Our Town - November 24, 2016

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The local paper for the Upper East Side HARD CORE < P. 12

WEEK OF NOVEMBER

24-30 2016

Following the Nov. 8 election, people were asked to post their sentiments on the walls of the Union Square subway station as part of a artist Matthew Chavez’s “subway therapy” project. Photo: Allison Meier, via flickr

POST-ELECTION ANXIETY PLAGUES NEW YORKERS At community events, New Yorkers voiced concerns about everything from climate change to healthcare under Trump

BY MADELEINE THOMPSON

Between Councilman Mark Levine’s community conversation and state Senator Daniel Squadron’s town hall, both held last week, around 400 people showed up to discuss the results of the recent presidential election. Levine’s event, which was not on the schedule before Election Day, was planned directly as a result of the overwhelming response his office has fielded in the last two weeks. Squadron’s annual fall progress update had been planned for months,

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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Crosswalks at Central Park South and Sixth Avenue. Photo: Antonio Fucito, via flickr

WALK THIS WAY: CITY COUNCIL PROPOSES TRAFFIC SAFETY IMPROVEMENT BILLS New rules about crossing signals, the Barnes Dance stoplight method and bike studies aim to protect cyclists and pedestrians BY MADELEINE THOMPSON

On World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims this past Sunday, family members who have lost loved ones joined advocates for safer streets on a bike ride to raise awareness of the dangers of the road. They gathered in front of City Hall to show their support for the goals of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Vision Zero initiative and implore that those goals be prioritized. Last Tuesday, five road-related bills that aim to protect

Crime Watch Voices Out & About City Arts

3 8 10 12

Property Real Estate 15 Minutes

cyclists and pedestrians were brought to the City Council’s transportation committee by Council Members Ydanis Rodriguez, Helen Rosenthal, Carlos Menchaca and James Van Bramer. Two of the bills request investigations by city agencies; one by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Department of Parks and Recreation into the costs and benefits associated with installing Citi Bike stations near parks, and one by the DOT into alleviating overcrowding at 10 pedestrianheavy locations. Two other bills are related to crossing signals. One would force cyclists to obey pedestrian signals at some intersections.

16 17 21

The other would study the feasibility of implementing the Barnes Dance method -where all lights are red simultaneously and pedestrians going all directions can cross at once — at the city’s 25 most dangerous intersections. (The system is named for Henry

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 Jewish women and girls light up the world by lighting the Shabbat candles every Friday evening 18 minutes before sunset. Friday, November 25 – 4:13 pm. For more information visit www.chabaduppereastside.com

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NOVEMBER 24-30,2016

CITY BUS SERVICE IRKS MANY Unreliability, lack of frequency and of routes frustrates riders and would-be riders BY MADELEINE THOMPSON

Since 2003, bus ridership in New York City has dropped 16 percent, according to the city-based grassroots organization Riders Alliance. City buses carry around 2.5 million riders every day, but at a town hall held by State Senator Daniel Squadron last week it was clear many aren’t too pleased. “We’re missing a bus coming down Broadway to service us from 14th Street,” one SoHo resident said at the event. The M6 “used to come down Park Avenue and they did away with it. I’d like to see it come back. I’ll take any [bus].” In response, Squadron said the area still hasn’t recovered from the bus cuts of 2010 and mentioned the M5 as well. “You’re seeing that in the terrible service you’re getting on the M5,” he said. “The M5 became everything and got terrible. It’s a real problem.” Noah Pfefferblit, Community Board 1’s district manager, said the M6 had

also been brought up at multiple meetings recently. “[The MTA is] breaking it into two sections because it currently goes all the way from Lower Manhattan to Washington Heights, and as a result the service is very unreliable,” he said. “The portion that starts down here will go up to, I think, around 37th Street, and then we’ll have another route that starts around there.” In general, however, Pfefferblit said he hasn’t heard an unusual number of complaints about bus service. The M1 and M5 also cut wiggling paths across almost the entirety of Manhattan, though the MTA recently informed CB1 officials that the agency planned to extend M1 service by just under a mile down to the City Hall area. It currently ends at West Eighth Street. Last year, the New York Public Interest Research Group’s Straphangers Campaign awarded the M1 its “shleppie” award for having large gaps between bus arrivals and for buses commonly arriving bunched together. “In the realm of unreliable bus service, the M1 is the king,” the executive director of Transportation Alternatives, Paul Steely White, said at the time.

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At a City Council transportation committee hearing in early October, residents from the lower half of Manhattan testified that they would like more or better bus service on the M1, M5 and M6 routes, among many others. “Countless constituents, including seniors, those with young children, and people with disabilities have been asking us to help get them better bus service,” said Terri Cude, first vice chair of Community Board 2. The city Department of Transportation’s commissioner, Polly Trottenberg, said at the hearing that average bus speeds are lower than ever — at 7.5 miles per hour – but added that the DOT is “very focused” on reversing the trend. A Chelsea resident at Squadron’s town hall said too much emphasis was being placed on the MTA’s Select Bus Service, to the detriment of regular bus service. “You can see five SBSs go by and one regular one. Some people can’t walk between those long stops,” she said. Squadron disagreed, saying he would “like to see more investment in protecting those lanes,” though he called the balance of SBS to regular buses “wacky.”

The M5 bus route is among several that has received complaints regarding service. Photo: Chris Sampson, via flickr One reason for this, he added, could be the way bus data is collected and made public. The MTA measures bus ridership by the number of passengers who get on each bus. But transportation activists, including the Straphangers Campaign, have asked that the measurements also reflect, for example, the number of miles a bus travels before it experiences a mechani-

cal problem. “We really need exiting numbers, not just entry numbers,” Squadron said. “We’re pushing the MTA to figure out what the math is.” For those who rely on buses, and for whom the subway is inaccessible, updated data can’t come soon enough. Madeleine Thompson can be reached at newsreporter@strausnews.com

NOVEMBER 24-30,2016

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CRIME WATCH

Tony Webster, via flickr

2 CHARGED IN UES KILLING Two men arrested in the stabbing death of a Connecticut man who’d attended a party at a Manhattan luxury apartment are now charged with concealing a corpse and hindering prosecution. James Rackover of Manhattan and Lawrence Dilione of Jersey City were arrested on charges that initially included murder. They were arraigned only on the lesser charges. Nonetheless, during the hearing last week, Assistant District Attorney Antoinette Carter alleged that “one or both of these people committed a murder.” Authorities found a body in Oceanport, New Jersey, on Wednesday while investigating the disappearance

of Joseph Comunale of Stamford, Connecticut. Police say the 26-yearold Hofstra University graduate had gone with friends to a club. He was later seen going to the party with different people. Rackover’s lawyer says the case has “serious problems” and will be “vigorously” contested. Dilione’s attorney did not immediately respond to a comment request. The Associated Press

CHELSEA BOMBER SPOKE WITH FBI A man charged with setting off bombs in New Jersey and New York spoke with the FBI for days after his arrest as he was recovering from gunshot wounds, a prosecutor told a

judge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Lewin made the revelation after Ahmad Khan Rahimi pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him in the Sept. 17 attacks, which wounded 30 people when a pressure cooker bomb exploded on West 23rd Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. Another bomb nearby did not explode. Lewin told U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman that evidence against Rahimi includes two FBI reports of statements he made across multiple days after his Sept. 19 capture during a shootout with police in Linden, New Jersey. The prosecutor didn’t disclose what Rahimi told the FBI. Other evidence prosecutors plan to turn over to defense lawyers within weeks includes video clips of Rahimi’s movements on the day of the bombings, internet records showing he bought bomb-making materials and proof his fingerprints and DNA were found on explosive devices, Lewin said. Besides the Manhattan attacks, Rahimi, an Afghan-born U.S. citizen from Elizabeth, New Jersey, is charged with detonating a pipe bomb along a Marine Corps charity race in Seaside Park, New Jersey, earlier in the day. Another bomb found at a train station didn’t explode. The Associated Press

STATS FOR THE WEEK 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

0

n/a

5

8

-37.5

Robbery

0

1

-100.0

78

89

-12.4

Felony Assault

1

2

-50.0

109

109

0.0

Burglary

1

5

-80.0

178

145

22.8

Grand Larceny

23

28

-17.9

1,229

1,176

4.5

Grand Larceny Auto

0

2

-100.0

66

69

-4.3

SUSPECT IN 2012 KILLING ARRAIGNED A man extradited from the Philippines to New York City has been charged with beating his former boss to death four years ago with a ceramic lamp. Miguel Abarentos was arraigned Friday in state Supreme Court in Manhattan for the 2012 murder of 87-year-old Thawerdas Sadwani in his Murray Hill home. Abarentos, 29, was remanded after his court appearance. His lawyer told the Daily News Abarentos was

innocent. Manhattan prosecutors say Abarentos ran errands for Sadwani on the weekends. He was discovered dead by his housekeeper in his apartment two days after he was killed. Investigators claim Abarentos boarded a plane at JFK a day after he told a friend in a message that he had just killed someone. He was arrested in June in the Philippines and extradited to the U.S. The Associated Press

