The local paper for the Upper pper East Side Sid PLAYING THE ‘FIRST TRANS ICON’
◄ 15 MINUTES, P.21
WEEKWEEK OF SEPT.OF- OCT.
SEPTEMBER
26-2 26-oc2019
INSIDE
IT’S ALL OVER NOW, MAYOR BILL POLITICS
ECHOES OF THE PAST
De Blasio quits quixotic quest for the White House
The Frick Collection’s exhibition of a little known Renaissance master. p. 12
BY DOUGLAS FEIDEN
He never seemed to mind becoming a national laughingstock, fodder for late-night comedians, human dart board for a merciless press and object of ridicule even in his own hometown. But after 128 days of nearly non-existent poll numbers, paltry crowds, dismal fundraising and tabloid indignities portraying a doomed knight-errant jousting at windmills, he finally called it quits. Unapologetic, not exactly humble, evincing a trace of defiance, and still plugging his “robot tax,” Democratic presidential fantasist Bill de Blasio finally acknowledged what most of America seemed to know from the moment he tossed his halo in the ring on May 16: “I feel like I’ve contributed all that I can to this primary election, and it’s clearly not my time, and so I’m going to end my presidential campaign,” the mayor told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Sept. 20. It was, he said with evident pride, “an extraordinary ex-
CONTINUED ON PAGE 9
A store at Eighth Avenue and 40th Street. Photos: David Noonan
STATE OUTLAWS SALE OF E-CIGARETTES POLICY
Gov. Cuomo takes executive action as vaping-related illnesses rise across the country BY EMILY HIGGINBOTHAM
New York became the second state in the nation to ban the sale of most flavored e-cigarettes as the number of vaping-related lung illnesses continues to rise across the country and have been linked to eight deaths.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo took swift action last week using an emergency and a vote from the city’s Public Health and Health Planning Council to outlaw the sale of flavored e-cigarettes, which are popular among teens. “In four years, the percentage of high school users who use e-cigarettes and vaping has increased 160 percent. Forty percent of 12th graders now vape. Twenty-seven percent of high school students are vaping,”
Cuomo said at a press conference announcing his executive action. “Manufacturers of fruit and candyflavored e-cigarettes are intentionally and recklessly targeting young people, and today we’re taking action to put an end to it.” As of Thursday, 530 probable cases of vaping-related lung illnesses have been reported from 38 states and one U.S. territory, according to a new re-
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 WEEK OF AUGUST
08-14
Your personal edition of Our Town Eastsider Since 1972
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Crime Watch Voices NYC Now City Arts
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Restaurant Ratings 14 Business 16 Real Estate 17 15 Minutes 21
2019
has seen a surge Five years in, NYC fluctuating and in cyclist deaths – and motorist numbers of pedestrian fatalities BY EMILY HIGGINBOTHAM
year that saw 299 In 2014, after a traffic-related incipeople killed in Mayor Bill de Bladents in the city, eliminate all traffic sio set out to
CONTINUED ON PAGE
6
AT LAST
WOODSTOCK SOJOURN an NYPD judge recommend at City Hall after Photography Office holds a press conference Appleton/Mayoral Mayor Bill de Blasio 2019. Photo: Michael Friday, August 2,
firing Officer Daniel
Pantaleo on
THE BILLY AND GILLY SHOW
Kamala HarWarren, Cory Booker, and Bernie debates,” longris, Amy Klobuchar for the September Pete strategist George Sanders, South Bend Mayor time Democratic doesn’t have former Texas Rep. Artz says. “De Blasioare way down Buttigieg and both Beto O’Rourke. the donors, and close, but none of A few others are in the polls.” Hank Sheinde Blasio or GilliPolitical consultant that either them are named kopf says it’s “50-50” “Any- brand. returned reBY STUART MARQUES will make the next round: Neither campaign but they’re not quests for comment. thing can happen, agree that Warde Blasio faced to qualify.” Pundits generally When Mayor Bill held off the more Gillibrand – likely a minimum of Candidates need to ren and Sanderson the first night. off with Sen. Kirsten Democratic presi- 130,000 unique donors and have moderate field and eight other in four qualigot high marks on – on July 31, it Booker and Yang and hit at least 2 percent dential hopefuls the last Billy candidates have the second night, but Biden a might have marked presidential fying polls. Eight the polls. and are assured at the are still ahead in hit those marks and Gilly Show largely igon Sept. 12 Harris Gillibrand Houston and in De Blasio debates. ei- spot onstage Presiawful tough for are former Vice 18 “It’s going to be and and 13. They Senators Elizabeth CONTINUED ON PAGE get the donors dent Joe Biden, ther of them to needed to qualify polling numbers”
POLITICS
dim for Presidential prospects Democratic New Yorkers on the debate stage
C i e Watch
A spin on the subway map pinpoints females who helped make NYC great. p. 2 Jewish women and girls light up the world by lighting the Shabbat and holiday candles. Friday Sep. 27, 6:27 pm Rosh Hashanah eve. Sunday Sep. 29, 6:24 pm 2nd day Rosh Hashanah eve. Monday Sep. 30 after 7:20 pm from a pre existing flame. For more information visit: www.chabaduppereastside.com
◄ 15 MINUTES,
INSIDE
SAFETY
CITY OF WOMEN
Eastsider just For East Side residents, major having access is a accomplishment. p.5
IS VISION ZERO WORKING?
A bill before City Council would require “birdfriendly” glass for new construction. p. 18
‘MY HANDS ARE OUTSTRETCHED’ P. 19
f d h e s, p gs ng st ts alng ish ass eel
SUTTON PARK,
chair of the City Ydanis Rodriguez, committee, Council’s transportation street s afety on speaks at a rally for steps of City Hall legislation on the McCarten/NYC May 8. Photo: John Council
WINDOW STRIKES KILLING NYC’S BIRDS
3
14 Restaurant Ratings 16
day Jon Friedman on a 8 love and music. p.
of peace,
SURVIVNG YOUR SUMMER COLD
seasonal How to deal with thefeel worse virus that makes usp. 2 than a winter bug.
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SEPTEMBER 26-OCTOBER 2, 2019
3
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG STATS FOR THE WEEK
ARREST IN DUANE READE THEFT A female employee at the Duane Reade store at 1231 Madison Ave., between East 88th St. and East 89th St., told police that at 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14, she saw a man place some over-the-counter medications inside his red handbag and then attempt to walk by all points of sale without paying. When she confronted the man, she said, he was holding a pair of scissors and said, “Come at me, I will give it to you!” Police arrested Victor Chapman, 54, in connection with the incident and charged him with robbery. During the arrest, police said, they recovered a crack pipe from Chapman’s fanny pack. The items stolen and recovered included OTC painkillers valued at $53.
OUT OF DOUGH Just before 6:50 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 16, an employee arrived to open up the Corrado bread and pastry store at 916 Lexington Ave. at East 68th St. and found the side entry door open already. He notified his manager, who found forcible damage to the door and two cash registers missing. Police are looking for a man who was seen on
Reported crimes from the 19th precinct for the week ending Sept 15 Week to Date
Year to Date
2019
2018 % Change
2019
2018 % Change
0 0
0 0
n/a n/a
0 14
1 10
3 0
5 3
-40.0 -100.0
109 97
109 109
Grand Larceny
2 36
2 27
0.0 33.3
147 1,115
165 -10.9 1,002 11.3
Grand Larceny Auto
6
1
500.0
41
53
Murder Rape Robbery
Photo by Tony Webster, via Flickr
surveillance footage. The items stolen included two Posiflex cash registers and currency totaling $2,000.
SENIOR TARGETED IN ID THEFT Yet another Upper East Side senior became the victim of ID theft. An 84-year-old man living on East 64th St. at First Ave. recently received a statement from TD bank stating that two fraudulent transactions had been made on his account. Both had appeared on Aug. 21, one in the amount of $2,400 and the other $1,000. The victim told police he realized someone was using his identity when he received a New York State ID in the mail with his information and someone else’s picture.
ARREST IN THEFT, ATTEMPTED RANSOM OF $12,900 BIKE
Felony Assault Burglary
A man was arrested after demanding ransom for a very expensive stolen bicycle, police said. At 4:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 18, a 57-year-old man parked his bicycle outside the Juice Press store at 1050 Third Ave. at East 62nd St. When he returned just four minutes later the bike was gone. He told police he soon received a phone call from a man who said he would sell the bicycle back to him for $600. The caller said the stolen bike was on Fulton St. in Brooklyn. Andrew Joyner, 35, was later arrested and charged with grand larceny in connection with the incident. The stolen items included a gray Stromer ST5 electric bike valued at $12,900,
an iPhone 8 priced at $800 and a leather saddle bag of no stated value, making a total stolen of $13,700.
ANOTHER GIFT CARD PHONE SCAM Police remind the public that any time a stranger asks you to pay for something using gift cards, you’re probably being scammed. During the period between 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, July 21, and 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 6, police said, a 76year-old woman living on East 77th
0.0 -11.0
-22.6
St. near Second Ave. received phone calls from a man claiming to be a Mr. Cooper. The man asked her to purchase gift cards and give him the codes, with the understanding that he would meet her and hand her a check with an additional amount to compensate her for her troubles. Sadly, she didn’t realize she was being scammed and bought five to ten gift cards totaling approximately $2,350 without getting a check in return.
