office of U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi is also accepting non-perishable donations at this time. The drop-off location is 250-02 Northern Blvd., Little Neck, Queens. For more information, head to facebook.com/RepTomSuozzi.
SUPPORT LOCAL TEXAS ANIMAL RESCUE SHELTERS For those who want to help displaced animals in Texas, consider donating to local Texas shelters. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Remember to always start with local rescues,â&#x20AC;? Sophie Gamand, a New York-based photographer and animal advocate, said via her Instagram page @sophiegamand. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They are the ones doing the ground work and struggle the most.â&#x20AC;?
The following shelters in Texas are looking for donations to help displaced animals: - The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Texas (visit spca.org/give) - Austin Pets Alive (austinpetsalive.org/ hurricane-harvey-evacuations) - Animal Defense League of Texas (adltexas.org/ donation) - Houston Humane Society (houstonhumane. org/(Give)/giving/designate-your-gift/ hurricane-harvey-fund)
SEPTEMBER 7-13,2017
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Jeff Mailman will Deliver for Us in the City Council.
As a Legislative Director in the City Council and a former Assistant Attorney General for New York, Jeff Mailman gets results for New Yorkers. We need him in the City Council representing District 4!
The Mailman Plan for District 4
PROUDLY ENDORSED BY
Enhance pedestrian safety Protect tenantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rights Increase life-long programming for seniors Continue to support the Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Caucus
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Council Member Elizabeth Crowley
Paid for by Mailman 2017
ON SEPTEMBER 12TH, ELECT JEFF MAILMAN TO THE NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL For more policy proposals, please visit www.jeffmailman.com
@jeffmailman
/mailman2017
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Write to us: To share your thoughts and comments go to ourtownny.com and click on submit a letter to the editor.
A NYC LIFE TOLD IN FASHION BY LORRAINE DUFFY MERKL
Fashion Week is upon us once again. For some it’s a showcase for what color will be the new black, for others it’s a boost to our city’s economy, and for those who frequent lower Manhattan, it’s a chance to see models roaming the streets en masse. But for me, the seven runway-centric days are a reminder of how fashion helped turn a girl from the Bronx, whose wardrobe consisted of Lee straight leg jeans, a T-shirt and, to complete the ensemble, a hoodie from Modell’s, into a woman who knows her way around Manhattan — in Chanel loafers no less. There were, however, a few detours along the way.
Prepped for Work The first day of my NYC professional life began in a chic black suit with a peplum jacket and pencil skirt. As the assistant to the advertising creative director at a prestigious/ conservative department store, I thought I was dressing for the job
I wanted. Before my boss finished saying, “Coffee, milk, two Sweet ‘n Low,” I felt like an ink stain on the company’s pink and green tableau. My revelation coincided with the newly-published “The Official Preppy Handbook.” Indeed, I had reading to do, especially about something called “madras,” which I’d never heard of.
Cyndi? Madonna? Is That You? Jumping ahead five years, I was a copywriter at a major ad agency, who dressed like an extra in “Desperately Seeking Susan,” because “Girls Just Want To Have Fun.” My favorite outfit was as dizzying as a quick-cut video on MTV: a white lace blouse with a black camisole underneath; a black crinoline Betsy Johnson skirt with a swirl of pink ribbon at the hem; black stockings with a white design that looked like graffiti; and black low-heeled boots that folded over at the ankle to reveal a red band, which resembled flower pots.
T Is For Shirt
Merkl in her madras jacket. Photo: Meg Merkl I piled on so much chunky jewelry that if I held my arm out to hail a cab, it actually looked like I was about to yell: “Five for a dollar.”
Sorry For Your Loss I spent the last half of the ‘80s and early ‘90s fielding the question, “Who died?” My Black Dahlia phase kicked off when I switched jobs to an agency in Greenwich Village. Although a bit drab, the comforting thing about having a Morticia Addams wardrobe was that no matter what pieces I put on, I always matched.
FAVORINGS AND FLAVORINGS EAST SIDE OBSERVER BY ARLENE KAYATT
So far, our columnist writes, the Whole Foods/Amazon fusion has not borne too much worthwhile fruit. Photo: Phillip Pessar, via flckr
Off menu — Waiting at the local bus stop on Second Ave between 87th/88th, you can’t help but notice the bright, orange-colored basement trapdoor in front of Oaxaca Taqueria, a recent arrival to the UES. It’s a self-serve take-out with counter seating and two window front tables for hurry-up and eat. Perfectly in sync with the many Mexican fast-food stops throughout Manhattan. The taqueria also has a Brooklyn location, in Park Slope no less, the heart and home of our mayor — which probably explains why the wall, which can be seen from the street, bears this yuge reddish-orange political poster emblazoned with Bill de Blasio’s name and the tag line, “This Is Your City.” Hmm, wonder what happened to his tale of two cities. Appar-
ently the restaurant owners couldn’t care less about the sentiments of Upper East Siders as they promote the candidacy of Brooklyn’s favorite son. The mayor has made it known that he is indifferent to his UES neighbors and the sentiment was reciprocated when the UES favored de Blasio’s Republican opponent in the last mayoral election. Oaxaca Taqueria’s Brooklyn incarnation is close to the mayor’s Park Slope house. Not sure about his gym. If all politics is local, these guys are doing business in the wrong neighborhood. With de Blasio sure to win reelection, the hope is Oaxaca Taqueria will limit their political proclivities to their Park Slope patrons. Baiting by Bezos — Amazon has arrived on the UES having signed on with Whole Foods. After just a week — make that a day — at the Third Ave and 87th Street location, high hopes for lower prices were dashed. First day, those $7.99/$8.99 rotisserie chickens
Voices
I became a mother in the latter half of the ‘90s. Others may have smelled like teen spirit, but my scent was baby puke. It was clear that from then on, especially during the playground years, I needed a basic and nonthreatening uniform. I reverted to my jeans and T-shirt look, but to distinguish myself from the person who once sat on stoops in her outer borough, my pants and cotton tops were labeled DKNY, Banana Republic and Ralph Lauren.
Everything Old Is New Again By the time both my son Luke and his younger sister Meg were in school full time, I desperately needed a change of costume, which I took literally. I’d always had a soft spot for vintage clothing thanks to photos of my mother in her WWII stylings, so shopping was done almost exclusively at stores with the word “antique” in the name. I enjoyed the attention garnered by my ‘nothertime-and-place appearance, until one day on the subway a teenage girl asked if I was in a play. Upon hearing “no,” she made what I chose to
believe was a complementary comparison between myself and her long-gone great-grandmother.
The Look For Less (Then More) A few years into the aughts, I decided it was time to stop treating fashion like a novelty act and start dressing like a grown up. The women in the neck of my Upper East Side woods, however, often wore things I saw in Town & Country with the indicator: price available upon request. I had to ease into designer adulthood by favoring consignment stores like Second Time Around, Encore and Michael’s, where I procured the aforementioned Chanel loafers. By 2010, when Lisa Birnbach celebrated the 30th anniversary of her first preppy tribute with the updated, “True Prep,” I had invested in a number of first-hand, high-end pieces of my own. I always get compliments when I wear my madras jacket. Lorraine Duffy Merkl is the author of the novels “Back to Work She Goes” and “Fat Chick,” for which a movie is in the works.
were reduced to $4.99, which meant no more trudging over to Key Food on 92nd Street and Second for a $5.99 rotisserie. And those $6.49 packaged sandwiches — tuna salad, chicken salad, turkey — were two for $10. I mean how could you not. Not to worry. Unless you took the bargain on THAT first day, you can forget about it. The next day they were back to $6.49. And no more two sammys for $10. And the promise of cheaper chickens was further dashed when signs appeared on the open-faced heater where the chickens are displayed saying that whole birds were $7.99 (again) — but that a HALF chicken was $4.99. Seems like a little sleight of something in Bezosland. If Mr. Bezos runs his new investment this way, it can’t be too long before President Trump will be inspired to label the new Whole Foods/Amazon as “Fake Foods,” a corollary to Trump’s sentiments about Bezos’s Washington Post. Not a step up from Whole Paycheck. Spacious.com — Landlords with empty storefronts have found some salvation by renting to pop-ups on a short-term basis. The advantage for pop-up businesses is that they get to test the waters without making a long-
term commitment. It can be salvation for a start-up or a small business that’s not ready for prime time. Now restaurateurs have joined the ranks of the innovative by leasing out their venue in off-hours. Those establishments that serve only dinner from Monday to Friday and open at let’s say 5 p.m. can rent out their space mornings and afternoons. That’s where spacious.com steps in. They reach out to the Wi-Fi/ Apple generation who spend their days in coffee shops and other locations plugged in to their laptop and invite them to pay a $95 monthly fee for access to restaurants where they can make their calls, network and ingest all the coffee and tea they can, gratis. One location is right here in Yorkville — The Writing Room on Second Ave between 87th/88th. There are several other such establishments in Midtown, Hell’s Kitchen, Tribeca. You’re not limited to one and have access to all without needing a reservation. Truth to tell, whether it was a corner office with a great view or a cramped, comfortable cubicle, I always found myself getting the job done in a restaurant, pen to paper, amid the white noise. Welcome to millennial work world.
