Our Town - September 29, 2016

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The local paper for the Upper East Side ‘PICTURE OF THE YEAR’

WEEK OF SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER

29-5

< P. 12

2016

In Brief

A QUARTER-CENTURY OF SERVICE Neighborhood group marks birthday BY MADELEINE THOMPSON

In 1993, Joan Fabio was walking down the street on the Upper East Side when she encountered a group of involved citizens. They were staffing a table for the East Sixties Neighborhood Association. The group — affectionately referred to as ESNA — was only two years old at that point, but this past Monday night it celebrated its 25th anniversary with a cocktail party among members, friends and elected officials. They came to pay tribute to its quarter-century of service. Fabio, who is now the asso-

LIBRARY ENTRANCE REVAMPED

ciation’s treasurer, was one of roughly 100 people who came to raise a glass. Founded in 1991, ESNA is a local, resident-run 501(c) (4) organization that aims to “promote a better community through group action, representing the residents, merchants and institutions within its boundaries,” according to its mission statement. The group developed after a few Upper East Side couples got wind of an MTA proposal to use an empty lot at E. 63rd Street and Second Avenue as a parking lot for the nearby F train station. “We said ‘that’s not going to be good for our community,’” said Barry

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Barry Schneider thanks the crowd for the support that has kept ESNA going strong for 25 years. Photo: Madeleine Thompson

A CRUSADER FOR CATS Busy advocate loves all kinds of animals BY OLIVIA KELLEY

Rossana Ceruzzi, president of the Wildlife Freedom Foundation, spends her days taking care of wildlife on Roosevelt Island.

On a windy evening, a woman packs the basket on the front of her bicycle full of supplies and heads out along the sidewalk paths of Roosevelt Island. She rides along and calls out, “Panda! Regis! Juliette!” and so on. From the bushes, 22 cats jump out and trot along behind her down the path. She comes to a stop, pulls out cans of Friskies from her basket, and begins to feed the

cats. It’s the routine of Rossana Ceruzzi, president of the Wildlife Freedom Foundation. She spends her days caring for abandoned animals on Roosevelt Island, and specifically cats. “We have about 75 cats on the island right now that we care for,” Ceruzzi says. There are four shelters on the island, the largest one housing 22 cats. Ceruzzi, along with her 15 volunteers, takes care of feeding and providing medical care for the cats.

David Riccardi-Zhu, a volunteer for the past two years, says,“You’re out there sometimes to feed the cats and it’s 14 degrees.” After moving to New York in 2000, Ceruzzi noticed an abundance of stray cats on Roosevelt Island. “I exited the subway to look at an apartment and the first thing I saw was three cats sitting in the station,” she says. “As I walked around more, I realized I had discovered this kingdom of cats and I could

The community group Carnegie Hill Neighbors has donated tree guards and flowers to improve the entrance of the New York Public Library at 96th Street. “Carnegie Hill Neighbors donated these guards and flowers to not only protect the tree beds, but to make the entrance to this branch of the New York Public Library more appealing, especially to the kids that use the library,” said Joanna Griner Cawley, executive director of Carnegie Hill Neighbors. The guards and flowers were placed around the two trees that flank the library at 96th Street. Guards and flowers protect the trees and their beds from dogs and garbage. Crawley said the $6,000 donation was in keeping with her group’s mission. “In addition to architectural preservation, quality of life and security, we are committed to the beautification and upkeep and maintenance of our neighborhood.” The group said it was enhancing the work done by one of the city’s most successful programs, Million Trees NYC.

Jewish women and girls light up the world by lighting the Shabbat and holiday candles Friday Sept. 30, 6:21 pm. Rosh Hasha eve. Sunday Oct. 2, 6:17 pm 2nd day Rosh Hashana eve. Monday Oct. 3 after 7:14 pm from a preexisting flame For more information visit chabaduppereastside.com

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SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5,2016

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FOLLOWING BLAST, ANXIOUS MOMENTS AT CHELSEA’S SELIS MANOR Windows blown out at city’s only dedicated living space for the blind

BY VERENA DOBNIK

When a pressure cooker bomb exploded on the street in front of Robert O’Garro’s apartment building for the blind, it shook him to his bones — even 11 floors up. “I felt the shock wave,” said the 58-year-old resident of Selis Manor, the city’s only dedicated apartment building for the blind and vision impaired. “It just came through me. Then I heard the windows breaking.” Windows were blown out four floors up the 12-story building, on West 23rd Street between Seventh and Sixth Avenues. Elevators stopped. And dust and smoke filled the hallways. But none of the 500 residents was hurt. More than two dozen people outside suffered mostly minor injuries when the Sept. 17 explosion sent out a concussive blast, ball bearings and other metal shrapnel in all directions. Investigators say an Islamic radical, Ahmad Khan Rahami, placed the bomb and another, which didn’t go off, a few blocks away. Rahami, an Afghan-born U.S. citizen, also is accused

Selis Manor, under scaffolding. Photo: Genia Gould of setting off a pipe bomb a few hours earlier in a New Jersey shore town, but that didn’t injure anyone. A public defender has sought a court appearance for Rahami so he can hear the federal terrorism charges against him. For blind residents of Selis Manor, the explosion outside made them especially anxious because it was unclear what was happening. High-pitched

alarms wailed through stairwells and corridors. Shaking that coursed through the building led some to think it was an earthquake. O’Garro said, “You had people milling in the hallways, saying, ‘What should I do?’” What 57-year-old blind musician Victor Lopez chose to do was what he does every night: walk his dog.

About midnight, three hours after the attack, he made his way down from his eighth-floor apartment using the stairs. Police would not allow him onto the sidewalk, so he went to the back of the building. “I heard the noise. It was strong. Wow, it was terrible!” Lopez said. “It was a crazy moment. The police, the firemen — it was crazy.”

Back in his apartment, he listened to radio news with his agitated wife, who’s also blind, “and I tried to calm her down.” They were up all night, “because we had to pay attention to any announcement telling us to get out.” But there was no evacuation. And O’Garro, the 11th-floor resident, had no trouble sleeping. “This is all part of life,” he said. That was the sentiment up and down the block, which would again bustle with crowds and packed businesses less than a week after the explosion. But near the heart of the blast, the King David Gallery glass-and-mirror design store was still heavily damaged. Shattered decorative mirrors, some of which had been priced at more than $1,000 each, were lined up against a wall. Israeli-born owner Daniel Peretz said the irony is that he and his wife had left their country after a Molotov cocktail was thrown into his wife’s car _ only for them to become victims of American violence. “But don’t let the terrorists scare us,” he said. “If they scare us, where are we going to go? Everywhere it’s the same thing.”

Opening in New York in September 2017 Wetherby-Pembridge School will be located on the Upper East Side, in a superb building next to Central Park on East 96th Street. The school will offer a bespoke curriculum model combining the rigorous British National Curriculum with New York’s progressive student-centred teaching approach.

Wetherby-Pembridge School is part of the prestigious Alpha Plus Group. It will bring to New York the rich traditions and academic excellence that are at the heart of its thriving UK schools.

Open House

October 5 7 October 2

www.wetherby-pembridge.org

You can also meet our Admissions team at an informal drop in session from 5:30 -7:00pm in 641 Lexington Ave (13th Floor) on one of the following dates: September 21st; October 19th, November 9th and 16th For more information and to book a place at one of our events, contact: info@wetherby-pembridge.org or call 212-328-9529

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5,2016

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CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG STATS FOR THE WEEK

ILLEGAL IVORY SEIZED IN MIDTOWN Authorities say the owners and a salesman at a Manhattan antiques store and gallery have been charged with selling or offering for sale illegal elephant ivory priced at more than $4.5 million that has been seized. Manhattan prosecutors and state conservation officials say Metropolitan Fine Arts & Antiques has sold ivory articles and carvings since at least 2007. They say the shop didn’t renew its previous license to sell ivory following a 2014 state law that banned most sales except under very limited circumstances. Undercover conservation officers bought a carving for $2,000 last year identified through an analysis as elephant ivory. Authorities say a subsequent search warrant found 126 ivory articles including two pairs of uncarved tusks. A man who answered the store’s phone says they have no comment. The Associated Press

Upper East Side resident received phone calls advising her that she had won $10 million in a Lotto contest. To claim her winnings, however, she would have to pay fees and taxes by means of Western Union Money Grams wired to an address in Jamaica. Sure enough, the woman became a victim of a lottery scam and wound up paying out $10,000 for winnings she never received.

DISPIRITED

Tony Webster, via flickr

HOME BURGLARIZED An East 63rd Street apartment was burglarized and about $21,000 in electronics, jewelry and other items were taken while its occupant was at work, police reported. The stolen goods included rings, a watch, earrings, bracelets, a jewelry case, accessories, electronics and cash. The total stolen came to $21,305. The occupant of 404 East 63rd Street told police she had locked her apartment door as she left for work on the morning of Sept. 21.

LOTTO SCAM Any lottery that requires upfront payment of fees or taxes is likely to be a scam. Sometime between March 28 and Sept. 5, a 92-year-old female

On June 24, a 27-year-old woman was approached by a woman at 86th Street and Lexington Avenue, who claimed she could help rid her of evil spirits. The 27-year-old accompanied the other woman back to her apartment, where she paid $45 in cash for the “spirit whisperer’s” services followed by another $1,000 charged to her credit card. On July 5, the unsuspecting 27-year-old gave the other woman another $9,000 in cash. The young victim finally realized that she had been scammed and reported the incident to police on Sept. 22. In all, she had paid the scammer $10,100.