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Useful Contacts
NYPD 19th Precinct
Drawing Board
153 E. 67th St.
212-452-0600
159 E. 85th St. 157 E. 67th St.
311
FIRE FDNY 22 Ladder Co 13 FDNY Engine 39/ Ladder 16 FDNY Engine 53/ Ladder 43 FDNY Engine 44
1836 Third Ave.
311 311
221 E. 75th St.
311
CITY COUNCIL Councilmember Keith Powers Councilmember Ben Kallos
211 E. 43rd St. #1205
212-818-0580
244 E. 93rd St.
212-860-1950
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Yorkville 96th Street 67th Street Webster Library
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212-744-5824 212-289-0908 212-734-1717 212-288-5049
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212-434-2000 212-746-5454
E. 99th St. & Madison Ave. 550 First Ave. 4 Irving Place
212-241-6500 212-263-7300 212-460-4600
STATE LEGISLATORS State Sen. Jose M. Serrano State Senator Liz Krueger Assembly Member Dan Quart Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright
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VAPING: THE TRUTH ABOUT THIS DEADLY ADDICTION HEALTH
A top NYC pulmonologist explains how e-cigarettes have hooked a new generation on nicotine, and why the rash of vaping-related illnesses may just be the beginning of a long-term public health crisis BY E. NEIL SCHACHTER
So far, according to the FDA, 530 cases of possible e-cigarette related respiratory illnesses have been reported in 38 states, and a seventh person has died due to vaping-related lung disease. The New
York State Department of Health has reported that 10 people in New York City have been sickened with vaping-associated pulmonary illness. So what is going on?
What is vaping? Vaping is the use of an electronic cigarette, or e-cigarette. The first ecigarette was developed and patented in 2003 as an aid for smoking cessation. The device arrived in America in 2007. While they may look different, all e-cigarettes have a rechargeable lithium battery, a vaporing chamber and a cartridge that contains a nicotine solution. E-cigarettes deliver nicotine and /or THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) – the agent in cannabis responsible for many of the psychological effects of marijuana).
What else is in an e-cigarette?
Graphic: Liv Cosgrove
In addition to nicotine and THC, the ingredients in the cartridges can vary widely from brand to brand, and there are now approximately 400 brands. Cartridges can contain water, nicotine, vitamin E acetate, flavorings, polypropylene glycol and/or glycerin. Laboratory studies have also found nitrosamines (a known carcinogen), dimethylene glycol (an ingredient in anti-freeze), formaldehyde, cadmium, lead, and acetone in the cartridge solution. When the ingredient propylene glycol is heated and vaporized, it can form propylene oxide, which is also a known carcinogen. Originally, the e-cigarette cartridges contained about half the nicotine levels of a pack of traditional cigarettes. Currently, the nicotine levels of the most popular e-cigarette (Juul) have doubled to about the same con-
Graphic: Liv Cosgrove
tent of a cigarette pack. Nicotine, which can be as addicting as alcohol, heroin and codeine, has a broad impact. It can both stimulate and relax the body. People report they feel smarter and more alert, and studies have shown that nicotine enhances attention span and memory. In larger doses, when inhaled deeply, nicotine has a calming effect and reduces feelings of stress. The letdown following these effects makes it harder for vapers to quit. Moreover, nicotine use leads to “tachyphylaxis,“ meaning that it takes a greater dose to achieve the same effect. In this way, e-cigarettes have created a new generation of people addicted to nicotine. While national tobacco smoking has fallen to historic lows, there has been a
frightening rise in nicotine addiction among teenagers. Between 2011 and 2015, e-cigarette smoking levels rose 900% among high school students.
What happens in the Lungs? When you vape you inhale an aerosol – a suspension of small liquid particles containing the different products dissolved in the e-cigarette’s cartridge. These ingredients may be transformed by the heating process and become irritating or toxic. As a result, small particles make their way deep into the lungs. Lung x-rays of people who get sick from vaping show shadows similar to those seen with viral or bacterial pneumonias. Unlike those types of pneumonia, vaping pneumonia does not respond to antibiotics or anti-
viral medicines.
How is Vaping Different from Smoking? The hope with vaping was that it would be a true nicotine delivery system and would help smokers gradually wean themselves off cigarettes. (Traditional cigarette smoke contains more than 2,000 chemicals including 146 known carcinogens.) However, the FDA has never approved vaping as a smoking cessation aid. Furthermore, studies show that people using e- cigarettes for smoking cessation have a 10 percent success rate of quitting. By comparison, 26 percent of smokers that use other types of smoking cessation such as nicotine gum or the patch,
CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
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Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com ously knew. Last week, the Trump Administra-
Vape dispensers come in all shapes, sizes and colors.
STATE OUTLAWS SALE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
tine. Some have reported the use of e-cigarette products containing only nicotine.”
port from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. The rash of illnesses began in April and has been linked to seven deaths, the latest being flagged by health officials in California. The CDC’s demographic report shows that nearly three-quarters are male, two-thirds between 18 and 34. Sixteen percent are 18 or younger. And about half the subjects of these cases are 25 year old or younger. “Most patients have reported using e-cigarette products containing THC,” the CDC reported. “Many have reported using THC and nico-
Calls for Action In New York, as of September 9, the State Department of Health has received 41 reports from doctors of “severe pulmonary illness among patients from 15 to 46 years old who were using at least one cannabiscontaining vape product before they became ill. However, all patients reported recent use of various vape products.” Political figures at every level have been calling for action on the vaping products since health officials found that the cases of lung illness were more widespread than they previ-
Because of the aggressive marketing and the flavors widely available, teenagers are now addicted to nicotine ... It’s why they spend much of the school day vaping in the bathroom. State Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal tion said that the Food and Drug Administration would move to develop guidelines to remove all flavored ecigarettes from the market, with the exception of tobacco. Additionally, Sens. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore, that would ban the flavored products and as well as apply cigarette taxes on the devices. Action to achieve this proposal has not moved as quickly on a federal level, but the retailer Walmart has taken matters into their own hands and announced late last week that it planned to pull e-cigarettes from its shelves.
A Push Against Menthol But State Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal isn’t going to count on the federal government, or her state’s executive office, to outlaw the fla-
Don’t Hesitate.
Vaccinate!
Vaccines are safe, effective and keep our children healthy. Vaccinations are required for children to attend all child care, pre-K, public and private schools. To learn more, call 311 or visit nyc.gov/health and search “student vaccines.”
vored e-cigarettes. “When it comes to the federal government, I’ll believe it when I see it,” Rosenthal said. “Trump makes a lot of promises that never come to fruition.” Rosenthal also said the state cannot rely solely on executive action, but that legislation would be the best way to get e-cigarettes off the shelves. Plus, Rosenthal’s legislation, which she initially introduced in 2017, includes a ban of minted menthol, and Cuomo’s order does not. “Fifty-four percent of kids who vape say they started with menthol,” Rosenthal said. “It’s kind of like an entry way.” Since 2012, Rosenthal has been pushing legislation to crack down on the sale of these products to minors. Most recently, she helped raise the legal smoking age in the state of New York from 18 to 21. Rosenthal said that there still is not a lot of research and information about the possible consequences of using e-cigarettes; but, she said that it is known that minors with developing brains and bodies should not be exposed to nicotine, and that is what has happened as vaping has become more popular. “Because of the aggressive marketing and the flavors widely available, teenagers are now addicted to nicotine, which rewires their brain and
SEPTEMBER 26-OCTOBER 2, 2019 creates a reward loop,” Rosenthal said. “It’s why they spend much of the school day vaping in the bathroom.”
City Legislation Rosenthal said she is going to pursue her bill to ban flavors when lawmakers return to Albany, and said she will also be introducing another bill modeled after a San Francisco policy that has banned the sale of ecigarettes altogether until the FDA has declared them a suitable smoking device. Legislation is being drawn up at the city level as well to ban the sale of e-cigarettes. Council Member Mark Levine, who represents the 7th District of Manhattan and chairs the Council Committee on Health, is introducing a bill to ban the sale of all e-cigarette flavors in the city. “While our fight to protect kids from the dangers of vaping has gained a lot of momentum at every level of government, New York City needs our own permanent and comprehensive ban on all flavored vaping products that are marketed specifically to hook kids on nicotine,” Levine said in a statement. Like Rosenthal’s bill, Levine’s proposal is to go further than the governor’s emergency action and include menthol in the ban.
SEPTEMBER 26-OCTOBER 2, 2019
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
‘WE WILL MAKE THEM HEAR US’ ENVIRONMENT
Students skipping school turned out in force to participate in the movement to combat climate change BY EMILY HIGGINBOTHAM
Thousands of young people flooded the streets of Lower Manhattan Friday afternoon, chanting and waving protest signs, all to be seen and heard by the people who they said could actually do something to combat the devastating effects of an impending climate catastrophe. At this point, it’s all they felt they could do. “We don’t have votes yet,” said 13-year-old Brooklyn resident April Carlioz. “We can be as eco-friendly as we want, but then we need to inspire the people who can make direct, political change to vote with us and to vote for a future for humanity.” It was that sentiment that was repeated over and over by the students who missed school last week to participate in the global climate strike that galvanized millions of young people in the United States and around the world to demand change from political leaders. The students, of all ages, from elementary school to college and estimated by organizers to be as many as 250,000 in number, emphasized the need for those in power to take notice and to act. No one spoke as clearly or powerfully on that point as Greta Thunberg, the 16-yearold Swedish climate activist who has been the driving force behind the youth movement to combat climate change. In a speech following a march from Foley Square to Battery Park, Thunberg said the world leaders gathering in New York for the United Nations Climate Action Summit on Monday had a chance to prove that they too are united behind the science and reports that show the need for drastic action in the next 10 years to lower global carbon emissions. “We have not taken to the streets — sacrificing our education — for the adults and
Tens of thousands packed Foley Square before a march to Battery Park Friday as park of the Climate Strike NYC, a movement led by 16year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. Photos: Emily Higginbotham
“We need to inspire the people who can make direct, political change to vote with us and to vote for a future for humanity.” April Carlioz, 13-year-old Brooklyn resident politicians to take selfies with us and tell us that they really, really admire what we do,” Thunberg said before a sea of protesters. “They have a chance to take leadership to prove that they actually hear us. “Do you think they hear us?” Thunberg posed to the roaring crowd. “We will make them hear us.”