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NOVEMBER 24-30,2016

Useful Contacts POLICE NYPD 19th Precinct

153 E. 67th St.

212-452-0600

159 E. 85th St.

311

FDNY Engine 39/Ladder 16

157 E. 67th St.

311

FDNY Engine 53/Ladder 43

1836 Third Ave.

311

FDNY Engine 44

221 E. 75th St.

311

FIRE FDNY 22 Ladder Co 13

CITY COUNCIL Councilmember Daniel Garodnick

211 E. 43rd St. #1205

212-818-0580

Councilmember Ben Kallos

244 E. 93rd St.

212-860-1950

STATE LEGISLATORS State Sen. Jose M. Serrano

1916 Park Ave. #202

212-828-5829

State Senator Liz Krueger

1850 Second Ave.

212-490-9535

Assembly Member Dan Quart

360 E. 57th St.

212-605-0937

Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright

1365 First Ave.

212-288-4607

COMMUNITY BOARD 8

505 Park Ave. #620

212-758-4340

LIBRARIES Yorkville

222 E. 79th St.

212-744-5824

96th Street

112 E. 96th St.

212-289-0908

67th Street

328 E. 67th St.

212-734-1717

Webster Library

1465 York Ave.

212-288-5049

100 E. 77th St.

212-434-2000

HOSPITALS Lenox Hill NY-Presbyterian / Weill Cornell

525 E. 68th St.

212-746-5454

Mount Sinai

E. 99th St. & Madison Ave.

212-241-6500

NYU Langone

550 First Ave.

212-263-7300

CON EDISON

4 Irving Place

212-460-4600

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212-517-8361

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212-369-2747

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Trump supporters in front of Trump Tower on Election Day. Heavy Sanitation Department trucks filled with sand walled off the front of the building. Photo: Marco Verch, via flickr

SECURITY PHALANX AT TRUMP TOWER WILL REMAIN City bearing congestion and manpower costs, for now BY TOM HAYS

The phalanx of police officers armed with assault weapons, bomb-sniffing dogs and concrete barricades causing congestion and other headaches outside Donald Trump’s home will remain in place at least until his inauguration in late January, city officials warned. It’s a situation that has put the Republican president-elect’s hometown in the position of asking his new administration to pay ongoing costs for what Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio called an unprecedented security effort for a U.S. president’s unofficial residence. “We’re being asked to do something on a scale that’s never been done before,” the mayor said at a news conference with New York Police Department and Secret Service officials. The mayor spoke at a command center at NYPD headquarters where four video monitors carried live feeds of the intersection outside Trump Tower, in midtown

I think the federal government will recognize that the NYPD is carrying a burden for the entire nation” Mayor Bill de Blasio Manhattan. The monitors showed how police have closed two of Fifth Avenue’s five lanes, completely barricaded the block where residents have a private entrance and set up checkpoints manned by officers in guard booths. The measures, largely intended to fortify Trump Tower in a terror attack, have slowed motor and foot traffic outside and raised concerns among retailers it could hurt business during the holiday shopping season. Anti-Trump demonstrations have shut down Fifth Avenue entirely at least three times in the past 10 days. Authorities are still refining their tactics to minimize inconveniences to workers

and shoppers through late January. In the immediate aftermath of the election, Trump Tower’s entrance was walled off by dump trucks filled with sand and its atrium was closed to tourists, measures that were lifted within a couple of days. What happens after the inauguration will depend on how the new president divides his time between his high-rise apartment and the White House, officials said. Depending on the answer, the NYPD might create a new command assigned full time to securing Trump Tower. Officials also said they have begun exploring ways to get federal help in covering potentially huge overtime costs for the nation’s largest police department. Similar reimbursements have been made in the past for large-scale events like Pope Francis’ visit to the city last year. “I think the federal government will recognize that the NYPD is carrying a burden for the entire nation,” De Blasio said. The mayor predicted New Yorkers would shrug off the hassle of protecting Trump. “After we get through legitimately grumbling, we’ll go on with our lives,” he said.

NOVEMBER 24-30,2016

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Contractors working Saturday to ready the Second Avenue subway line, near the 72nd Street station’s entrance on 69th Street.

SUBWAY OPENING COULD BE DELAYED MTA chairman suggested that the Second Avenue line would not open by year’s end BY SARAH NELSON

With the holiday season approaching, small businesses on Second Avenue are calling for the MTA to keep true to their initial Dec. 31 deadline for opening the long-awaited subway line along the avenue. MTA Chairman Thomas Prendergast said last week that the day the agency decides an exact opening date is approaching. “We do need to set a date, at which time we say we’re a go or we’re not a go,” Prendergast said following the MTA board’s Nov. 16 meeting. “There has been a tremendous amount of focus, more so than I can ever remember about trying to make the committed date of December 31.” MTA representatives did not respond to several requests seeking clarification about when that date might be set. Some of the small business owners along Second Avenue expressed skepticism that the long-in-the-works project would be complete by year’s end. Samuel Musovic, who owns the restaurant Vero, on Second Avenue and 77th Street, said business had dipped up to 35 percent since construction on the project started in 2007. His is not the only business to have suffered. Dozens of shops and businesses along the avenue, from just below 70th Street to the 90s, along the project’s first phase, have been

burdened by construction, noise, decreased frontage and reduced parking. Many have closed altogether. “People have it in their minds that it’s still cluttered, there’s still a lot of construction and they don’t walk on Second Avenue,” Musovic said at a press event Nov. 15. “They don’t want to go through the hassle and bustle of debris and it’s basically unsafe.” Residents and visitors now opting to walk, shop and eat down less hectic First, Third and even Lexington Avenues, he said. “Businesses have been holding on (by) the skin of their teeth,” Musovic said. “Every day is crucial to them.” Elliot Hurdy, who lives on the Upper East Side, spoke of the challenges for pedestrians, particularly senior citizens. People who are older, he said, have trouble walking, and reroute to alternate paths. “I’m constantly walking back and forth and it’s very difficult,” Hurdy said at the press event. “They have construction constantly going on. You have to be afraid that something is going to hit you.” It’s difficult to determine how many businesses have shuttered or been displaced since construction began. The Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, whose president, Jessica Walker, said earlier this year that a tally of those numbers would be complete in August, declined last week to release its findings. According to the MTA, the chamber “is a partner with MTA Capital Construction in support of local

establishments as construction continues on the Second Avenue Subway.” Musovic said that unanticipated project delays would prove devastating to small businesses in a neighborhood that’s seen a proliferation of “For Rent” posted on Second Avenue storefronts since the project began. And, he said, the pattern won’t stop. “The only people who can survive is the McDonalds, the Chipotles and the bank,” he said. “That’s all you’re going to see if the MTA doesn’t step it up and keep their word.” Still, he suggested the subway route’s opening would, eventually, bring a boom to the are, with businesses and shops reaping the benefits of increased foot traffic, he said. Through a representative, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, who has on several occasions praised the project’s progress — giving it an A+ as recently as Oct. 25 — declined to address a possible delay in the line’s opening. In statement accompanying her “final report card” on the project’s first phase, Maloney said the MTA had told her “that as of October 1, the project was 98% complete” and that the agency was working toward a Dec. 31 opening. Hurdley and Musovic, however, remain doubtful and continued to hope against potential delays. “The fact of the matter is, this has been going on for years and years.” Hurdley said. “What makes you think it’s going to be open in February?”

The Second Avenue subway line’s 72nd Street station’s entrance off 69th Street on Saturday.

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ANXIETY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 but he threw out the agenda and spent the entire time answering questions from the public instead. Nearly all of them were about the election. “There’s been an outpouring of concern,” said Levine, whose district stretches from West 96th to West 165th Streets. “Some are describing the trauma they’re feeling as comparable to after 9/11. But I have to say, on a more inspiring level also, the passion for activism and involvement exceeds anything I’ve ever seen.” He estimated that there were 300 people at his event, many of whom felt threatened by President-elect Donald Trump’s commitment to deporting immigrants and his anti-abortion views. Squadron’s event was advertised as an update on the town halls he held this past spring, but it became clear that the standingroom-only crowd had come for more than a discussion of potholes. “The truth is we have probably the biggest turnout we’ve ever had, and I know why that is,” he said. “A lot of us ... are disturbed by the results of the election last Tuesday. We’re really glad you’re here.” Squadron’s district covers most of Lower Manhattan as well as parts of Brooklyn, but some speakers said they had come from other districts purely out of a desire to participate. “Whatever your take on what happened,” said Squadron, “engagement, a redoubling of efforts to get involved, building the civic architecture

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com to stand up for our values is the most powerful thing you can be doing.” At his community meeting, as well as Levine’s, residents touched on everything from climate change to foreign policy to healthcare. “What are your thoughts about a New York-based [healthcare] exchange?” Lower Manhattan resident Steven Abramson asked Squadron. “Could we save [the Affordable Care Act] for New York? Is there something we could do should this catastrophe occur?” In response, Squadron called the possible repeal of the Affordable Care Act “enormously serious.” “One of the very few things that President-elect Trump immediately moderated was that if you have a pre-existing condition, if you’re in your early 20s, we’re not going to take it away from you,” he said in an attempt to reassure people. “It’s very hard to do away with Obamacare without doing away with Obamacare, so that would be a particularly Orwellian project. But we’ll see what happens.” In the community room at 50 West 97th Street, a much smaller group of about 30 people spent last Wednesday night zeroing in on the future of housing. Larry Wood, a community organizer at Goddard Riverside, told the residents he wanted to focus on local resources for tenants instead of speculating about Trump’s potential impact. “I don’t want to talk too much about the national scene, but I know there’s a lot of concern about policy issues in the long term,” Wood said. “Some people are asking me if it’s possible that a conservative Supreme Court could strike down the rent laws. I don’t know. Everything’s on the table.” However, he predicted

