Our Town June 26th, 2014

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The local paper for the Upper er East Side THE ORIGINS OF THE ICE CREAM QUEEN < P. 21

ANOTHER EFFORT TO SAVE SECOND AVENUE SAVING SMALL BUSINESS A new proposal to offer grants to some businesses on Second Avenue impacted by subway construction gets mixed reactions BY MARY KEKATOS

La Tarte Flambee, on Second Avenue, has been forced to adjust their hours due to subway construction.

UPPER EAST SIDE Ever since Joe Zafiropoulos bought Atomic Wings on Second Avenue near East 94th Street six

months ago, maintaining the restaurant has been an uphill struggle. He says that the construction of the Second Avenue subway line, which began in 2007, has left doors jams not being properly aligned and foundation cracks. Atomic Wings is not the only restaurant suffering from construction. Businesses up and down Second Avenue have been reporting loss in profits. Some have even had to close due to poor sales. Many complaints stem from the fact that storefronts are

blocked by fences, limiting foot traffic as well as cars being able to park. “No parking out front makes it a nightmare,” said Zafiropoulos. “Parking to get food is not an option, which limits the amount of people that normally would be coming in here.” While local business owners, organizations like the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce and Upper East Side elected officials have been trying to help

CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

RE-SELLING LUXURY THROUGH GENERATIONS PROFILE The mother-daughter team behind Michael’s keeps the tradition of high-end fashion consignment alive on the U.E.S. BY MARY NEWMAN

ander McQueen, Manaolo Blahnik, Louis Vuitton, and Jimmy Choo. Laura Fluhr and her daughter Tammy FluhrGates are the second and third generations at Michael’s Consignment, continuing the tradition that was started by Tammy’s great-great-great father Simon Kosofsky in 1902. Kosofsky was working as a tailor in the Lower East Side when he opened a shop named Cast Off clothing & Furs, focusing mainly on reselling women’s fur coats. By 1941, Kosofsky’s son Aaron opened Ritz Thrift Shop on 57th Street, coining the term “Every woman can look like a million without spending a million.” The idea of offering women

UPPER EAST SIDE Sustainability is not usually a term associated with high end, luxury fashion, but one family-owned consignment shop has seen 60 years of success by promoting sustainable fashion, offering New Yorkers a place to sell their expensive sartorial items. Michael’s Consignment occupies a gorgeous retail space on the Upper East Side, filled with designer names like Hermes, Alex- CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

WEEK OF JUNE

26 2014

OURTOWNNY.COM

OurTownEastSide @OurTownNYC

In Brief F.D.N.Y. TO INCREASE ROLE IN GAS LEAK REPORTS The New York City Fire Department will now have a much greater role in responding to reports of possible gas leaks, according to an order made by Mayor Bill de Blasio in response to the March explosion that leveled two East Harlem buildings and killed eight people. The plan also calls for more efficient repairs to the city’s aging infrastructure and improved communication about potentially deadly leaks among the city’s agencies, independent utilities and the public. Previously, residents who smelled gas were often told to call their gas utility or dial 311, the city’s information hotline. The fire department, which possesses the most suitable manpower and equipment to conduct a quick evacuation or ventilation of the area, would only be notified if the leak met certain thresholds, such as a multitude of calls or other warning signs, like a flickering of lights.

SUMMER STREETS ANNOUNCED FOR AUGUST The city announced another season of Summer Streets, a series of vehicle-free days on major stretches of NYC roads. On three consecutive Saturdays in August, about seven miles of NYC’s streets are opened for people to play, run, walk and bike. In 2013, more than 300,000 people took advantage of the open streets. Held between 7 a.m. to 1 p.m,, Summer Streets extends from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park, along Park Avenue and connecting streets. All activities at Summer Streets are free of charge, and designed for people of all ages and ability levels to share the streets respectfully. Mother-daughter team Laura Fluhr and Tamy Fluhr-Gates at their store, Michael’s Consignment

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Our Town JUNE 26, 2014

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS CHECK BULLET-SHATTERED WINDOW HURTS U.E.S. HOSPITAL PATIENT Authorities say a patient has been treated for minor facial cuts after a bullet partially shattered a window at an Upper East Side hospital. Police went to the Hospital for Special Surgery on Manhattan’s

Upper East Side around 5:45 a.m. Friday following reports of a shooting. Hospital spokeswoman Elyse Bernstein says the 30-year-old patient was in a room facing 71st Street on the building’s eighth oor. Bernstein says hospital staff immediately called 911. The woman is in stable condition.

Police say crime scene investigators have been extracting a possible bullet fragment from between two windowpanes. Police haven’t yet determined whether the bullet was intended for the patient’s room. They say there have been no arrests and the investigation is ongoing. AP

GYNECOLOGIST ACCUSED OF SEXUALLY ABUSING PATIENTS Upper East Side gynecologist Dr. Robert Hadden has been indicted for allegedly sexually abusing six of his patients, many of whom were pregnant. Hadden was working at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia Hospital when the assaults allegedly occurred, although he stopped working in 2012 when two of the victims reported him to the police. Gothamist reported that Hadden is accused of having fondled and performed oral sex on his patients between September 2011 and June 2012. He also purportedly asked patients “invasive questions about their sex lives� and performed “overly frequent and invasive breast exams.� Gothamist

BURGLAR DRESSES AS CONSTRUCTION WORKER DNAinfo.com reported that a burglar who dressed up as a construction worker to get inside residential buildings on

Caption

the Upper East Side has been arrested. The burglar, Gerald Jackson, apparently wore an orange construction vest and told residents that he was in their building to work. Video surveillance caught Jackson stealing a wallet with credit cards from an apartment on E. 60th St, and then again in an apartment on Park Ave. Jackson also stole electronics and jewelry before he was apprehended by plainclothes officers who recognized him from building surveillance. DNAinfo.com

HEALTH INSPECTORS CLOSE RESTAURANT AMID I.R.S. SCANDAL DNAinfo.com reported that Healthalicious, the health food restaurant on Second Avenue, was shut down last week after multiple health violations were discovered. When the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene visited Healthalicious on June 12, inspectors not only found that hot food wasn’t being kept at safe temperatures, but also live roaches and evidence of rats. The restaurant has since re-opened following a second

inspection. This is not the ďŹ rst time that the restaurant has been at the middle of scandal. The former owner, Staten Island congressman Michael Grimm, was indicted after the IRS accused him of hiding over $1 million in proďŹ ts, accusations that Grimm vehemently denies. DNAinfo.com

U.E.S. APARTMENT SOLD BY FRENCH GOV’T An 18-room apartment at 740 Park Avenue is being sold by the French government for the whopping price of $70 million, reported the Wall Street Journal. The price ties with a record set earlier this month for the most expensive Manhattan cooperative ever sold. Israel Englander, founder of Millennium Partners, who is buying the apartment, is paying much more than the original asking price of $48 million when ďŹ rst put on the market in April. 740 Park Ave., a 19-story Art Deco limestone building, has long been one of Manhattan’s most expensive co-ops and home to a number of the rich and famous. Wall Street Journal

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JUNE 26, 2014 Our Town

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CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG EXPRESS DISTRESS Someone made unauthorized charges on a woman’s American Express account. Between 2:30 and 7:30 PM on Wednesday, June 18, an unknown perpetrator charged $1,827 in purchases to a 32-year-old woman’s American Express card. The victim told police that she had her American Express card in her possession during the period. She has since closed the account, and an investigation is ongoing.