LINGERIE LONGING A shoplifter in the Agent Provocateur store provoked an arrest for grand

Reported crimes from the 19th precinct Week to Date

Year to Date

2016 2015

% Change

2016

2015

% Change

Murder

0

0

n/a

2

1

100.0

Rape

0

1

-100.0

3

8

-62.5

Robbery

1

2

-50.0

61

71

-14.1

Felony Assault

3

1

200.0

82

90

-8.9

Burglary

4

9

-55.6

141

119

18.5

Grand Larceny

41

25

64.0

1,008 951

6.0

Grand Larceny Auto

0

1

-100.0

60

9.1

larceny. Shortly after 3 p.m. on Sept. 22, a 33-year-old woman from Massapequa entered the high-end lingerie boutique at 675 Madison Ave. and went to view the merchandise on the second floor. As she was preparing to leave the store a few minutes later, a store associate saw that one of the displays upstairs had been emptied of its merchandise. The shopper was intercepted and found to be in possession of the missing items. She was arrested at 3:27 p.m. and charged with grand larceny. The recovered items totaled $2,745.

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COUNTER FIT At 2:18 p.m. on Sept. 18, a 21-yearold man from Brooklyn and a 29-yearold man from Manhattan stole a Louis Vuitton wallet that a 28-year-old man from Murray Street had placed on a counter in Bloomingdale’s. The wallet contained three credit cards, a debit card, and a driver’s license. The two bad guys then attempted to make $1,187 worth of fraudulent purchases using one of the credit cards in the stolen wallet. They were arrested and charged with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property.

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Sep 29, 2016 | 7:00 pm

Oct 13, 2016 | 7:00 pm

Oct 27, 2016 | 7:00 pm

Warburg Lounge | Lexington Avenue at 92nd St For more information visit www.92y.org

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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

FIRE

FDNY Engine 53/Ladder 43

1836 Third Ave.

311

FDNY Engine 44

221 E. 75th St.

311

CITY COUNCIL Councilmember Daniel Garodnick

211 E. 43rd St. #1205

212-818-0580

Councilmember Ben Kallos

244 E. 93rd St.

212-860-1950

State Sen. Jose M. Serrano

1916 Park Ave. #202

212-828-5829

State Senator Liz Krueger

1850 Second Ave.

212-490-9535

STATE LEGISLATORS

CUSTOMIZING LUXURY High-end retailers offering customers bespoke services such as theater tickets, chauffeured rides

BY ANNE D’INNOCENZIO

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

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5,2016

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

Buying some suits at Ralph Lauren might mean being offered a chauffeured ride home in a BMW. New clothes from Saks could lead to a MercedesBenz van carrying a customized wardrobe pulling up to a home, hotel or office.

Saks is taking the most aggressive lead, and I think that everyone else will have to follow...the thing that changed is that luxury became accessible to everyone, everywhere in the world because of the internet.” Faith Hope Consolo

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With designer goods available online anytime, luxury retailers are adding more amenities and personal touches for in-person shopping. Stores overall are facing slower sales amid more restrained luxury spending, and some brands’ flagship locations in major cities have seen a drop in shopping by international tourists because of the stronger U.S. dollar. That makes it even more important for retailers to keep the customers they have feeling valued and pampered. Robert Burke, president of his namesake New York-based luxury consulting business, said he was surprised when the Ralph Lauren sales staff sent him back to his office with a uniformed driver after he came in to buy two suits. He was offered the same chauffeured treatment for the fitting. And he was so pleased with the service he bought a coat and blazer on the visit to do the alterations, and penned

Saks Fifth Avenue is offering “more high-touch” experiences, including, at the lower Manhattan store, “power lunch” packages for wardrobe styling and makeup application. Photo: David Shankbone, via Wikimedia a note to the founder’s chief of staff with thanks. “It made you feel they really appreciated my business, and it made me want to shop. It was a nice perk to have a driver come and pick you up,” he said. What Burke hadn’t realized was that the Ralph Lauren store in Manhattan earlier this year began picking up and dropping off customers in a BMW sporting a small company logo. It’s expected to serve as a model for the kind of service the company wants to offer customers at its top stores. At the soon-to-open Beverly Hills store, a full-time concierge will offer services beyond shopping, like making dinner reservations or recommending art galleries. Lafayette 148 New York, a clothing brand that sells to Saks, Neiman Marcus and other upscale retailers, also offers a pick-up and drop-off service for customers at two Manhattan stores. Neiman Marcus Group’s Bergdorf Goodman has expanded the number of translators at its New York store for international shoppers. Credit card holders for both retailers can access a 24hour concierge service to book travel or theatre tickets. And the Americana Manhas-

set Mall on Long Island, which offers a free personal shopping service for the open-air center that includes stores such as Louis Vuitton and Chanel, is working to provide more service. The personal shoppers, who used to work just with the stores at the mall, now go for training at the corporate offices or meet with the brand’s corporate staff at the shopping mall so they can better serve the customer. Saks Fifth Avenue, under new President Marc Metrick, is offering what he calls “more high-touch” experiences. At the lower Manhattan store, that can be “power lunch” packages for wardrobe styling and makeup application in less than 60 minutes. A “Saks Save Me” service lets shoppers call a dedicated number to resolve fashion emergencies within 24 hours. And in 15 U.S. markets it can send the wardrobe van. Metrick says it’s about building a better relationship. “Saks is transforming because the customer is changing,” he said. “If people want to buy and transact, they can do it in so many ways.” In the most recent quarter, Saks Fifth Avenue, whose parent is Hudson’s Bay Co., saw sales at stores opened at least

a year slip 1.3 percent. Overall, global luxury buying is expected to be flat to up 2 percent this year to 253 billion euros to 258 billion euros ($282 billion to $288 billion), with a dip of up to 2 percent expected in the Americas region, according to Bain & Co.’s luxury study. But with the average income for the top 1 percent of U.S. households soaring 7.7 percent to $1.36 million last year, retailers still see potential growth. Income for the richest slice rose twice as fast as it did for the remaining 99 percent, according to an analysis of tax data by economics professor Emmanuel Saez, at the University of California, Berkeley. Faith Hope Consolo, chairman of Prudential Douglas Elliman’s retail group and who has brought such luxury names as Giorgio Armani and Jimmy Choo to the U.S., says luxury stores are taking a page from small tony boutiques but will need to keep offering more. “Saks is taking the most aggressive lead, and I think that everyone else will have to follow,” she said. “The thing that changed is that luxury became accessible to everyone, everywhere in the world because of the internet.”

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5,2016

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CATS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 see they were not feral at all.â€? Ceruzzi began feeding the cats, as well as building houses out of Styrofoam boxes to keep the cats warm during the winter. Ceruzzi eventually joined forces with another animal advocate to create the Island Cats organization, which began in 2005. Ceruzzi later also founded the Wildlife Freedom Foundation (WFF), which broadened the focus to the protection of all wildlife on the island, rather than just cats. Ceruzzi says that Island Cats was dissolved two years ago and ultimately became a part of WFF. “We have cats, geese, squirrels, raccoons, possums, and are recently even getting some brown bats,â€? Ceruzzi says. While most of the animals are wild, besides the cats, there are four geese that Ceruzzi and her team care for, because they can no longer y. Ceruzzi says the animals on the island are friendly and get along well together. “The animals are all very sweet,â€? she says. “In nature, they would not attack you unless you attack them.â€? Riccardi-Zhu explains how volunteering has been a highlight for him. “It’s a really amazing thing to do,â€? he says. “Sometimes work can be stressful, but coming out here and being with the animals and being outdoors does good to your soul.â€?

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A cat on Roosevelt Island. Photos: Olivia Kelley Ceruzzi says her biggest goal is to build a larger and nicer shelter to house the animals during the winter. For now, though, she thinks the cats are

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ESNA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

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Schneider, one of the founding members along with his wife Judy. The Schneiders, along with Neil and Judy Mclennan, proposed instead that the Elizabeth Street Sculpture Garden be allowed to move into the lot, and the MTA agreed. “It was a delightful use of the space,” Schneider said. “And we decided to stay with it.” Since then, the association has grown in size and stature. Barry Schneider was appointed to Community Board 8 in 1992, at which point Judy took over leading ESNA, all the while Barry ran an independent advertising business and Judy worked at an architecture firm. Eventually, Schneider decided to retire and make ESNA his full-time job. “I found this community work more engaging and rewarding than the business I had,” Schneider said. “We were doing good stuff so we decided to put our full efforts behind it.” One of the reasons ESNA requires so much effort is the annual directory it puts out of local businesses spanning from First Avenue Wines and Spirits to ZC Cleaners II. The

Vanderbilt YMCA Kicked Off Its Patrons Reception

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5,2016 Schneiders personally walk the streets and make phones calls to the shops and write up short descriptions of each one, including contact information, websites and social media pages. Another central project is an annual clothing drive, usually held in October, to collect gently used clothes and donate them to organizations in need. The association is also involved in the Second Avenue subway project, the East River Esplanade and the Apartment Building Recycling Initiative. Schneider takes in pride in not having “burned any bridges” with elected officials representing his neighborhood, and said ESNA is often seen as the voice of reason in controversial issues. The association doesn’t endorse candidates or advocate for political causes, but like all residents who want something done the group works closely with local representatives. Council Member Dan Garodnick, of the fourth City Council district, praised the Schneiders for their service. “Community groups like ESNA really make a council member’s job much easier by helping to digest and amplifying community issues and this group does a particularly good job,” he said, calling the asso-

ciation an invaluable resource. Several of Garodnick’s colleagues, including Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, attended the anniversary celebration as well. Fabio, who runs ESNA’s clothing drive, called the Schneiders “linchpins” of the organization and credited their leadership with putting the group on the map. “We are small in terms of the area we cover and the number of people that are members, but … all of the things that are important for quality of life in the neighborhood are really top-notch on Barry and Judy’s agenda,” she said. At the party on Monday night Schneider thanked ESNA’s board of directors and its more than 600 members for their support over the years. “We approach our challenges not with a clenched fist, but with an open mind,” he said. With a new proclamation on display from Mayor Bill de Blasio declaring Sept. 26, 2016 “East Sixties Neighborhood Association Day,” he made it clear they would continue to do so. Madeline Thompson can be reached at newsreporter@strausnews.com

The only dedicated Assisted Living Facility in New York City specializing in Enhanced Memory Care.