PEDESTRIANS

NOVEMBER 24-30,2016 that Section 8 and public housing budgets would take a hit. To offer some help, he came armed with a handout listing useful organizations and websites of local housing and homeless advocates. Councilman Corey Johnson, who represents Manhattan’s west side from West 63rd to Canal Streets, hosted what he called an organizing meeting on Sunday night at the LGBT Center in Chelsea. “My hope is that we can get people to channel that emotion, whatever it is — anger, anxiety, fear — into action,” he said. “Because democracy is not a spectator sport. A lot of scary, difficult things are going to be presented to us and we have to organize and fight back.” At Sunday’s meeting, Johnson informed attendees of numerous ways — like donating to worthy causes and joining their community boards — they could do just that. As less than 10 percent of Manhattan residents voted for Trump, it is no surprise that their response to his win has been so forceful. Still, Johnson said he has never seen this level of outrage. “It didn’t even feel this way after President [George W.] Bush was reelected in 2004,” he said. “A lot of people are comparing it to September 11.” Though too late for the presidential election, local elected officials are making use of their positions to comfort and organize their constituents because as they see it — and as the Facebook page for Johnson’s event concludes in all caps — complacency is not an option. Madeleine Thompson can be reached at newsreporter@strausnews.com

Manhattan. Vision Zero, which is rounding out its third year, aims to eliminate pedestrian fatalities by 2024 but may not be on track to do so. Sam Schwartz, an expert in transportation and urban engineering, said he it could be done by 2050 or so, “when almost all vehicles will be autonomous.” Vision Zero data shows that there have been 98 pedestrian fatalities this year as compared to 138 last year, but cyclist fatalities have increased from 14 in 2015 to 17 so far in 2016. “There’s only so much a city can do with enforcement and engineering,” he said. “That being said, I think we’re on the right track.”

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Barnes, a traffic engineer who was New York City’s traffic commissioner in the early 1960s.) The fifth piece of legislation would offer additional protection to independent commercial cyclists. Rosenthal, who introduced the Barnes Dance bill, had her district in mind when developing it. At the hearing, she described the intersection of W. 96th Street and West End Avenue as becoming “increasingly congested” and asked the transportation department to explain its hesitation in implementing what she sees as an effective protection. “Having a chance when it’s only people walking and no cars whatsoever works great,” Rosenthal said after the hearing. “My inclination ... is to continue to press DOT on getting this legislation passed.” A transportation department spokesperson said last week that there are currently 89 intersections across the city that use the Barnes Dance.

However, Schwartz is not a fan of the City Council interfering with the Department of Transportation. “I just don’t think it should be legislated,” he said. “This DOT and the previous DOT have had no hesitancy in providing more crossing time for pedestrians, and I think that’s good. Let the DOT engineers decide on the appropriate solution.” To this, Rosenthal countered that legislation wouldn’t be necessary if the transportation department was being more transparent. “If DOT wants to just do it, and put out a study or explain in their analysis the facts that they considered ... then we would not have to legislate it,” she said.

Fifth Avenue foot traffic. Photo: Kurtis Garbutt, via flickr According to a map published this past spring by CUNY Baruch College mathematics student Aleksey Bilogur, 16 of the 25 most dangerous intersections for vehicle collisions in the city are in

Cerbo’s

~choose & cut~ Over 15,000 assorted evergreen trees Selection of wreaths Enjoy hot cocoa and coffee around the campfire Open Friday, November 25 and every Saturday & Sunday until Christmas 9am-4:30pm 71 Newton Avenue, Branchville, NJ

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At the hearing, a DOT representative expressed the department’s willingness to work with the committee on the bills before them. Sam Quinn, from the Office of Pedestrian and Bicycle Programs, gave updates on the safety measures that are already underway — like switching 250,000 streetlights to brighter and more longlasting LEDs — and answered council members’ questions. “We are doing everything we can to improve the experience for pedestrians and cyclists in our city,” he said. Madeleine Thompson can be reached at newsreporter@strausnews.com

“NJ’s Friendliest Farm” Pesticide Free

Cut-Your-Own-Trees Adorable farm animals Tasty refreshments and a REALLY FUN TIME!

Shale Hills Farm Sussex, NJ

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NOVEMBER 24-30,2016

1633 Dionisis Liakopoulos AMERICAN CUT Daniel Eardley ATLANTIC GRILL Joyce Rivera BOHEMIAN SPIRIT RESTAURANT Lukas Pol CAFE D’ALSACE Philippe Roussel

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

ART OF FOOD Our Town’s

CANDLE 79 Angel Ramos CRAVE FISHBAR Todd Mitgang EAST POLE Joseph CapozzI EASTFIELDS KITCHEN & BAR Joseph Capozzi FREDS AT BARNEYS NEW YORK Mark Strausman FLEX MUSSELS Rebecca Richards JONES WOOD FOUNDRY Jason Hicks LUSARDI’S Claudio Meneghini MAGNOLIA BAKERY Bobbie Lloyd MAYA Richard Sandoval

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Geoffrey Zakarian Star of Food Network’s Chopped, The Kitchen, Cooks vs. Cons, author of “My Perfect Pantry,” restaurateur behind The Lambs Club, The National in NYC, The National in Greenwich, The Water Club at Borgata in Atlantic City, Georgie and The Garden Bar at Montage Beverly Hills and, coming soon, Point Royal at The Diplomat Beach Resort and co-creator of Pro For Home food storage container system, Margaret Zakarian President of Zakarian Hospitality, co-author of “My Perfect Pantry” and co-creator of Pro For Home food storage container system.

A PORTION OF THE PROCEEDS WILL BE DONATED TO

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NOVEMBER 24-30,2016

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Voices

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

ENDGAME FOR HUMBLE BEGINNINGS BY LORRAINE DUFFY MERKL

Tiny homes are back in the news. Apparently, this is a movement that won’t go away. I am not trying to deny anyone their right to a roof over their head or the option to live as they choose, it’s just that the whole thing acts as a trigger for me. I live in a three-bedroom apartment in a doorman building on the Upper East Side. I am not bragging or trying to rub my living arrangements in anyone’s face. I need to say it allowed to remember I am lucky and grateful. I have come a long way — figuratively, not literally. In 1983, when I journeyed from my outer borough of the Bronx, to make a life in Manhattan, the only way I could afford a doorman building (for safety, not prestige), on my entry-level ad gal salary, was to move into an apartment in the pre-renovated Tudor City — the

Turtle Bay complex, across from the United Nations, that’s been standing since 1927. I waited on a list for a year, and because I am nothing if not persistent, I became a stalker of sorts. I filled out an application, and called the TC in-house rental agent every Friday after lunch, to the point where she’d answer her phone: “I knew it would be you.” Then, one day, she called me. My studio went for $398 a month; it had no stove and was the size of a shoebox, but I did not have to deal with roommates, and besides, I was young. Whoever stayed home? I was at work all day, then about town in the evenings. It was a place to lay my weary head for a few hours each day. That was how I felt in the beginning. But I lived there until I got married four years later. Right of the bat, my then-boyfriend, who would eventually become my

Tudor City. Photo: cogito ergo imago, via flickr

husband, christened the place “Tudor Closet.” (Yes, Mr. One-bedroom In The East 60s was so funny.) Even though in that time I got two new jobs and the raises that went with them,

yet still couldn’t afford a glitzier more palatial place. I clung to my rap that “It’s small, but mine; my lack of space keeps me from acquiring stuff;” and the aforementioned, “I’m hardly ever there

Surely a balance is needed if an inclusive society where no one is left out to take shape. Indeed, advocacy needs to be widely taught along with caring, sharing and communication skills. Yes, they do exist, Virginia, and could very well save the world, not to mention family and other basic relationships. So much violence would be prevented. And back to the Thanksgiving table. Let the talk be shared and remain fun, but also thoughtful. Cultivate lots of smiles. Ideally, every shared meal or gathering should begin with something comparable to this bibli-

cal prayer which preceded the late and greatly missed Dr. David Read’s sermons: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to thee, our strength and our Redeemer.” Of course, change “my” to “our,” and when preferred, change the religious reference — to “something to be thankful for” or at this holiday, “in the true spirit of Thanksgiving.” And consider how holidays that bring people together must not be just one day of remembering in a year of forgetting – a great truth, from a former senior columnist at this paper. And also New York, psychologist Theodore Rubin’s long ago Ladies Home Journal message “Do Holidays Give You the Blues?” which in essence said, “often it’s because we’re not in touch throughout out the year.” And too many loud mental health voices nowadays even say “stay clear of these family gatherings altogether.” All we hear about are recipes for what’s served on top of the plate, but none for what’s said over the plate. If ever there was a flawed priority. Ah, yes, and remember how many

A TIME FOR THANKS BY BETTE DEWING

Of course, we are incredibly thankful for hospitals in our own backyard, especially those people who’ve lived a long time or don’t get around very well. The care is often exceptional but those who know the hospital experience must write about it — go public about the good, the bad and the inbetween care they received. For sure, an advocate is definitely needed there to speak for those with any serious illness — to get the help they need. My recent hospital stays (plural, alas) did find a shortage of care providers to get basic questions and fears addressed — and, on occasion, needs too. “The squeaky wheel does get the grease.” And the biggest squeakers are usually extroverts. So introverts really need advocates. Introvert voices

STRAUS MEDIA your neighborhood news source

Photo: Pen Waggener, via flickr must be heard in general – because extroverts too often take over, says social scientist Susan Cain. And they often don’t see the big picture as clearly as introverts do. They don’t reflect all that much, says Harvard trained lawyer Cain’s book “Quiet, the Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking.” Time Magazine did a related cover story called “The Power of Shyness,” subtitled “The Upside of Being an Introvert and Why Extroverts are Overrated.” If ever a book should be required reading for all ages and backgrounds, this is it.