FIT TO BE TRIED A woman was arrested for shoplifting. Between 7 and 8 PM on Wednesday, June 18, a 23-year-old woman took items of merchandise from an Upper East Side clothing store and brought them into the fitting rooms on various floors. When she attempted to leave the store, she was stopped by security and detained until police arrived and arrested her on charges of grand larceny. The total amount she had shoplifted came to $1,839.

PARKED AND PICKED A man’s possessions were stolen from his parked car. Between the hours of 10 PM and 2 AM on Tuesday, June 17, someone broke into a car that a

man had parked on the street. When he returned to his vehicle, he realized that something was amiss, as he found items from the glove compartment lying on the floor. He then discovered that his iMac, iPad, a pen, and a silver keychain were missing from the back seat. There were no signs of forced entry. The total amount stolen came to $2,050.

HOMEGROWN TERRORISM Another Upper East Side resident fell victim to the dreaded Green Dot MoneyPak scam. At 3 PM on Monday, June 16, a 50-year-old woman received a call from someone purporting to be an agent from the IRS. The alleged agent claimed that she had been sending money to citizens of a foreign country, a deed that could be considered an act of terrorism. The agent said that she would be arrested if she did not remit $3,342 by means of Green Dot MoneyPak cards.

POLICE ADVISORY Don’t be the victim of Green Dot prepaid debit card phone scams. With the availability of Prepaid Debit Cards, criminals have developed new ways to steal from the public: a) A caller informs the victim that they owe back taxes to the IRS and must make immediate payment with a

19TH PRECINCT Report covering the week 6/9/2014 through 6/15/2014 Week to Date

Year to Date

2014 2013

% Change

2014

2013

% Change

Murder

0

0

n/a

0

0

n/a

Rape

0

1

-100

3

2

50

Robbery

2

2

0

37

42

-11.9

Felony Assault

3

3

0

48

47

2.1

Burglary

5

4

25

90

81

11.1

Grand Larceny

25

30

-16.7

564

689

-18.1

Grand Larceny Auto

1

2

-50

25

25

0

Green Dot MoneyPak. b) The victim’s family member had a car accident, and the caller threatens physical violence unless immediate reimbursement is made with a Green Dot MoneyPak. c) Utility companies demand immediate payment by Green Dot MoneyPak, or your electricity or gas will be turned off.

Crime Prevention Tips • Be suspicious of callers who demand immediate payment for any reason. • Remember that anyone who has the number on a Green Dot MoneyPak card has access to the funds on the card. • NEVER give out personal or financial information to anyone who emails or calls you unsolicited.

• NEVER wire money or provide debit, credit card, or Green Dot MoneyPak card numbers to someone you do not know. • Utility companies and government agencies will NOT contact you demanding immediate payment by MoneyPak.

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Our Town JUNE 26, 2014

Useful Contacts POLICE NYPD 19th Precinct

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CITY COUNCIL

FAMILY PRIDE LGBTQ For the second time ever, Pride Week is hosting a Family Night, and increasingly catering to young children

Councilmember Daniel Garodnick

211 E. 43rd St. #1205

212-818-0580

BY CATHERINE ELLSBERG & MANNY VALDEZ

Councilmember Ben Kallos

244 E. 93rd St.

212-860-1950

State Sen. Jose M. Serrano

157 E. 104 St.

212-828-5829

State Senator Liz Krueger

1850 2nd Ave.

212-490-9535

Assembly Member Dan Quart

360 E. 57th St.

212-605-0937

Assembly Member Micah Kellner

1365 1st Ave.

212-860-4906

COMMUNITY BOARD 8

505 Park Ave. #620

212-758-4340

WEST VILLAGE Pride hits the streets of New York this week, and the regular schedule of rallying, marching, dancing, celebrating and parading will be updated to include the littlest LGBTQ allies. For the second time ever, Pride Week will host a Family Movie Night, with a screening of The Wizard of Oz at the Hudson River Park Pier and an evening catering to LGBTQ families. The rally and march are also advertised as “family-friendly� events, a designation indicative of how advocates and allies have become increasingly focused on the family and kid-centric aspects of gay rights. Family Night—a relatively new addition to the Pride lineup— has already made an indelible mark in the LGBTQ enclave. The outer boroughs have also staked a claim; Harlem Pride encourages people of all ages to attend, and Brooklyn Pride has its own designated Kids Space, replete with bouncy houses and clown painting. Heritage of Pride (which organizes and runs Pride Week) managing director Chris Frederick said the idea of Movie Night was originally created because he felt a family event was needed to help round out Pride Week. “I thought it was an event that was lacking during Pride Week in the sense that there wasn’t really a family event currently happening,� said Frederick. “There wasn’t anyone catering on a

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Above, a family at the 2012 Pride Week Family Night. Below, the ďŹ lm screen set up on Hudson River Park Pier to show Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The event returns this year. larger scale to LGBT families. So in conjunction with Target we produced this event and it was a big success.â€? In 2012, Pride held its ďŹ rst family night with a screening of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory; the event was popular, but the organizers couldn’t ďŹ nd funding to bring it back in 2013. Demand was palpable enough this year, however, that they decided to make it happen in 2014. For some who associate Pride Week with writhing semi-naked bodies dancing through the streets of the Village, the idea of a “family-friendlyâ€? atmosphere could seem incongruous; after all, the march can be a rowdy and even bawdy affair. Tish Flynn, the Media Director of NYC Pride, said that they haven’t heard from any naysayers about the family programming, and that the lineup of events has attracted both neighborhood regulars and LGBTQ families alike; Pride champions a spirit of inclusivity. “We’ve had really old people, really young people,â€? Flynn said, noting that last year there were more very young children than ever before. This year Demi Lovato is a host, which is also sure to attract a younger crowd—a kind of icing to The Wizard of Oz cake. When asked if Pride has received any pushback for inviting children along, Flynn seemed incredulous: “Not at all. This is New York City‌. There’s not even a question of acceptance.â€? Noting that Pride takes place right along Christopher Street, Flynn implied that if people had a problem with any of it, they were simply in the wrong neighborhood. “We’re doing it for the community. We really push for that.â€? Flynn paints a portrait of Pride camaraderie, with many West Village bystanders joining in on the activities, or simply watching the march from behind the lines. Mostly, though, Pride Week—and namely the march--has become a beloved tradition for many LGBTQ families, who proudly bring their children to participate. Sydney King marched last year with her wife and then sixmonth-old daughter who, upon waking from her nap, received “lots of love from the crowd.â€? King felt that her family “symbolized the whole queer family thing.â€? For King, and for many other LGBTQ people and their families, Pride is not just a week of fun excursion, but a microcosmic period steeped in history and intense meaning. Gabriel Blau, the executive director of Family Equality, has marched in the past with his husband and little boy, and plans on doing so again. Blau ďŹ rmly maintains that although many people think that Pride’s family-friendly spirit is just a matter of “accommodation,â€? it represents so much more. Blau believes that Pride’s partnership with Johnson & Johnson this year in setting up a changing table for children is a real “statement;â€? more than just a matter of logistics, the tables are hugely symbolic, showing the support of a major American corporation that many associate with wholesome, family-oriented values and products. As Blau points out, many children who come from LGBTQ families are discriminated against; for parents to be able to march proudly with their kids—to have “others see them with their childrenâ€?—has been an “unparalleled experienceâ€? for Blau and countless others. With more and more LGBTQ families raising children, Pride’s shift to include spaces for kids is not just pragmatic; it makes the statement, as Blau said, that “all families can be part of this community, this story.â€?