On the 13th, the 2016 Patrons Reception recognized the generous supporters who contribute to the Vanderbilt Y’s Annual Campaign and ensure that the Y can provide critical programming to kids and families in our community. The event at the Vanderbilt YMCA honored Vice President, Donor Services of The New York Community Trust, Gay Young and featured a moving testimonial from Y program participant Farjana Tahmim. Anita Harvey, Vanderbilt Y Senior Executive Director and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Justin Carroll commended Board Members Allison Downey and Richard Wasserman for their exemplary Annual Campaign leadership. You can help someone reach their potential. Please give today.

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.

left to right. R. Wasserman, F. Tahmim, A. Downey, G. Young, A. Harvey, J. Carroll Photograph by Raymond Liang.

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

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5,2016

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Open Letter To Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney Dear Representative Maloney, Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Robert Ardini. I’m the Republican running against you for the U.S. House Of Representatives in New York’s Congressional District 12.* For the most part, I think you’ve done a wonderful job in Congress for the last 23 years. I appreciate your efforts and thank you for your service. However, I’d like to explain why I’ve chosen to oppose you. 1. The National Debt. It’s already out of control and it just keeps growing. Families can’t live on debt forever, neither can our country. The money we’re spending on interest on the debt should be used for things like bridges DQG URDGV VXUYHLOODQFH WR FRPEDW WHUURULVP UHGXFLQJ WD[HV DQG SD\LQJ GRZQ WKDW GHEW 7KH Ă€UVW VWHS LQ JHWWLQJ D handle on the National Debt is to balance the budget. In my opinion, you are quick to vote for spending bills, but show little interest in living within our means. We must stop this insanity before it’s too late! 2. Gridlock. Why bother spending all of the time and money on these elections for Congress if nearly nothing gets done because of gridlock? Ms. Maloney, in my opinion, your voting record is very partisan. Why can’t you compromise more often? If elected, I’d take my cue from Ronald Reagan; I’d spend time becoming acquainted with as many of my fellow House members as possible – particularly those of the opposing party – to build a IRXQGDWLRQ RI PXWXDO UHVSHFW IURP ZKLFK WR Ă€QG FRPPRQ JURXQG DQG IRUJH FRPSURPLVH ,W¡V UHDOO\ WKDW VLPSOH 3. Term Limits. Congresswoman Maloney, in my opinion, our Founders couldn’t have intended for you to serve for 23 (twenty-three!) consecutive years. I want to introduce a bill that would limit the number of consecutive terms but with the following twist: it would only take effect 15 years from now - so no one would feel as though they’d be voting themselves out of a job. However, for now, it’s still up to the voters. I hope your Democrat following ‘reaches across the aisle’ and ‘extends that olive branch’ to vote for this very moderate Republican. And that’s why I’m asking for their vote. With utmost respect and appreciation,

Robert Ardini - 2016 Candidate for Congress

A moderate Republican even a Democrat can like™

www.robertardini.com ~ Facebook robert.ardini ~ Twitter @RobertArdini *Congressional District 12 includes most of Manhattan south of 98th Street (with the exception of some of the West Side,) Roosevelt Island, Astoria south of the G.C. Pkwy., Long Island City, and Greenpoint and its surrounding areas. To be sure, go to the webpage listed immediately above and click on the red word “here� to bring up a map of the District. Robert Ardini

This advertisement was approved and paid for by Robert Ardini For Congress.

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SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5,2016

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

Voices

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

Letter

A BROTHER’S VISIT IS BITTERSWEET And how I’m running out of excuses on hearing aids BY MARCIA EPSTEIN

Matt Anderson, via flickr

FOR THE SUPERDOVE To the editor: I’m appalled at Melitta Anderman’s article, “For The Birds,” in the Sept. 15 issue. I don’t know where she did her fact-checking, but pigeons are a part of Manhattan history and Manhattan is their home too. They are not intruders. They did not come here on their own. Humans brought them here. Why is she asking questions like, “Are they hatched full size? Where do they mate?” Instead of wasting space with this rubbish why doesn’t she educate herself by picking up a book like “Superdove” by Courtney Humphries? Why doesn’t she do something productive with her time and try to spend some time with New York City Pigeon Rescue Central or The Wild Bird Fund and get a hands on education. She comments: “pigeons are graceless and charmless.” I encourage her to go online and look up footage of the recent performance “Fly By Night” at The Brooklyn Navy Yard. She may say she meant to be humorous but her attitude is actually very damaging. How we treat one situation is reflective of how we treat another. How we treat even the most helpless of creatures is reflective of how we live our lives. I want to live in a world where a positive attitude and positive actions are king. I’d be curious to know what kind of world Anderman wants to live in. Victoria Booth Brooklyn

STRAUS MEDIA your neighborhood news source

My brother came to New York last week to visit friends and family and take in the sights. We grew up 30 miles north of here, and my brother lived in New York City for only two years after college, while I’ve been here since the dawn of time. My sister-in-law lived in New York for many years and missed it. They retired 10 years ago from where they had lived in Florida for many years to Mexico, and I’ve not been in good enough physical shape to take that long trip to visit them there. The last time I saw my brother was about six years ago, when we all had a reunion at my nephew’s home in Florida. Of course it was wonderful to see my brother again last week, but also bittersweet. In the back of my mind was “when, if ever, will I see him again?” Neither of us is young (I am more than for years older than he is). I doubt I’ll get to the hills of Mexico, and this trip to New York may be their last. While they do travel a lot, it’s to many different places and this was a special treat. When we’re young, we just take it for granted that we will see people again. It’s not a thought that lingers somewhere back in the dark reaches of the brain that maybe we won’t. It was a lovely reunion, and my brother got to meet my adorable little grandson for the first time. He and my sister-in-law took in all the sights that never cross my mind to visit. Now I am feeling a bit melancholy. One just never knows. Something else on my mind these fall days: those hearing aids that I’ve been avoiding for many years. There’s the cost, of course, and the fact that, unlike eye glasses, they’re a pain in the backside. My partner is always fiddling with batteries and dealing with upkeep. And I hate things in my ears.

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

A writer wonders: is it time for a hearing aid? Photo: Bit Boy, via flickr

When we’re young, we just take it for granted that we will see people again. It’s not a thought that lingers somewhere back in the dark reaches of the brain that maybe we won’t. It was a lovely reunion, and my brother got to meet my adorable little grandson for the first time. He and my sister-in-law took in all the sights that never cross my mind to visit. Now I am feeling a bit melancholy. One just never knows.” However, lately, my excuses are becoming less and less valid. There’s so much going on in the world of hearing aids, including better technology and over-thecounter “hearables.” New developments are happening constant-

ly. Did you know that Medicare didn’t include hearing aids in the original plan because hearing loss was considered a natural part of aging? Perhaps it’s time for a change. Still, the many new options make them affordable for many more folks than in the past. For one, there’s Costco’s reasonably priced audiologists and hearing aids. Many new hearing aids work with apps (guess I’d finally need a smart phone). They adjust for environment, modulate tinnitus and duplicate the auditory processing center in the brain. Some sites to check out are HearingTracker.com and BuyHear. com, Hearingwholesale.com and iHearMedical.com, which may be a game-changer when it comes to affordable hearing aids. Pretty soon I will have run out of excuses to avoid hearing aids and maybe I will be able to attend movies without subtitles. I’ve missed some pretty good films because of my hearing. I’ve been volunteering for over 30 years at The Riverside Language School, which was asked to leave its home on the third floor of Riverside Church after 38

President & Publisher, Jeanne Straus nyoffice@strausnews.com Account Executive Deputy Editors Richard Khavkine Fred Almonte editor.dt@strausnews.com Director of Partnership Development Christopher Moore Barry Lewis editor.ot@strausnews.com

years. Temple B’nai Jeshurun on West 89th Street stepped in and offered space, and I had my first lunchtime conversation at the new location on Monday. Basically it’s a time for interested students at the school to just chat with volunteers to improve their English conversation skills. I enjoy it tremendously and have learned so much about the world through the students. I’m so thrilled that B’nai Jeshurun stepped into the void and that the language school was able to find a place to continue its wonderful work with immigrants from all over the world. And finally. Can someone explain why Starbucks encourages people to sit for hours on end with their laptops, making it impossible to walk in, have a coffee and sit for a while? I’ve left countless Starbucks because there were no empty seats, and its seems to me that they would be losing business because of the lack of places to bide a wee. I’m puzzled and annoyed and just wonder why they actually seem to want this as they advertise free WiFi. Don’t they want walk-in business? Just asking.