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

President & Publisher, Jeanne Straus nyoffice@strausnews.com Editor-In-Chief Account Executive Alexis Gelber Fred Almonte editor.ot@strausnews.com Director of Partnership Development Deputy Editor Barry Lewis Richard Khavkine editor.otdt@strausnews.com

anyway.” The truth is it made me feel bad. In a city where there is such opportunity, you want to feel as though you are keeping up. Even if you know that you will probably never be able to afford the penthouse in Trump Tower (even as a sublet, while the man himself is occupying the White House), you want to believe you can improve your living situation as you move up the ladder. I read recently that a recently homeless man had won a housing lottery. Hey, a tiny home is better than a park bench. Good for him. But another story recounted how a couple gave up an upstate home for city life. (I can’t blame them.) They chose a view of the park over space, and now live in 320 square feet. It made me want to cry. I know you’re thinking: Hey, if it doesn’t bother them, what’s it to you? Because it makes me fear that I might one day end up back where I started. The reality is that if they are happy, that’s all that matters. But if they or others like them ever invite me over, I would have to decline. I don’t want to visit, let alone live in, a place takes me back to my humble beginnings. I don’t want to drop by even in my mind. Lorraine Duffy Merkl is the author of the novels “Back to Work She Goes” and “Fat Chick.”

(even extroverts) are alone on these special days of too much migration, and who need inclusion, or meaningfully remembrance. Attention must be paid. About the election, for which so many are exceedingly unthankful — one redeeming action the presidentelect must take is move out of Trump Towers to a residential area. If a New York address must be had, let it not be one which ties up the city’s world renown downtown shopping area — especially, but not only at Christmas and Hanukkah time. Above all, do know how thankful I am for this newspaper and for its readers and advertisers. And of course, for columnist Arlene Kayatt, who long ago persuaded her then husband and publisher, Ed Kayatt, to grant a column to air this introvert’s heartfelt views, boos and blues. Too many seemingly lost causes, but doggone it, they can be overcome if enough of us try – if enough of us try. And hey, let’s smile a lot more — a whole lot more. Again, I surely do thank you. Thank you. dewingbetter@aol.com

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

NOVEMBER 24-30,2016

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Family Features

Nothing beats a meal filled with flavorful ingredients fresh off the farm ďż˝ unless you add a table filled with your closest friends to enjoy the bounty. From sides to main dishes to desserts, these recipes show you how to transform wholesome farmraised foods into a crowd-pleasing menu you can enjoy from start to finish.

Make Chicken the Centerpiece Center your home-cooked meal around a hearty dish such as Pan Roasted Maple Dijon Chicken with Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts to ensure that none of your guests leave the table hungry. To find more main dish ideas for entertaining, visit eatchicken.com.

Pan Roasted Maple Dijon Chicken with Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts Servings: 4 1 tablespoon olive oil 4 chicken thighs 4 chicken drumsticks 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 16 Brussels sprouts (about 8 ounces), bottom trimmed, outer leaves removed and halved 2 cups diced (1/2 inch) butternut squash 1 1/2 cups chicken stock 2 tablespoons maple syrup 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard In saute pan large enough to hold chicken in single layer, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add

chicken to pan, skin side down, and saute about 4-5 minutes per side, or until chicken is browned. Remove chicken from pan and reserve. In same pan, add butter. Allow butter to melt over medium heat. Add sprouts and squash to pan and saute, tossing occasionally, until outsides are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from pan and hold separately from chicken. Turn heat to high and add stock, syrup and mustard. Stir and bring to boil, stirring to scrape up brown bits on bottom of pan. Add chicken back to pan, cover and reduce heat to mediumlow. Cook over medium-low heat 20-25 minutes, or until chicken registers 170 F with instant read thermometer. Add vegetables back to pan, cover again and cook another 8-10 minutes until vegetables are tender. Move chicken and vegetables to serving platter, placing vegetables around chicken. Turn heat to high and boil sauce until it is reduced and slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve.

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NOVEMBER 24-30,2016

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Out & About HOLIDAY PARTY

More Events. Add Your Own: Go to ourtownny.com

5PM – 7PM, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6TH, 2016 COUNCIL MEMBER KALLOS’ DISTRICT OFFICE 244 EAST 93RD STREET

RSVP: 212-860-1950 RSVP@BENKALLOS.COM, BENKALLOS.COM/EVENTS

ACTIVITIES FOR THE FERTILE MIND

thoughtgallery.org NEW YORK CITY

24 Fri 25

Thu

Madam Justice: Women of the Supreme Court

NYC PILGRIM PEDAL

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28TH, 12:30PM

23rd Street and the East River. 8 a.m. $35, including breakfast The destination is a Brooklyn Diner via Queens and Brooklyn in rain, light snow, or shine. Round trip is 20-24 miles over “fairly easy” terrain at leisurely pace. Pre-registration required. www.bikenyc.org/event/3751

92nd Street Y | 1395 Lexington Ave. | 212-415-5500 | 92y.org Discuss the lives of the Madam Justices (four have served) and their impact on our understanding of the Constitution, the law, and our nation. ($30)

I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28TH, 6:30PM Mid-Manhattan Library | 455 Fifth Ave. | 212-340-0863 | nypl.org Look at our bodies through a microscopic lens at an illustrated lecture on these essential specimens and how we’re all thriving ecosystems unto ourselves. (Free)

Just Announced | The Big Quiet: A Mass Meditation at the United Palace

MONDAY, DECEMBER 12TH, 7PM United Palace | 4140 Broadway | 212-568-6700 | bigquiet.nyc Sound practitioners, string musicians, acoustic acts, the cosmic drum, a powerful choir, and DJs will enhance a night of contemplation inside a historic theatre. ($30)

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

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

WINTER VILLAGE ▲ Bryant Park 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Free skating on a 170’ x 100’ rink. $20 to rent skates. www.wintervillage.org/

Sat

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INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

MOANA AND THE OCEAN STORYTIME

Milbank Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 West 120th St. 6 p.m., reception at 8 p.m. Films and discussion: $25; films, discussion & VIP reception: $50 Opening night of the African Diaspora International Film Festival, with a showing of “The Naked Poet,” Jason Barrett’s 2016 feature. 212-864-1760. nyadiff.org/

Barnes & Noble, 150 East 86th St. 11 a.m. Free Bring the kids for this story time featuring the picture book based off of Disney’s upcoming animated movie “Moana.” 212-369-2180. www.stores. barnesandnoble.com

‘AGNES MARTIN: WITH MY BACK TO THE WORLD’ Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Ave. 1, 2, or 3 p.m. Free with admission Come out for a screening of this documentary about the internationally renowned painter. 212-423-3575. www. guggenheim.org

RENT-A-CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST WITH SANTA TOUR Manny’s, 1770 Second Ave. 9-11 a.m. $20 Come out with the kids for a light breakfast and a chance to sit on Santa’s lap. www.rent-a-christmas.com

NOVEMBER 24-30,2016

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

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.

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12:30 p.m. $30 Discuss the lives of the women justices and their impact CINÉSALON: ‘BACK on the understanding of the HOME’ Constitution, the law and the nation. FIAF, 55 East 59th St. MY CITY LAB: NEW 212-415-5500. www.92y.org 4 and 7:30 p.m. $14 YORK THEN AND NOW Come out for this screening of “Back Home” followed by PILGRIMAGE: MY wine and beer. Museum of the City of New SEARCH FOR THE REAL conversation, 1-800-982-2787. www.fiaf. York, 1220 Fifth Ave. POPE FRANCIS org 11 a.m. Free with admission Explore what has changed Barnes and Noble, 150 East and what has stayed the 86th St. same throughout New York 7 p.m. Free City history through hands-on In conversation with journalist activities. Mike Barnicle, former Maryland 212-534-1672. www.mcny. state legislator and New York org Times bestselling author Mark Shriver presents his portrait of TEA CEREMONY Pope Francis and his faith. 212-369-2180. www.stores. DEMONSTRATION STUDIO ART SESSIONS: barnesandnoble.com SHAPE SCULPTURES▲ The Met, 1000 Fifth Ave. 1:30-2:30 p.m. Free with The Jewish Museum, 1109 admission Fifth Ave. Come watch instructor 1-4 p.m. Free with admission Yoshihiro Terazono demonstrate Combine 3D forms inspired a traditional Japanese Tea by the shapes found in Ceremony. Masterpieces & Curiosities: 212-535-7710. www. Memphis Does Hanukkah. SIBLING RIVALRY: HOW metmuseum.org 212-423-3200. www. thejewishmuseum.org TO KEEP THE PEACE AT

Sun

Wed30

Tue

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HOME

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Mon

MADAM JUSTICE: WOMEN OF THE SUPREME COURT 92nd Street Y, Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street

92y, Lexington Avenue at 92nd St. 6:30 p.m. $40 David Andeson, senior director of the ADHD and Disruptive Behavior Disorders Center at the Child Mind Institute, will explore what children fight about, the effects it has on parents and how to manage sibling situations. 212-415-5500. www.92y.org