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 Richard Khavkine
Senior Reporter Doug Feiden
Director of Digital Pete Pinto
Staff Reporter Michael Garofalo
Director, Arts & Entertainment/ NYCNow Alizah Salario
SEPTEMBER 7-13,2017
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SALARIO JOINS HYPERLOCAL NEWS TEAM
REGISTERED NURSES REHABILITATION THERAPISTS MEDICAL SOCIAL WORKERS CERTIFIED HOME HEALTH AIDES
STAFF Straus Media welcomes new arts and entertainment director Straus Media-Manhattan hired journalist Alizah Salario as Arts and Entertainment Director for NYCNow.com, Manhattan’s neighborhood niche events site. NYCNow. com is Manhattan’s hyperlocal events platform, serving as the funnel for Straus Media’s arts and entertainment coverage in its prints publications: Our Town, The Eastsider, The West Side Spirit, The Westsider, Our Town Downtown, The Downtowner, The Chelsea News and The Chelsea Clinton News. In addition to reporting on arts and entertainment on NYCNow.com and in print, Salario will be working with local arts groups and individual artists to curate neighborhood
events on NYCNow.com that reflect the range and diversity of creative happenings in Manhattan. Groups and individuals can post their events for free on NYC Now. Prior to joining Straus Media, Salario worked as an editor for Metro, as a writer for Time Inc., and as a reporter for Money magazine. She was the 2010 journalism fellow at the Poetry Foundation in Chicago, and her reporting essays, and criticism have appeared in The Washington Post, The New York Times,
Racked, Slate and other publications. “We’re so excited to have Alizah on board,” said Editorin-Chief Alexis Gelber. “She’s an incredibly gifted writer.” “She hit the ground running and has already brought many innovative ideas to the table,” added publisher Jeanne Straus. Straus Media-Manhattan is the award-winning publisher of NYCNow.com and eight hyperlocal neighborhood newspapers across Manhattan.
The only dedicated Assisted Living Facility in New York City specializing in Enhanced Memory Care.
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Ensconced in the landmark neighborhood of the Upper East Side, Residents continue to enjoy the heart and soul of this incomparable city they have always loved. • Beautiful Upper East Side Environment • Each floor a “Neighborhood” with Family Style Dining & Living Room • 24-hour Licensed Nurses & Attendants specially trained in dementia care • Medication Management • Around the clock personal care, as needed • Housekeeping, Linen & Personal Laundry • Courtyard & Atrium Rooftop Garden • Chef prepared Meals Nation’s first recipient of AFA’s Excellence in Care distinction.
80th Street Residents in Central Park with the Essex House Hotel peeking from behind.
430 East 80th Street, New York, NY 10075 Tel. 212-717-8888 www.80thstreetresidence.com
Services are usually covered by Medicare, Medicaid and most insurers. VNSNY also offers private care. © 2017 VNSNY
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Gallery-quality art for your home or office.
More Events. Add Your Own: Go to nycnow.com
The 45th Gracie Square Outdoor
Art Show
East End Avenue from 84th to 88th Streets
Saturday, September 9th Free Admission Sunday, September 10th www.graciesquareartshow.info
keaway?...
212.459.4455 10:00am – 5:00pm Rain or Shine Free Admission
212.459.4455 www.graciesquareartshow.info
e Square Outdoor
Thu 7
tober 1st ber 2nd 5:00 p.m. on
ATUL GAWANDE WITH ELIZABETH ALEXANDER
‘THE PURSUIT OF IMMORTALITY’ EXHIBITION & SYMPOSIUM
New York Public Library, Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street 7 p.m. $40 Gawande, a practicing surgeon whose best-seller “Being Mortal” was a timely meditation on aging and death, will speak with Alexander, Obama inaugural poet and “The Light of the World” memoirist, about her own existential crossroads following the sudden death of her husband. 888.718.4253. nypl.org/ events
The Frick Collection, One East 70th Street 10 a.m. Free, registration required In honor of the work of Stephen K. Scher, who greatly contributed to the study of medals and sought to re-center them in art-historical discourse, this symposium aims to bring this object to the attention of the broader scholarly community and the public. 212-288-0700. frick.org
RYOJI IKEDA PRESENTS ‘SUPERCODEX’
Presented by
Proceeds fund the restoration and maintenance of Carl Schurz Park
Fri 8
The Met, 1000 Fifth Ave. 7 p.m. $45+, price includes museum admission. Following his 2014 soldout run of "Superposition,” Ikeda is back at The Met with a wildly innovative new stage show. This beeping, pulsating, cacophonous mix of techno sound and multimedia art explores the difference between "data of sound" and "sound of data." 212-535-7710. metmuseum. org/event
▲AN EVENING WITH JANE CAMPION Film Society of Lincoln Center, 70 Lincoln Center Plaza 7 p.m. $25 In anticipation of the film “Top of the Lake: China Girl,” Campion discusses her career influences and inspirations. Featuring excerpts from her acclaimed crime series as well as her features and short films. 212-875-5600. filmlinc.com
Sat 9 CLOTHING REPAIR WITH PATAGONIA Cooper Hewitt, 2 East 91st St. Noon. Free Celebrate New York Fashion Week and New York Textile Month with a visit to Delia, Patagonia's traveling repair wagon, Part of the company's Worn Wear program, guests are invited to bring any garment to be repaired and will be assisted on a first-come, first-served basis. 212-849-8400. cooperhewitt. org/events
18TH CENTURY COCKTAILS AND CONVERSATION Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden, 421 East 61st St. 5 p.m. $29-35 Step back in time with the New York Adventure Club and enjoy drinks that were popular 200 years ago. This after-hours tour of one of the few surviving buildings from the 18th century, which once served as a carriage house, includes a history-themed beverage tasting of ale, cider and syllabub. nyadventureclub.com
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MARBLE COLLEGIATE CHURCH Sunday Worship at 11:00am Sunday Worship, led by Dr. Michael Brown, is the heart of our community. It is where we gather to sing, pray, and be changed by an encounter with God. Marble is known throughout the world for the practical, powerful, lifechanging messages as well as world class music from choirs that make every heart sing. Busy? Live stream Sunday Worship with us at 11:00am at MarbleChurch.org
WeWo: Wednesday Worship at 6:15pm Photo by Eugene Kim via Flickr
Sun 10 GUGGENHEIM SUNDAY FAMILY TOUR Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Ave. 10:30 a.m. Free with admission Celebrate Frank Lloyd Wright's 150th birthday with a family exploration of the Guggenheim’s Lloyd Wrightdesigned building. On the second Sunday of every month, explore the museum on a familyfriendly tour that includes hands-on gallery activities for children ages 5 and up. 212-423-3500. guggenheim.org
JEWISH MUSEUM STUDIO ART SESSIONS The Jewish Museum, 1109 Fifth Ave. Create a colorful drawing and combine it with fabric, trimmings, and other found objects to make a lively scene inspired by the exhibition “Florine Stettheimer: Painting Poetry.” 212.423.3200. thejewishmuseum.org/calendar
Mon 11 NICOLE KRAUSS IN CONVERSATION WITH RUTH FRANKLIN The New York Public Library, Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street 7 p.m. $25 Krauss discusses her highly anticipated novel, “Forest
Dark,” in which two seekers, both recently divorced, travel to Tel Aviv and have run-ins with peculiar and beguiling characters. 888.718.4253. nypl.org/ events
▲PENGUINS, PLANKTON AND CLIMATE CHANGE The Explorers Club, 6 East 70th St. 6 p.m. $25 The Antarctic Peninsula is one of the most rapidly warming regions of earth. This lecture with biology professor James B. McClintock explores how melting ice is contributing to rapid global sea level rise and affecting marine life, algal forests, the larvae of sponges and soft coral. 212-628-8383. explorers.org
Tue 12 ARCHITECTURE AND ART SALON SERIES National Academy Museum and School, 5 East 89th St. 6:30 p.m. Free Artist David Humphrey, recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and the Rome Prize and artist Mary Heilmann discuss the interconnectedness of various methods of visual, architectural and design production. 212-369-4880. nationalacademy.org
JAPANESE BOOKBINDING Japan Society, 333 East
47th St. 7 p.m. $40 In this workshop with mixed media artist Amanda Hu, you’ll learn watoji, or Japanese bookbinding. Stitch together a personalized notebook, journal, or scrapbook using this simple, elegant Japanese sewing technique. 212-832-1155. japansociety. org
Wed 13 FREDERIC REMINGTON EXHIBIT TOUR The Met, 1000 Fifth Ave. 10:30 a.m. Free with museum admission, tickets required Encounter the legacy of the popular American artist, chronicler par excellence of the American West. This tour covers 20 of his paintings, sculptures, works on paper and illustrated books from the late 1880s until his death in 1909. 212-535-7710. metmuseum. org/event
BRAVETART: ICONIC AMERICAN DESSERTS 92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave. 7 p.m. $29 Award-winning pastry chef Stella Parks and “Serious Eats” founder Ed Levine delve into the foolproof recipes and surprising stories behind classic American desserts like crisp cherry pie, devil’s food cake and others. 212-415-5500. 92y.org
Marble's weekly Wednesday Worship, lovingly nicknamed WeWo, is a service that blends traditional and contemporary worship styles, taking the best of both, creating a mixture that is informal and reverent, often humorous and always Spirit-filled.