Staff Reporter Madeleine Thompson newsreporter@strausnews.com Director of Digital Pete Pinto

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

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5,2016

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Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

MACAULAY HONORS COLLEGE RANKED AMONG NATION’S BEST Other CUNY institutions also fare well in nationwide surveys CUNY’s William E. Macaulay Honors College is rated highest among all public university honors colleges and programs in the nation and Guttman Community College is named the number one community college in New York State, according to recent surveys. And four CUNY colleges – City, Baruch, Queens and Hunter — place in the top 100 of public colleges nationally for return on investment (the cost of attending vs. debt and earnings after graduation), according to Forbes magazine. That’s a natural, considering the tremendous head start that CUNY alumni have due to the university’s low tuition, which allows eight out of 10 students to graduate debt-free. No public honors college or program scored higher than Macaulay Honors College in the forthcoming book, “Inside Honors: Ratings and Reviews of Sixty Public University Honors Programs.� Publisher publicuniversityhonors.com gave Macaulay its coveted highest score of “5 mortarboards.� This was the first time that the organization considered Macaulay. It

Photo: Macaulay Honors College at CUNY evaluated colleges with criteria that included the number of honors classes offered, overall class size, ratio of staff to students, priority registration and prestigious awards received. Macaulay opened in 2001 and enrolls more than 2,000 students. It offers exceptional students a personalized education that draws on the vast resources of the nation’s largest urban public university. “All of us who are part of the Macaulay community of scholars — students, faculty, academic advisors, staff, and campus directors — take great joy in working together to build a transformational experience for extraordinary people. This top rating is recognition that we are on the right

track,â€? Macaulay Dean Mary Pearl said. Stella and Charles Guttman Community College is ranked the best community college in New York State by EDsmart, publisher of Best Community Colleges – garnering the only perfect 100 in its scoring system. Founded four years ago, Guttman offers associate degree programs as part of an innovative model that emphasizes experiential education, learning communities, instructional teams and a balance between being “high techâ€? and “high touch.â€? Fifty-one percent of its 2012 inaugural class have now earned their associate degrees — a metric signiďŹ cantly higher than the national norm.

EDsmart based its rankings of 121 twoyear colleges in New York State – primarily CUNY and SUNY — on factors including retention rate, transfer rate, graduation rate and net price. Forbes magazine’s 2016 rankings of 600 public and private colleges and universities places City 62nd among public colleges, Baruch 74th, Queens 80th and Hunter 83rd. Forbes rankings assess what students get out of college by looking at the compensation that alumni earn after graduation, student debt, student satisfaction, graduation rate and academic success. In other rankings, City, Hunter and Queens Colleges were included by the Center for World University Rank-

ings. This is the only global university ranking that measures the quality of education and training of students, as well as the prestige of the faculty members and the quality of their research, without relying on surveys and university data submissions. The list included 1,000 colleges from around the world. U.S. News & World Report ranks Baruch College #5 among top public institutions and #20 overall, both for the Regional Universities in the North category . The Chronicle of Higher Education’s 2016 Almanac recently listed John Jay College of Criminal Justice 7th among more than 600 universities nationwide in terms of greatest increase in research grant dollars for the fiscal years 2005 – 2014, and 12th in terms of greatest increase in federal research dollars for the same period. CUNY is the ďŹ rst and largest university system in America to be named Military Friendly in 2016 in recognition of its programs for veterans, members of the armed forces leaving military service, and their military spouses. The City University of New York is the nation’s leading urban public university.

ST. JOHN’S PREP OPEN HOUSE Saturday, October 15—11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. For details, please call our Admissions OfďŹ ce 718.721.7200 ext 699 or visit us at stjohnsprepschool.org.

Educating Tomorrow’s Leaders The marks of true leadership—knowledge, faith, virtue, service to others, a passion for learning, innovation, and creativity—are embedded in our school’s culture. St. John’s Prep is a foundation for success and fulďŹ llment, in college and life. t )JHI TUBOEBSET PG MFBSOJOH JODMVEJOH "1 )POPST BOE DPMMFHF extension courses t 'BDVMUZ EFEJDBUFE UP UIF OFFET PG FBDI TUVEFOU t $MPTF LOJU WJCSBOU DPNNVOJUZ PG $BUIPMJD GBJUI t "DUJWF FOHBHFNFOU PVUTJEF UIF DMBTT JO BUIMFUJDT TDJFODF technology, the arts, service, campus ministry, and more t &YQFSJFOUJBM MFBSOJOH UISPVHI BQQSFOUJDFTIJQT HMPCBM USBWFM BOE TFSWJDF 45&". BOE QBSUOFSTIJQ QSPHSBNT XJUI 4U +PIO T University

718.721.7200 | stjohnsprepschool.org 21-21 Crescent Street | Astoria, NY 11105

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SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5,2016

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

‡ 7KH )ULFN &ROOHFWLRQ ‡ WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE MUSEUM LAST CHANCE: Watteau Exhibition Closes October 2 Don’t miss your last chance to see the acclaimed exhibition Watteau’s Soldiers: Scenes of Military Life in Eighteenth-Century France, which closes Sunday, October 2. This is the first exhibition devoted to this less-known aspect of the work of the French artist. It’s a unique show of paintings and works on paper that sheds light on the artist’s working method and distinctive vision.

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

COMING UP First Fridays Beginning October 7, museum admission and gallery programs will be free from 6 pm to 9 pm on the first Friday evening of the month (except January). Visitors will have access to the permanent collection and special exhibition galleries, enjoy 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.

Cagnacci’s “Repentant Magdalene� Opens October 25th Guido Cagnacci was one of the most eccentric painters of 17thcentury Italy, infamous for his unconventional art and lifestyle. His works, mostly religious in subject, are known for their unabashed, often unsettling eroticism, and his biography is no less intriguing. One of his greatest masterpieces comes to the Frick this fall, not having been seen outside California since its acquisition by the Norton Simon Museum in 1982.

Pierre Gouthiere: Virtuoso Gilder at The French Court Opens November 16th Gouthière was one of the greatest French artists of the 18th century. A master chaser-gilder, he made opulent objets d’art for the wealthiest and most important figures of pre-revolutionary France, including Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Louis XV’s mistress Madame Du Barry, and the Duke of Aumont. This first-ever exhibition devoted to his work brings together 21 of his finest creations.

29 Fri 30

Thu

2016-17 Concert Tickets The Frick concert series has delighted listeners with keyboard recitals, chamber groups, and groundbreaking early music ensembles. Many important artists have performed at the museum, including NYC debuts of internationally acclaimed musicians. The next season begins October 2, and tickets are available.

Brought to you by

The Frick Collection &BTU UI 4U PO 'JGUI "WF t www.frick.org

DID YOU KNOW? What site in NYC was one of the key locations for the “Monuments Men� mapping of Europe during World War II, with the goal of preserving cultural treasures from Allied bombing raids? Hint: It’s a remarkable museum library (top 5 in the world) that is open to the public on 10 East 70th Street.

HONEYâ–˛

CURATOR’S EYE TOUR

92Y Classroom, Lexington Avenue at 92nd St. 7 p.m. $45 Join food historian Francine Segan along with honey expert Carla Marina Marchese as they teach people to discover the sensory qualities of 12 different types of honey. Learn how to evaluate honey and how to cook with it, explore its history; and sample several honey treats. 212-415-5500. www.92y.org

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Ave. Noon. Free with museum admission Join curator Sara Raza on a focused tour of “But a Storm is Blowing From Paradise.� 212-423-3575, www. guggenheim.org

‘THE JUNGLE BOOK’ Webster Library Auditorium, 1465 York Avenue 4 p.m. Free Come check out this special screening of The Jungle Book, a movie about a boy raised by wolves who is forced to leave his home when a fearsome tiger attacks. He meets an array of jungle animals on his journey including a free-spirited bear who guides him along the way. 212-288-5049, www.nypl. org

SCREENING OF ‘CLINTON CASH’ The Cosmopolitan Club, 122 East 66th St. 6:30-8 p.m. $20 This movie purports to follow what the ďŹ lmakers call “the Clinton money trail.â€? The screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Matthew Taylor and whistleblower Charles Ortel. www.viewpoint.nyc

Sat

1

GRACIE SQUARE ART SHOW Carl Schurz Park, 157 East End Ave. 10 a.m. Free Check out the 44th annual Gracie Square Art Show. Purchase paintings and sculptures and participate in family activities. Volunteers will help children with hands-on art projects. 212-459-4455, www. graciesquareartshow.com

MURDER MYSTERY AND RECEPTION Mount Vernon Hotel Museum, 421 East 61st St. 6-8 p.m. $35 Join New York Adventure Club in this ďŹ ctional mystery game, loosely based on an actual newspaper account. Explore the museum by candlelight and collect clues to unravel the mystery and solve the murder mystery. www.bigmaven.com

Answer: Frick Art Reference Library

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5,2016

Sun

2

BRAZILIAN GUITAR QUARTET The Frick Collection, 1 East 70th St. 5-6:30 p.m. $45 Come hear Brazilian guitarists Everton Gloeden, Tadeu do Amaral, Luiz Mantovani and Gustavo Costa perform a concert at the Frick. 212-547-0715, www.frick.org

FRENCH LANGUAGE SALON DEMO CLASS The French Language Salon, 888 Lexington Ave., at 66th Street 5-6:30 p.m. Free This demo class features an overview of what will be covered in each level, from beginner to advanced. 212-628-2700, frenchlanguagesalon.com

Mon

3

NYPD COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING 19th Precinct, 153 East 67th St. 7 p.m. Free The precinct community council meets the first Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at the precinct station house. 212-452-0615