JUNE 26, 2014 Our Town

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Our Town JUNE 26, 2014

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SUCCESS ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOLS — NYC is applying to open new public charter schools in Manhattan. When: August 2015 Where: Community School Districts 2 and 3 Grades: K and 1st grade for the opening school year and serving K-12th grade at full scale (pre-K, middle school, and high school grades subject to government approval) Success Academy has a proven record of excellence, with our scholars consistently scoring in the top 7% of public schools in New York State for reading, science, and math.*

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WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE PARK? The Central Park Bubble Men Next time you’re looking for a little magic in Central Park, seek out the Bubble Men. They’re usually located between the 60s and 80s, making gigantic bubbles that draw crowds of kids and adults alike. Just don’t try to pop one! June Blooms The recent rain has brought many owers to the park, and June blooms have included Astilbe, Baby’s Breath, Daylilies, Hollyhocks, Japanese lilacs, Peonies, Phlox, Roses and Water Lilies. Visit the Conservatory Garden this week to have a look at some of these beauties up close and personal. Hummingbirds in Central Park A Ruby-throated female hummingbird was spotted by Dr. Robert DeCandido (a.k.a. Birding Bob), who leads guided birding walks around the park. Special viewings were being held to observe her nesting, but the nest was recently attacked by a Baltimore Oriole, leaving her eggless and empty-nested. The eggs would have hatched in the next 24-48 hours, and these would have been the ďŹ rst nesting hummingbirds on record in Central Park. Hopefully next year they will try again. You can read more about this and other birding walks at www.birdingbob. com.

Event listings and Where in Central Park? brought to you by CentralPark.com. Coming Up This Week:

Yoga 101 & Yoga 102 Classes Join The Yoga Trail in Central Park for some open air yoga on the grass. Reservations required. Yoga 101: Sat 6/28: 10:30AM, Mon 6/30: 6:30PM, Wed 7/2: 6:30PM Yoga 102: Thur 6/26:

6:30PM, Sun 6/29: 10:30AM, Tue 7/1: 6:30PM Book online: www. centralpark.com/yoga SummerStage Presents: Jon Batiste and Stay Human/Hypnotic Brass Ensemble Free concert in association with Blue Note Jazz Festival. Sun 6/28: 3:00PM 7:00PM Rumsey PlayďŹ eld More SummerStage: www. centralpark.com/events Shakespeare in the Park: Much Ado About Nothing Running Time: approx. 3hrs, incl. one 15 min intermission Jun 26-29 & Jul 1-3, 5-6: 8:00PM Delacorte Theater Get tickets: www. shakespeareinthepark.org

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WHERE IN CENTRAL PARK? Do you know where in Central Park this photo was taken? To submit your guess please visit www.centralpark.com/where-in-central-park. The answer and names of those who guessed correctly will appear in next week’s paper and online!

JUNE 26, 2014 Our Town

ANOTHER EFFORT TO SAVE SECOND AVENUE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Second Avenue businesses get through the worst of the construction period, freshman City Council Member Ben Kallos has proposed a new potential solution. Kallos wants the city to offer grants to small businesses that can show a 10 percent decline in revenue over the past year and are located within 150 feet of a major municipal construction area. The proposal is modeled on one that Kallos worked on with former Assembly Member Jonathan Bing in 2008, at the state level. Now he hopes to garner enough public support to bring it to the city council. Some Second Avenue storefronts have been impacted, but not quite enough to need a government grant. Mark, the owner of The Toolbox, a bar on Second Avenue near 91st Street, says that business has not been drastically impacted by construction, as it has ended by the time the bar opens at 8 p.m. He does say, however, that the lack of parking has been quite a problem. Although the MTA added signs on the exterior of the construction site to help pedestrians ďŹ nd these businesses, ZaďŹ ropoulos said that this has not greatly helped Atomic Wings. This has especially been a blow to restaurants in the area as they heavily rely on street trafďŹ c.

When Zafiropoulos first bought Atomic Wings, he participated in a Groupon deal to try to attract new customers. He said about 10 percent of customers couldn’t locate the restaurant when driving there. “We lost about $30,000 in revenue to what we would normally have gotten,â€? he added. Other restaurants have taken different measures in an effort to improve business such as La Tarte FlambĂŠe near East 91st Street, who changed their hours due to construction. Owner Mathias Peter could not be reached for comment. The previous owner told ZaďŹ ropoulos that construction would be moving to the other side in March 2014. “Now it’s June,â€? he said, “and who knows when construction will actually be moved.â€? While Zafiropoulos thought that grants would be nice, Mark said that due to his business not being as impacted as others, he would most likely not go through the trouble of applying for a grant. “It’s a great idea but I don’t know if it has any legs,â€? said Manhattan Chamber of Commerce President Nancy Ploeger. “I wish something could have been worked out 10 years ago.â€? Ploeger, who has worked with many businesses on Second Avenue to alleviate problems caused by the subway construction, said that the idea raises a number of important questions that would have to be answered before any grant program could be implemented. For example, Ploeger said, it’s unclear what the exact criteria would be, what types of businesses would qualify to get

the grants – would the rules be the same for, say, a restaurant and a shoe store? – and what kind of compensation would be available to owners of stores that have already had to close? Could a similar program help businesses south of East 80th Street? The chamber has been keeping track of store vacancies since construction began. They report that from April 2011 to April 2014, vacancy rates have increased on Second Avenue from 7 percent to 13 percent. Ploeger added that it is important to remember that the recession hit in 2008, which had a devastating effect on businesses. “We have been, since the beginning, really trying to promote the Second Avenue businesses,â€? Ploeger said. Past initiatives have included 2nd Avenue Restaurant Week. Most recently launched was “Mondays on 2ndâ€? where, every week, a different business is promoted. Phase 1 of the subway line (96th Street to 63rd Street) is set to open in December 2016 and, for some businesses, that date could not come any sooner. ZaďŹ ropoulos has big plans for how he’d like to improve the restaurant once the construction disappears. He wants to petition the landlord to redo the front, repair the sidewalk and add curbside service. “It just doesn’t make sense to do it now because all that work we do might end up getting destroyed,â€? he explained. “This construction is simply impacting our ability to improve.â€?