“It’s Hot in Here!” It was clear from the passion of the students on hand Friday that the event was not simply an opportunity to skip school. They were tireless in their chanting, often breaking out into the pep rally-style cheer “Oh, it’s hot in here! There must be some carbon in the atmosphere!” They raised their signs above the crowd. Many read “There is no planet B.” Some invoked Internet memes. Others were simple and clear in their message: “Denial is deadly.” For 19-year-old Louis Roberts, climate change has become a daily anxiety. He said he’s been worried of what the future might look like since he was as young as seven. “When I was able to get a good grasp on it I was terrified,” said Roberts, who is studying at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs. “Now,
trying to build a future in something that seems so uncertain is very anxiety inducing.” Roberts said there needs to be absolute change across the board, including politically and economically. “That’s my sign, right?” he said with a laugh, holding up his sign that read “Compost the rich.”
A Collective Impact Lila Patterson, a 15-year-old student who made the trip from Westchester, said the recent climate disasters, including the recent fires in the Amazon, have made it undeniable that climate change is affecting everyone around the world. “I think it’s important that we all get involved and help in demonstrating our support to combat this terrible issue,” Patterson said. “It makes me feel frustrated. Some people treat it as though it’s inevitable and it’s not. There are things that we can do about it, we’re just not doing it.” Patterson’s classmate, Russell Whol, said he hoped that with so many rallies across the country, collectively they could make an impact. “I really hope that some politicians out there will take to the Senate and start really fighting for change because we need that spark in our government,” the 16-year-old said. “And we’re the match that needs to give the government that flame.”
Hope and Catharsis For 13-year-old Carlioz and her friends, it’s been a difficult issue to wrap their heads
CONTINUED ON PAGE 19
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‘BE A BLESSING – THAT IS WHY WE ARE HERE’
SEPTEMBER 26-OCTOBER 2, 2019
Voices
BY BETTE DEWING
Those words are a timeless reminder from a Rabbi Harvey M. Tattelbaum’s High Holy Day sermon published in Our Town. The date missing on the copies made to share at a church gathering. But his message did note it was the 5746th year of the ancient Jewish calendar. More important, It was a time he said “to remind ourselves of a sense of accountability to the Jewish tradition, the needs of our people and to people everywhere.” And his message ends with the words we so need to remember and enact “Or as Abraham understands God to have told him -- “Heyay baracha” -- be a blessing, that is why we are here.“ And I wrote a column citing ways to be a Big Apple blessing - all faiths all people of good faith. Not surprising, I can’t locate it, but I suspect they’re same ones we need today, This may seem a simplistic way to be a blessing, but smiling does help sweeten the social climate, not to mention human connections in a time known more for peering at cell phones and other devices. But keep in mind how smiling also soothes the brain, and don’t we need that. And don’t we need that. And my cousin’s foster daughter (what a blessing) reminds: “A smile is a curve which sets everything straight”
Crimes of Traffic And speaking of safe traffic which we inevitably must, while vehicle operators are required to yield to pedestrians when turning into a crosswalk, it’s really nice to give a smile and a wave when they do. But when they don’t well don’t be silent. Again, failure to yield is the leading cause of pedestrian injury and death, and yet this deadly traffic crime is too seldom punished even when it takes a life or severely injures. And it surely does stress, which must be considered big time. All crimes of traffic do that, including two wheelers and now scooter riders (help!) so very allergic to the rules of the road.
Police and a demonstrator at a July rally protesting the death of Eric Garner. Photo: Margaret Barnsley
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Police and the Public
A Neighbor Who Is a Blessing And that does relate to Rabbi Tattelbaum and Temple Shaaray Tefila, member Betty Cooper Wallerstein and her East 79th Street Neighborhood Association is surely a blessing, with 30-plus years active concern for all the above, including getting York Avenue Sunday bus service. And the monthly meetings so importantly bring people together and to meet with elected officials and police officers. Also helpful friendships are formed. What a blessing! But due to luxury high rises razing places that once held community rooms, meeting places are harder to find – let alone small businesses which meet everyday needs. So be a blessing and join this and other civic groups to save and restore these and other ineffable city blessings – very critical city needs they are. It can be done if enough of us try - Heyay baracha – be a blessing, that is why we are here. New Year blessings which again Rabbi Tattlebaum said “means a sense of accountability to the world is the responsibility of each of us for our Jewish tradition and to the needs of our people – to people everywhere.” Please repeat and repeat “to all of us, and to people everywhere.” dewingbetter@aol.com
Visualize the video of people tossing buckets of water at officers who walk with heads down to their squad cars; hear about a bystander throwing milk at a policeman attending to an emergency. These occurrences are not an indication of poor community relations. It shows a defiance of authority and that abuse goes unpunished. What is behind this? Some are calling it the Pantaleo effect, although it preceded the firing of the officer blamed for Eric Garner’s death. According to Chief of Department Terence Monahan between 8/19 and 8/25 there was a 30 percent drop in arrests and summonses. He added that the NYPD would continue to safeguard New Yorkers from serious crimes. Most people obey the law and appreciate order in the public domain; they rely on the police to maintain it. Those who would break the law defy authority if the consequences such as arrest do not occur. An officer I approached on Columbus Avenue was reluctant to discuss morale but then said, “It’s low.” Under Mayor de Blasio and his administration the police lack support. The firing of Pantaleo and withholding of his pension reinforced their vulnerability. As in any profession there are some police who deserve condemnation. But when politics causes the police to stand down or face possible vilification, the bad actors in the
community can cause havoc. Unless there is a change for the better during this and future administrations I anticipate a continued decline in the quality of life in New York City. There will also be fewer recruits to the police department. Ruth Cohen, MD Upper West Side
Hierarchy of Risk I am surprised and dismayed that you chose to publish Janet A. Davis’s anti-bicycling blame-the-victim piece “New York is Not a Doll House.” Davis espoused that cyclists should be banned from certain streets to allow more space as “Cars and trucks jockey for lanes as they move toward their goals.” I would like Davis and others that share her view to think critically about the hierarchy of risk associated with various levels of transportation in New York City. A car speeding through a red light may wipe out a group of people crossing the street. A bicycle is unable to inflict such damage. Our city would be far more safe if zealots like Ms. Davis concentrated on railing against dangers posed by vehicles rather than “lowhanging fruit” bicyclists, who are also trying to “move toward their goals.” Jamie Favaro Upper West Side
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SEPTEMBER 26-OCTOBER 2, 2019
mayor’s average in the Real Clear Politics poll over his four-month run had actually ranged between 0.2 and 0.6 percent, and his national polling peak came on Aug. 28 when he hit 1 percent for the first time in a Quinnipiac University survey. Still, one can say this of de Blasio’s bid with only a modest amount of irony – thanks for the memories. And there were a few real standouts, among them:
Then presidential candidate Bill de Blasio onstage at the Iowa Democratic Wing Ding in Clear Lake, Iowa on August 9, 2019. Photo: Gage Skidmore via Flickr
THE BRANDING FIASCO
IT’S ALL OVER NOW CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 perience.” Later, on WNYC, the pol derided for a perceived lack of interest in his day job at City Hall signaled he was revving up for government service anew, saying he would swiftly throw himself back into the fray. “Two years, three months and 11 days more to go!” de Blasio declared, referring to the time remaining in his second and last mayoral term. Critics responded with barbs and mirth, and chief
Trump, he said, is a “con artist,” and “every New Yorker knows it…We know his tricks, and we know his playbook, too.” So far, so good. But then he took to Twitter to tar the president as “ConDon.” Only to be roundly mocked because the word means “condom” in Spanish. among them was a fellow Manhattanite and inveterate antagonist: “Oh, no, there’s really big political news, perhaps the biggest story in years!” President Donald Trump said in a tweet. “Part-time Mayor of New York City, @BilldeBlasio, who was polling at a solid ZERO, but had tremendous room for growth, has shockingly dropped out of the Presidential race,” he wrote. “NYC is devastated, he’s coming home!” Of course, Trump isn’t exactly known for accurately marshaling all his facts. The
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THE FLAPPING FARCE During a visit to a South Carolina church, the mayor was captured on video awkwardly flapping his arms as a choir performed R. Kelly’s “I Believe I Can Fly.” Never mind that the disgraced singer was facing sexual abuse charges and had faced similar allegations for nearly two decades. De Blasio said he didn’t know the R. Kelly number and would never condone misogynistic behavior.
THE CHE GUEVARA CONTRETEMPS At a rally in Miami for strik-
NYC is devastated, he’s coming home!
panel in Concord and only six were in the audience. But he did take a bunch of selfies, and he told everyone how much he adored the Boston Red Sox.
Tweet from President Donald Trump
THE “MECHANICAL ISSUE” BACK HOME
ing airport workers, he shouted out in Spanish, “Hasta la victoria, siempre!” – “Until victory, always!” Turns out, that was the Cuban revolutionary’s signature battle cry. And not a very smart way to win over the anti-Castro electorate in Florida. The mayor apologized, insisted he had been unaware the phrase was associated with Che and said he never meant to offend anyone.