‘LA CACHE’

7 p.m. Free Journalist Daniel Bergner will be releasing his book about Albertine Books, 972 Fifth a young black man’s journey Ave., at 79th Street from violence and despair to 7 p.m. Free performing on one of the world’s Come out to Albertine most elite stages. This event Books for a conversation with will also include a performance French novelist Christophe by Ryan Speedo Green of The Boltanski and B.A.M. Director of Humanities Violaine Huisman Metropolitan Opera. 212-369-2180, stores. on Boltanski’s Femina Prizewinning debut novel, “La Cache.” barnesandnoble.com 212-461-3670, www. albertine.com

Tue

11

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

4

MARIA HASSABI: STAGED

Wed

Gallery-quality art for your home or office. The 44th Gracie Square Outdoor

5 Art Show

POET BARRY WALLENSTEIN

Shakespeare and Co, 939 Lexington Ave., at 69th Street 7-8:30 p.m. Free The Kitchen, 512 West 19th Wallenstein will be reading St. from his new book, “At the 8 p.m. $20 Surprise Hotel and Other Four dancers perform individual solos. Collectively, they Poems.” Light refreshments will form an intricate, shape-shifting be available. 212-772-3400, www. live sculpture that abstracts shakeandco.com the human form and its many capacities. Performances by Simon Courchel, Hristoula Harakas, Molly Lieber and Oisín BREAST CANCER: THE Monaghan. LATEST 212-255-5793, www. crossingthelinefestival.org 92nd Street Y, Buttenweiser Hall, Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street 7:30 pp.m. $25 SING FOR YOUR LIFE: Dr. Larry Norton gives his A STORY OF RACE, 24th annual update on breast MUSIC, AND FAMILY cancer along with Joan Lunden, a former Good Morning Barnes & Noble, 150 East America host and a 86th St. breast cancer survivor. 212-415-5500, www.92y.org

East End Avenue from 84th to 88th Streets

Saturday, October 1st Free Admission Sunday, October 2nd 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

tober 1st ber 2nd 5:00 p.m. on

Presented by

Proceeds fund the restoration and maintenance of Carl Schurz Park

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Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5,2016

‘PICTURE OF THE YEAR’ AT THE JEWISH MUSEUM John Singer Sargent’s “Mrs. Carl Meyer and Her Children” is back in the U.S. for the first time in more than 10 years BY VAL CASTRONOVO

It’s been a little more than a year since the blockbuster Sargent show at The Met Fifth Avenue, a sprawling tribute to the American expat painter’s portraits of artists and friends, with a sprinkling of high-society thrown in. Now the Jewish Museum is hosting a Sargent show of its own, but in just one room, with the focus on just one painting — the ravishing “Mrs. Carl Meyer and Her Children” (1896), a window into the world of a privileged Jewish family at the end of

Herbert von Herkomer, Carl Meyer, 1908, oil on canvas (canvas: 56 x 44 in. framed: 65 x 54 in.) The painting Mrs. Carl Meyer and her Children can be seen in the background.

the Victorian era. The room is the former dining room of the Felix Warburg Mansion, built in 1908 for the German-born banker and his wife, and home to the Jewish Museum since 1947. The Gilded Age setting is a fitting one for this tour de force by the renowned Gilded Age painter. At the preview, Claudia Gould, the museum’s director, dubbed the painting “Mrs. Carl Meyer and her really gorgeous family,” a jokey, but spoton assessment. John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) was at the height of his powers when he accepted the commission to paint banker Carl Meyer’s wife, the former Adèle Levis (c. 1861-1930), and their children, Elsie Charlotte and Frank Cecil. As chief curator Norman Kleeblatt said in an interview, the artist was the most sought-after portrait painter in late 19th century England and America, and the painting, on loan from Tate Britain, is “considered one of Sargent’s most important group portraits.” Adèle Meyer was in love with music, opera and the theater and so was Sargent. The picture is remarkable for its theatrical staging and bravura brushwork. “The painting is so riveting because it is clearly a performance on the part of both the artist and the sitter. She was performing for Sargent, and Sargent was performing for her,” Kleeblatt said. He created an opulent stage for his sitters at their rental home in Balcombe, outside London. Adèle is seated off to the side of the picture, on an elegant 18th century French canapé, with footstool; hand-carved wood paneling can be spied in the distance. Her pose is such that she seems to be sitting on the edge of her seat, while her children seem to recede in the background. She’s wearing a spectacular dress of velvet, satin and organdy, likely from Paris’s House of Worth where she was a frequent client. A book to her side signals that she has intellectual interests; a pink-streaked fan plays off her rouged cheeks. But the most gorgeous part of her outfit is another acces-

IF YOU GO What: “John Singer Sargent: Mrs. Carl Meyer and Her Children” Where: Jewish Museum, 1109 Fifth Ave., (at 92nd Street) When: through Feb. 5 www.thejm.org/

sory, “an extraordinarily expensive, endlessly long rope of Oriental pearls, which are very subtle and amazing. They reach the heels of her shoes,” Kleeblatt said. “She’s a woman who knew how to present herself. She’s not laden with jewelry. ... She wore one drop-dead piece of jewelry.” Adèle was the wealthy daughter of a rubber manufacturer who married Carl Meyer in 1883. He worked as a negotiator for the Rothschild bank in London, and later as London chairman for De Beers, the mining group, and director of the National Bank of Egypt. He was anointed First Baronet of Shortgrove in the County of Essex in 1910. His wife, who became Lady Meyer, was a society hostess and patron of the arts. She hobnobbed with cultural elites such as actress Sarah Bernhardt, composer Reynaldo Hahn and artist Lawrence Alma-Tadema — as the guest register from Shortgrove, the Meyers’ country home, attests. Proust inscribed a copy of his “Pleasures and Days” (1896) to Adèle; it’s here, on loan from The Morgan Library. But Adèle Meyer was not just a patron of the arts but a patron of social causes too, Kleeblatt said. She actively supported the suffragettes, and after her husband died in 1922, took up the cause of garment workers, co-authoring a book to help improve their working conditions. She also bankrolled the School for Mothers in London, focused on infant welfare. Sargent’s portrait was greeted with much critical acclaim and exhibited three times in the four years after its creation — at the Royal Academy in

John Singer Sargent, “Mrs. Carl Meyer and her Children,” 1896, oil on canvas. Tate Britain, bequeathed by Adèle, Lady Meyer 1930, with a life interest for her son and grandson and presented in 2005 in celebration of the lives of Sir Anthony and Lady Barbadee Meyer. London, the Copley Society in Boston and the Exposition Universelle in Paris. But there were snarky appraisals, too. An 1897 caricature in the British satirical magazine Punch, captioned “The Perils of Steep Perspective!,” pictures Elsie and Frank struggling to keep their mother from falling off the couch — an effort likened on the facing page to “a sort of drawing-room tobogganing exercise.” But the painting was nonetheless pronounced “quite the picture of the year” and revered. As one enters the gallery, there is a handsome oil portrait of Carl Meyer by Sir Hubert von

Herkomer, dated 1908, with a glimpse of the Sargent portrait in the background. “It shows how important this was to the family’s presentation,” the curator said, adding, “It was a masterpiece and a conversation piece.” Other highlights of the exhibit include chromolithographs by Max Beerbohm (1872-1956) caricaturing Sargent, Carl Meyer and Henry James, and items such as Meyer’s Baronet badge — a 1928 replacement of the 1910 original, made for his son, Sir Frank Meyer. Anglophiles, get ready.

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5,2016

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Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

CARO, HISTORIAN AND BIOGRAPHER, GETS ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Our annual tshuvah lecture explores the meaning of repentance during the High Holy Days.

Come LEARN with us. In “Repentance or Return,� Rabbi Dr. Michael Carasik, creator of the JPS Commentator’s Bible Series, reveals essential truths about tshuvah in Jewish life, and shines new light on classic High Holy Day Torah commentaries. Thursday, October 6, 7:30 pm. Join us for the High Holy Days! Call 212.452.2310 for info and tickets or visit orzarua.org

Two-time Pulitzer winner, a city resident, honored by National Book Foundation

Huge Selection of

BY HILLEL ITALIE

Longtime New York City resident Robert Caro is this year’s winner of a National Book Award medal for lifetime achievement, given for “Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.â€? The 80-year-old historian, known for his epic, acclaimed biographies of former President Lyndon Johnson and municipal builder Robert Moses, was praised last week by the National Book Foundation for his “exceptional work and significant impact on American literature.â€? Previous honorees include Toni Morrison, Don DeLillo and Ursula K. Le Guin. “Caro’s in-depth and long term exploration of the lives of two prominent men makes a much larger contribution to American Letters than it might seem at ďŹ rst glance,â€? Lisa Lucas, executive director of the National Book Foundation, said in a statement. “His life’s work, and his stunning prose, teaches us to better understand political inuence, American democracy, and the true power of biography.â€? Caro will receive his award Nov. 16 at the annual National Book Awards ceremony and dinner benefit in Manhattan, where winners in the competitive categories of fiction, nonfiction, poetry and young people’s literature will be announced. Caro is one of the world’s most prominent historians even though he has published just ďŹ ve books. “The Power Broker,â€? his landmark biography of Moses, is standard reading for city historians and planners and has been praised by President Barack Obama, who once said he was “mesmerizedâ€? by it. Caro’s writings on Johnson, four volumes so far, are best-sellers widely read in Washington and have inspired some legislators to seek his advice. Accepting awards has almost