PERLMAN MUSIC RECITAL Neue Galerie 6 p.m. $25 In partnership with the New York-based Perlman Music Program, gifted young musicians perform in Café Sabarsky. 212-994-9493. www. neuegalerie.org

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

Come Experience Auctions at Showplace First-Time Bidders Welcome! Sunday, December 4, 10am

Fine and decorative art, jewelry and furniture for a fraction of retail cost! No reserves! Preview: November 21 – December 4 8:30am – 5:30pm weekends & 10am – 6pm weekdays Absentee and phone bids accepted! Complimentary lunch after the auction! View the catalogue at www.nyshowplace.com! Showplace Antique + Design Center | 40 West 25th Street 212-633-6063 ext. 808 | auctions@nyshowplace.com

We buy estates! Entire or partial contents Immediate payment Professional and discreet

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NOVEMBER 24-30,2016

HARD CORE The Museum of the City of New York plumbs 400 years of the city’s history BY VAL CASTRONOVO

City Councilman Dan Garodnick called it “the Holy Grail for understanding the rich history of New York City.” The new permanent installation at the Museum of the City of New York has been five years in the making, part of a 10-year, $100 million-renovation of this cultural institution. Three firstfloor interactive galleries parade 450 objects and images with a focus on four themes: money, diversity, density and creativity. As Whitney Donhauser, the museum’s director, said at a preview, the exhibition illustrates “the challenges and reinvention of New York” across hundreds of years and highlights “iconic New Yorkers who shaped the city. We virtually meet these New Yorkers and hear their stories” — a reference to the high-tech touch screen displays sprinkled throughout the galleries. “The exhibit fulfills the mission in our name. It tells how New York became New York.” The first gallery, “Port City,” begins with Henry Hudson’s arrival in New York Harbor in 1609 and chronicles almost 300 years of city history, culminating in the unification of the five boroughs into Greater New York in 1898. Touch one of the interactive screens in the middle of the room and meet Peter Stuyvesant or Walt Whitman or Emma Goldman — or the inhabitants of centuries-old oyster beds. The stories of business tycoons mingle with the stories of ordinary New Yorkers, like slum dweller Susie Rocco on the Lower East Side, the 12-year-old face of overcrowding identified by muckraker Jacob Riis. Swipe up to learn some of the creative ways city leaders met the challenge of density: new buildings were required to include indoor toilets and a window in each room. An interactive map pinpoints public health threats in Susie’s packed neighborhood, locating disease centers, liquor stores and “Stables, Privies, or ‘Extremely Offensive Privies.’” As Chief Curator Sarah Henry says, “an exhibit is an experience.” This ex-

hibit represents visual storytelling at its finest, presenting artifacts alongside state-of-the-art technology. “It’s accessible to those who know nothing about New York, but full of details that veterans don’t know,” she told us. “Data is accessible through maps and infographics, but in dialogue with individual people.” The second gallery, “World City,” opens with the 20th century’s modern metropolis and closes with the 21st century’s ravaged city after Hurricane Sandy in 2012, telegraphing the issue of climate change. Films and photos are projected onto long screens at the center of the room with labels such as “Street Life” and “Making a Living.” Because this is a show about the Big Apple, there’s an early 20th century apple peeler and corer, courtesy Russ & Daughters, the appetizing shop. Immigrant Joel Russ liked apples in his herring salad, a refreshing thought. With the Second Avenue subway on the horizon, visitors can peel back the

Mulberry Street, Manhattan, 2015. Photo: Jeff Chien-Hsing Liao

IF YOU GO WHAT: “New York at Its Core: 400 Years of NYC History” WHERE: the Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave., at 103rd Street. WHEN: A permanent installation on the first floor. www.mcny.org/ Mulberry Street, Manhattan, ca. 1900. Photo: Detroit Publishing Co., Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division layers of the history of mass transit and dwell on another creative solution to the problem of density in lower Manhattan: an expansion of the subway system. Multiple, publicly operated lines were added to the original, privately operated IRT system in the 1920s, enabling migration to the outer boroughs and the easing of overcrowding downtown. Come here to see the first subway ticket (5-cent fare in 1904) and the Tiffany-designed silver and wood shovel (1900) used at the groundbreaking ceremony for the first subway. Hamilton fans will be happy to know that the handle shaft came from

a tree planted by the Founding Father in 1803. The display cases are riddled with artifacts that tell the story of the city through the lens of the four themes. Take money: From its perch as “Capital of Finance” at the dawn of the 20th century to the financial “Meltdown” in 2007-08, when recession hit, New York has proven its resiliency. “The Occupied Wall Street Journal” (November 2011), on view here, stands testament to the Occupy Wall Street movement, which began in September 2011 in response to the financial crisis and economic inequality. Note the

2008 photograph of a former Lehman Brothers employee signing a painting of CEO Richard Fuld, placed outside Lehman on the day it declared bankruptcy. Artist Geoffrey Raymond invited passers-by to scribble comments on the portrait, “The Annotated Fuld.” In between, there is a wealth of cultural markers, from Bill “Bojangles” Robinson’s tap shoes to a Studio 54 guest list that includes Liberace, Ringo Starr, Lindsay Wagner and others. The disco song “Everybody Dance” is fittingly part of the music loop and brings you back, if you are of a certain age. Henry, the chief curator,

noted with pride the exhibit’s display of designer Milton Glaser’s original sketch for the “I (Heart) New York” logo (1976). “It was done in the back of a cab,” she said, on an envelope. The “Future City Lab,” the last gallery, focuses on forward thinking. Through a host of interactive activities, it encourages exploration of public policy issues such as affordable housing, transportation and green infrastructure. A city simulation game allows you to design a building or a park and then insert yourself into the design — and share on social media. Let the comments begin.

NOVEMBER 24-30,2016

Awards

Going to the Airport?

WHITEHEAD WINS NATIONAL BOOK AWARD

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BY HILLEL ITALIE

On a night of nervous laughter and cathartic tears and applause, Colson Whitehead’s ``The Underground Railroad’’ won the National Book Award for ďŹ ction and Democratic U.S. Rep. John Lewis, of Georgia, shared the prize for young people’s literature for a graphic novel about his civil rights activism. The awards were presented Wednesday during an emotional dinner ceremony at Cipriani Wall Street in Manhattan, with Larry Wilmore serving as host and President-elect Donald Trump the running theme and arch-villain. From Wilmore’s opening monologue through virtually every award announcement, speakers in the deep-blue literary community addressed Trump’s stunning upset of Democrat Hillary Clinton and how authors should respond. ``Outside is the blasted hellhole wasteland of Trumpland, which we’re going to inhabit,’’ said Whitehead, whose Oprah Winfrey-endorsed narrative about an escaped slave already was the year’s most talked about literary work. ``I hit upon something that made me feel better: be kind to everybody, make art and ďŹ ght the power.’’ Daniel Borzutzky’s ``The Performance of Becoming Human’’ won for poetry and historian Robert Caro was presented an honorary medal for lifetime achievement. No speaker moved the crowd more than Lewis, who collaborated with Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell on a trilogy of illustrated works titled ``March.’’ Cited Wednesday for the finale, ``March: Book Three,’’ the 76-year-old Lewis became tearful as he remembered a librarian in his native Alabama who refused to let him borrow books because of his skin color. He then remembered an elementary school teacher who told him ``Read, my child, read!’’ ``And I tried to read everything,’’ he said. Lewis’ win marked two rarities for the National Book Awards, now in their 67th year: a prize for a graphic novel and for a member of Congress. In 2004, the government-drafted ``9-11 Commission Report’’

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Colson Whitehead in 2011. Photo: editrrix, via ickr was a nonďŹ ction ďŹ nalist. Wilmore, whose rueful jokes about Trump at the beginning of the night seemed to depress rather than amuse the gathering of writers, publishers, editors and others, got a good laugh at the end when he called the evening the BET (Black Entertainment Television) production of the National Book Awards. The awards are presented by the National Book Foundation and the ceremony was the ďŹ rst under executive director Lisa Lucas, the ďŹ rst black and ďŹ rst woman to have the job. Ibram X. Kendi’s ``Stamped from the Beginning: The DeďŹ nitive History of Racist Ideas in America’’ won for nonďŹ ction and an honorary award was given to the founders of Cave Canem, a Brooklyn-based foundation for black poets. ``I spent years looking at the absolute worst of America, its horrible history of racism, but in the end I never lost faith,’’ Kendi said. ``In the midst of the human ugliness of racism, there is the human beauty of the resistance to racism.’’ Each of the winners in the four competitive categories received $10,000. Choices are made by panels of judges that include writers, critics, journalists and scholars. Many of the nominated books seemed to take on added relevance and even urgency over the past week. ``The Underground Railroad’’ is a deep look into the culture of this country during the Civil War, and Arlie Russell Hochschild’s nonfiction ``Strangers In Their Own Land’’ a modern journey to a

conservative Louisiana community. Fiction nominee Jacqueline Woodson, whose ``Another Brooklyn’’ is a coming of age story about a black girl in the 1970s, said she was feeling a ``a mixture of sobriety and hope’’ and ``gratitude for what is both a distraction and a call to work.’’ NonďŹ ction nominee Andres Resendez said we were living in a ``new era’’ and needed more than ever to study the past. ``We still have much to learn and discover about this shameful part of our history, and thus the exploration will surely continue and intensify,’’ said Resendez, a finalist for ``The Other Slavery: The Uncovered Story of Indian Enslavement in America.’’ Every speech seemed to touch upon the present even when Trump wasn’t named. Caro spoke of his books about Lyndon Johnson and municipal builder Robert Moses and how his aim was to show how political power really operated. A co-founder of Cave Canem, Cornelius Eady, referred to a certain building (Trump Tower) further north in Manhattan and how he feared that the President-elect and his aides were ``trying to write a narrative about who we are and who we are supposed to be and what they intend to do about it.’’ ``It’s our duty to make sure we get to write our story ...’’ he said, ``the fullness of who we are, the contradictions of who we are, in our own language, in our own way.’’