Upcoming Events The Spirituality of Parenthood with Marianne Williamson Marble Collegiate Church | Sunday, September 24 at 2:00pm Please join Marianne Williamson, for a frank discussion of how these changing times demand a deeper understanding not only of our children but of our role as parents. With an introduction and remarks by Senior Minister, Dr. Michael B. Brown. This event is free. For more information about Marianne Williamson, and live streaming the event, please visit: Marianne.com
Manhattan Brass: 25th Anniversary Celebration Concert Marble Collegiate Church | Monday, September 25 at 7:30pm We are thrilled to announce our first ever Artists-in-Residence partnership with the highly-acclaimed Manhattan Brass! Kicking off an exciting season of concert and worship service performances, Marble will host the Manhattan Brass in a concert celebrating the 25th anniversary of the quintet and will also feature our Music Director, Kenneth Dake, at Marble’s mighty 101-rank Glück pipe organ. Tickets - $20 for adults, and $15 for students/seniors Event listings brought to you by Marble Collegiate Church. 1 West 29th Street / New York, New York 10001 212 686 2770 / MarbleChurch.org Download the Marble Church App on iPhone or Android
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A COLLECTIVE PORTRAIT The Whitney’s “Where We Are” offers a panorama of a changing and changed nation and its people BY MARY GREGORY
In 1939, W.H. Auden, the Englishborn American author, composed a poem. Its title, “September 1, 1939,” commemorates the day that Germany invaded Poland, initiating World War II. Auden wrote about sitting in a bar — a dive, in his words — on East 52nd Street as he ruminated poetically on history, society, individuality, love, anger, despair, responsibility, affirmation and hope. In 2017, for his first installation drawn exclusively from the holdings of the Whitney’s collection of American art, curator and director of the collection, David Breslin (along with Jennie Goldstein and Margaret Kross) has taken that poem as a lens through which to look at art and artists and how they see certain issues. By doing so, he’s created a deep, layered, moving portrait of not just America’s art, but its heart. Focusing on works made between 1900 and 1960, the exhibition fills the entire seventh floor with works that
highlight both the museum’s extraordinary collection and a nation filled with passionate individualism and an experience that encompasses both commonality and diversity. Each of five sections is formed around an idea expressed in Auden’s poem. They include “No One Exists Alone,” a look at love, friendship, family and shared responsibility; “The Furniture of Home,” which explores where we dwell and the objects that make up our everyday lives; “The Strength of Collective Man,” a visual recording of American society’s struggles and triumphs; “In a Euphoric Dream,” in which George Washington’s description of the nation as a “great experiment” yields surprising outcomes; and, finally, “Of Eros and Dust,” which looks at the spiritual foundations of several movements and works. Through photographs and prints, paintings and sculptures, in realism and abstraction, we find reflections of history and life, evolution and strife, and, if we look carefully, ourselves. We in New York don’t need much to be reminded of the polyglot nature of America’s voice. It’s the hum of the city, surrounding us every day. It’s here, in the show, as well. Several of
Jasper Johns, “Three Flags,” 1958, from the chapter “In a Euphoric Dream.” Photo: Adel Gorgy
SEPTEMBER 7-13,2017
IF YOU GO WHAT: Where We Are: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1900-1960 WHERE: The Whitney Museum of American Art, 99 Gansevoort St. WHEN: Ongoing whitney.org/Exhibitions/ WhereWeAre
A touching portrait, Charles Henry Alston’s “The Family” from 1955. Photo: Adel Gorgy the highlighted artists like Arshile Gorky, Ilse Bing, Ben Shahn and Abraham Walkowitz were, like Auden, immigrants who came to this country for its promises or protection. For others, the transcendence of their art is multiplied by difficult paths. California-born Ruth Asawa and her family were taken to a Japanese internment camp. Isamu Noguchi, whose work is also included, challenged the legality and humanity of such camps, and later became their only voluntary internee. Both Elizabeth Catlett and Charles Henry Alston were the grandchildren of slaves. Catlett is represented by a series of linoleum cut prints. They mostly focus on courageous women’s lives, from anonymous field and domestic workers to Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman. The audio (for kids) points out that Catlett preferred to produce inexpensive prints so that the people whose stories she depicted would be able to own them. Among the earliest works on display are Marsden Hartley’s 1914-15 “Painting, Number 5,” a somber reaction to
the beginning of World War I, which, along with William Glackens’ 1912, “Parade, Washington Square,” echoes conflicting sentiments that permeate Auden’s poem. From there, the path is open. “Eros and Dust” deals with the spiritual in art. Georgia O’Keeffe and her less famous contemporary, Agnes Pelton, present lyrical abstractions that blend nature and imagination. Nearby, Morris Louis’s enormous, soaring color field painting “Tet” radiates soothing ebullience in emerald green and waves of blue. Ruth Asawa’s abstract, biomorphic, woven sculpture recalls raindrops or nests. It weightlessly occupies space and fills a window framing the Hudson in a particularly lovely moment in the exhibition. Throughout the galleries, iconic works hang alongside lesser-known pieces. Hopper’s haunting emptiness and Thomas Hart Benton’s crowded “Poker Night” are familiar, as are Charles Demuth’s and Charles Sheeler’s monumentalized factories. Henry Billings’ “Machine Men” and Victoria Hutson Huntley’s “Kopper’s Coke,” both lithographs dealing with similar
subjects, were new to me. Sometimes, two great pieces are altered and amplified when seen together. The juxtapositioning of Arshile Gorky’s haunting self-portrait with his mother and Fairfield Porter’s “Portrait of Ted Carey and Andy Warhol” is a deft curatorial touch. Some of the most beautiful and touching images in the exhibition are in the section titled “No One Exists Alone.” Along with the Gorky and Porter images, there are John Steuart Curry’s paintings that evoke the serious yet joyful rural communities of his youth. Paul Cadmus and PaJaMa (the collective name used by Cadmus, Jared French, and Margaret French) are included with works that, the wall text states, “give visibility to queer relationships that continue, in our time, to demonstrate the commonality of love and to enrich our understanding of what family and community mean.” A stunning group portrait in rich tones of sienna and cobalt, Charles Henry Alston’s “The Family” pulls you from across the room in a room filled with great paintings. Its monumentality, quietude and grace imbue the subjects with as much dignity as was ever painted into a royal portrait by Velázquez or Rubens. The Whitney’s 2015 inaugural exhibition in its Gansevoort Street building was titled “America is Hard to See,” excerpted from a Robert Frost poem. Pairing poetry and art has enhanced both for millennia. It does so here as well. The exhibition provokes thoughts, delights with favorite works and new discoveries, and creates a rich picture of not just where we are, but where we’ve come from and who we are. Read the poem before visiting, and your experience will be richer. Better yet, print it and bring it, and look at the works of art with its words echoing. From Gordon Parks to Jasper Johns and Alice Neel, we see America through kind eyes. The stanza of Auden’s poem that contains the phrase “no one exists alone” concludes with what has become one of his most quoted lines. Auden warns “we must love one another or die” but ends by challenging darkness and despair with an artist’s, or simply a human being’s “affirming flame.”