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EAST SIDE POLS ENDORSE SEAWRIGHT FOR ASSEMBLY Upper East Side State Senator Liz Krueger, State Senator JosĂŠ M. Serrano, and City Council Member Ben Kallos jointly announced their endorsement of Rebecca Seawright for New York State Assembly in the 76th Assembly District, which includes the Upper East Side, Yorkville and Roosevelt Island. “Rebecca Seawright will be an effective partner who will deliver for our community in Albany, and I know she will be a strong voice for robust campaign finance and ethics reforms, so we can finally build the kind of government New Yorkers deserve,â€? said Krueger. “Rebecca has demonstrated that she is committed to pro-

gressive priorities, such as raising the minimum wage for working families, supporting the NY Dream Act and full passage of the Women’s Equality Agenda,â€? said Serrano, who represents Roosevelt Island. City Council Member Ben Kallos cited Rebecca’s commitment to stopping the proposed Marine Transfer Station. “Rebecca understands the problems we face with the MTS because she has lived them. Her children played on the ball ďŹ elds at Asphalt Green,â€? Kallos said. “I look forward to rallying with her against the dump and ďŹ ghting for new solutions that don’t put our kids in danger.â€? Seawright is running to fill

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State Senator Liz Krueger (left) passing out leaets with Assembly candidate Rebecca Seawright, whom she endorsed the seat that will be vacated by current Assembly Member Micah Kellner. She is an attorney specializing in contract law, and has never held elected office. She’s running against three other Democrats -- Gus Christensen, Ed Hartzog, and David Menegon -- in the September 9th primary.

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Our Town JUNE E 26, 26, 6, 2014 201 014

Voices

< THANKS TO A KIND BUS DRIVER On June 4, 2014, I rode bus #5892. The driver, at 11:29 a.m. (86th Street crosstown route) was very kind and intuitive and safe and helpful! I have a walker, and he put down the ramp for me, but also left it down because there was a

Editorial

STRIPPING KELLNER PUNISHES EAST SIDERS TOO Last week, news broke that embattled Assemblyman Micah Kellner was found to have violated restrictions set for him following the revelations of alleged sexual harassment in his office earlier this year. The punishment for Kellner’s continuing to employee interns in his office, and also for the allegedly ongoing environment of sexual harassment, is that both Kellner’s Albany and district offices will be stripped of all staff and closed by the end of the month. Setting aside the question of Kellner’s guilt, the sanctions wielded by the Assembly are not only punishing a member of their ranks; they are punishing the people of the Upper East Side. Kellner is now a lame duck public servant until his term ends in January. What that means for people in his district is that they have one less resource, one less place to turn for help from the office that is supposed to serve them, and one less person advocating for their interests in the state legislature. A state assembly member does not only make laws. Kellner’s colleagues who represent other Manhattan districts run free legal clinics, help constituents fight unfair evictions and deal with complex housing issues, attend community meetings to update people on what’s happening with their state government, and employ staffers who often become deeply invested in helping residents coming to their office looking for advocacy, answers and reassurance that the person they elected is in their corner. When Kellner’s offices are closed, people in his district will have only one alternative resource for state issues – the offices of State Senator Liz Krueger, which serves a bigger piece of the Manhattan population than an assembly district, and is presumably already quite busy. Whether or not Kellner deserves this latest punishment is irrelevant to the people of the Upper East Side who will find themselves with limited outlets and resources at the state level for the rest of the year. If Kellner will not resign, and the Assembly lacks the will or ability to fire him, his punishment should take a different form – reduced salary; current staff replaced by an outside hiring committee; a proxy installed to run the day-to-day business at his district office. There are surely many options, but one that leaves Upper East Siders without a voice in their state government is simply unacceptable.

puddle and he didn’t want people to get wet. Please note this; the young gentleman deserves to be acknowledged and I am putting this in writing so that he will be. Rita Fiorillo

OP-ED

THE NUMBER ONE HEART ATTACK CITY Crowding and stress make the Big Apple the most fatal heart attack city BY BETTE DEWING

UPPER EAST SIDE Wow! How great to see all that sky and open space, even as the community mourns the loss of the 12-story City University headquarters building which graced that 80th and East End corner for 75 years, and where East 79th Street Neighborhood Association meetings were held for about twenty-five. Among the quality/safety of life news learned at this civic group’s June meeting, now held at The Residence facility on 80th off York, was the new building, a condo, will have 20 stories, and that “the developer was cooperative.” Hey, cooperative – community-minded - enough to provide a community meeting room? Such a critical need.

And you policy makers especially, must take a look at the sky and open space at 80th and East End, and consider how the city needs more, not less of that to be really livable. Mayor de Blasio must re-think backing Bloomberg’s East Midtown novision plan to jam in countless more office towers on streets already too crowded for safety and health. Goodbye New York’s memorable skyline too. Both crowding and stress are factors in a study which found New York to be the number one fatal heart attack U.S. city, even for tourists, which would surely be helped by the mayor’s most admirable Vision Zero endeavor for a safe travel city. Nineteenth Precinct Captain Ted Sederoff described the plan at the East 79th St, Neighborhood Association meeting, but city bicyclists’ stress-causing disregard for the laws of the road was scarcely men-

tioned. Yet it’s a big-time, longtime concern of this highly active civic group, and a woman at the meeting told how she still “suffers terribly” from bike-inflicted injuries. But mostly, it’s the stress engendered. And I finally said how troubled I was that my longtime traffic safety work, for which I’d been honored at that very meeting in ‘06 by elected officials like Rep. Carolyn Maloney and Sen. Liz Krueger, was not being considered. For example, the finding that the number one pedestrian killer and maimer, the “failure to yield” traffic crime, needs all–out enforcement, and wherever vehicles can turn into you is a dangerous corner, not just “particularly dangerous ones.” And association president Betty Cooper Wallerstein said the elder driver whose failure to yield fatally injured Belle Moser last July as she crossed with her light at the low traffic 82nd and East End corner, should not be driving. 19th Pct. Community Relations Officer Chris Helms said revoking a license is very difficult. But how about taking a driver’s test? The association now has a welcome “Bike Watcher” program, which reminds how bicyclist Roger Herz once encouraged street “yell-outs” like “Wrong way!” “Red light runner!”’ and “Off the walk!” And desperately needed is a “Failure to Yield Watcher” with street yell-outs like “Failure to yield is a killer!” Kamikaze walkers do not get a pass, either. We need to remember and heed the advice repeatedly given to the East 79th St. Neighborhood Association by then 19th Pct. Community Relations Officers, Steve Petrillo and Lou Uliano: “Remember, the squeaky wheel gets the grease!” And we should have squeaked out at the June meeting about 48 bike summons issued in May when that many could be given to food delivery bicyclists in one evening on any Upper East Side major intersection. So squeak out we must - often and loud - because it really can be done, if enough of us try. dewingbetter@aol.com

STRAUS MEDIA-MANHATTAN President, Jeanne Straus nyoffice@strausnews.com

Group Publisher - Manhattan Vincent A. Gardino advertising@strausnews.com

Distribution Manager, Mark Lingerman

Publisher, Gerry Gavin

Associate Publishers, Seth L. Miller, Ceil Ainsworth, Kate Walsh Classified Account Executive, Susan Wynn

Editor In Chief, Kyle Pope editor.ot@strausnews.com Editor, Megan Bungeroth editor.otdt@strausnews.com

Staff Reporters, Gabrielle Alfiero, Daniel Fitzsimmons Block Mayors, Ann Morris, Upper West Side

Jennifer Peterson, Upper East Side Gail Dubov, Upper West Side Edith Marks, Upper West Side