THE ENDORSEMENTS Well, it’s a very short list. But he did win the backing of two Podunk-town mayors in South Carolina, Frank McClary of Andrews (population, 2,900) and Michael Butler of Orangeburg (population, 12,750), which he had to visit three times before finally closing the deal with Butler.
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It was July 13 when a 65block chunk of Manhattan’s West Side was hit with a massive power blackout affecting 73,000 customers and leaving hundreds of people trapped in subways and elevators. Where was Bill as other pols raced to the scene and City Council Speaker Corey Johnson played the role of de facto mayor? Waterloo, Iowa. At a union hall for auto workers. Trying to make up his mind if he should remain on the campaign trail or come home to deal with a potentially lifethreatening emergency. “It’s simply a mechanical issue,”
he told reporters at first. “A transmission problem” that would, he hoped, get resolved in a “relatively quick period of time.” But the outage lasted for five hours, and after considerable dithering, the mayor finally left the Hawkeye State and returned home. And now, he’s back home once again. The era of the Wing Ding, the traditional chicken-wing centered campaign event he attended in Clear Lake, Iowa, and the Twisted Spur Happy Hour, where he dropped by in Columbia, S.C., is at an end. But de Blasio also made it clear on “Morning Joe” that he has no intention whatsoever of abandoning the national political scene. “Whoever is the nominee,” he said, “I’m going to be there for them.”
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SEPTEMBER 26-OCTOBER 2,2019
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
• The Frick Collection • CURRENTLY ON VIEW Bertoldo di Giovanni: The Renaissance of Sculpture in Medici Florence This is the first major show on Bertoldo di Giovanni, a student of Donatello, teacher of Michelangelo, and a favorite of Lorenzo de’ Medici. On view are the majority of his extant works, shedding light on this notable Florentine artist. Created in partnership with the Bargello in Florence, the show features statuettes, medals, a life-sized sculpture, and larger works in ceramics and bronze.
Elective Affinities: Edmund de Waal at The Frick Collection Experience a temporary installation of sculptures by acclaimed author and ceramist Edmund de Waal. Site-specific works made of porcelain, steel, gold, alabaster, and glass are displayed in the Frick’s main galleries alongside objects from the permanent collection. This is the first such installation for the museum, and de Waal’s first project of this kind in the United States.
UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS Manet: Three Paintings from the Norton Simon Museum Through a partnership with Pasadena’s Norton Simon Museum, the Frick shows three paintings by nineteenth-century French Impressionist Édouard Manet. The exhibition provides three distinct “views” of the artist’s life and work, and each piece offers an opportunity to consider the range of Manet’s pioneering vision. This is the first time these canvases are exhibited together elsewhere since their acquisition.
Calendar NYCNOW
Discover the world around the corner. Find community events, gallery openings, book launches and much more: Go to nycnow.com
EDITOR’S PICK
Oct 2 FILM: AMERICAN SPLENDOR (2003), LIVE PODCAST WITH DIRECTORS Society of Illustrators 128 East 63rd St 6:30 p.m. $15 societyillustrators.org 212-838-2560 A unique hybrid of live action, documentary, and animation chronicling the story of legendary comics writer Harvey Pekar. Come for a screening of the film and a discussion afterward with the directors, animator, and other creators involved.
Henry Arnhold’s Meissen Palace: Celebrating a Collector The Frick presents works from the famed European porcelain manufactory, a group of remarkable and whimsical objects gifted to the Frick by the foundation of the late Henry H. Arnhold (1921 –2018). The show transforms the Portico Gallery into an eighteenth-century “porcelain room.” This historically inspired installation allows visitors to experience these fragile, luxurious objects in much the same way one would have when created.
FREE PUBLIC NIGHT Next First Fridays Events: Oct 4 and Nov 1 Museum admission and programs are free 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the first Friday evening of the month. Visitors have access to the permanent collection and special exhibition galleries, talks and lectures by museum educators and curators, music and dance performances, and open sketching in the Garden Court (complimentary materials provided by the Frick.) For more information, visit frick.org/FirstFridays.
ARCHITECTURAL MODEL NOW ON VIEW The architectural model showing the proposed renovation and enhancement of our facilities by Selldorf Architects is on view now. The project will honor the historic architecture and character of the museum and library and preserve the unique visitor experience for which the Frick is known. Greater access to the original residence is central to the plan, along with critical upgrades to the building’s infrastructure. Learn more at frickfuture.org
Brought to you by
The Frick Collection 1 East 70th St. (on Fifth Ave.) • (212) 288-0700 www.frick.org
Thu 26
Fri 27
Sat 28
WYSS INSTITUTE SELECTS
FREE FENCING CLASS
Cooper Hewitt 2 East 91st St 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. $16 (includes general admission) The Wyss Institute is a world leader in biodesign engineering. For this exhibition, it conceived of the theme of Biofuturism, and selected works from the museum’s collection to describe this new formulation of the Futurism art and design movement. cooperhewitt.org 212-849-8400 nypl.org
Bryant Park, Fifth Avenue Terrace Fifth Ave and 59th St 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. Free Learn the basics of this international sport with masters from Manhattan Fencing Center. The class is free, but online registration is required. manhattanfencing.com 212-382-2255
▲FILM: SPIDER MAN: INTO THE SPIDERVERSE (2018)© Lexington Ave and East 96th St 7:00 p.m. Free Teen Miles Morales becomes Spider-Man of his reality, crossing his path with five counterparts from other dimensions to stop a threat for all realities. Sit under the stars and enjoy this acclaimed animated film. 212-408-0243 nycgovparks.org
SEPTEMBER 26-OCTOBER 2,2019
Sun 29
Mon 30▲
Tue 1
SUN GAZE SUNDAYS Pier 1
CLIMBING THE WORLD’S HIGHEST MOUNTAINS
FATIMA BHUTTO – NEW KINGS OF THE WORLD
Explorers Club 46 East 70th St 7:00 p.m. $25 Join British mountaineer Adrian Hayes and Australian filmmaker Anthony Gordon as they discuss they discuss their experiences tackling Everest and K2. explorers.org 212-628-8383
Asia Society of New York 725 Park Ave 6:30 p.m. $20 Author Fatima Bhutto profiles the new mass culture movements arising from Asia – India’s Bollywood films, Turkish dizi (soap operas), and South Korean pop music. asiasociety.org 212-288-6400
500 West 70th St 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Free The Amateur Astronomers Association and solargazing return with solar telescopes specifically designed to safely look at the sun and see sunspots and prominences under a summer sky. riversideparknyc.org 212-870-3070
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ACTIVITIES FOR THE FERTILE MIND
Wed 2
thoughtgallery.org NEW YORK CITY
◄GREENMARKET AT ROCKEFELLER CENTER
Behind the Scenes: Maurice Sendak’s Designs for Opera
Rockefeller Center North Plaza West 50th St 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Free A gorgeous open-air market in the heart of the Big Apple, the Rockefeller Center Greenmarket brings fresh local foods and farmers to iconic Rockefeller Plaza. The market boasts a little bit of everything, from pristine produce to orchids, wines, farmstead cheeses, and local chutneys. grownyc.org 212-788-7476
General Director of the Portland Opera Christopher Mattaliano talks about his collaboration with Maurice Sendak in stagings like Mozart’s The Magic Flute. The presentation will be illustrated by Sendak’s sketches and production scenes; select arias will be performed live ($20).
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH, 6:30PM Morgan Library+Museum | 225 Madison Ave. | 212-685-0008 | themorgan.org
Debbie Harry: Face It
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30TH, 8PM The Town Hall | 123 W. 43rd St. | 212-997-1003 | thetownhall.org Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame inductee Debbie Harry talks fashion, film, and music on the occasion of the release of her long-anticipated memoir. She’s joined by her Blondie co-founder, photographer Chris Stein, and multidisciplinary artist Rob Roth ($44, includes signed copy).
Just Announced | Ambassador Nikki Haley in Conversation: With All Due Respect—Defending America with Grit and Grace
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12TH, 7PM 92nd Street Y | 1395 Lexington Ave. | 212-415-5500 | 92y.org Former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley provides a behind-the-scenes look at the Trump administration and the challenges the U.S. faces in foreign affairs ($45, includes book).
For more information about lectures, readings and other intellectually stimulating events throughout NYC,
sign up for the weekly Thought Gallery newsletter at thoughtgallery.org.