SEPTEMBER 7-13,2017
HIGH HOLY DAYS
CLUBHOUSES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 One can always present reasons for loss, Moscaritolo argues. While she acknowledges the age differential between the two clubhouses, she adds, “You can just as easily argue that younger voters are traditionally less committed — and the rain could have kept them away, too!” So what is a district leader anyway? It’s an elected but unpaid volunteer political-party position within a state Assembly District. Typically, there are at least two district leaders in each AD, a male co-district leader and a female co-district leader. What do they do? They get their hands dirty in partybuilding work, collect signatures to put candidates on a ballot, run get-out-the-vote drives to get them elected, recruit poll workers for Election Day and perform the nuts-andbolts chores needed to keep a party in power. Every two years, they must stand for reelection, often facing primary challenges. It is in this arena that Lenox Hill and Four Freedoms are staging their latest battle: Madelaine Piel — the 66-yearold president of the Lenox Hill Democrats and a former Community Board 8 member who has lived on the Upper East Side for nearly half her life — is seeking to oust Moscaritolo, who is up for reelection, as district leader in the September 12 Democratic primary. “Go into Glaser’s Bake Shop or the Mansion Restaurant, Dorian’s Fish Market, We Deliver Videos, Sartorius Cleaners, the newsstand on 86th Street, the C-Town or the Shaggy Dog, and you’re going to find either me or my campaign literature in there — and for a very good reason,” Piel said, referring to popular local businesses along First and York Avenues. “I’ve been a customer of those shops and stores in the neighborhood for over 20 years.” Piel, schooled at the Dominican Academy on East 68th Street, is an East End Avenue resident who has lived in the East 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. She’s an Election Day poll inspector, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama campaign volunteer in 2008 and a Clinton volunteer again in 2016. “We’re here to engage the community in the Democratic process,” Piel declared during a campaign kickoff-cumfundraising event for her club on August 30 at Daisy Restaurant’s Back Bar on Second Av-
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Give your kids the Family Learning Experience they will always remember.
Join us for a unique, inter-generational blend of song, prayer, and Q&A.
September 22 and 30, 10:45am-12:45pm, 127 E 82nd Street Madelaine Piel campaigning in Carl Schurz Park in a recent photo. The president of the Lenox Hill Democratic Club is seeking to topple an incumbent from rival political club Four Freedoms for the position of Democratic co-district leader for the East Side’s 76th Assembly District, Part B. Photo: Stefan Umaerus enue and 85th Street. Lenox Hill traces its lineage to Democrat Adlai Stevenson’s losing campaign against President Dwight Eisenhower in 1956. Founded as an antiTammany Hall reform club by ex-Stevenson volunteers from the neighborhood, it was also inspired by the crusading spirit of Eleanor Roosevelt. Four Freedoms takes its name from the famous 1941 President Franklin D. Roosevelt speech immortalizing the “four freedoms” inherent to all mankind — freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want and freedom from fear. It was founded to bring fresh blood into the party and revitalize progressive, activist East Side Democratic politics. Lenox Hill has roughly 80 dues-paying members, while Four Freedoms has more than 100. Both clubs champion outreach to non-member Democratic voters; each charges only $20 annually for membership. Their shared turf is the 76th Assembly District, which itself is divided into two sub-districts, Part A and Part B. Piel and Moscaritolo are vying for the female co-district leader post in Part B, which runs from the north side of 78th Street to the south side of 92nd Street and from Third Avenue to the East River. The challenger faces an uphill climb. The incumbent she wants to unseat, who helmed Four Freedoms in 2014, also served as president of Manhattan Young Democrats in 2012, geared to party members who age out when they hit 36. For her efforts to bring more youth participation into Upper East Side politics, Moscaritolo was named “Manhattan’s Young Democrat of the Year” by the New York County Democratic Party in 2014. She has also garnered endorsements from the East Side’s Democratic elite, including Rep. Carolyn Maloney, state Senator Liz Krueger, City
Council member Ben Kallos and state Assembly member Rebecca Seawright. A technical worker at Bloomberg TV, Moscaritolo moved into the city in 2002 and lived briefly in the 92nd Street Y. She settled in Yorkville in 2009. Referring to Four Freedoms, she said, “We wanted to have a club that was, not younger necessarily, but that was more active, more involved in the community, more progressive. We wanted to ... bring more people into the party and the process, and that’s what we did.” Lenox Hill says in the past couple of years, it has drawn younger members and supporters, and that the age differential that might have pertained in 2015 is far less an issue today. The challenger for the male co-district leader position in Part B, for instance, is Josh Kravitz, 27, an attorney and first-time candidate who is executive vice president of the Lenox Hill Democrats. He got his start in politics as a 16-yearold intern for Sen. Chuck Schumer and a 17-year-old page in the U.S. House of Representatives. The incumbent in Part B is male co-district leader Adam Roberts, a 25-year-old Four Freedoms activist who was elected as Moscaritolo’s running mate in 2015, and who also worked for Schumer in a high school internship. Producer of a PBS documentary series on American foreign affairs and a former fundraiser for UJA-Federation, Roberts also worked on the political campaigns of Kallos and Comptroller Scott Stringer. Four Freedom and Lenox Hill share two things: a progressive political outlook and a dim view of President Donald Trump. As Piel puts it, “When things are this low nationally you have to go local.”
For more information, contact Sigal Hirsch 212.452.2310, x15 or shirsch@orzarua.org. orzarua-orlatid.org
C O N G R E G AT I O N
LEARN PRAY PARTICIPATE CONNECT
The High Holy Days: more than just services. Learn, pray, participate, and connect at OZ. SO FULL A VOICE FROM SO EMPTY A HEART: The Significance of the Sounds of the Shofar Lecture and discussion with Rabbi Mordecai Schwartz, Ph.D. Thursday, September 14, 7 pm, 127 E 82nd Street Rabbi Mordecai Schwartz is director of the Beit Midrash and Assistant Professor of Talmud and Rabbinics at JTS. No charge, RSVP requested. C O N G R E G AT I O N 212.452.2310 ext. 12. For High Holy Day tickets, call 212.452.2310, ext. 12. Visit orzarua.org to learn more about our programs.
LEARN PRAY PARTICIPATE CONNECT
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SEPTEMBER 7-13,2017
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS ACTIVITIES FOR THE FERTILE MIND
thoughtgallery.org NEW YORK CITY
Dreaming Up North: Children on the Move Across the Americas Panel Discussion
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9TH, 1PM
AUG 23- SEPT 3, 2017 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. Jg Melon Restaurant
1291 3 Avenue
A
Yia Yia
404 E 69Th St
A
Noglu New York
1266 Madison Ave
A
Sarabeth’s Kitchen
1295 Madison Avenue A
International Wings Factory
1762 First Avenue
A
Mount Vernon Hotel | 421 E. 61st St. | 212-838-6878 | mvhm.org
Carnegie Cup Cafe
1080 Park Ave
A
Raise a glass 18th-century-style at this after-hours tour and tasting featuring colonial-era drinks ($35, includes tour and complimentary food and drink).