JUNE 26, 2014 Our Town

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BY BETTY COOPER WALLERSTEIN oy Goodman was truly a good man, an honorable man, a dedicated, caring, personable, and accessible “Statesman of the Senate.� Albany has seen few men of his education, intelligence, integrity, humanity and generosity of spirit. He possessed a quick wit and a good sense of humor, never used to critcize or belittle but rather used effectively to calm emotions and console during difficult discussions. We became friends, spoke often in his office or lunched at a nearby restaurant, where I brought my long list of ideas. He counseled on what was do-able and what likey wouldn’t happen in our lifetime! Senator Goodman was a strong advocate of tenants rights for safe, good, affordable housing. He encouraged tenant groups to meet with him in Albany to prepare for discussions on rent regulations. He suggested I attend and bring other co-op and condo owners in support of tenants, which was a new angle and well received. On another occasion, he arranged for a long-requested but not forthcoming meeting to discuss a review of City and Suburban Homes for landmark consideration. This model of housing reform apartments was in danger of

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JOHN KRTIL FUNERAL HOME; YORKVILLE FUNERAL SERVICE, INC. demolition, and was waiting almost two years to be scheduled for review. Senator Goodman not only accomplished a meeting date but, upon hearing about the Commission’s backlog of applications, provided a grant to hire an additonal staffer to enable “the train to pick up speed.� Although the timing still took more than a year, this application and a great many others were faster scheduled than they would have been without the senator’s funding initiative. On still another community-wide concern, our senator achieved a meeting with the president of a large, prestigious hospital who had refused to meet with neighbors of several blocks facing demolition due to the hospitals’ large-scale development plan. The president agreed to meet only with the senator, but relented when Goodman insisted I be present, representing a newly formed coalition of residents. He treated us with warmth and respect, and was admired and loved by us. He

wanted the different city groups to share objectives, so he arranged an annual luncheon meeting where 20 or more group leaders each had three minutes to describe one of our current projects needing input for direction, ideas, funding or legislation. He responded to each of us, some at the meeting and others in scheduled office meetings for follow up. Senator Goodman was a strong supporter of the arts, and we attended concerts together with our spouses. Additionally, the senator had a strong, excellent singing voice and enjoyed Christmas caroling and songfests, in earlier times. How much we will all miss you, dear Roy, and how grateful we are, your constituents, colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, and your many friends, for the high standard you set for public service -and personal friendship. Betty Cooper Wallerstein is president of the East 79th Street Neighborhood Association

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Our Town JUNE 26, 2014

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Out & About 27 hedgerows, engages with artist Graham’s interest in public space and modernist structures. metmuseum.org; 212-5357710

CHARLES JAMES: BEYOND FASHION

“DEGENERATE ART: THE ATTACK ON The Metropolitan Museum of MODERN ART IN NAZI Art, 1000 Fifth Ave at 82nd St. GERMANY, 1937�

10 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Suggested donation $25 Fifteen of James’s iconic gowns are on display, along with analytical animations, texts, x-rays, and vintage images. metmuseum.org; 212-5357710

JEFF KOONS: A RETROSPECTIVE

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Neue Galerie, 1048 Fifth Ave, at 86th St. 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.; $20/$10 seniors and students w/ID An exhibition devoted to the infamous display of modern art by the Nazis. Featured work includes pieces by Max Beckmann, Erich Heckel, and Karel Niestrath. neuegalerie.org

Whitney Museum of American Art, 945 Madison Ave, at 75th St. 1-9 p.m.; $20/$18 students This is the inuential artist’s ďŹ rst major museum

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Delacorte Theater, Central Park, 79th St, at Fifth Ave. 8-11 p.m.; Free Shakespeare in the Park celebrates its 52nd season in Central Park with this beloved romantic comedy. publictheater.org; 212-5398500

30 “IN A WORLD OF THEIR OWN: CONEY ISLAND PHOTOGRAPHS BY AARON ROSE� Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Suggested

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presentation in New York, and proďŹ les his iconic works and most signiďŹ cant series in a chronological narrative. whitney.org; 212-570-3600

28 THE ROOF GARDEN COMMISSION: DAN GRAHAM WITH GĂœNTHER VOGT The MET, 1000 Fifth Ave, at 82nd St. 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Suggested donation $25 This installation, comprised of curves of steel and two-way mirrored glass set between ivy

29 “ITALIAN FUTURISM, 1909-1944: RECONSTRUCTING THE UNIVERSE� Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Ave, at 89th St. 10 a.m. - 5:45 p.m.; $22/$18 students and seniors w/ID The Guggenheim’s multimedium exhibition explores this complex modernist movement. guggenheim.org; 212-4233500

admission $10 When Aaron Rose photographed beachgoers at Coney Island in the 1960s, he captured portraits of people from all walks of life. mcny.org; 212-534-1672

“OTHER PRIMARY STRUCTURES� The Jewish Museum, 1109 Fifth Ave, at 92nd St. 11 a.m. - 5:45 p.m.; $15/$12 seniors/$7.50 students/18 & under free This large-scale exhibition features spatially complex and abstract sculptures. thejewishmuseum.org; 212423-3200

JUNE 26, 2014 Our Town

1 CHRIS BEHA READING Corner Bookstore, 1313 Madison Ave, at 93rd St. 6-8 p.m.; Free Acclaimed author Chris Beha reads from his latest book, Arts and Entertainment, a hilarious take on our society’s fixation with celebrity and fame. cornerbookstorenyc.com

“THE POETRY OF PARMIGIANINO’S SCHIAVA TURCA”

Americas Society, 680 Park Ave. 12-6 p.m.; Free Although virtually unknown in the United States today, Alexander von Humboldt was once considered one of the most influential intellectuals and explorers of the 19th century. Americas Society re-introduces him to the American public by presenting books, sculptures, and paintings by the artists who followed von Humboldt to South and Central America. as-coa.org; 212-249-8950

77th Street 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; free Fifty years after the Guggenheim’s historic exhibition, “The Shaped Canvas”, Luxembourg and Danyan commemorate and take a look at the place of the painted shaped canvas in modern and contemporary art. July 3rd is the last day of the exhibit. luxembourgdayan.com

SHIVA AHMADI: IN FOCUS

Ramsey Playfield in Central Park 6 – 10 p.m.; free The Freedom Party® is the longest running, weekly, Fridaynight party in NYC history. Playing a tight mix of danceable, soulful hits across all genres of music from the 60s through today, Freedom continues to fill its dance floor each week with fun, beautiful people from all over the globe looking to have an unforgettable, true NYC party experience. The Freedom Dance Party will be celebrating 11 years with a huge live outdoor dance party at SummerStage in Central Park. nycgovparks.com

The Frick Collection, 1 E. 70th St 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; $20/$15 seniors/$10 students Italian Renaissance painter Parmigianino’s most acclaimed portrait, Schiava Turca, is on loan from its home institution, the Galleria Nazionale di Parma. frick.org; 212-288-0700

Asia Society, 745 Park Ave. 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.; $12/$10 seniors/$7 students Iranian artist Shiva Ahmadi’s work is on display as part of Asia Society’s ongoing In Focus series. Ahmadi’s paintings perfectly capture today’s volatile political atmosphere. asiasociety.org; 212-2886400

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“UNITY OF NATURE: ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT AND THE AMERICAS”

“THE SHAPED CANVAS, REVISITED” Luxembourg and Dayan 64 E.