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ACTIVITIES FOR THE FERTILE MIND

thoughtgallery.org NEW YORK CITY

Photo: Larry D. Moore CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons become routine for Caro. His resume includes two Pulitzers, a competitive National Book Award (for “Master of the Senateâ€?), three National Book Critic Circle prizes and a National Humanities Medal, presented to him in 2010 by Obama. He won at least ďŹ ve awards just for his most recent Johnson book, “The Passage of Power,â€? published in 2012. Interviewed recently by telephone as he stood outside the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum in Austin, Texas, Caro said receiving the National Book Award medal had him thinking about the “wonderful journeyâ€? of his life, an adventure joined by his wife and primary editor and researcher, Ina Caro. He spoke of being so broke while working on “The Power Brokerâ€? that he and Ina had to sell their home. For the Johnson books, he has lived in rural Texas and spent many days in Washington on Capitol Hill, where LBJ reigned

in the Senate in the 1950s. He’s still planning a visit to Vietnam for the next Johnson book. “This award in particular means a great deal to me because it’s getting me to remember a lot of things along the way,â€? he said. Caro’s interview with The Associated Press was a quick break from his ongoing Johnson work. He was at the library for yet more research on a series that began 40 years ago and totals more than 3,000 pages for the ďŹ rst four books. He isn’t ready to set a date for the ďŹ fth, and presumed last installment. “When I ďŹ rst was coming to Austin there used to be scores of people in the Johnson administration who were close to Johnson. I could hardly ďŹ nd enough time to interview all of them,â€? he said. “Now, almost everyone is dead. At the library, all the archivists I’ve worked with are retiring.â€?

Ten Commandments of Presidential Leadership

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30TH, 12PM 92nd Street Y | 1395 Lexington Ave. | 212-415-5500 | 92y.org Lawyer and historian Talmage Boston takes examples from 10 past presidents, whose speciďŹ c leadership traits during their terms set the standard for future Commanders-in-Chief. ($25)

Witold Rybczynski: A Tool for Sitting

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5TH, 6PM NY School of Interior Design | 170 E. 70th St. | 212-472-1500 | nysid.edu Rybczynski (Now I Sit Me Down: From Klismos to Plastic Chair: A Natural History) speaks on the history of the chair, from the folding stools of pharaonic Egypt to the stacking seats of today. A book signing follows. ($10-$12)

Just Announced | Film Independent Live Read New York: Good Will Hunting

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7TH, 7:30PM NYU Skirball Center | 566 LaGuardia Pl. | 212-998-4941 | nyuskirball.org John Krasinski (“The OfďŹ ceâ€?) leads a high-wattage surprise cast in a live table read of the awardwinning 1997 ďŹ lm. ($65-$150)

For more information about lectures, readings and other intellectually stimulating events throughout NYC,

sign up for the weekly Thought Gallery newsletter at thoughtgallery.org.

14

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5,2016

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS SEP 16 - 23, 2016

Mo Gelato

956 Lexington Ave

Not Yet Graded (67) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. 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. No facilities available to wash, rinse and sanitize utensils and/or equipment. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred. Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored. Wiping cloths soiled or not stored in sanitizing solution.

Cafe Americano

964 Lexington Ave

A

Food Mart Deli

1321 York Avenue

A

Banshee Pub

1373 First Avenue

A

Caffe Bacio

1223 3 Avenue

A

Petaluma

1356 1 Avenue

A

Come Prima

903 Madison Ave

A

Starbucks

1449 2 Avenue

A

Afghan Kebab House

1345 2Nd Ave

A

Aba Sushi

1588 York Ave

A

Bagel Bobs On York

1641 York Ave

A

Irving Farm Coffee Roasters

1424 3Rd Ave

A

Le Pain Quotidien

1131 Madison Avenue

A

Subway

1205 Lexington Ave

Grade Pending (24) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations. Tobacco use, eating, or drinking from open container in food preparation, food storage or dishwashing area observed.

Grunauer

1578 1St Ave

A

Mumtaz

1582 York Avenue

A

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 http://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/services/restaurant-grades.page Bagels & Co

500 E 76Th St

A

Eli Zabar

922 Madison Ave

A

Mariella Pizza

965 Lexington Avenue A

Eats

1055 Lexington Avenue

A

Dunkin’ Donuts, Baskin Robbins

1225 1 Avenue

A

Cafe Boulud/Bar Pleiades

20 East 76 Street

A

Per Lei

1347 2 Avenue

B

Trend Diner

1382 2 Avenue

B

Casimir & Co

1022 Lexington Ave

A

Juice Press @ Equinox

1429 2nd Ave

A

Hanabi

1450 2nd Ave

A

Szechuan Gourmet

1395 2nd Ave

A

Mel’s Burger

1450 2nd Ave

Grade Pending (21) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Corrado Bread And Pastry

960 Lexington Avenue A

Alex Cafe & Deli

1018 Lexington Avenue

Grade Pending (21) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Wiping cloths soiled or not stored in sanitizing solution.

Tang’s Garden

1328 3Rd Ave

A

Eli’s Essentials

1291 Lexington Ave

A

Fratellis

1317 1 Avenue

A

Sushi Ren

1584 2nd Ave

A

Latin Bites

419 E 70Th St

A

The Gilroy

1561 2nd Ave

A

Via Quadronno

25 East 73 Street

A

Casa Pizza

1427 3rd Ave

A

Beanocchios Cafe

1431 York Avenue

Grade Pending (27) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewageassociated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Lake Toba

1643 2nd Ave

A

Subway

1256 Lexington Avenue

A

Lexington Candy Shop

1226 Lexington Avenue

A

Barnes & Noble Cafe

150 East 86 Street

A

Just Salad

1471 Third Ave

A

Grade Pending (30) Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations. Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.

Burger King

226 East 86 Street

A

Tasti D-Lite

1276 Lexington Avenue

A

City Swiggers

320 East 86 Street

A

Demarchelier Restaurant

50 East 86 Street

A

Suhsi Suki

1577 York Ave

Grade Pending (27) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Mile 17

1446 1St Ave

Jaques Brasserie

204 E 85th St

A

Carlow East

1254 Lexington Avenue

A

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5,2016

15

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

An Our Town Cartoon LIVING

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BY PETER PEREIRA

16

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AN ALIMENTARY EXCURSION WALKING AND TALKING Covering Ground with Eli Zabar. BY DAVID WILLIAMS

Mileage covered: 1.49 miles + a bit of driving. Sunny, 79 degrees Needing little introduction, Eli Zabar is the eponymous head of one of the city’s most famous sources for pretty much anything anyone would want to eat anywhere and at almost any time. Since 1973. They used to say there was a huge kitchen under Third Avenue in the East 70s that served all the Italian restaurants on the Upper East Side. Over the years, with evolved palates, a kitchen really was built that would serve a large swath of the UES. And Eli Zabar is captain of the ship. Eager to give a soup to nuts tour of his empire, he invited me to meet him at his East 92nd Street townhouse. I am welcomed by the two Zabar Wheaten Terriers, Geo and Pippa. A dog owner myself, we are off to a fine start. “I’ve been living in that house for 25 years,” Eli tells me as we strike out on our rounds. “My wife and I lived in a house around the corner for maybe three or four years before that. So we have lived in between 91st and 9nd Streets for three decades.” We hang a left at Madison to begin our tour of the Realm of Eli. First station: Eli’s Wine Bar 91, corner of East 91st and Madison. “Everybody who ever had children in this neighborhood spent time in Jackson Hole,” he says, referring to the spot’s former tenant. In gutting and renovating, “We did a lot of historical research on this (1893/94) building. I hired an architectural historian, Christopher Gray (who wrote a column on real estate history in The New York Times for 30 years). “When this building was built, Madison had no retail. They had very fancy stoops that went up to the building. This backs up on the Carnegie Mansion and very possibly associates of Carnegie lived here.” Clearly enjoying the role of architectural docent, Eli describes how things changed forever in the ‘30s. Retail came to define what Madison Avenue would become, at least in Midtown and Carnegie Hill. The building itself was reconfigured, entrances moved, floors and basements eliminated. Enter Mr. Zabar,

circa. 2015, and history marched backwards: “This parquet floor came from Paris. From a house build in 1870. The staircase came from a house in Harlem that was built in 1890.” Like his outpost on Third and 79th Street and its white table partner up a block at Eli’s, Eli’s Wine Bar 91 wakes up as a “grab-and-go” spot for any and all matters culinary, and goes to bed at night as a wine bar and restaurant. Eli gives me a tour of the breakfast vittles, pausing at one point, his chest puffed out: “This is my famous bread pudding!”