Zesty Pizza & Salumeria
1670 3Rd Ave
A
El Museo del Barrio | 1230 Fifth Ave. | 212-831-7272 | elmuseo.org With DACA in the headlines, El Museo presents a timely panel on the migrant child experience that brings together network of social anthropologists and photographers (free).
A Night of Tours and Tastings at Historic 1799 Carriage House and Museum
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9TH, 5PM
Grade Pending (5) Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
Just Announced | TimesTalks: Judi Dench
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH, 7PM Tribeca Perf. Arts Center | 199 Chambers St. | 212-220-8000 | timestalks.com Oscar and Golden Globe-winning actress Dame Judi Dench joins TimesTalks on the occasion of her latest turn portraying British royalty, in the upcoming film Victoria and Abdul ($50).
For more information about lectures, readings and other intellectually stimulating events throughout NYC,
El Nuevo Caridad Restaurant
225759 2Nd Ave
A
Yummy City
1557 Lexington Avenue
A
Bm Deli & Grocery
1916 3Rd Ave
Not Yet Graded (21) 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/sewageassociated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.
Mokja
1663 1St Ave
A
sign up for the weekly Thought Gallery newsletter at thoughtgallery.org.
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NY officials criticize Hudson River cleanup to EPA
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BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
The $1.7 billion Superfund cleanup of the Hudson River is not protecting the publicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health and the river as initially promised, New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s environmental commissioner contended Wednesday. Commissioner Basil Seggos criticized the six-year dredging project performed by General Electric Co. in a letter to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt released in the waning days of a crucial public comment period. Seggos was particularly scornful of an EPA assessment this summer that it could take 55 years or more before all species of ďŹ sh in the river are clean enough to eat once a week. ``This is unacceptable,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Seggos wrote, echoing previous criticisms by the Cuomo administration official. ``A remedy that will take generations to safeguard public health and the environment is clearly not protective.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Boston-based GE removed 2.75 million cubic yards of polychlorinated biphenyl-contaminated sediment from a 40mile stretch of the river north of Albany under an agreement with the EPA. The EPA released a review of the work this summer that found, based on the data so far,
A remedy that will take generations to safeguard public health and the environment is clearly not protectiveâ&#x20AC;? Commissioner Basil Seggos
the cleanup will protect human health and the environment in the long term. Critics pushing for a broader cleanup have noted that a large amount of PCB-contaminated sediment remains in the river.
Seggos said the state is nearing completion of its own sampling program to measure the true extent of contamination. An EPA spokeswoman said Wednesday the agency would consider Seggosâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; comments along with all the others they are receiving. The EPA is accepting public comment on its review through Friday. GE spokesman Mark Behan questioned New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s critical stance in an email that said PCB levels in the upper-Hudson water declined in some spots by as much as 73 percent in the ďŹ rst year after dredging. ``New York State approved and oversaw the dredging project and was instrumental in every major decision related to the project,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Behan wrote. ``Its criticism ďŹ&#x201A;ies in the face of the most up-to-date scientiďŹ c data from the river itself.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;
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SEPTEMBER 7-13,2017
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Business NEIGHBORHOOD SIDE STREETS MEET 59TH STREET
sideways.nyc
ARGOSY BOOK STORE — 116 EAST 59TH STREET Argosy remains a hidden gem to many New Yorkers who regularly walk by and miss its presence amidst the ever-growing retail buildings. According to Naomi Hample, one of the three sisters who own the bookstore, “About 15 times a day, I have someone walk in the store, stop in their tracks and say, ‘Oh my goodness, I never knew that this existed.’” And what a wonderful discovery this six-story curiosity is. Argosy feels as much like a museum as it does a bookstore. Its specialty is rare and out-of-print books, but there are also historic maps, prints and autographs. This is a treasure trove with a vast selection that has something for everyone. To read more, visit Manhattan Sideways (sideways.nyc), created by Betsy Bober Polivy.
Photo: Tom Arena, Manhattan Sideways
AFTER MONTHS OF CALM, A WARNING SIGN? August speed bump could signal more volatility BY MARLEY JAY
It’s been a remarkably calm year for the stock market. Did an alarm just go off? Stocks have risen to records this year, buoyed by steady growth in the U.S. economy, improvement in formerly-struggling international economies and a resurgence in corporate earnings. As of last week, the Standard & Poor’s 500 index is up almost 10 percent this year. That’s about equal to its typical full-year gain and better than many experts had predicted. But in August the market hit a speed bump: stocks took two weeks of losses as investors worried about rising tensions between the U.S. and North Korea, terrorist attacks in Spain, mounting challenges to the Trump agenda of tax cuts and infrastructure spending, and poor results from some big-name U.S. retailers. To say the least, it was a lot to digest. In historic terms, the market’s losses over those two weeks weren’t huge. The S&P 500 fell a bit more than 2 percent as industrial and energy companies slumped, and the small-cap Russell 2000 dropped 6 percent. It was the worst period for the market this year, and the Chicago Board Options Exchange’s volatility index, a measure-
Photo: Philipp, via Flickr ment of how much volatility investors expect to see, reached its highest level in months. “If we see further spikes in volatility that will not surprise us,” said Joe Davis, chief global economist for Vanguard. “The headline or the catalyst may, but the ultimate result won’t.” While stocks later recovered some of their losses, geopolitical tensions and the effects of Tropical Storm Har-
vey continued to weigh on the market after that. And the turbulence comes right before the worst month of the year for stocks: on average, the S&P 500 falls 0.5 percent in September. The current bull market is eight years old, and Wall Street has been debating how much longer it can last. There’s little reason to expect another drop in corporate earnings or a recession, and analysts are fond of pointing
out that bull markets don’t simply die of old age. Still, nothing lasts forever, and Davis says he thinks investors should get into a more defensive position now instead of waiting for the exact right moment to pull back from stocks. “I think the next year or two is going to be a more challenging environment for investors than any time in the last eight or nine years,” he said.
Davis is preaching caution because stock prices are at such high levels. With bond yields and interest rates low and corporate earnings rising, stocks are not only higher than ever, their price-to-earnings ratios are abnormally high. Davis encourages investors to look away from U.S. stocks and put some of their money into other types of assets. He has a more positive view of stocks in non-U.S. markets, which in general are less expensive than U.S. equities. He also feels investors should diversify by adding government bonds and other low-risk assets to their portfolio and avoid reaching for high-yielding assets. These days, stocks and bonds practically move in opposite directions: when one is up, the other is down. That makes bonds a good way to diversify. “One of the reason yields are so low is the diversification value of bonds today is probably the highest it’s been in 25 years,” he said. “There is considerably more risk in the equity market than in the bond market.” Like many market watchers, Davis thinks it’s inevitable that this calm period is going to end. Whether that happens next week, when many traders return from summer vacation, or later on, Davis suggests investors prepare now, because historically investors make worse decision if they wait for the market to weaken to take action.