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Ou Our ur u r Town To ow wn JUNE JU J UN NE E 26, 26 6,, 2014 20 0114 14

COMPOSER, PAINTER AND PIANIST FUSES SES MUSIC WITH VISUAL ART

GREGORY SINGER TALKS WITH HIS HANDS

< ART, P. 14

< MUSIC, P. 15

Left: “The Masquerade Party,” Nancy Dibra, Age 12, Grade 7, J.H.S. 259, Brooklyn Below: “Portrait of a Lady,” Michael Castro, Age 7, Grade 1 , P352X @ 134, District 75, Bronx

WHEN A POLAR BEAR IS JUST A POLAR BEAR SCHOOL ART An enchanting exhibit by school kids at the Met BY JOSEPH SMITH

I wish more New Yorkers were aware of a show as intriguing, unusual, and beautiful as P. S. Art 2014, on view at the Metropolitan Museum through August 24. This annual show represents artists in the New York City public schools, pre-K through 12th grade. Consisting of 77 works, it is produced by the New York City Department of Education, The Fund for Public Schools, the Studio in a School program, and the Met. I am particularly intrigued by the work of the younger artists. I enjoy seeing how their vision transcends technical limitations. I feel as though they are inviting me into a slightly alien world (which I once knew), where images speak more clearly than words. One of the first pictures we encounter is “I Visit Africa

with Balloons” (mixed media) by pre-Kindergartner Luke Lyons. The adult mind may ask why “with balloons”? His answer would probably be: why not? Lyons merely wants to make us “happy” by sharing things he likes: a giraffe, zebra, rainbow, balloons, and blue shoes. It is not just that I feel disarmed by Lyons’ frank desire to please, but touched by his trust—his assumption that we will enjoy what he enjoys. He draws me into his world. I decide I like zebras and blue shoes, too. Through about third grade, the artists generally say that art is “fun,” and that they want to make the viewer “happy.” Some make no apparent distinction between the subject of the picture and the picture itself. To us, Mahamadou Kanuteh’s oil pastel, “Big Polar Bear,” is a vivid composition, in which the dense texture of the bear’s fur contrasts with sky, snow, and stars. But kindergartner Kanuteh doesn’t speak of artistic aims or technical means—what he wants people to know is “that I like polar bears” and tells us that “polar bears eat seals.” To us, the picture is art; to Kanuteh, it is a bear. At about fourth grade, the artists’ comments start expressing more complex intentions. In “Under the Sea,” fourth grader Jayme Diaz offers a mélange of sea creatures and flora in a dense pattern of interlocking shapes. Diaz, however, doesn’t just want us to observe the creatures, but to identify with them. “I want people to feel that they are the sharks and

other creatures under the sea. I want them to know that the ocean is a beautiful place, but it can also be mystical and dangerous.” Diaz succeeds in achieving not just representation and pattern, but also a threatening mood. “Handstand” by fourth grader Luis Rivadeniera must be seen at the exhibition rather than in the catalog or online. The fact that the hands are glued on separately gives them a prominence that is essential to the effect. The artist asks if we find the hand-stander “playful.” Yes, and the artist as well! Fifth-grader Austin Yeung gives his contribution the intriguing title, “Nothing’s What It Seems.” “I want people to think carefully about my artwork and not decide too quickly what it says.” Indeed, the medium of chalk pastels enables Yeung to express ambiguity by means of delicate shadings. When I read eighth-grader Steven Yang’s comment that he created his “Meaty Rhino” (Photoshop) in order to “shock everyone,” it recalled to me my own stormy middle school years. But the piece doesn’t merely shock—even before I read the plaque or noticed that the material was images of meat, I was intrigued by the varied and detailed texture of the rhino’s “hide.” With the work of the high school students, we enter a different kind of art show. Such pieces as, for example, Christine Chu’s oil “Sliced Apples,” Sharjeel Khan’s ink drawing “Lawrence’s Arabia,” and Dereck Valoy’s photo, “Harlem Meer Tree” are so mature and technically refined that the age of the artist no longer seems relevant. On one hand, this is a great compliment to these artists and their teachers. On the other, the younger artists offer a more unusual experience. I wish the Met had listed the exhibition in its printed MayJune flyers and directed visitors with a sign, but if you’re looking for it, you can find the exhibit in the Uris Center for Education. Joseph Smith is a pianist, and usually writes on music

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JUNE 26, 2014 Our Town

FOR THE WEEK BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO

GALLERIES

“THE MIDDLE EAST REVEALED: A FEMALE PERSPECTIVE” The new photography exhibition explores identity, politics and Middle Eastern history through work by contemporary female photographers from Yemen, Iran, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. The exhibit includes black-and-white photographs of the annual Hajj, a four-day pilgrimage to Mecca undertaken each year by approximately 3 million Muslims. Also included is the 1940 LIFE magazine Syrian series by Margaret Bourke-White, the first female photojournalist. June 26 through August 30 Howard Greenberg Gallery 41 East 57th St., Suite 1406 Gallery hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday FREE

“I LIVE. SEND HELP.” 100 YEARS OF THE AMERICAN JEWISH JOINT DISTRIBUTION COMMITTEE Timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the founding of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, a humanitarian organization founded in 1914, “I Live. Send Help.” is a display of photographs, letters, and other items from the JDC’s global archives, including a letter from Albert Einstein to the JDC chairmen, from 1940, and a photograph from 1921 of lines of people waiting for food outside a Jerusalem soup kitchen. Through September 21 New-York Historical Society Museum & Library 170 Central Park West Museum Hours: Tuesday through Thursday and Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission $18

THEATER “PAT KIRKWOOD IS ANGRY” This cabaret-style show, presented as part of the Brits Off Broadway theater festival, tells the story of the scandal-plagued British film and stage actress—and wartime star—Pat Kirkwood, whose rumored affair with the Duke of Edinburgh, whom she met after one of her London performances, tarnished her reputation and followed her throughout her career. Through June 29 59E59 Theaters 59 East 59th St. Assorted show times Tickets $25

FILM “MAKE IT NEW JOHN” Duncan Campbell’s documentary, “Make it New John,” about John DeLorean, the creator of the DeLorean car, and the employees of the Belfast car plant who built the iconic automobile, screens as part of the Museum of Modern Art’s annual film exhibition series, a collaboration with the Robert Flaherty Film Seminar. Presented along with Campbell’s 2004 short film “Falls Burns Malone Fiddles,” about Belfast’s young working class residents, created through a series of black-andwhite photographs. Saturday, June 28 The Museum of Modern Art 11 West 53rd St. 7:30 p.m. Tickets $12

M A R B L E C O L L E G I AT E C H U RC H

GIFTS/LGBT Fellowship

DANCE URBAN BUSH WOMEN Urban Bush Women celebrates its 30th anniversary with a selection of repertory performances at Central Park’s SummerStage, as well as a premiere performance of “Chalabati,” a new piece choreographed by the company’s founder, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar. Inspired by the spiritual Gnawa music of Morocco, “Chalabati” contemplates the sharing of a community’s history through ritual storytelling. Wednesday, July 2 Central Park SummerStage Entrance at East 72nd Street 8 p.m. FREE