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SEPTEMBER 26-OCTOBER 2, 2019
ECHOES OF THE PAST, WHISPERS OF THE FUTURE The Frick Collection’s exhibition of a little known Renaissance master BY MARY GREGORY
The curators at the Frick Collection have a knack for uncovering geniuses of the past and starting them trending. Now it’s Bertoldo di Giovanni’s turn, and it was worth the wait to get to know this major, but relatively obscure, Renaissance sculptor. “This show grew out of the fact that we have the only Bertoldo in the United States and wanted to know it better,“ said director, Ian Wardropper. “We ended up doing what is the first ever exhibition on this sculptor who was important not just as a maker of bronzes but as a link between the greatest sculptors of the 15th and 16th centuries. He worked for Donatello and was a mentor to Michelangelo.” He was also the friend, house guest, curator and a favorite artist of Lorenzo de’ Medici. Co-curated by Aimee Ng, Alexander J. Noelle and Xavier F. Salomon, the exhibition brings together virtually all the extant known work of Bertoldo. It’s a rare chance to see every piece, across several media and forms, by a major artist. More than 20 pieces fill the downstairs galleries, creating interaction between terracotta, bronze, and a polychrome wood sculpture of St. Jerome. The visual conversations are lively and extensive; definitive answers are fewer. Not much has been known with certainty about Bertoldo. The Frick’s team went back to original documents from the early 1500s, translat-
IF YOU GO What: Bertoldo di Giovanni: The Renaissance Of Sculpture In Medici Florence Where: The Frick Collection, 1 East 70th Street When: Through January 12, 2020 ing, transcribing and turning them into hypotheses about the artist and his oeuvre. But it wasn’t just dusty old documents they found. They discovered another obstacle that prevented Bertoldo’s name from coming down through history. “Bertoldo has been primarily identified in connection with three of the great names of the Italian renaissance, Donatello, Lorenzo de’ Medici, and Michelangelo,“ said Noelle. “It’s partly due to Michelangelo that Bertoldo is relatively obscure today. Michelangelo, as he got older, fashioned himself as a divinely blessed artist, as self-taught. And, therefore, he tried to erase Bertoldo from his narrative. The founding art historian, Giorgio Vasari, also contributed to Bertoldo’s downplaying, in his “Lives of the Artists,“ when he established Donatello and Michelangelo as the bookending titans of the Renaissance… What we’ve done in this exhibition is really celebrate the ingenuity and achievements of Bertoldo in his own right.”
Contemporary Connections His sculptural achievements speak for themselves in complex and delicate but powerful statues, wall reliefs and medals, but the curatorial voices bring them out more fully. The first work encountered, at the base of the stairs, is Bertoldo’s “Bat-
“Bellerophon Taming Pegasus,“ designed by Bertoldo di Giovanni, executed by Adriano Fiorentino, is an example of the kind of collaborations that were a hallmark of Bertoldo’s practice. Photo: Adel Gorgy
tle” relief. Salomon described is as “the main achievement of Bertoldo … from the height of his career.” The wall texts tell us that it was based on an ancient sarcophagus but reworked in a then modern way. Figures energetically twist across an undefined space. There’s no ground under their feet that we can see, and gravity seems to have little effect on the horses and soldiers who recede, entangle, and then extend off the surface, coming deep into the viewer’s space. It conjures thoughts of the charged all-over rhythms of the Abstract Expressionists and the paintings with objects protruding that Eva Hesse made in the mid-1960s. Curiously, this quintessential Renaissance master’s work brings lots of surprising contemporary connections to mind. A large ceramic frieze that once adorned the Medici villa at Poggio a Caiano, pings memories of Henri Matisse’s “The Swimming Pool” at the Museum of Modern Art, with white figures across bands of cobalt. Designs passed along to other artists to complete (since Bertoldo had no workshop of his own) presage 21st century artists who utilize fabricators to make their art. That seems to be the unique genius of Bertoldo – as conduit and connector. One large medal was packed with complex, tiny details intricately worked in bronze. On the reverse,
A detail of the extraordinary, life-sized “St. Jerome” sculpture, executed in around 1465 probably by both Donatello and Bertoldo di Giovanni, is one of the highlights of the show. Photo: Adel Gorgy
where other sculptors might have just placed text or a coat of arms, Bertoldo works an entire Last Judgment scene. Blown up to 50 meters high, it’s the same composition as Michelangelo’s Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel. That more than suggests Michelangelo’s recollection of his teacher’s work.
Pathos and Passion Most spectacular is a life-sized standing figure in painted wood depicting St. Jerome. Again, it brings up questions of collaboration and inspiration, and again, the details are extraordinary. The pathos and passion of the penitent saint are expressed from his tormented gaze down to his knees, bruised from prayer. It recalls Donatello’s Mary Magdalene commissioned for the Baptistery of Florence, but said curator Ng, “It just misses what Donatello seems to have been able to do in other sculptures.”
When Donatello died, his final commission was recorded as having been completed by Bertoldo. So, who, exactly, sculpted this lifelike, suffering saint? “This is hotly contested,“ admitted Ng. “Some scholars are absolutely committed to this as a work by Donatello, and some are really sure about Bertoldo. This is why we bring these things together. To see how they suit each other.” Ng believes that new research, brought out in the splendid book that accompanies the exhibition, as well as the spotlight on Bertoldo, may result in new discoveries and attributions. It took more than 500 years for this artist to have his first solo show. Though most have never heard of Bertoldo di Giovanni, those who visit the Frick and get to know his work aren’t likely to forget him soon.
SEPTEMBER 26-OCTOBER 2, 2019
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Tired of Hunting for Our Town? Central Perk “Friends” set. Photo: Glen Bowman, via flickr
FEELING UNFRIENDLY ABOUT ‘FRIENDS’ TELEVISION
Why I won’t be celebrating the hit show’s 25th anniversary BY LORRAINE DUFFY MERKL
I won’t be there for them. “Friends” (the non-Facebook kind) is celebrating its 25th anniversary and I shall be sitting out the festivities such as the three-day “Friends 25th: The One With The Anniversary” big screen extravaganza (scheduled for Sept. 22, Sept. 28 and Oct. 2) with tickets procured from the Fathom Events website, as well as the pop-up exhibit in Soho — because I never liked the show. (Let the backlash begin.) Although the cast was eye candy at its finest and the theme song was a toe-tapper, I just couldn’t get into it. Perhaps, as a native New Yorker, I just found unrelatable the, “friends as family while young transplants try to make it in Manhattan” thing. Or maybe because in 1994 when the show premiered, I had been married for six years and hoping for motherhood, no longer interested in the shenanigans of singles, a life from which I had successfully distanced myself. I was so uninterested that I missed the entire first season, even though the engaging actors were in every magazine, and friends and colleagues were always talking about how cute the show was. There was also the obligatory “I’m so (fill in character’s name here)” declarations, which
meant that I found myself suddenly surrounded by a bevy of Monicas, Rachels and Chandlers, with very few people (read: no none) laying claim to mirroring the intelligence-impaired Joey, flaky Phoebe or geeky Ross. I succumbed to peer pressure (“How can you not watch ‘Friends?’”) for seasons two, three and four so I could be part of the water cooler conversation on Friday mornings. By the start of year five, though, I found myself settling in with the first episode and thinking, “I just can’t do this anymore.” So, I turned it off, managing to live without seasons five through nine. In 2004, when the final season aired, for some inexplicable reason I got sentimental and decided to give the series a farewell viewing. All it did was confirm for me that my original decision to not become a fan was the right one. Even after half a decade of going cold turkey, that apartment (Monica’s grandmother’s rent-controlled one) still irked me. (My first apartment, including kitchen, bathroom and two closets, was the size of my current living room.) My breastbone constricted when Ross and Rachel decided to drag a child into their unhealthy and draining push/pull relationship. And I shook my head as Monica and Chandler turned inward to the group to find love, because they’d exhausted the NYC dating pool. I had seen that scenario play out IRL more than once and it never ended as anyone hoped.
I’m still trying to reconcile how Rachel, the waitress with no skills, beat out all the F.I.T. fashionistas with degrees ... to become an executive at Ralph Lauren. I also didn’t quite understand how some of these bonds stayed intact or even existed at all. Knowing how much her brother loved Rachel, how did Monica stand by and let She of the Coveted Hair Cut hurt him time after time by choosing other men? I know some very protective sisters who would have tossed their roommate out on the street. Rachel would have been playing tambourine for loose change while Phoebe strummed “Smelly Cat” on the guitar down the subway. I’m also still trying to reconcile how Rachel, the waitress with no skills, beat out all the F.I.T. fashionistas with degrees, aka the million girls who would kill for that job, to become an executive at Ralph Lauren. So fans, enjoy the 25th celebration, get your memorabilia and tickets to watch cherrypicked episodes in the movie theater. It just might help take your mind off what’s going on in the rest of the world. As The Rembrandts sang: no one told you life was gonna be this way. Lorraine Duffy Merkl is the author of the novels “Fat Chick” and “Back to Work She Goes.”
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SEPTEMBER 26-OCTOBER 2, 2019
RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2019 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. Little Vincent’s Pizza
1399 2nd Ave
A
Yia Yia
404 E 69th St
A
Delizia Ristorante
1374 1 Avenue
A
Beyoglu
200 East 81 Street
Grade Pending (26) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Food worker does not use proper utensil to eliminate bare hand contact with food that will not receive adequate additional heat treatment. Evidence of rats or live rats present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.
Nicola’S Restaurant 146 East 84 Street
A
Irving Farm Coffee Roasters
1424 3rd Ave
A
Subway
1523 York Avenue
A
City Swiggers
320 East 86 Street
A
Bangkok Cuisine
1586 2nd Ave
Grade Pending (26) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Evidence of rats or live rats present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
Yuka Restaurant
1557 2Nd Ave
A
China Jade
1643 2Nd Ave
Grade Pending (21) Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
Indian Tandoor Oven
175 E 83rd St
A
Taqueria Guadalupe 1743 Lexington Avenue
A
Amy’s Bread
1220 5th Ave
A
Dunkin’
1873 2 Avenue
A
Barcha
2241 1St Ave
Not Yet Graded (18) Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided.
Effy’s Kitchen
1567 Lexington Ave
A
Mcdonald’s
1872 3Rd Ave
A
Make N Bake
1976 3Rd Ave
A
Cafe Maggio
555 East 90Th St
A
Coco Moka Cafe
Nka Penn Station A
Closed (93)
Graphic: Liv Cosgrove
VAPING: THE TRUTH CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 successfully quit. In addition, other research has shown that up to 52 percent of smokers are now using both electronic and traditional cigarettes at the same time.