SEPTEMBER 7-13,2017
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
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AN ADULT’S JOURNEY BACK INTO CHILDREN’S BOOKS New York City writer Bruce Handy rereads his childhood favorites — and tells you why you should too BY ARIANA GIULIA REICHLER
Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, wrote “Green Eggs and Ham” on a dare using only 50 words, all of which, with the exception of “anywhere,” were monosyllabic. Beatrix Potter, the author and illustrator of “The Tale of Peter Rabbit,” boiled dead animals and studied their anatomy to help her make realistic drawings. These little gems were among those discovered by Bruce Handy as he researched his first, recently published book, “Wild Things: The Joy of Reading Children’s Literature as an Adult.” In it, Handy, 58, encourages adults to sit down with the books of their childhood, not just to read to their children at bedtime, but also for their own enjoyment. Handy, a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and father of two, revisits childhood classics, from “Goodnight Moon” to “The Cat in the Hat” to “The Wizard of Oz,” employing context, biography and analysis to offer new insight into each. His writing is relaxed and witty, but also has a thoughtful side, particularly as he summons his childhood and then reminisces about his kids growing up. The inspiration for the book came from reading to his now grown children, Zoë, 21, and Isaac, 18, every night when they were young. “I found quickly that I was really just enjoying the books, that I was responding to them critically and artistically,” said Handy, who raised his children on the Upper West Side and still lives in the neighborhood. “I started writing about kids’ books for The New York Times and I found that, as much as I enjoyed reading them, I enjoyed writing about them too. They bore the same scrutiny that, when you are a critic, you would apply to any [book].” Originating as an essay on Maurice Sendak’s classic “Where the Wild Things Are,” from which Handy borrowed his title, the book took him six years to write, in part because of the enormous quantity of worthy children’s literature. “The more I looked, the more I found,” Handy said. “I probably thought ... picture books are so quick to read. It’s not like I was writing a book about Dickens and I had to read 20 800-page novels.” Handy didn’t stray too far from his journalism background to write “Wild Things.” “I cheated a little bit because I kind of thought of this as 10 long magazine articles,” Handy said, adding that, while “Wild Things” does follow a narrative, the chapters are
Bruce Handy returned to many of the classics he read as a child, from “Goodnight Moon” to “The Cat in the Hat” to “The Wizard of Oz, to research his recently published “Wild Things: The Joy of Reading Children’s Literature as an Adult.”
Author Bruce Handy. Photo: Denise Bosco discrete and can be read in any order. “That was a fun part of this book.... I just wrote [the chapters] how I felt,” Handy said. “If I thought it would be fun to read the ‘Oz’ books, I wrote my ‘Oz’ chapter.... I totally bounced around.” The book is as much a collection of Handy’s memories as it is an in-depth analysis. “I always thought of it as a mix of these personal, critical and historical/biographical [aspects],” he said. “I always enjoy weaving my own opinions into things when editors will let me get away with it.” Handy said that reencountering his childhood favorites did not always go smoothly. He once made the mistake of reading the end of “Charlotte’s Web” in a library reading room. “I’d read it hundreds of times at this point, but I was still crying when Charlotte
dies, and I was in this room and all these people were looking at me,” he recalled. “The books are so emotional in and of themselves, especially ‘Charlotte’s Web’ for me, and now they’re tied up in my memories of reading them to the kids.” “I love the way that books become part of your life and part of your history,” Handy continued. “You can sort of look at your history through books.” As for his children, whom Handy refers to as the stars of his book, Zoë and Isaac are happy to be involved. “I feel really honored to be a part of this book,” Zoë said. “It was really nice to go back and think about books that I really haven’t thought about in a long time. It helped me remember not only some of my favorite books, but some of my favorite times with my dad.” His children were also useful in keep-
ing Handy on track throughout those six years. “Isaac actually was great because he was always giving me a hard time about getting it done,” Handy said, laughing. Handy hopes that “Wild Things” will motivate his audience to “plunge back into these books, and also think about their own reading when they were kids, and how that shaped them, and how their relationship with books evolves over reading to their kids.” This evolution is at the center of his book. Handy himself is no stranger to it, and writes about his own changing views of certain works at different periods in his life. For example, while the Christian themes of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” eluded him as a child, on discovering them as a teenager he found them alienating,
yet as an adult came to appreciate the genius with which Lewis was able to express his faith artistically. “It just took me a while to get past whatever my own prejudices were and be open to works that I might not agree with in one way, but would be very moved by in a different way,” he said. Handy already has plans for his next book, a social and pop cultural history of the 1980s focusing on issues of money and greed, and reflecting on inequality today. “I want to challenge myself and push myself in a different direction,” he said. But we can also expect more on children’s literature from Handy in the future. “It’s funny,” he said. “Reading to my own children ... definitely led me into this new part of my career.”
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SEPTEMBER 7-13,2017
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
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DISTRICT 4 CANDIDATES BACKGROUND ■ DNC Convention delegate ■ New York State Judicial Convention delegate ■ NYS Supreme Court Small Claims assessment review hearing officer ■ Government relations consultant
KEY ISSUES ■ Quality of life ■ ADA access in subways ■ Well-being for seniors
VANESSA ARONSON DEMOCRAT
BACKGROUND ■ NYC public school teacher ■ Foreign service officer ■ Press and cultural attaché/vice consul, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam ■ Press associate, U.S. Embassy in Indonesia
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MARIA CASTRO
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KEY ISSUES ■ Quality of life ■ Homelessness ■ Education ■ Affordable housing ■ Jobs ■ Infrastructure ■ Senior citizens ■ Small businesses
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REBECCA HARARY REPUBLICAN
SEPTEMBER 7-13,2017
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BACKGROUND ■ Co-founder of two startups ■ Adviser to the Estonian government on residency program and tourism
KEY ISSUES ■ Public schools: pre-K, state funding, curriculum, class size ■ Affordable housing ■ Public transportation
ALEC HARTMAN DEMOCRAT
BACKGROUND ■ Owner of a public relations and marketing consultancy ■ Former special projects director, New York State Council on the Arts ■ Former chief operating officer, G.S. Schwartz & Co.
KEY ISSUES RACHEL HONIG
■ Small business displacement, which affects services, safety and quality of life ■ Affordable housing ■ Safe streets and sidewalks ■ Overdevelopment, preservation
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BACKGROUND ■ Legislative director and counsel to Council Member Elizabeth Crowley ■ Former attorney and adjunct assistant professor of law ■ Former public service fellow at the state Attorney General’s Office
KEY ISSUES JEFF MAILMAN
■ Quality of life: Pedestrian safety, excessive noise, rodent infestations ■ Allocating resources to NYPD, the DOB, DEP, DOH ■ Community relations ■ Worker protections
DEMOCRAT
SEE CANDIDATES, PAGE 20
GRAMERCY PARK 292 3rd Avenue @ 23rd St 212-777-3030 YORKVILLE 1491 3rd Ave @ 84th St 212-289-6300
UPPER EAST SIDE 888 Lexington Ave @66th St 212-772-1400
HELL’S KITCHEN 766 10th Ave @ 52nd St 212-245-3241
UPPER WEST SIDE 159 W 72nd St @ B’way 212-595-2500
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SOHO 55 Thompson St @ Broome 212-627-1100
CHELSEA 215 7TH Avenue @ 23rd St 212-646-5454 212-645-5454
UPTOWN WEST 2680 Broadway @ 102nd St 212-531-2300
LONG ISLAND CITY 30-35 Thomson Ave 347-418-3480
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SEPTEMBER 7-13,2017
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
Candidates CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19
BACKGROUND ■ Office of State Senator Liz Krueger; Office of Assembly Member Jonathan Bing; Constantinople & Vallone Consulting ■ Former tenant organizer, Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village
KEY ISSUES ■ Affordable housing ■ Public education ■ Government reform
KEITH POWERS DEMOCRAT
BACKGROUND ■ Democratic State Committee member ■ Director of community outreach for state Senator Liz Krueger
KEY ISSUES ■ Affordability ■ Seniors ■ Commercial rent tax
BESSIE SCHACHTER DEMOCRAT
SEPTEMBER 7-13,2017
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Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
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SEPTEMBER 7-13,2017
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
FORUM CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
At Our Town’s District 4 meeting (clockwise from top center): candidates Vanessa Aronson, Maria Castro, Rebecca Harary, Rachel Honig, Jeffrey Mailman, Keith Powers, Bessie Schachter, Marti Speranza; Straus News Publisher Jeanne Straus and edit team Alexis Gelber, Richard Khavkine, Douglas Feiden, Michael Garofalo. Photo: Molly Colgan method landlords often use to site, say, a big-box store. Take a look at Bessie Schachter’s block on 61st Street to understand
the scope of the problem. “We had our fourth and fifth vacancies” as shops face a tripling of rents, said Schachter, a community leader and director of
outreach for a state senator. One possible fix: Place some businesses into a lower tax category that already exists — but doesn’t currently include gro-
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until he or she faces the voters again in 2021. Among the highlights of the wideranging conversation between the six female and two male candidates present: • Small business survival. There is, in the words of Our Town columnist Bette Dewing, a “crisis of unprecedented small business loss,” to which, she argues, more attention should be paid. How would you to promote small business on the East Side? Jeffrey Mailman, a legislative director and counsel to a City Council member, said he’d “explore tax reforms so that landlords don’t have the financial incentive to write off vacant storefronts as a loss,” as opposed to renting them out to new tenants. He’d also fight to repeal the “unfair” commercial rent tax, or CRT, which only impacts small businesses in Manhattan below 96th Street. Keith Powers said he knows the issue first-hand, and it’s “really personal” for him: His father was a small business owner in Stuyvesant Town, and his first job was in a neighborhood grocery store. Powers, an ex-lobbyist and ex-legislative aide to both a state senator and a state Assembly member, suggested a “vacancy tax or other disincentive” to discourage the warehousing of multiple properties, a