Some churches want you to join. Our church wants you to belong. Dr. Michael B. Brown, Senior Minister 1 West 29th St. NYC, NY 10001 (212) 686-2770 www.MarbleChurch.org

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Our Town JUNE 26, 2014

Subway Riders (1950), by Ralph Fasanella, from the American Folk Art Museum collection. Courtesy MTA Arts & Urban Design

MUSIC IN MOTION PROFILE Paul Morin takes gallery visitors on a trip through time with music and sound BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO

UPPER EAST SIDE Artist Paul Morin finds inspiration in everyday elements that some might walk right by, or, in the case of his latest exhibition, walk into. The 31-year-old composer, painter and pianist often fuses music with visual art, and his solo exhibition, “Static and Moving Images” at Spectrum, a performance space and multimedia gallery on Ludlow Street, features 10 of his abstract, geometric paintings alongside an interactive light machine constructed from salvaged elevator numbers, lights and stainless steel doors. The multi-colored lights and red floor numbers in “Elevator Time Machine,” respond to music and illuminate in rapid clockwise motions when the piece’s microphone picks up sound. The piece, which Morin created with the help of an electrical engineer, took three years to complete. “It has a sort of element of moving on, in life as we do,” Morin said as he drank a cup of coffee on his couch in his East 83rd Street apartment, which he shares with his wife and their black cat, He-Man. “We have no choice but to go forward. I’ve thought a lot about that very simple concept in life…it’s steady time travel. We can’t go backwards, as much as we want to.” Neatly dressed in dark blue jeans, a dark blue Oxford shirt and thick-framed glasses, Morin, who calls the Upper East

STROKES OF GENIUS AT THE AMERICAN FOLK ART MUSEUM EXHIBITS A selection of works from the collection is now on view BY VAL CASTRONOVO

Paul Morin’s “Elevator Time Machine,” currently displayed at Spectrum on Ludlow Street Side, where he’s lived since 2007, his favorite neighborhood in the city, speaks softly and thoughtfully, even when he’s not sure if he’s using real words. “I’ve had some visual things stuck in my head where I’ve had to put them on canvas,” said Morin about what he calls ‘eye worms,’ or visual elements that he can’t get out of his brain. “That might not even be a term. Like an ear worm, but it’s in your head.” The Suffolk County native took to the piano at an early age, when his grandmother gave him and his siblings a Ludwig piano. The secondeldest of eight children, Morin remembers recreating sounds he heard in nature. “We were all very intrigued by creating sounds and just banging on this thing,” Morin said. “I remember just wanting

Morin is a classically-trained pianist and uses music in his work, and to inspire him.

to create different landscapes, storm and rain, even before I had a piano lesson.” A classically-trained pianist, Morin studied music at Stony Brook University in Long Island, and completed a Master’s program in piano performance at New York University, though he still recreates the sounds he hears around him. Recently, a cricket found its way into his apartment, and he wrote a piece of music that mimicked the cricket’s chirping. Morin works from his tidy home, which also appears as a spontaneous gallery to his work and interests. His own paintings hang on the walls, and a black Yamaha piano sits underneath the living room window; on the bookshelf rests a thick collection of Artur Schnabel’s recordings of Beethoven’s sonatas, which, as of late, he listens to while painting. Though the exhibition at Spectrum will remain up until the early fall, Morin’s planning his next project, an exploration of television static, another seemingly ordinary element, not unlike elevators, crickets and the passage of time. Along with original piano compositions that imitate the sound of static, Morin sets images of static to his music, almost like a choreographed dance of grainy lines and colors. “You can actually capture some of the most beautiful images through television static,” he said.

LINCOLN SQUARE Walk through the modest gallery space housing this exhibit, SelfTaught Genius: Treasures from the American Folk Art Museum (through August 17, 2014), and you’ll be surprised at the richness and variety of the works on display—and the sheer number, some 100 in all. There are portrait paintings, landscape paintings, mourning paintings, needlework, quilts, pottery, sculpture, furniture, decoys, weather vanes, a carousel lion and a carnival banner. The show pays homage to the decorative arts, but also to fine art. Ammi Phillips’ iconic Girl in Red Dress with Cat and Dog (c. 1830-35) opens the show, and Edward Hicks (The Peaceable Kingdom, 1829-31), Horace Pippin (Outpost Raid: Champagne Sector, 1931), and Grandma Moses (Dividing of the Ways, 1947) are represented. Cu r iosit ies, a nd gem s, abound. There’s a precious miniature bed adorned with carved animals, an artful, tri-

IF YOU GO Self-Taught Genius: Treasures from the American Folk Art Museum Through August 17, 2014 The American Folk Art Museum 2 Lincoln Square (Columbus Avenue at 66th Street) Closed Mondays; see www. folkartmuseum.org/info for hours Admission is free

pod folding chair, a tin knife grinder, and a long, unidentifiable object wrapped in colored yarn and fabric by Judith Scott (1943-2005), a California woman who was deaf and had Down syndrome. There’s an eight-foot-tall model of the Empire State Building (c. 1931) meticulously crafted from tiny interlocking pieces of cherry wood (no glue, no nails), and a soaring model of a museum, Encyclopedic Palace (c. 1950s), that was to be located in Washington, D.C., and showcase human inventiveness—a paean to “all the works of man in whatever field…everything from the wheel to the satellite,” according to creator Marino Auriti, an auto-body mechanic, whose out-sized architectural dream was never realized. In short, there’s something here for everyone. Pick your medium—and your passion. Quilt lovers will revel in the kaleidoscopic quilt by New Yorker Paula Nadelstern (Kaleidoscopic XVI: More Is More, 1996), or the one made by household slaves at a Kentucky plantation, not the mistress of the house (Whig Rose and Swag Border Quilt, c. 1850). Commuters may experience a sense of déjà vu upon seeing Subway Riders (1950), Ralph Fasanella’s vivid lineup of passengers that is on loan from the Fifth Avenue/53rd Street subway station. The works span centuries, harking back to the 18th century and extending into the present century. In many cases the artists and craftsmen are unidentified; they are in all cases without formal training, fashioning art “in the trenches of life and not in the halls of the academy,” curator Stacy C. Hollander writes in the catalog. The show trumpets creativity, the capacity of each individual to dig deep inside and pull

out something original—to find his or her “genius” and run with it. Hollander resurrects an 18th century debate about the origins of artistic and literary inspiration, noting “a deepening conviction that natural or original genius was truer than genius built on precedent that risked mere imitation.” Enlightenment theories notably represented a movement away from belief in “God-given” genius (divine intervention as the spark) to a rationalist belief in innate genius that could be cultivated and worked. Self-education was firmly embedded in the culture of the early American republic. Today however, the show’s organizers maintain, the self-taught concept has evolved to the extent that it typically refers to “outsider” artists, those “working outside the art historical canon and often in isolated circumstances.” Co-curator Valérie Rousseau observes, moreover, that creativity in the artistic realm may be the by-product of adversity, writing: “For self-taught artists…[it] often arises at a turning point in their lives, at a moment when they need to reinvent themselves: separation, disease, loss of a loved one, an impending move, emigration, radical isolation, retirement… circumstances that lead to perceiving the world in a sharper and more sensitive way.” The works here are characterized by a simplicity and directness, perhaps none more so than the early portrait paintings or Asa Ames’ wooden bust, Phrenological Head (c. 1850). A depiction of a young girl whose skull is colorfully sectioned to denote the different regions, or faculties, of the brain, she represents the popularity at the time of phrenology, the pseudoscientific practice of examining the bumps on the human skull, which were believed to be synced with specific mental and character traits and subject to alteration in the name of self-improvement.