This is my first store. All the food they serve here is made here. This has nothing to do with the commissary concept. It goes back to my original theory of food. It’s better to make one salad six times a day than to make different salads once a day. It’s better to make one thing many times than to make a million things one time a day. It gets old.” Eli Zabar

“We make everything ourselves: every pastry you see, every bread you see, every salad you see ...” We are out the door and in no more than ten steps we are in front of NOGLU, the only Eli venture without his familiar branding. I’d purchased NOGLU’s (delicious!) tarts before, so I was aware that the gluten-free options here were a cut above. A big cut above. “With a French partner I became an investor. And the managing partner. She’s about to open another one of these with a restaurant in the 7th Arrondissement off the Rue du Bac in Paris in October. “We built a whole kitchen. There is nothing like this in New York,” he tells me. Hopping in his van in order to cover our ground efficiently, Eli neverthe-

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5,2016

Business

less has built his foodie Ponderosa to be easily covered on foot. “I have maintained my business, with the exception of Grand Central, to be within walking distance. I think I learned that early on from my two brothers. They own Zabar’s on the West Side. My brothers Stanley and Saul. Stanley especially believed in living over the shop.” After a quick stop at his Essentials store on Lex and 87th Street, Eli tells me the origin of the “Essentials” concept. “For eight years I ran the farmers market out in Amagansett. I was in an operating partnership with the Taconic Land Trust. They had been gifted a piece of land. With a farm stand on it. “They were desperate for an operator. Someone on the board said why not contact Eli Zabar. He comes out here because his mother-in-law lives here. “Up until that point everything was made in the Third Avenue store. Or in the Vinegar Factory. It wasn’t until Amagansett that I blew out the ‘commissary’ ideas. Everything would be made in one place. And then distributed.” Eli’s new paradigm took off. And it evolved: they learned how to freeze the croissants at 90th Street, then bake them at the stores. Double parking, we duck into E.A.T., Madison and 80th Street. “This is my first store. All the food they serve here is made here. This has nothing to do with the commissary concept. It goes back to my original theory of food. It’s better to make one salad six times a day than to make different salads once a day. It’s better to make one thing many times than to make a million things one time a day. It gets old. “Everything here is from my original recipes.” It’s en route to Eli’s on Third Avenue that Eli tells me about his newest ventures. We pass his Essentials on Third and 79th which, “Is one of the things I’m most happy about. It’s is my son’s (Oliver’s) Nightshift. “ Thrilled, and relieved (“Whew!”), that another Zabar is in the business — a twin son, in New Haven, is also following the family food chain with a juice bar — Eli says the model he described at 91st Street is flourishing further down in 10028. Again, the shop opens with eggs and waffles, transitions to grab-and-go lunch fare and then voilas into a millennial cocktail outpost.

Executive Chef Keith Eldridge (left) and Eli Zabar about to pop a batch of fresh quiches into the oven at the Vinegar Factory. Photo: David Williams “It plays against everything I know in retailing. I’m always saying we don’t want any lines. Every person has to be taken care of immediately. If you’re in a rush you don’t go here!” At Eli’s I meet the honchos that steer the largest of his food emporia. Each of whom is being pressed into tutorial service later this year as Eli parlays each of the store’s department managers’ skills into a series of classes. “Were going to have our wine classes, flower arranging classes, we’re going to have our courses in breadmaking, coffee ...” Regular visitors to Eli’s will recognize some of the professors involved. There’s Joe Catalano, Professor of Fish; Nichole Fraser, Doctor of Flower Arranging; and Marc Reyes, Adjunct Professor of Meat. With details still to come, turning the sales floor into a foodie academia is just one of several of the company’s newest ventures. The final stop on our tour of the realm is what Eli calls his commissary. Above, around, across and within his Vinegar Factory, this is where his team whips together everything his customers will grab-and-go, nosh or dine on. To the visitor, it is a working marvel, food manufacturing, Manhattan-style. And it’s where his third 2016 venture is being incubated. “We have about a quarter of an acre

of greenhouses on top of the roof. And tomatoes and baby lettuces are my two most important crops,” says this urban farmer. “We have a type of strawberry that no one else has. Mara des bois. So sweet so delicious. We have a few small beds. Everywhere we have an area we’re going to plant those.” As we zig-zag through the warren of kitchens and bakeries, beyond the construction shop, we land in the small area where the company’s yetto-be-named online home delivery venture is evolving. In competing with companies like Blue Apron, the service will send a text message with a photo of the day’s options. The text-ee has until 11:00 a.m. to place that day’s order and number of servings that, unlike others in the field of easy home-cookery, is not subscription based. And it’s all fulfilled from … you guessed it, the commissary. “The only thing you need is salt, pepper and olive oil,” Eli proclaims. “Nobody can be as fresh or as quality as I am,” noting that his brick and mortar is zip-code friendly to his planned catchment area. “This is the biggest, most important new thing I’m doing.” Sort of like his grab-and-go model, only this one is more text and get!

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5,2016

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

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Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5,2016

SHEEP MEADOW’S ONCE WOOLLY DENIZENS When the ruminants ruled the green BY RAANAN GEBERER

When one thinks of the Bach hymn, “Sheep May Safely Graze,” one rarely thinks of Central Park. And yet, for about 70 years, there was a time when sheep indeed did graze on Sheep Meadow. When Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux designed Central Park in the mid-19th century, they thought that having a meadow with grazing sheep would add a pastoral touch. In 1864, they imported 200 pedigreed Southdown (later Dorset) sheep. In addition to being pleasant to look at, the sheep kept the grass trimmed and the lawn fertilized. They slept in the Victorian-style building known as the “Sheepfold” — better known today as Tavern on the Green. In 1870, a sheep crossing was built across the park’s drive. Twice a day, a shepherd would lead the sheep to and from the meadow. Park-goers were discouraged from venturing into Sheep Meadow itself, but glimpse at the sheep from its perimeter. The Parks Department sold the sheep’s wool, and, once a year, the city auctioned off

In 1870, a sheep crossing was built across the park’s drive. Twice a day, a shepherd would lead the sheep to and from the meadow. Parkgoers were discouraged from venturing into Sheep Meadow itself, but glimpse at the sheep from its perimeter.”

several animals to thin out the herd. During the 1892 auction, one ram sold for $14, and one of the lambs sold for $2, according to the blog “Daytonian in Manhattan.” Even though the sheep ruled the meadow, there were times

Met Council is accepting applications for the waiting list of affordable housing rental apartments in our building located at 334 East 92nd Street, NY. For one person households, applicants must be 62 years old at the time of application; for two person households, the applicant must be 62 and the co-applicant 55 at the time of application. Current Rent Range studio: $897 - $1231 Income Range: $37,440- $50,800 (1 person household) Current Range 1 bedroom: Income Range:

$969 - $1320 $40,360 - $50,800 (1 person household) $40,360 - $58,000 (2 person household)

Monthly rent includes heat, hot water and gas for cooking. Seniors will be required to meet income guidelines and additional selection criteria to qualify. Income guidelines are subject to change. One application per household. Applications may be downloaded from: www.metcouncil.org/housing or requested by mail from Met Council: East 92nd Street Residence 120 Broadway, 7th floor New York, NY 10271 Please include a self-addressed envelope. No broker or application fee.

when people took over the green. Many of these events involved children. According to The New York Times, 1,000 boys and girls from the city’s playgrounds competed in games and won prizes on a September day in 1922. About five

years later, teams of boys converged on the green to fly their rubber band-propelled toy airplanes. Another five years later, 6,000 girls danced to folk music from around the world. Semi-military events also were held on Sheep Meadow. In

a March 1918 publicity stunt designed to spur onlookers to buy war bonds, two Curtis biplanes landed on the meadow following their 20-minute flights from Mineola. (At the time, airplanes were used almost exclusively by the military, although

that he wanted the Sheepfold for a new restaurant: Tavern on the Green. There might have been another consideration, too. In 1934, during the Great Depression, camps of men made Central Park their home and some city officials feared that some of them might steal some of the sheep, kill them and use them for food, “Modern Farmer” magazine reported. Ultimately, Central Park and the Prospect

air mail would begin within a few months.) Eventually, much of the flock became malformed because of inbreeding. In 1934, the Parks commissioner, Robert Moses, had the sheep transferred to Prospect Park’s Long Meadow, where they joined others of their four-legged kin in residence there. Moses had decided

Park flocks were relocated to the Catskills. Despite the end of Sheep Meadow’s original use, Central Park today isn’t completely sheep-less. Although they no longer graze in the meadow, some may still be seen in the Children’s Zoo, where they are appreciated by children and adults alike.

Met Council is accepting applications for the waiting list of affordable housing rental apartments in our building located at 171 Lexington Avenue, NY. For one person households, applicants must be 62 years old at the time of application; for two person households, the applicant must be 62 and the co-applicant 55 at the time of application. Current Rent Range studio: $829 - $1231 Income Range: $34,720 - $50,800 (1 person household) Current Range 1 bedroom: Income Range:

$1029 - $1320 $42,760 - $50,800 (1 person household) $42,760 - $58,000 (2 person household)

Current Range 2 bedroom: Income Range:

$1186 - $1409 $49,080 - $58,000 (2 person household)

Monthly rent includes heat, hot water and gas for cooking. Seniors will be required to meet income guidelines and additional selection criteria to qualify. Income guidelines are subject to change. One application per household. Applications may be downloaded from: www.metcouncil.org/housing or requested by mail from Met Council: Lexington Avenue Residence 120 Broadway, 7th floor New York, NY 10271 Please include a self-addressed envelope. No broker or application fee.

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5,2016

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Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

“The Upper West Side has already had major transformations,� he said. “It’s already had its series of converts.� Among the few transformations Khorsandi listed in the presentation: Lincoln Square Synagogue and the potential future building plans for iconic sites along Broadway. Congregation Shaare Zedek was also one of the sites mentioned as a current and pressing zoning issue. Currently, the building faces the chance of becoming a 14-story residential building due to as-of-right development, meaning development can occur without the approval of the City Council. Though a handful of locals are beginning to take action against the bill, Shaare Zedek representatives have voiced their favor with the amendments. In a public letter to City Planning commissioners, Shaare Zedek and other religious institutions state their approval of the amendments, arguing the zoning changes will provide affordable apartments to their congregants. “Many of our congregations have deep experience building and supporting affordable housing in our communities,� the letter states. “It is one of the issues that most deeply affects the families we serve.�

ZONING SCUFFLES CONTINUE Amendments didn’t change development debate BY SARAH NELSON

Nearly six months after the City Council approved two high-profile changes to the zoning code, local organizations remain concerned over Upper West Side development pressures. Some building plans were underway prior to the amendments called the Zoning for Quality and Affordability and Mandatory Inclusionary Housing. The ZQA allows for buildings under construction to increase height even more, which some argue disrupts a neighborhood aesthetic. Advocates argue that if current development plans remain unchecked, a number of historical icons in the neighborhood are at risk of destruction. During a public forum on Sept. 13, Landmark West Advocacy Director Sean Khorsandi argued the ZQA amendment will not guarantee public housing.