FDA Regulation There is a shocking lack of FDA oversight of e-cigarettes. Despite the fact that they were marketed as a healthier way to smoke and as a way to quit, they were not required to show any evidence of safety or efficacy. In 2008, the FDA announced new regulations that tried to limit the sale of e-cigarettes to minors. However, since more than 50 percent of e-cigarettes are bought online, and there is a considerable black market, the current FDA regulations are inadequate. In the U.S., teens are more likely to use ecigarettes than adults are. In 2018, 4.9 percent of middle school students and 20.8 percent of high school students used e-cigarettes. By comparison, less than 4 percent of adults use e-cigarettes.
Symptoms of Respiratory Illness The disease as it has been reported frequently begins with a dry cough and pleuritic chest pain (sharp pain with deep breaths). These early symptoms begin several days or weeks before the person requires hospitalization. A fast heart rate, fever, chills and fatigue are also reported, as are GI symptoms, which may appear before the respiratory symptoms. These may include vomiting, abdominal symptoms and diarrhea. By the time the person is sick enough to require hospitalization, findings of low oxygen
in the blood leading to respiratory failure may occur. This is usually treated by giving oxygen or in extreme cases using intubation with mechanical ventilators. The symptoms may be confused with pneumonia but these patients do not respond to antibiotics and the commonality is that they used e-cigarettes with THC, and/or nicotine plus THC. No specific agent(s) has been consistently associated with this illness. In some cases, washings from the airway using a bronchoscope as well as biopsies of the lung have shown fatty products in white blood cells. This finding is associated with “lipoid pneumonia,” a non-infectious pneumonia resulting from the inhalation of oils such as those that may be used in vaping solutions. There is no specific treatment, but systemic steroids seemed to speed recovery.
Final Thoughts What we may be seeing is the tip of the iceberg, with many other individuals developing less severe forms of the disease. Even as we search for effective responses and treatments for these short-term effects, we need to keep in mind the potential for long-term effects. In the case of cigarettes, we know that lung cancers and other chronic related diseases may only become apparent long after an individual stops smoking. There is very real concern that the cases now being reported are just the start of new long-term public health problems. E. Neil Schachter, MD, is the Maurice Hexter Professor of (Pulmonary) Medicine and a Professor of Environmental Medicine and Public Health at The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Medical Director of Pulmonary Rehabilitation at Mount Sinai
SEPTEMBER 26-OCTOBER 2, 2019
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Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
ALL BUTTONED UP CLOSINGS
A beloved neighborhood shop goes out of business after more than 50 years BY JASON COHEN
Tender Buttons was a staple and an institution on the UES for five decades. Sadly, with the building being sold, the iconic business closed last month. On Aug. 31, Tender Buttons, located at 143 East 62nd St., shuttered its doors. The store, which was founded by two friends, Diana Epstein and Millicent Safro, became the place to go for buttons. The name of the business came from stories written by renowned author Gertrude Stein. “The 50 years went by very quickly,” Safro said. “We were enjoying ourselves in the shop and we loved the shop.
Every day was a fun day.” The business originated in 1964 when Epstein, a former reference book editor, purchased a button collection from a button shop at 236 East 77th, whose owner had just passed away. With the buttons in hand, she and Safro opened up Tender Buttons in 1968. “We were friends and I thought it was a hilariously fun idea,” Safro commented. Eventually, Epstein bought the building.
Learning on the Fly Safro, who was an antiques restorer before joining forces with Epstein, never imagined operating a business for 50 years, let alone a button shop. It created some many memories, friendships and lifelong happiness, she told Our Town. With no business experience and in her 30s, she was essentially learning everything on the fly. The duo traveled
across the country and as far as Holland, London, Paris, Italy, Ireland and many other countries to purchase buttons. The thousands of buttons were carefully arranged in the store and categorized by material, color, size and origin. Over the years, many New Yorkers came to them for buttons, but eventually Tender Buttons became the place that designers worldwide bought from. At one point, they sold to Ralph Lauren and Barneys. In fact, celebrities frequented the shop as well. Susan Sarandon and Tom Wolfe were among them. “Being on the UES was miraculous,” she stressed. “We were very well appreciated. The people who came in the shop were extraordinary. It would only happen in New York.”
Photo: Reston pedestrian, via flickr
“The Best Quality” In 1991, the duo wrote a book, Buttons” and in the 90s they opened up another shop in Chicago, where Epstein was originally from. However, in 1998, Epstein passed away and Safro inherited the building and continued to run the business.
“We had beautiful and fine buttons that you couldn’t find anywhere else,” Safro explained. “They were the best quality.” While she saw countless businesses come and go, and more recently the latter, Safro is prepared to find a new location. While she is in her 80s,
she has no plans to retire. “If possible, I wish I could continue the shop and have it forever,” she said. “We’re not like mom and pop shops that are closing up, which is happening around the city. It was a unique shop.”
VOTE EARLY OR VOTE ON ELECTION DAY. Pick the day that works best for you! From October 26, 2019 to November 3, 2019 you can vote at your assigned early voting poll site.
Visit
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SEPTEMBER 26-OCTOBER 2, 2019
Business
GABRIELA’S CLOSING AFTER 27 YEARS The neighborhood responds to an Upper West Side favorite’s farewell
Milner, 50, grew up in the restaurant business. His uncle, Artie Cutler, was somewhat of an icon in the
BY JASON COHEN
After nearly three decades as a staple on the UWS, Gabriela’s Restaurant and Tequila Bar is shuttering its doors. The eatery, which opened in 1992 on Amsterdam and 94th and then relocated to its current location at 688 Columbus Ave., will be closing at the end of the month. With more than 150 different bottles of 100 percent agave tequila, Gabriela’s was the largest tequila bar on the Upper West Side. Owner Nat Milner, a UWS resident, told the Spirit he wished he could remain open, but he saw the writing on the wall two years ago when minimum wage began increasing. His wife, Elizabeth Milner, owned and operated Elizabeth Neighborhood’s Table next door to Gabriela’s for seven years until it closed in 2017. “We put our whole life into this space the last 15 years,” Milner said. “It’s just the nature of the business. If you’re not making money, you can’t stay around. They kept raising the wages and we kept responding to it. We could never get caught up.”
Owner Nat Milner. Photo: Jason Cohen
It’s heartbreaking to see what’s happening here. Everybody’s got to scramble to figure out how to do their business with less labor. Owner Nat Milner
food industry. Cutler operated Carmine’s and Ollie’s Noodle Shop & Grille on Broadway, Virgil’s Real BBQ at 152 West 44th St., and he was a partner or investor in many other restaurants. Milner worked for his uncle in various stores and learned from him. “He was my role model,” Milner said. “I spent a lot of time with him.” The history of Gabriela’s dates back to Gabriela Hernandez, who used to work and cook for Cutler. Cutler was so enamored with her authentic Mexican food that eventually the duo opened the restaurant. Hernandez soon brought some of her family to the UWS and they joined her at the eatery. Hernandez gave the UWS a taste of Guadalajara for many years. Some of
The restaurant was also the largest tequila bar on the UWS. Photo: Jason Cohen her family recipes from the Guada- has been a place where people feel at lajara area are cochinita pibil, al pas- home. Milner recalled how he has tor tacos, carnitas Uruapan and seen kids grow up into adults and enchilada suizas. families celebrate baptisms, graduaIn 1997 Cutler passed away at the tions, birthdays and many happy ocage of 53 from a heart attack. His casions at Gabriela’s. widow, Alice Cutler, operated GabriMilner explained that owning Gabela’s until 2005, when Milner took riela’s was a dream come true, but over. having it in his neighborhood made “My aunt was going to let it disap- it even more special. People know pear when the lease expired,” he him and his wife, and most of the clisaid. “I was looking for a way to be entele live within five blocks from out on my own and she was looking the restaurant, he said. for a way to keep Gabriela’s alive.” “Being a part of the community is After traveling Asia for a year and a major thing of what we do,” he living in Alaska and Colorado, Mil- said. ner was ready for the challenge of So, when the minimum wage began operating a business. to increase a few years ago, Milner While Gabriela’s didn’t last forever, realized he needed to find ways to the juice was definitely worth the lower payroll and make ends meet. squeeze. According to Milner, the In 2017 the minimum wage went up restaurant has prided itself on three to $12 an hour, $13 in 2018 and $15 things: food, service and values. this year. “We weren’t trying to be the best Consequently, he cut layers of manrestaurant in NYC, we were trying to agement, raised prices, got rid of be the favorite,” Milner said. workers who made tortilla chips and With employees that have been reduced overnight employees. with him for more than 20 years, it With Cinco de Mayo and Mother’s
Day, May was usually Gabriela’s busiest month. However, it was slow this year, with the entire summer. “It’s heartbreaking to see what’s happening here,” he said. “Everybody’s got to scramble to figure out how to do their business with less labor.” Since announcing the impending closure two weeks ago, the restaurant has been inundated with calls from emotional customers. A young girl even dropped off a thank you card with 75 cents for them. “People are crying,” Milner said. “It’s just very sad.” Looking to the future, he plans to spend more time with his family and focus on his kiosk, Gabriela’s Taquiera, at 44th and Eighth Ave. At this point, he is filled with anger, sadness and grief, but is ready for a new chapter. “I’m through my stage of grief already,” Milner remarked. “For everyone else it’s kind of a shock.”