AT SOTHEBY’S

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Saturday, February 4, 2017

BUY TICKETS NOW! artoffoodny.com

MEET THE CHEF How did Orwasher’s begin? It was started by Hungarian immigrants in 1916. There was a bakery at 78th street, and Abraham Orwasher took it over. But there were a lot of bakeries in the city at that time. The difference is, Orwasher’s outlasted everyone else.

spiritual than cooking. You’re creating a living item: the yeast, and the dough, and the starters. There’s a lot ďŹ nesse and artistry that goes into what we do here. Mixing is an art. Handling bread in and out of the oven, that is an art form. The right angle at which the baguette is scored. We had a baker come in from France to ďŹ ne-tune everything we do here.

How did you get into the KEITH COHEN bakery business? Chef at Orwasher’s Bakery 308 East 78th St., It was an accident. I was New York, NY 10075 waiting tables and living in Brooklyn Heights. Someone I knew at a What’s your favorite thing to cook or placement agency knew someone at the bake at home? original bakery I started at. It paid a little I really like cooking marinara sauce. It’s more money than waiting tables, and I a 4 or 5 hour process for me, and it’s had the aspiration of going to law school, always a lot of fun. It all started when I which never transpired. I ended up was really young, I told my mom I didn’t doing that for 14 years. Then, there was like what she had cooked for me. She said a divergence in direction—that bakery “okay,â€? very calmly, and I thought she was turning towards frozen goods and would make me something else. Instead, I wanted to stay in the fresh business. she threw my plate in the garbage and There was an opportunity to take over an told me to learn how to cook for myself. iconic brand that needed a lot of TLC. The So marinara sauce was one of the ďŹ rst way I saw it was like a classic car: it was a things I made. It was a disaster. For complete rebuild. whatever reason, I swore the recipe said bay leaf and not basil. I was ten. I put Can you tell us a little about the baking three in, and the sauce was so bitter. I process here? remember using up all of the sugar in the When it comes down to baking, there house trying to cut it. is something about it that is even more

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NOVEMBER 24-30,2016

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS OCT 11 - NOV 16 2016

Two Doors

1576 3 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

Cafe D’alsace

1695 2 Avenue

A

Monster Savings

314 E 106Th St

Not Yet Graded (36) 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. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Subway

455 East 116 Street

A

Healthy Living 106 (Herbal Life)

167 East 106 Street

A

MJ Pizza

1976 1St Ave

Grade Pending (19) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewageassociated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.

567 Asian Express NY

2033 1St Ave

Not Yet Graded (33) 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.

Bean Y Vino

153 E 104Th St

Not Yet Graded (21) Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations. 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.

KFC

1922 3 Avenue

Grade Pending (24) Hot food item that has been cooked and refrigerated is being held for service without first being reheated to 1 65º F or above within 2 hours. 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.

Tapout Fitness

1915 3Rd Ave

A

H & H Midtown Bagels East 1551 2 Avenue

Grade Pending (34) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. 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.

Alice’s Tea Cup

220 East 81 Street

A

Sistina

24 E 81St St

Not Yet Graded (21) 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.

Blake Lane

1429 3Rd Ave

Not Yet Graded (5)

Dulce Vida Cafe

1219 Lexington Avenue

A

Ramen Meijin

1574 2Nd Ave

A

Nargila Grill

1599 York Avenue

A

The Louise/Saloon

1584 York Avenue

A

The Supply House

1647 2 Avenue

A

Cafe Jax

318 E 84Th St

A

Cascabel Taqueria

1556 2Nd Ave

Grade Pending (22) Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations. Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewageassociated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.

Little Frog Francois Latapie 322 E 86Th St

A

Comic Strip

1568 2 Avenue

A

Domino’s

1993 Third Avenue

A

Zesty Pizza & Salumeria

1670 3Rd Ave

Not Yet Graded (16) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F.

Moustache

1621 Lexington Avenue

Il Salumaio Wine Bar

1731 2Nd Ave

B

Bonjour Crepes & Wine

1442 Lexington Ave

A

Grade Pending (22) Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.

Angela’s Montana Table

1750 2Nd Ave

A

Patisserie Vanessa

1590 Park Ave

A

89 Tenzan

1714 2Nd Ave

A

Starbucks

345 East 69 Street

A

Bagel Mill

1700 1St Ave

A

Sweetgreen

1321 1St Ave

A

Starbucks

245 E 93Rd St

A

Bistro Le Steak

1309 3 Avenue

A

Big Bowl

1764 1St Ave

Not Yet Graded (9) Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Jean Claude French Bistro

1343 2 Avenue

A

Andaz

1378 1 Avenue

Grade Pending (18) 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. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Laduree Paris

864 Madison Ave

Not Yet Graded (17) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Yia Yia

404 E 69Th St

Not Yet Graded (41) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Food contact surface improperly constructed or located. Unacceptable material used.

Persepolis

1407 2 Avenue

A

Isohama

1666 3 Avenue

A

Le Paris Bistrot Francais

1312 Madison Avenue

A

Maroo

1640 3Rd Ave

A

Feta

1436 Lexington Ave

Not Yet Graded (25) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Dig Inn

1297 Lexington Ave

Not Yet Graded (16) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.

NOVEMBER 24-30,2016

15

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JOHN KRTIL FUNERAL HOME; YORKVILLE FUNERAL SERVICE, INC. Roberto Monticello, aka the Mayor of Meatpacking, is proposing that the neighborhood be designated an arts district. Photo: Alexandra Zuccaro

CRAFTING AN ARTS DISTRICT A longtime resident works toward securing official designation for the neighborhood BY ALEXANDRA ZUCCARO

Stroll the Meatpacking District and you will see a number of empty storefronts or cleared out art galleries. Signs reading “Store for Lease� and “Available to Rent� are plastered in windows. In the midst of what’s an otherwise bustling neighborhood, vacant retail locations give the district the air of a ghost town. “If you go to 14th Street everything is empty,� said Roberto Monticello, a longtime Chelsea resident. “The rents keep going up so people keep moving out.� Monticello, known to some as the “Mayor of Meatpacking,� landed on the West Side in 1978. He’s well-acquainted with the neighborhood and knows most of the small businesses and pop-up galleries in the area. Most of them, he says, are moving out because it’s increasingly difficult for proprietors to keep up with the financial pressures in this increasingly popular location. “Spice Market was pretty well known, pretty famous, but the rents were ridiculous,� Monticello said of celebrated chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s West 13th Street restaurant, which closed earlier this fall. Monticello has proposed

transforming the neighborhood into a distinct arts district, which he suggests would be of beneďŹ t to local businesses. “L.A. has an arts district, Miami has an arts district. So why not New York? And this is the perfect location between the Village and Chelsea,â€? he said. Artists agree. There is always plenty of foot traffic and it’s in the center of New York’s art scene, they said. “Between the Whitney and Chelsea galleries, it’s great. The location is fabulous,â€? said Peter Gerakaris, a local artist. Gerakaris came to New York from New Hampshire to study Cornell University’s College of Art, Architect and Planning. He pursued his career as an artist in the city, attracted to its energy and diversity. “There are microcosms from every part of the globe in New York,â€? he said. “It’s such a pluralistic scene.â€? As an emerging artist, however, it was difficult for Gerakaris to find a studio that he could stay-put in. He moved around the boroughs, planting shallow roots in Crown Heights, Long Island City and other parts of Queens. Gerakaris now feels a little more settled in a brand new Red Hook studio, but he admits that it took a while for him to get to this point. “Artists go where the space is available and affordable,â€? he said. “I’m at a point now where I’m at a studio I prob-

ably couldn’t be at when I was a younger artist.â€? Gerakaris is familiar with Monticello’s proposal, and it has sparked some interest for him. But he senses that the challenge will be getting city officials to buy in, and ensure that artists and galleries are being shielded from the voracious real estate interests that have descended on the district. “If it’s not really designated as an artist’s space, it’s easy for tech companies to move in and squeeze out artists,â€? Gerakaris said. “Tech companies are still crucial to the growth and development of New York, but it’s important for them to coexist with artists.â€? Monticello’s proposal is still in the planning stages. But he’s intent on building a strong network of supporters and then approach city officials. His hope is to preserve the art culture and protect it from overdevelopment. “We want to recruit as soon as possible so the developers do not move too quick,â€? Monticello said. “Otherwise they are going to take every building, and they are going to put glass towers everywhere.â€? Monticello’s passion is palpable. He doesn’t want to see the character of his neighborhood disappear any further. “The artists in the area are really suffering because of gentriďŹ cation,â€? he said. “Let’s give them a break,â€? he said.