Scaffolding at Lincoln Square Synagogue. Photo: Sarah Nelson

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FULL STEAM AHEAD FOR ICONIC EATERY Chelsea’s Empire Diner will reopen later this year BY SAMIA BOUZID

Photo: Tenebrae, via Wikimedia Commons stored. “It’s these unique details that make life extra special.” He has a passion for saving diners and the culture’s other endangered species. “They are cornerstones of Americana,” he said. “The owners of

the establishments know their patrons by their first names; patrons sit elbow-to-elbow at the counter or in comfy booths.” He said he loves places that bring people together. But he said diner owners need to be strategic to

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The flat top grill at Chelsea’s iconic Empire Diner will fire up once again. Chef John DeLucie is partnering with the Cafeteria Group company to resurrect the 10th Avenue diner for a fourth time since it first closed in 2010. It is scheduled to reopen in November following a tumultuous five years. The art moderne diner, on the corner of 22nd Street, was designed in 1946, when freestanding, train-car diners were so popular they were being churned out by a manufacturer. Now, it is one of the few left standing. “It’s a time capsule,” said Laura Moore, 31, a neighborhood resident who often made after-hours stops at the Empire. Rising rents were blamed for ousting three sets of owners and have kept the diner in limbo since shortly after celebrity chef Amanda Freitag, in July 2015, left what would eventually be yet another failed attempt to keep the

diner open. Locals recall the diner’s growing pains as it tried to hold its ground as a Chelsea landmark. Karen Fechter, 44, a 12-year Chelsea resident, used to drop in at happy hour with her coworkers or at night with friends. But, she said, the diner lost some of its essence as it became more upscale. “The last incarnation didn’t give that speakeasy vibe,” she said. Another local, Jamie Sowlakis, 46, said he had also been disappointed by the more recent versions of the diner. “They stripped all the character out. You want a place like that to be crowded,” he said. He said he didn’t like that the latest, stripped-down design: “They were trying too hard.” The Empire Diner has official landmark status, which means its facade cannot be altered. When the diner first closed in 2010, Michael Perlman, a Forest Hills native and local history junkie, went to the Landmarks Commission to push for the protection of the establishment’s interior. His request was never granted, but he hopes for the traditional interior to be re-

survive. A few blocks away on 23rd Street, the Chelsea Square diner is one of the few survivors. Inside, patrons still drink their coffee at the counter and waiters bustle through the narrow space between the counter stools and small booths. “We have people who change the channels, ask for special things made for them, have their spots where they sit,” its manager, Nick Mavromichalis, said. He said that a long lease has insulated him from the rent hikes that are toppling other businesses. María Díaz, the executive director of the Greenwich Village Chelsea Chamber of Commerce, said that rent woes are something she hears constantly. The Chamber of Commerce has not dealt specifically with the Empire Diner, but Díaz says that many small businesses in Chelsea are struggling to make rent. Representatives for Chef DeLucie and the Cafeteria Group declined to comment on their specific plans for this iteration of the diner. However, Chris Sowlakis, who is overseeing the redesign of the restaurant, said, “The goal is to bring back the unique charm.” He plans to put back counter seating and banquettes. “In New York City you don’t see a subway car as a diner that often. We’re trying to keep that.”

Th is

Over 250,000 New Yorkers are living with Alzheimer’s today. MANHATTAN Sunday, October 16th, 9 am Riverside Park — W. 97th Street & Riverside Drive

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YOUR 15 MINUTES

CONTEMPORIZING THE CLASSICS The Classical Theatre of Harlem’s managing director on the company’s growth and future BY ANGELA BARBUTI

The Classical Theatre of Harlem has a truly localized mission, and that is to reflect the history and culture of the neighborhood in which it was founded. “Harlem is a changing place, but we certainly honor the cultural legacy from which we sprung,” said David Roberts, who serves as the organization’s managing director.

I think that theater is always local if you compare it to other art forms. A museum, sure, it’s a destination, but we can get prints of artwork or things get borrowed from one museum to another halfway around the world. On television and with film, it could be distributed, especially now with the internet, at the press of a button. Millions of people can experience it. But with theater, half of the experience is being there in the room with a community of other audience members.” David Roberts

miere on Oct. 7 at 3LD Art & Technology Center on Greenwich Street.

As managing director, what does your job entail? Managing directors in the nonprofit theater world are usually part of a coleadership team. So you’ll have your artistic director, who’s really the head of productions or programming. And then the managing director is the partner who is in charge of the actual institution. So the back-office work, the marketing, the development and fundraising, the operations. And usually, but not always, both work with and report to a board of directors.

In this position, what are some initiatives you’ve put into place that you’re proud of? I have to say that the four years prior to my coming on board, the institution was entirely volunteer-run, primarily led by our producing artistic director, Ty Jones, who’s also our board chair. Now, he continues to be a volunteer, however, we will be changing that in the coming calendar year. It will be a salaried position, which I’m very proud of. So we really worked on the infrastructure and the support, so that we could build all of those support systems around the art. We also brought on a director of development to help us with grant writing and fundraising. And with professionalized office systems and the HR systems, we’ve increased revenues. Through all of that success

and along with Ty, we’ve expanded the programming both on our education front as well our production.

What are some CTH productions that you’ve been fond of? The summers are so fantastic because they’re family friendly; they’re outside; it feels very New York-y. It’s

“Shakespeare in the Park,” but it’s uptown. And there’s a sense of community and inclusiveness in our productions. I think that our director, Carl Cofield, who did “The Tempest” last year as well as “Macbeth” this past summer, has been fantastic. He has vision. He gets what we are trying to do and the community, and makes it very accessible.

Ron Cephas Jones starred in your production of “The Tempest.” I interviewed him for this column when he was in “Of Mice and Men” on Broadway. Oh, yes. He was just a brilliant Prospero. Very well received. We were very lucky to have him. You know, he really jumped at the chance to work with Ty and really raise the profile of what it is Ty, the staff and the board are trying to do up here.

What makes this current production, “Fit for a Queen,” meaningful? The traditional classics that we’re all familiar with and have come out of the Western cannon, CTH does well. We’ve done Shakespeare every summer. There’s no limit of those recognizable Western European classics that we’ve done. We also assert that there are classics of the African diaspora that deserve to be put in that same canon and revered and shared. In addition to that, we assert that there are future classics.

Since 1999, CTH has been performing both classical and contemporary works with its community always at heart. Its newest production, “Fit for a Queen,” highlights the life of Hatshepsut, the first female pharaoh in 15th century Egypt. “It just seemed very timely with Hillary Clinton becoming the first nominee of a major political party as female, that we should shed light on this Ancient Egyptian historical figure,” Roberts noted. A graduate of the Yale School of Drama, Roberts has been with the company since 2013 and is happy to report the nonprofit’s growth in productions and educational efforts. As for their annual offerings, he explained, “I don’t believe that CTH has had a third production in over 10 years, so adding a third production, “Fit for a Queen,” is quite a big jump for us.” The show celebrates its world pre-

That there are artists living, working and developing today that are going to be the classics of tomorrow. And we certainly think that Betty Shamieh [the show’s playwright] fits into that mold. She’s been working for scores of years on her craft and has a very unique voice, one that is reflective of a very diverse America. And we know that this play sheds light on a historical figure that many of us had never heard of. The female ruler, Hatshepsut, who led not as queen, but as pharaoh. There are obviously issues around sexism, gender, gender identity and sexuality that are brought up that are all very modern. There are issues of the patriarchy that I think are, in our modern world, getting a new hearing. And so to put those things in a historical context helps us to navigate where we are in the world, how far we’ve come and how far yet we have to go. And it’s interesting that Betty chose to do this as a comedy as opposed to a drama. And I think sometimes you can hear things differently when it’s a comedy as opposed to a drama. We’re just very excited that she chose to work with us to have this be the world premiere of this piece.

What makes The Classical Theatre of Harlem special? I think that theater is always local if you compare it to other art forms. A museum, sure, it’s a destination, but we can get prints of artwork or things get borrowed from one museum to another halfway around the world. On television and with film, it could be distributed, especially now with the internet, at the press of a button. Millions of people can experience it. But with theater, half of the experience is being there in the room with a community of other audience members. A play is not a play because it’s written on a page or even because actors act it. It’s a play because actors are acting it live in front of a community, an audience, and they are part of that experience. And so, with that sense that theater is always local, that you have to be there and you have to be there in the moment, I think that The Classical Theatre of Harlem embraces the temporal nature of that and has a very keen awareness that it is in, of and by Harlem. To learn more about CTH, visit www.cthnyc.org

Know somebody who deserves their 15 Minutes of fame? Go to ourtownny.com and click on submit a press release or announcement. David Roberts, the managing director of the Classical Theatre of Harlem. Photo: Lelund Durond Thompson

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