SEPTEMBER 26-OCTOBER 2, 2019
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
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SEPTEMBER 26-OCTOBER 2, 2019
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WINDOW STRIKES ARE KILLING NYC’S BIRDS DEVELOPMENT
A bill before the City Council would require that “birdfriendly” glass be used in new construction BY SARAH BEN-NUN
New York City’s famed buildings are killing her birds; the Wild Bird Fund is trying to change that. Rita McMahon is the founder of the Fund, a bird rehabilitation center on the Upper West Side that treats birds from all five boroughs for injuries. They see everything, from broken wings and smashed bones to lead poisoning. But it’s collisions with the city’s glass-clad high rises that are the most lethal. “From the window strikes, only a third [of the birds brought in] will make it,” McMahon said. Earlier this month, the City Council debated a proposed bill, which was introduced by a group of council members, among them Rafael Espinal, Speaker Corey Johnson, and Helen Rosenthal. Originally proposed in March, the bill would require buildings that are either installing new glass
or replacing old glass to use special ‘bird-friendly’ glass that has been shown to reduce bird fatalities.
Bird-Saving Technology What makes glass birdfriendly? McMahon explained that the glass the birds are hitting is either totally transparent, or completely reflective. But glass can be treated so that birds can clearly see that it’s glass, and avoid smashing into it. Should the bill pass, New York would join other major cities in encouraging bird-friendly legislation. Statistics from the City Council committee report confirm that New York is a dangerous place to be a flight bird: “An estimated 90,000 to 230,000 birds die as a result of these collisions.” McMahon said the prime danger to birds is actually the first three stories of a building. “If they’re foraging, getting things from a park, [then] they’ll take off, and hit the lower windows,” she explained. “They most frequently hit somewhere up to 75 feet, but plenty hit higher as well.” She added, “It’s devastating. Smashing into glass
is devastating.” McMahon said that there are a few buildings that stand out for their bird fatality numbers. The buildings around Bryant Park, for example, are deadly. “In one week,” she said, “we had an owl and a red tailed hawk smash into [a] building [in that area].” Representatives of New York City Audubon patrol the sidewalks there between 4 and 6 a.m. as part of their Project Safe Flight. The goals of this initiative are twofold: to direct the public’s attention to the dangers facing the City’s birds, and to provide resources to help them. The “bird bill” is supported by a number of council members, including Helen Rosenthal. A City Council spokesperson told Straus News that the bill “continues to go through the legislative process.” At the time of publication, no date had been set for a final vote. The American Institute of Architects (AIA), a professional association representing New York City’s architects and related professionals, supports the bill. In an email, Adam Roberts, AIA director
A bird that was hit and found on a sidewalk in the East Village was brought in for treatment at the Wild Bird Fund. Photo: Sarah BenNun
of policy, said “One of the best aspects of this bill is that it provides flexibility to architects, owners, and building managers to use a variety of materials and techniques to deter bird collisions.”
A Good Example Roberts pointed to the Javits Convention Center, which opened in 1986, as an example of what can be done, even in older buildings. In 2015, Javits leadership adopted a revolu-
tionary sustainability policy; one of the things they did was “install fritted glass in order to… limit bird collisions.” The result was an estimated 90% reduction in bird deaths. “At the Javits Center, you can’t even see it [the treatment in the windows] – but the birds see it,” McMahon said. NYC Audubon honored them for it. The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) has expressed support for the bill,
but noted that, since the treatment is a recent innovation in glass production, the materials are costly and can be difficult to get. McMahon said people need to contact their council members and tell them to pass the bill. “The winds are shifting. And that’s a good thing,” she said. “We have a pride about New York. We want to be outstanding; this will make us more outstanding.”
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SEPTEMBER 26-OCTOBER 2, 2019
WE WILL MAKE THEM CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 around and grapple with as they learned more about climate change. “Although I know it doesn’t seem it right now, the world is in a crisis and it’s going to increasingly have an impact on us,” said Siri Uman, a 12-yearold from Brooklyn.
Carlioz agreed. “Last year we did a whole unit on the future and climate change in science class,” she said. It’s when I started hearing the hard facts and reading UN reports that I knew that it’s not this distant thing and we’re seeing effects right now. It’s something that’s going to affect us.” But being together, with so many others, all fighting for
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the same cause, gave them hope and catharsis. “Literally seeing people in this large of numbers makes me think someone who can actually do something is listening,” she said. “This is the people’s government. We’re a democracy. So at some point the government has to do what the people want it to do. The more people we gather the more they have to listen.”
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SEPTEMBER 26-OCTOBER 2, 2019
PLAYING THE ‘FIRST TRANS ICON’ Countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo on rehearsing for the Met Opera’s production of Philip Glass’s “Akhnaten” – and the power of the human voice BY MARK NIMAR
Countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo is a trailblazer in classical music. Possessing a high, clear singing voice similar to that of a mezzosoprano, Costanzo, 37, has brought his vocal gifts outside the traditional opera house to projects ranging from a music video with Tilda Swinton to a Kabuki play at the Minamiza Theater in Kyoto. As a collaborator with artists such as James Ivory, Luciano Pavarotti and Daniel Askill, he has pushed the boundaries of how audiences can experience classical music. This fall, he returns to the Met to perform the title role in Philip Glass’s “Akhnaten,” an opera about a pharaoh whom Costanzo calls the “first trans icon.” We sat down with Costanzo to discuss rehearsals, modern notions of gender - and the full body wax he underwent for this role.
How did this production of “Akhnaten” come about? What attracted you to the material? I had been doing a lot of Baroque opera, and I’ve done a lot of contemporary opera. That’s sort of how the countertenor repertoire is divided, because we’re before 1750 and after 1950 kind of people. I had not really encountered any opportunity to perform Philip Glass. But I loved “Einstein on the Beach” when I’d seen it. My manager, Caroline Woodfield, was really smart and said, “there is one opera that Philip Glass wrote for a countertenor, ‘Akhnaten.’ And it’s a wonderful piece. And if anyone ever does it, you should consider it.” The English National Opera was doing it and offered me the role. I was really excited about it. Not only because musically it’s an incredible piece in that it’s the third of Philip Glass’s so called trilogy operas that profile great thinkers. It is structured in a way that’s incredibly theatrical. It allows for great emotional expression. And it’s just beautiful
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music. But also the subject: this ancient Egyptian pharaoh who was perhaps the first monotheist, who stepped outside of tradition. Hundreds of years of one way of doing things, and changed it all. United upper and lower Egypt. Changed the way art was made, and writing was done. Had all of these very, very new, progressive ideas. And for 17 years, he implemented them. And then he was killed, and all of his ideas were reversed. So this idea, in our time today, of a ruler who’s very progressive and trying to change things and then the tradition and the more conservative factions pull him back is really interesting to explore.
What are some challenges you’ve faced in rehearsal for this production? Philip Glass is not narrative in the conventional sense; it’s not like a play where there’s text telling you the story piece by piece. It’s more of these abstract fragments of music and of antiquity. So the challenge became, how do you tell a story that engages an audience in a linear way throughout the evening? How to do that physically, but how not to work against the wonderful abstraction and beauty of the material. So we had to find a way to create a kind of stage ritual that would also be incredibly engaging for an audience. And I think what we wound up producing is unlike anything I’ve done in my career before.
For the previous Los Angeles Opera production of “Akhnaten,” you had to do a full body wax, as you appear nude in the show. What was that like? It’s very painful. It took like five hours. And yeah, we’ve done it all three times we’ve done the production. Egyptians were the ones who invented waxing. It feels almost like this sort of alien, this bald, hairless alien and/or child, which [Akhnaten] was. He was a teenager when he became king. And the nude scene is just as he’s being crowned pharaoh. I realize all these extreme things that they were asking for had a real purpose. So that’s why it felt like the right thing to do. And even if I don’t feel like myself when I am going to
Anthony Roth Costanzo in costume in the Met Opera’s “Akhnaten.” Photo: Jane Hobson
the grocery store, I really feel like this character when I step onto the stage.
And the nude scene is your first scene on the stage, right? Is that terrifying? Oh, yeah. Definitely. They always say that you should imagine the audience naked, but this is the reverse; everyone else is fully clothed.
You have called Akhnaten the first trans icon. What lessons do you hope today’s LGBTQIA+ community takes away from this production? I guess what I like about being a countertenor, and it’s also embodied in this piece, is it breaks down a little bit our notions of pitch and gender. Generally, we think the high voice is feminine. But that’s a very modern construct. The [modern] idea is that feminine is somehow weaker, and if we were going to display a man of power, we would display him with a low voice. But that power here comes from the combination of masculine and feminine. And not just one attribute being as-
cribed to one gender. But rather this very fluid and complicated construction of it that has been a part of the world for all of antiquity. And for Akhnaten to have been the person, so they say, to have invented monotheism before Moses. Freud looks at him as the father of all Western religion, from Islam to Judaism and Christianity. And for that person to have been in some ways queer, by our standards today, I think is a powerful message in itself.
You do a lot of outreach performances in the Bronx with young school children. Why is this work important to you? Music has a real ability to affect kids’ lives, and I’ve seen that firsthand. Opera in particular is very primal, because it’s the human voice; it’s something we all have. A lot of the kids I work with have difficulties expressing emotion or connecting to something that expresses emotion. What’s wonderful about art is that it gives you a little bit of distance with which to interact with these heavy, serious themes that you may be ex-
periencing in your own life. Conflicts like death, or love, all of that stuff. And having a way to experience it through the lens of beauty I think is very useful to these kids. So many of them were able to connect to the emotion of it. And to do it with every class that I did it with, and to always have kids who cry, because they were so affected by it, was really powerful. It makes you realize how powerful this art form is, even if people don’t know anything about it. The greatest misconception about opera is that it takes so much knowledge and so much studying to even understand [it]. But in fact, if you let go of those misconceptions, if these kids can connect to it, then I think it’s much easier for everyone to connect than they think. This interview has been edited and condensed for space.