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NOVEMBER 24-30,2016

Property BREATHING EASIER AT HOME Residents of the city’s co-ops and condos are demanding that their buildings go smoke-free BY GENIA GOULD

Condo and co-op boards are feeling growing pressure from their shareholders and unit owners to make their buildings smoke-free. “They want it now, because they’ve been dealing with breathing secondhand smoke for years,” says Lisa Spitzner, the Manhattan community engagement coordinator at NYC Smoke Free, a nonprofit that works for tobacco control policy, advocacy and education. “We get calls every day from residents, from landlords and from managing agents seeking information about how to do this.” Spitzner attributes the growing trend to press coverage, outreach, education efforts and information that is easily available online: “People realize that now there is something they can do about this issue.” The shift to smoke-free residential buildings is happening more quickly than most realize, Spitzner says, pointing to a recent Community

Health Survey by the Department of Health. According to results, onethird of all residential buildings in all five boroughs are smoke-free. Many buildings are opting to go smoke-free voluntarily, especially new construction, Spitzner says. “These developers are protecting their investment and are going smoke-free from the get-go,” she says. More difficult are older buildings where smoking has been accepted for decades, and many smokers feel that their right to do what they want in their own apartments and their way of life is being infringed upon. David Kramer, a smoker who lives in a co-op in Chelsea, says he doesn’t smoke in his apartment, but would vote against a smoke-free rule: “Behind your closed doors you should be able to do what you want to do.” Since September, Spitzner has worked closely with six condo and coop buildings — four on the West Side and two on the East Side. Currently, she’s assisting five residential buildings who are at different stages of the process. The first step, if it’s a condo or a coop building, is usually a meeting with the

Photo: Morgan, via flickr building’s board of directors, and if it’s a rental building, with the landlord or management company. “We talk about what’s going on in the building, and if they decide they want to pursue this avenue of going smoke-free, we sit down discuss how it works,” Spitzner says. She speaks to the housing groups about the benefits and the technical aspects of going smoke-free, including how to change their bylaws or leases and what they need to do to educate residents. There are usually multiple meetings with each building, she says, and she’s available to the buildings for free for as long as they request her help. Spitzner says each resident who get in contact with her office — whether it’s a mother living with her child, or an elderly person, or someone who just moved in — recounts reaching out to their landlords. “These residents are tired of being exposed to a dan-

ASK A BROKER BY ANDREW KRAMER

Photo: Nick Harris, via flickr

Earlier this year I relocated to Manhattan from a private home in Connecticut. With the holidays quickly approaching, I need some guidance on how much I need to tip the doorman and building staff at my full service coop in Gramercy Park. Welcome to New York City and the holiday tipping season! And while tipping is a great way to show your thanks, it’s also fraught with pressure: Whom should you tip? How much? When? Or, in some cases, should you tip at all? How much you decide to tip depends on the number of building

gerous, unhealthy toxic substance in their own home, which is the one place where they feel they should have control over their health,” Spitzner says. At 166 East 35th St., a board member, Jimmy J. Stewart, says “we took seriously” complaints from a resident who had to leave her apartment throughout the day because of secondhand smoke. But some tenants were hesitant to make a change, he says. They worried “about property values, and how the policy would be regulated, and wanted to know if there would be penalties.” Justin “Bud” Clayton of Pride Management, which manages 35 residential buildings around the city, put Stewart in touch with NYC SmokeFree. “I think it’s the wave of the future,” says Clayton, who recommended a second building of his on the East Side to the non-profit. It can’t be soon enough for people

staff (the larger the staff, the smaller the individual tips), quality of service, staff seniority, personal chemistry, whether you own or rent, how long you’ve lived there, how much you have had to rely on the staff during the year, and your budget. The super gets the highest amount and your regular (OK, favorite) doorman should get around the same. Weekend doormen get about half of that. And you should include the invisible man who works late night. Here’s the general framework from Brick Underground — adjust accordingly: Super/resident manager: $75-$175 on average (broad range $50-$500) Doorman/concierge: $25-$150 on average (broad range $10-$1,000) Porter/handyman/maintenance

who breathe in secondhand smoke, but the process can take up to a year, depending on how fast the housing groups are willing to work. According to Spitzner, buildings usually require a 67 percent majority vote in support of the policy. NYC Smoke Free doesn’t advocate technical fixes, like sealing walls or finding ways to remediate; they advocate “complete smoke-free.” “For us the science and research backs this,” Spitzner says. Some buildings might try to create smoking areas outside, if they have the grounds to do so, and some will have a longer implementation time. “They vary here and there,” Spitzner says, “but for NYC Smoke Free, the message is that science is here, and the evidence is here that secondhand smoke in the home is bad for your health, and the only way to get rid of that is completely eliminating smoke.”

staff: $20-$30 on average (broad range $10-$75) Garage attendant: $25-$75 on average (broad range $15-$100) Cash is preferred and I would advise against leaving one envelope with a lump sum. When is the best time to give a holiday tip? Doormen collect year-end tips from December all the way into February, but the bulk crosses palms in the couple of weeks leading up to Christmas. This is not, however, what the staff necessarily prefers. Many doormen prefer the beginning of December, so they can do their own holiday shopping. Happy Holidays! Andrew Kramer is a licensed associate real estate broker with Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales

NOVEMBER 24-30,2016

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

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NOVEMBER 24-30,2016

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Nothing beats newspapers as the most reliable source of local news in print and online Recent studies show:

‘‘

Newspapers led online consumption for local news” Coda Ventures Survey August 18, 2016

‘‘

Local media users named newspapers as their “most relied on” source for deals across a range of goods and services.” Coda Ventures Survey August 18, 2016

‘‘

What accounts for print’s superiority? Print - particularly the newspaper - is an amazingly sophisticated technology for showing you a lot of it.”

‘‘

Local newspapers are still the top source of news about readers’ communities, including their branded Web sites and social media channels.” Publisher’s Daily - August 30, 2016

‘‘

Residents are eager for news about their own communities, which, increasingly, only local news organizations can provide” Editor & Publisher - June 1, 2016

Politico - September 10, 2016

STRAUSMEDIA your neighborhood news source 212-868-0190 | nypress.com

NOVEMBER 24-30,2016

INK MAKES A COMEBACK The Manhattan Globe, NYIT’s student newspaper, returns after a 7-year absence BY VICTORIA EDWARDS

The staff of the New York Institute of Technology’s newly launched student newspaper, the Manhattan Globe, have one very important thing going for them — proximity to big stories: While at school, they are one block away from Trump International Hotel — ground zero for the ongoing protests that have transfixed the nation and student communities since the presidential election. “I think the time is right for the Manhattan Globe thanks to President-elect Donald Trump,” said James Simon, the dean of the university’s College of Arts and Sciences. “But in the shadow of Trump International Hotel, you’re close to him. There are opportunities in New York City — for people who are ambitious to write about him. And you should try to take advantage of that.” Simon, a former journalist and editor with The Associat-

19

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ed Press who revived the paper when he became dean last year, spoke at The Globe’s kick-off Nov. 17, held in an eighth-floor classroom just off Broadway and 61st Street. A dozen student newspaper staff members attended the event along with the paper’s faculty advisor, Larry Jaffee, a professor of communication arts at the university. This is the first time the school has had an independent newspaper in seven years. The Globe, for now a monthly, is the only college newspaper to launch in the country this year, all the more impressive at a time when college newspapers are folding or going fully digital, said Kelley Callaway, the president of the College Media Association. The cost to print 1,000, 12page copies comes to $500, which is relatively inexpensive. But Jaffee said university officials were willing to make an investment in the print paper regardless, because they saw it as an important resource for students. “We thought the newspaper had a better chance of being

read because of our audience — just NYIT Manhattan students,” said the Globe’s editorin-chief, Nicole Periera. The paper’s second issue — which rolled off the presses earlier this week — honed in on the presidential election and its aftermath. Periera said she was grateful that the paper had just launched because it gives NYIT students a voice that might not have otherwise. “In spite of everything that is going on in the world it’s the most critical time for student press to be promoting values of diversity and togetherness,” she said. She added that this was especially important at NYIT, where 19 percent of students are international and the newspaper staff reflected that. In the future, Jaffee, who has an extensive journalism background, said he would like to secure permanent office space for the newspaper. He’s also interested in focusing more on the paper’s digital edition. The staff would also prefer to publish with more frequency, the better to highlight news that’s happening nearby.