SEPTEMBER 7-13,2017 mer small business owner herself, Marti Speranza, the director of Women Entrepreneurs NYC, said sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d champion reform of the 4 percent CRT, called for lifting the ďŹ&#x201A;oor to â&#x20AC;&#x153;at least $500,000,â&#x20AC;? and said city enforcement should give businesses a chance to cure violations before hitting them with burdensome ďŹ nes. Vanessa Aronson, a former public school teacher and ex-foreign service officer, went further on the CRT, calling for its full repeal and noting the measure places a â&#x20AC;&#x153;particularly unfair burdenâ&#x20AC;? on District 4 since itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s situated south of 96th Street. She also argued for a crackdown on city landlords who are â&#x20AC;&#x153;being creativeâ&#x20AC;? in how they write off some of the maintenance costs for their vacant storefront spaces. Immigrant advocate and government relations consultant Maria Castro, herself a small business owner for 35 years, would also junk the CRT, and she called for a more proactive, business-friendly mission for government, which should do much more outreach to small businesses. Trump Tower, for instance, is in the district, and multiple nearby stores have been suffering, yet â&#x20AC;&#x153;government has failedâ&#x20AC;? to provide relief. Citing her own bona fides as the owner of a small company for 10 years with a payroll of 30 full-time employees, Rebecca Harary, the founder of four nonproďŹ ts and the lone Republican in the race, said todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s landlords are â&#x20AC;&#x153;hogging upâ&#x20AC;? empty space. Her solution: â&#x20AC;&#x153;After a landlord hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t leased his space for one year, he should be taxed on the difference between what his last tenant was spending on rent, and what heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s currently asking for in rent,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Watch how fast that landlord rents the store!â&#x20AC;? Ease the regulatory burdens on businesses, said Rachel Honig, an arts advocate who owns a public relations and marketing ďŹ rm. She gave the example of a would-be entrepreneur who wants to open a bodega in the city: â&#x20AC;&#x153;You need 70 different permits and licenses â&#x20AC;&#x201D; from 30 different government bodies,â&#x20AC;? she said. Put them all under a single roof where small businesses could go to painlessly get all their licenses, she argued. â&#x20AC;˘ Construction and availability of affordable housing. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a cornerstone of the de Blasio administration, yet projected set-asides for moderate-to-middle-income tenants have been cut by some 11 percent. What can the Council do to address the housing needs of middle-class families? Speranza proposed using city-owned vacant land â&#x20AC;&#x201D; thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s over 1,000 empty lots citywide â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to partner with nonproďŹ t developers, set up a land bank and create permanently affordable housing. Schachter called for an immediate audit of available housing and tax abatement programs at a time when so many units are being lost, saying it would help tenants get the lower rents theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re entitled to. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We should create a new, 21st-century Mitchell-Lama program that is permanent,â&#x20AC;? Powers said. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just develop market-based housing, but build low-income, middle-income and mixedincome projects as well, he said. The Councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right-to-counsel bill for low-income tenants was a key ďŹ rst step to curb evic-
23
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com tions and harassment, Mailman argued. But he said â&#x20AC;&#x153;more money and greater subsidiesâ&#x20AC;? were needed to make affordable projects viable. Honig backed the idea of an audit to document the available affordable stock. She also called for a â&#x20AC;&#x153;means-based approachâ&#x20AC;? so people who need affordable housing can avail themselves of it, as those who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need it are phased out. Even with some of her friends, it would prove â&#x20AC;&#x153;unpopular,â&#x20AC;? she said. Take a look at the New York City Housing Authority stock, Harary said: There are â&#x20AC;&#x153;literally thousands of vacant apartments nobody is talking about.â&#x20AC;? City Hall has failed to repair them, and it would cost far less to do so than to construct new units, she added. Change the classic 80-20 ratio in which 20 percent of a projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s units must remain affordable to low-income households, Castro said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Be a tough negotiatorâ&#x20AC;? and raise the ratio to 70-30 or even 65-35 for mixed use units, she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We need to protect, and we need to ďŹ ght to protect, every existing affordable unit, that needs to be the plan from day one,â&#x20AC;? Aronson said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And we also need to be thinking about some creative new revolutionary concepts â&#x20AC;&#x201D; just like Stuyvesant Town was at its time.â&#x20AC;? A pair of contenders did not participate in the forum, the Democrats Alec Hartman, who is the co-founder of two technology start-ups, and Barry Shapiro, an information technology project manager and systems analyst. And in a revealing exchange toward the end of the editorial roundtable, they were gently led out of their comfort zones when Alexis Gelber, Our Townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s editor-in-chief, introducing what she called a â&#x20AC;&#x153;lightning round,â&#x20AC;? asked all eight candidates, â&#x20AC;&#x153;What three words best describe you?â&#x20AC;? All answered gamely and with equanimity, starting with Aronson, who was asked ďŹ rst because the questions were posed in alphabetical order. After laughingly objecting to having been placed on the hot seat first, Aronson replied, slowly and deliberately, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Meticulous. Energetic. Compassionate.â&#x20AC;? Castro was next. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a good communicator. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a good negotiator. And I am a relentless hard worker,â&#x20AC;? was how she described herself. Then came Harary: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Compassionate. Strong. And ďŹ scally responsible,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I would say passionate, pragmatic and ethical,â&#x20AC;? Honig said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m patient, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a good listener and conscientious,â&#x20AC;? Mailman said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pragmatic, progressive and effective,â&#x20AC;? Powers said. Next was Schachter, who put it like this, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a ďŹ ghter, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m dedicated, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m persistent.â&#x20AC;? And last in alphabetical order came Speranza, who described herself thusly: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Entrepreneurial, energetic and a hard worker.â&#x20AC;? But the last word belonged to Harary, who deadpanned of herself and her seven Democratic rivals, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I noticed that none of us said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Modest.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? That brought down the house. And the debate for one of the 51 City Council seats that are up for grabs this year was at an end.
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SEPTEMBER 7-13,2017
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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
MATCHES MADE IN NEW YORK Co-founder of elite matchmaking service Platinum Poire helps singles find love BY ANGELA BARBUTI
Rori Sassoon is the power behind some of our city’s power couples. In 2013, she co-created Platinum Poire to help those “who are successful and dynamic and want to empower each other to be the best versions of themselves.” A graduate of FIT, she was married at 22 and divorced by 25. It was through a third party — her gynecologist — that she was set up with her current husband, Charles. They blended their families and have six children, four from their previous marriages and two together. When she was ready to return to work, she expressed this interest to life coach Errol Gluck, and he suggested she start this service with him. All of Platinum Poire’s clients are invited to join and vetted through an extensive interview process, but interested candidates are welcome to inquire as well. “I know it seems a little bit obnoxious that it’s invitation only, but there are things that wealthy people really do love, which are exclusivity and privacy,” Sassoon explained. Launching this week at Barneys Downtown is Platinum Poire Royale, which she says will cater to the “power gay scene.” For this venture, she has paired up with fashion designer and TV personality Franco Lacosta, who will serve as creative director.
You met your husband through your doctor. I was married at 22 to my high school sweetheart and divorced at 25. I have a 21-year-old son from the marriage. I went for my annual checkup at my gynecologist and he asked me if I was planning on having any more children and I said, “I’m actually going for a divorce.” He asked me what happened and I said, “It just didn’t really work out and I feel I am very young and have my whole life ahead of me and it would not be healthy for my son to be in this relationship any longer.” And he said to me, “I have a really great guy to set you up with.” I said, “Thank you so much, but right now I’m not in the place to bring someone else into the situation. My divorce isn’t finalized.” Four months later, he called me and said, “I don’t know where you are status wise in your divorce.” I said, “Actually I’m finished.” He said, “Rori, I really just have a feeling about you and my friend, Charles.”