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V X Y Z E K T G F F T H G Z X
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X V L F K E K X V E E R I N G
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Z L W N Z Z Z U G P O V I B E
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WORD SEARCH by Myles Mellor
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Level: Medium
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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.
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SUDOKU by Myles Mellor and Susan Flanagan
by Myles Mellor
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CROSSWORD
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Eastsider 1
SEPTEMBER 26-OCTOBER 2, 2019
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
SEPTEMBER 26-OCTOBER 2, 2019
CLASSIFIEDS HELP WANTED
MASSAGE
MERCHANDISE FOR SALE
PUBLIC NOTICES NOTICE OF SALE OF COOPERATIVE APARMENT SECURITY BY VIRTUE OF A DEFAULT under the terms of a Security Agreement dated August 24, 2005 executed by David E. Ourlicht and Marybeth Ourlicht, Debtor(s), to HSBC Mortgage Corporation (USA),
23
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
Telephone: 212-868-0190 Email: classified2@strausnews.com
POLICY NOTICE: We make every effort to avoid mistakes in your classified ads. Check your ad the first week it runs. The publication will only accept responsibility for the first incorrect insertion. The publication assumes no financial responsibility for errors or omissions. We reserve the right to edit, reject, or re-classify any ad. Contact your sales rep directly for any copy changes. All classified ads are pre-paid.
PUBLIC NOTICES
PUBLIC NOTICES
PUBLIC NOTICES
PUBLIC NOTICES
Secured Party, in accordance with its rights as holder of the Security, HSBC Bank USA, N.A. by Jessica Prince-Clateman, DCA #1097640 and/or Vincent DeAngelis, DCA # 1127571 and/or Karen Loiacano, DCA #1435601 will conduct a public foreclosure sale of the security consisting of 5 shares of stock of 74 Fifth Avenue Owner’s Corporation, all right, title and interest in and to a Proprietary Lease between said Corporation and debtor for apartment 2B, in building known as 74 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10011 together with all fixtures and articles of personal property now or hereafter affixed to or used in connection with said apartment on October 16, 2019, at 1:15 pm at the Rotunda located at the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre St., New York, NY 10007 in satisfaction of an indebtedness in the principal amount of $120,757.40 plus interest, late fees, attorney fees, maintenance in arrears and all other advanced charges. Apartment is sold “AS IS” and possession to be obtained by the purchaser. Said sale is subject to: payment of all sums due, if any, to 74 Fifth Avenue Owner’s Corporation and the consent if necessary, of said corporation the senior security interest of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. by virtue of a financing statement filed on September 8, 2004 in CRFN: 2004000559183 any existing tenancy; payment of all expenses and fees of the Secured Party with respect thereto; terms of the sale and auctioneer’s fees. The Secured Party reserves the right to bid. A 10% down payment in certified funds or bank check payable to Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC is required at sale with a balance of bid due within thirty (30) days. #97533
building known as 240 East 55th Street, New York, NY 10022 together with all fixtures and articles of personal property now or hereafter affixed to or used in connection with said apartment on October 16, 2019 at 1:00 pm at the Rotunda located at the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre St., New York, NY 10007 in satisfaction of an indebtedness in the principal amount of $150,525.93 plus interest, late fees, attorney fees, maintenance in arrears and all other advanced charges. Apartment is sold “AS IS” and possession to be obtained by the purchaser. Said sale is subject to: payment of all sums due, if any, to 240 EAST 55TH TENANTS CORP. and the consent if necessary, of said corporation; any existing tenancy; payment of all expenses and fees of the Secured Party with respect thereto; terms of the sale and auctioneer’s fees. The Secured Party reserves the right to bid. A 10% down payment in certified funds or bank check payable to Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC is required at sale with a balance of bid due within thirty (30) days. File No. 18-071444 #97594
captioned premises can occur. There is presently an outstanding debt owed to Citibank, NA (lender) as of the date of this notice in the amount of $343,013.68. This figure is for the outstanding balance due under the note and security agreement, which was secured by a UCC1 Financing Statement in favor of Citibank, N.A., which was recorded on September 16, 2005, CRFN: 2005000517302. Please note this is not a payoff amount as additional interest/fees/penalties may be incurred. You must contact the undersigned to obtain a final payoff quote or if you dispute any information presented herein. The estimated value of the above captioned premises is $1,125,000.00. Pursuant to the Uniform Commercial Code Article 9-623, the above captioned premises may be redeemed at any time prior to the foreclosure sale. You may contact the undersigned and either pay the principal balance due along with all accrued interest, late charges, attorney fees and out of pocket expenses incurred by Citibank, NA. and the undersigned, or pay the outstanding loan arrears along with all accrued interest, late charges, attorney fees and out of pocket expenses incurred by Citibank, NA, and the undersigned, with respect to the foreclosure proceedings. Failure to cure the default prior to the sale will result in the termination of the proprietary lease. If you have received a discharge from the Bankruptcy Court, you are not personally liable for the payment of the loan and this notice is for compliance and information purposes only. However, Citibank, NA, still has the right under the loan security agreement and other collateral documents to foreclosure on the shares of stock and rights under the proprietary lease allocated to the cooperative apartment. Dated: September 12, 2019 Frenkel, Lambert, Weiss, Weisman & Gordon, LLP Attorneys for Citibank, NA 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 631-969-3100 File #01-080833- #97710
# 1127571 and/or Karen Loiacano, DCA #1435601 will conduct a public foreclosure sale of the security consisting of 435 shares of stock of 32 Gramercy Park Owners Corp., all right, title and interest in and to a Proprietary Lease between said Corporation and debtor for apartment 14F, in building known as 32 Gramercy Park South, New York, NY 10003 together with all fixtures and articles of personal property now or hereafter affixed to or used in connection with said apartment on October 16, 2019 at 1:45 pm at the Rotunda located at the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre St., New York, NY 10007 in satisfaction of an indebtedness in the principal amount of $346,348.29 plus interest, late fees, attorney fees, maintenance in arrears and all other advanced charges. Apartment is sold “AS IS” and possession to be obtained by the purchaser. Said sale is subject to: payment of all sums due, if any, to 32 Gramercy Park Owners Corp. and the consent if necessary, of said corporation; any existing tenancy; payment of all expenses and fees of the Secured Party with respect thereto; terms of the sale and auctioneer’s fees. The Secured Party reserves the right to bid. A 10% down payment in certified funds or bank check payable to Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC is required at sale with a balance of bid due within thirty (30) days. File No. 12-021386 #97683
NOTICE OF SALE OF COOPERATIVE APARMENT SECURITY BY VIRTUE OF A DEFAULT under the terms of a Security Agreement dated January 26, 2007 executed by Paul Foster and Stephanie Foster, Debtor(s), to BNY Mortgage Company LLC, Secured Party, in accordance with its rights as holder of the Security, Nationstar Mortgage LLC d/b/a Mr. Cooper by Jessica Prince-Clateman, DCA #1097640 and/or Vincent DeAngelis, DCA # 1127571 and/or Karen Loiacano, DCA #1435601 will conduct a public foreclosure sale of the security consisting of 535 shares of stock of 240 EAST 55TH TENANTS CORP., all right, title and interest in and to a Proprietary Lease between said Corporation and debtor for apartment 8E, in
PUBLIC AUCTION NOTICE OF SALE OF COOPERATIVE APARMENT SECURITY PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: By Virtue of a Default under Loan Security Agreement, and other Security Documents, Karen Loiacano, Auctioneer, License #DCA1435601 or Jessica L Prince-Clateman, Auctioneer, License #1097640 or Vincent DeAngelis Auctioneer, License #1127571 will sell at public auction, with reserve, on October 16, 2019, in the Rotunda at the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street New York NY 10007, commencing at1:30 PM for the following account: Eric Goldberg and Lisa Gordberg, as borrowers, 144 shares of capital stock of 310 East 70th Street Apartment Corp. and all right, title and interest in the Proprietary Lease to 310 East 70 St, Unit #6E, New York, NY 10021 Sale held to enforce rights of Citibank, NA, who reserves the right to bid. Ten percent (10%) Bank/Certified check required at sale, balance due at closing within thirty (30) days. The Cooperative Apartment will be sold “AS IS” and possession is to be obtained by the purchaser. This sale is subject to a first lien held by Astoria Federal Savings and Loan.Pursuant to Section 201 of the Lien Law you must answer within 10 days from receipt of this notice in which redemption of the above
NOTICE OF SALE OF COOPERATIVE APARMENT SECURITY BY VIRTUE OF A DEFAULT under the terms of a Security Agreement dated April 8, 2008 executed by Martin Helm and Inna Helm, Debtor(s), to Merrill Lynch Credit Corporation, Secured Party, in accordance with its rights as holder of the Security, PHH Mortgage Corporation by Jessica PrinceClateman, DCA #1097640 and/or Vincent DeAngelis, DCA
PUBLIC NOTICES
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Call Barry Lewis today:
212-868-0190
HELP WANTED
Upper East Side Retail food/meat market/bakery Seeking Full or Part-Time Counter Help Food experience preferred but not required. Seniors welcome. Fax resume to 212-772-8436; apply in person at 1549 York Ave (ask for Peter or Frank); call 212-772-8423, ask for James
24
SEPTEMBER 26-OCTOBER 2, 2019
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
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