Staff of the Manhattan Globe, New York Institute of Technology’s student newspaper; Larry Jaffee, The Globe’s faculty advisor, third from right; and James Simon, the dean of the university’s College of Arts and Sciences, right, at the publication’s official launch party Nov. 17. Photo: Victoria Edwards

Congregation Shearith Israel wants to build a 9-story condo building on the West 70th Street footprint of the now-demolished four-story building pictured behind the synagogue. Photo: Eden, Janine and Jim, via flickr

SHEARITH ISRAEL EXPANSION NIXED AGAIN Opponents are skeptical about congregation’s reasoning for change in plans BY OLIVIA KELLEY

Congregation Shearith Israel’s request for a time extension on the construction of a luxury condo and community house adjacent to its synagogue on West 70th Street was again shot down by Community Board 7’s Land Use Committee on Nov. 16th. The project, approved by the city’s Board of Standard’s and Appeals in 2008, received variances for a nine-story community house — twice as tall as what zoning standards allow — planned for an empty West 70th Street lot to the west of the synagogue, which is on the corner of Central Park West. The bottom floors were to be used for community classrooms while the top floors were reserved for market-rate condos. The project never got off the ground and was given a four-year extension in 2012, which expired earlier this year. CSI requested another extension, but due to changes in the original plans, the board placed a hold on the project. “They’ve tried to pass off these changes as child’s play,” said Kate Wood, president of Landmark West. “But they’re not minor at all.” According to Wood, CSI was approved for 15 classrooms, but when the plans were resubmitted in 2012, almost all

the classrooms had been relabeled as office spaces, with only three classrooms left. The Department of Buildings withdrew the permit and CSI resubmitted plans with the classrooms re-included. Shearith Israel officials said a labeling error was to blame. Wood, though, is unconvinced. “The architect signed and sealed those papers under oath saying this was the official plan,” she said. “In fact, this could not have been a labeling error since classrooms and offices have very different code requirements.” Michael Hiller, an attorney representing those opposed to the project, said there was no mistake. The original application was approved based on the presence of a school at the church that needed classroom space. It was later found out that the school was only a tenant of the church and not actually a part of the congregation. While the application was pending, the school canceled its lease with Shearith Israel, eliminating the need for classrooms. “The application as initially prepared is substantially different from what is being proposed now, said Hiller. “The developers are passing this off as a minor modification — it’s a very substantial modification.” Shearith Israel officials did not respond to numerous requests for comment. The synagogue submitted for a hardship analysis in the

application process to prove there was a need for the variances the building project requested. Wood said that after eight years, the need for such allowances needs to be reassessed. “We have no reason to believe that if there ever was such a hardship that it still exists,” she said. In September, the Board of Standards and Appeals sent out a list of 40 questions about the proposed project to Shearith Israel officials. According to Roberta Semer, chairwoman of CB7, the Board did not receive those answers until the day of the scheduled meeting to vote on the issue. “I didn’t get a chance to review them, because we got them later in the day,” said Semer. Community members are specifically concerned about the height of the building, saying it would block their views. Roughly 500 residents signed an online petition drawn up by Landmark West calling for the Board of Standards and Appeals to reject new application. “It would have a terrible effect on the community. It would, among other things, result in increased traffic, block views to central park, create shadows across public spaces in the community, and cast a pall across the Upper West Side skyline,” Hiller said. Wood said too much time had passed since Shearith Israel’s initial proposal. “If they got this extension, by the time the building was finished, it would be 12 years from the time of approval,” Wood said. We live in a different time than we did 12 years ago.”

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First, obvious: let’s start wit condition h the city’s hom s inside thi disgrace. eless shelte rs are as A ser one mo ies of terrible (includinre horrible tha crimes, month g the killing n the last of ear lier this daugh a woman has higters in Statenand her two hlighted Island), living con the the ma ditions for shameful cities inrgins of one ofpeople at Blasio, the world. Ma the richest wh yor o has bee Bill de his app from theroach to homn halting in has final beginning elessness proble ly begun to of his term, from thim, but years ofaddress the others, s administra neglect, tion and will take But years to correct. recent none of that exc office grandstanding uses the appareof Gov. Andrew by the Cuomo, he can’tntly sees no iss who In the try to belittl ue on which attempt governor’s late the mayor. officials at a hit job, est sta compla then pro ined te Post, abomptly to the to the city, homele ut a gang New York alleged ss shelter, purape at a city VOL. 77 had tim event before blicizing the , ISSUE pol e 04 As it turto investigate ice even ned out, it. never hap the officials pened, infuriaincident media hitwho called it ting city a ” “po aim the mayor ed at em litical . More cha barrassin counter-c rges and g THfolElow the me harges Dicken antimeA , of cou ed. In Tditrse men, wosian livingR OionF, the con in New men D kidsIM s for Yor andEN Here’s k goe s on. in shelters CITY ARTS, leadershi hoping tha t som P.2any eday our as intere p in Alb 0 as it is in sted in helpinwill become back fro agains scoring pol g them t sit itical poi 17 fee m FDR Drour ive byting mayor. nts t 16 to out of and raise

IN CEN KIDS AGTARIAL PARK, WEIGHI NST DOCNAl NG LiDnTtRo UMnP WEEK OF JA NUARY-FEBR UARY 28-3 MOVING FO R A GUIDE TO CAMP

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YOUR 15 MINUTES

To read about other people who have had their “15 Minutes” go to ourtownny.com/15 minutes

FINDING THEMSELVES IN THE CITY Filmmaker Pamela French chronicled the lives of four transgender youth

BY ANGELA BARBUTI

In “Becoming More Visible,” audiences are brought into the worlds of four transgender youth transitioning in New York City. As we watch them starting new lives, we celebrate their victories as well as empathize with the struggles that come with these life-changing journeys. “They’re fearless. They’re trailblazers leading the way. And I’m so proud to have been a part of their lives,” said Pamela French, who served as the film’s producer and director. It was by way of a citywide casting call through homeless shelters and community centers that French found four inspirational subjects who wanted their stories told. Katherine, 19, is living in Brooklyn with her traditional Bangladeshi family who find it difficult to accept their

new daughter. Twenty-three-yearold Olivia left her family in Atlanta and moved to New York to transition, while looking for acting and modeling work. Brooklyn native Morgin, 22, recently had gender-conforming surgery, and is pursuing her musical talents. Nineteen-year-old Sean lives with a supportive mother in Westchester and travels to Manhattan for doctor visits and to perform stand-up comedy. Manhattan is the backdrop for the film and audiences are taken into the places that are resources for the LGBTQ community here, such as the Center at Mount Sinai, that serve their medical and mental needs, Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, which provides health care regardless of financial situations and Ali Forney Center, the largest LGBT community center in the country. “I thought it really painted a good picture of what the city is doing for people in that situation,” French said.

What stood out about these four people that made you want to tell their stories? We wanted to represent both sides,

Brooklyn native Morgin, 22, seen on the High Line, is one of four people whose stories are told in director Pamela French’s “Becoming More Visible,” a film about transgender youth. Courtesy of Pamela French. male to female, female to male. We wanted diversity, so we have an African American, a Hispanic, a Bengali, and it was nice to have a kid from the suburbs. ... And the access that each of these kids allowed us was very cool. They really wanted to do it too. Katherine is now a full-on activist. She’s working to help people. The first day she came to the casting in that dress, she was shy and just started transitioning. She has a really hard life living with her family. She should get out of there, but she wants her familial love. She wants that so badly. Olivia, in a way, has a very unusual character, because she doesn’t really have anybody who knows about her, hardly any friends, nobody to bounce off of. Whereas the other people had their mothers, families, social workers, doctors. I guess they all sort of balanced each other.

Morgin explained her surgery and how she felt after it, which was a powerful scene. Why did you think that was important to include?

Director Pamela French’s “Becoming More Visible” brings viewers into the worlds of four transgender youth. Courtesy of Pamela French.

A lot of people don’t understand what’s going on and a lot of people don’t understand what’s going on down there. Do they have male organs or female organs? I think that question is really “what’s between your legs?” a lot of times. I didn’t get into that with them. Morgin had just had the surgery; it was a part of her story. She had complications; it was part of her life at the time. That was huge, her hormones and having to deal with how she felt about dilation. She had the surgery in the Philadelphia area and had to get there, so I thought that was a great time to spend some time together and shoot. When we showed the film at a festival in California, a young girl came up to Morgin and

wanted to know about the surgery.

The cosmetic surgeon interviewed said she noticed the calmness after the body touches the soul. Did you see that? Yeah, it’s really amazing how they’ve changed. I’m closer with some than others. Morgin went through three major changes. At first, she was really interested in being a part of the film. And then as she become more in tune with her body as a woman, she less wanted to be involved, because she really is a woman. She’s not a transgender person anymore and doesn’t want to be reminded about this other person. She hates seeing the film. Then she became adamant about being part of it. And then when Caitlyn Jenner came out, she realized maybe it’s a good place to say that she’s a woman of trans experience. And now, she doesn’t really like the film. It’s horrible for her to see, because it’s not her anymore.

Katherine’s family found it hard to accept her transition. How’s it going with her family now? They don’t even talk to her. They didn’t really talk to her while we were filming, that was like an anomaly that they let us do that. She lives in hell there. She works until late and then goes home and crashes..

You filmed Sean performing at Gotham Comedy Club. What was that experience like for him? He’s still coming into his own as far as his comedic power and voice. He’s still finding himself. He’s also a little shy and still trying to become who he is as a male. I thought that was really brave of him, like Nancy [his mother] said in the film. So that was exciting.

Now going to Olivia, I thought it was interesting how she showed the other side of it. She was wondering if having

the injections was worth it. What was she experiencing then and how is she doing now? She was back and forth. I had some issues with her. I love her, but we didn’t have as many opportunities to work together. And she never wants to see the film. So she did it; it’s done and there’s only good vibes. I think she’s incredibly articulate and really nailed what her life is. I think it’s phenomenal of her, her sense of self, but she also questions it. It’s not easy.

What is the message that you want people to take away from the film? The film has an opportunity to open doors and normalize what people think about being transgender. And allows parents, kids who are questioning their gender, or people in general, to not stigmatize people for being different and to allow them to be themselves and be loved. It really comes down to that. Accepting people for who they are. Not trying to put people in boxes. It’s a film of hope. It’s a film for parents also. I’m sure it’s frightening to wonder if your kid might be not be happy in their own body they were born with and what other people will think. I want it to be a film that empowers youth, parents and the audience to just really be more accepting, loving and open to things that are not quote unquote normal or as we want them to be. http://becomingmorevisible.com

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