Then what happened? Charles called me and we spoke on the phone for two hours. We had chemistry and developed a rapport
Photo: Craig Arend over the phone because we were both going away with our children. When we got back, we went on our first date to Il Cantinori downtown and closed the restaurant. We dated for a full year and got to know each other’s children. He said, “I really love you and want this to go to a marriage. But we definitely need to give each other a full year and see how we blend our families and how this works.” And I said, “I think that’s very respectful and something I would want also.” We got engaged a year later and married four months after that. We blended our families and had two more children together, so there are six children between us.
How did your partnership with Dr. Gluck come about? By pure luck I met Dr. Gluck and he helped me get over some of the issues I needed to get over through hypnosis, which was amazing. After our time was up, in a sense that he was able to cure what I needed him to cure, I said, “You do executive life coaching. Can you tell me what that’s all about?” He said, “I help people at whatever point they are in their career-if they want to start a career or take it to the next level — create a system to be able to do that.” And I said to him, “I want to do something, but don’t know what.... The following week, he said, “I’ve never been business partners with someone else. I’ve put together probably 35 marriages and couples just from my personality profiling and knowing
people. You grew up in an affluent family and are not intimidated by powerful people. It comes naturally to you. We should create a service that caters to men and women who are busy, successful and really want to found love. Together, we could really create something amazing that New York City has never seen before.”
It’s invitation only. Explain your vetting process. People like that because they feel like the people who are part of it are being curated. Everyone, by the way, is completely vetted. When I meet someone for a consultation, they can decide, obviously, if they want to be part of the service, but I need to decide first. If I can’t help them, I will just say, “I don’t think we’re the right fit for you.” Of course, if you said to me, “I have an amazing person who could be a client for you,” I would say, “Wow, this is coming from a recommendation.” Like someone reading this paper can say, “I read this article and that’s how I found you guys.”
What is the interview process like? What are the most important questions you ask clients? We definitely ask people about their sexual energy because for someone who has high sexual energy to be with someone who has lower sexual energy is a problem. That’s an affair waiting to happen. We also ask, “In your previous relationships, what was it that attracted you and what broke you apart?” Because people have patterns
Photo: Craig Arend and we don’t want to be able to repeat the patterns that didn’t work. We also ask people what are their deal breakers. Also, we ask, if you have a physical type, what is that? What’s also your preference religion wise? Do you have a preference? Is it okay to date someone who has been divorced? There are so many questions. Some are more in depth than others, depending on the person’s situation.
Tell us about a successful couple you matched. Debbie came to me and was 42 and had a very rough divorce. She has three children and her third is a special needs child. And I was concerned because we have a database and she’s a nice-looking woman and a sweetheart, but that’s something that not every man could deal with. And that doesn’t make you bad or good, it’s just not for you and that’s okay. She was our client for three months and a lot of the guys liked her look, but I had to be honest and tell them the situation and all of them said no. I called her up and my heart broke because how do I tell that to somebody? I said, “Listen
Debbie, I just want to be honest with you. I want to give you your money back.” She said, “Rori, you’re my only hope. It’s like playing the stock market. I know there’s no guarantee, but I made an investment and I trust you and you have a great reputation. And I feel good knowing that you have my back.” She was so kind and trusting; it made me want to go the extra mile for her. I told Dr. Gluck the situation and he said, “I have somebody.” And he told me the person and I go, “But he’s not our client.” And he goes, “Oh, but he will be.” His name is Mark and I met with him and didn’t want to tell Debbie anything until I knew for sure that he would take her out. And he did and they’re engaged. www.platinumpoire.com
Know somebody who deserves their 15 Minutes of fame? Go to ourtownny.com and click on submit a press release or announcement.
CROSSWORD
H A T S N R X Q H K Q V G U X
X Y U P G K J G R I R E C X I
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L J E K H Y X P T R V Z I H T
X H E K J G Q R S H O E M I U
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G I E O A U L S R E E L U T R
B E O C S E Q G I L G R I S C
G T I E S J C Q A S B Q T U G
S F R A F B Q P K Y Z J F T T
L S J B X H S K I R T S A H Q
Z D G W E M X T S O C K S G U
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The puzzle contains the names of 15 department store items. They may be diagonal, across, or up and down in the grid in any direction.
Z P S W E A T E R S M T O P S
Belt Boots Hats Heels Jacket Shirts Skirts Sleeve Socks Soles Sweaters Swimsuit Tops Trousers Waist
ANSWERS 49
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B E O C S E Q G I L G R I S C
G T I E S J C Q A S B Q T U G
S F R A F B Q P K Y Z J F T T
L S J B X H S K I R T S A H Q
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Down 1 It may be boring 2 Tokyo, 1700 3 Slippery one 4 Flourishing 5 Rum and water 6 Indian flatbread 7 Support 8 Sychronized light 9 Orchid arrangement 10 Internet letters 11 Barcelona to Rome direction 16 Popular music category 19 Place holders 20 Golf score 21 Daytime TV, with soap 22 Protagonist in “Anna Karenina”
24 Free-for-all 25 Blockhead 27 Memorable 28 Hill dweller 30 Arial 32 Grassy area 34 Oil source 37 “Law and Order” concern 38 White heron 40 Astronomer’s sighting 41 Agenda point 42 Civil leader title (Turkey) 43 Gist 44 Raw metal 46 Portfolio part, in brief 47 Idea of oneself 48 Call for rescue letters
5 6
WORD SEARCH by Myles Mellor
L J E K H Y X P T R V Z I H T
50 “___ Got the World on a String” 51 For this reason 52 Aid in a crime 53 Video maker, for short 54 New Mexico resort
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Across 1 Page 5 Wildebeest 8 Turn on a pivot 12 Mental flash 13 Trotted 14 Graceful sea bird 15 Turnpike (2 words) 17 Tee off 18 Small generator 20 Small growth 23 Browning’s Ben Ezra, e.g. 26 Copy 27 A pike fitted with an axe head (old weapon) 29 Accelerate sharply 30 Conclusion 31 Feel bad 33 Comeback 35 Hardship 36 Pertaining, old word 37 Triangular river deposit 39 Apologetic 42 Any minute 45 Charitable clubs 49 Expert adviser
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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.
C
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SUDOKU by Myles Mellor and Susan Flanagan
by Myles Mellor
G U
Eastsider 1
SEPTEMBER 7-13,2017
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SEPTEMBER 7-13,2017
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Entire Estates Purchased
212.751.0009
I CAN SELL YOUR HOME OR APARTMENT QUICKLY!
N e s t S e e ke r s I N T E R N A T I O N A L
Real Estate Sales, 10+ Years Experience 587 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10017 0Gm DF t 0UIFS Email: DavidL@NestSeekers.com Social Media davelopeznynj
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DAVID - 917.510.6457
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REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE
for a free consultation with one of our representatives. Our multi-lingual staff will be happy to answer any questions you have. Info@gcareny.com
718-875-CARE (2273)
28
SEPTEMBER 7-13,2017
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
COME HOME TO GLENWOOD MANHATTANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FINEST LUXURY RENTALS
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UPPER EAST SIDE 1 BEDROOMS FROM $3,195 2 BEDROOMS FROM $4,695 3 BEDROOMS FROM $6,995
MIDTOWN & UPPER WEST SIDE 1 BEDROOMS FROM $3,495 2 BEDROOMS FROM $5,195 3 BEDROOMS FROM $7,495
TRIBECA & FINANCIAL DISTRICT 1 BEDROOMS FROM $3,795 2 BEDROOMS FROM $5,895 3 BEDROOMS FROM $8,495
UPTOWN LEASING OFFICE 212-535-0500 DOWNTOWN LEASING OFFICE 212-430-5900 ! " " All the units include features for persons with disabilities required by FHA.
GLENWOOD Equal Housing Opportunity
BUILDER OWNER MANAGER
GLENWOODNYC.COM