JUNE 26, 2014 Our Town

15

Gregory Singer, a former Civil War re-enactor, dons his uniform for a demonstration in his violin shop on West 80th Street and Broadway. Photo by Daniel Fitzsimmons

SINGER’S MUSIC METHOD “The way I compose, since I’m not a trained composer, I write a melody and then sometimes a few months later I’ll think of another melody, and I’ll add it on to the original melody. So suddenly my piece of music has a secondary motif. It’s kind of like when people build a house without a blueprint, they might add a room later. And so suddenly I’m able to flesh out a piece that has two or three different sections to it, and suddenly I’m a composer. That’s what I like to do, because it’s completely original, it comes from me.”

THE MUSIC’S CHANGING PROFILE Upper West Side musician talks shop BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS

UPPER WEST SIDE Gregory Singer talks with his hands,

GREGORY SINGER’S FINE VIOLINS 246 West 80th Street 212-7244476 www. singerviolins. com

which is perhaps unsurprising given his profession. As a conductor, composer, and classically trained violinist, Singer heads up the Manhattan Symphonie, a little-known orchestra he started that holds mostly benefit concerts for different causes around the city and around the world. Singer has lived on the Upper West Side since 1972, and has seen the neighborhood transform from a gritty, sometimes dangerous, always exciting hodge-podge of artists, musicians and drug dealers, to a safe shadow of the culturally rich middle-class enclave it once was. “A lot of my artist and musician friends have had to move out of the neighborhood because the rents have gotten so high,” said Singer. “We joke about the fact that every block on the Upper West Side seems to have a Duane Reade, or a bank, or a Starbucks. The nature of the neighborhood has kind of died. It’s very sad.” These days Singer tends to his shop at West 80th Street and Broadway, “Gregory Singer’s Fine Violins,” and plays piano with his mother every Friday at the Atria West 86, a senior living home on the Upper West Side. His mother has

dementia, but that doesn’t stop her from hitting every note on accompaniment, he said. On the walls of his shop are photos of his father, a conductor named Jacques Singer, with famous conductors from Europe. There’s one of Singer as a child with comedian Jack Benny. The shop itself is cozy, with a worn antique sofa and heavy red velvet drapes. Records are stacked in one corner, cellos and violins hang in cases from the walls, and a Steinway dominates a full third of the room. Antique model boats and paintings in heavy wooden frames round out the space, and Singer has a story for each piece of dusty memorabilia that’s found its way into his realm. Singer has a penchant for talking about a piece of music, then running across the room to play it on the Steinway or snatching a violin off the wall to demonstrate the passage in question. One day at his shop, he donned a replica Civil War uniform and played an Irish jig before showing off a sketch he did of the hallway – plants, window, and a chair – outside his shop. That same day, a member of the New York Philharmonic stopped by to sell his cello on consignment with Singer. “Greg doesn’t have to do this stuff, he does it because he loves it,” said the cellist. Singer said his reputation as an instrument dealer is reinforced by the fact that he’s also a musician, and that deals can be made with little more than a handshake because musicians know he won’t rip them off selling their instruments for them. Asked if business is good, Singer jokingly told the cellist the check wouldn’t bounce. But the joke belies a larger problem he’s facing; little money is made off of the shop, and there’s a dwindling number of venues to showcase his work. His Manhattan Symphonie has played Carnegie Hall three times, and has travelled to the Philippines to raise money for those who were devastated by last year’s Typhoon Haiyan, and to Japan to raise funds for the victims of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011. Every year he puts on a free 9/11 memorial concert. His orchestra has been commissioned to play three times in China, where Singer likes to mix it up with a bombas-

tic version of the Chinese national anthem, and take his bluegrass fiddling – he’s originally from Texas - into the audience to liven the performance up. Singer’s approach to music is that performing and listening should be fun, it should be an experience for everyone involved. “They went wild, they were cheering like they were at a rock concert,” said Singer of the Chinese audience. “There are no western composers that dance, and jump into the audience.” Singer said he’d like to find a concert hall or church where he could play his music, or a radio show, or tour the United States, “exporting America to itself,” helping young people discover new and interesting music from the melting pot that is New York. For now though, he’ll tend to his shop and wait for opportunity to come knocking. “It’s a comedy of errors,” said Singer, of running his business. He frequently loans out or sells instruments at a steep discount or, in one or two cases, completely free. The commission he receives on many of his consignment sales is negligible, he said. “This place is a conduit,” said Singer of his shop, where he occasionally holds impromptu performances with other musicians. “I introduce people. I don’t do good deeds to gain notoriety, I gave up on that several years ago.” Despite all the time that’s passed, the friends that have moved and the changes he’s witnessed, right now Singer couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. “I’ve stayed primarily because I love New York City. It’s a multi-national, multi-racial, multi-religious community where you can just blend in with the crowd. There’s all kinds of interesting people still coming here to New York. I’ve been all over the world, to Italy and Russia and China and other countries, but I find New York is just really home, I just love the feel of the city, the way it’s put together.” That said, he does miss the way things used to be, the sense of community and the artistic scene that once flourished on the Upper West Side. Looking around sometimes at the increasing homogenization of his neighborhood, Singer said, “It’s the one thing that would drive me out of the city.”

16

Our Town JUNE 26, 2014

Food & Drink

< FAMED RESTAURATEUR TO OPEN FOOD HALL IN GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL Claus Meyer, founder of Copenhagen’s Noma, widely considered one of the finest restaurants in the world, plans to open a Scandinavian-style food hall in Grand Central Terminal, the New York Times reported. Plans for the 16,000 square foot space within Vanderbilt Hall include casual eat-

In Brief BIRCH COFFEE TO OPEN UPPER EAST SIDE OUTPOST The fourth location of Birch Coffee will open this summer, its first on the Upper East Side, DNAinfo reported. The coffee shop, which already has Flatiron, Midtown and Upper West Side locations, is set to open at 134 ½ East 62nd Street, near Lexington Avenue (the former home of Cheese on 62nd), by July 15, following renovations to the 250 square-foot space. Sustainably-minded owners Jeremy Lyman and Paul Schlader opened their first coffee shop in 2009, and source much of their products locally. Given the size of the real estate, there will only be room for about 5 counter seats, DNAinfo reported, though there will also be some outdoor seating. Though other locations also offer food and alcohol, the Upper East Side locale will only serve baked items and Liquiteria juices along with its coffee made from sustainably-grown beans.

ROUGE TOMATE TO CLOSE THIS SUMMER Upper East Side restaurant Rouge Tomate, noted for its sustainable sus and health conscious co offerings, will close its East 60th 6 Street restaurant this resta August, Eater Aug reports. re According A tto the rrestaurant’s Facebook F page, plans are pa in tthe works to open downtown location bby the end with service of the year, wi ending at the Upper Up East Side space on August 9. The Michelin-starred Micheli food truck at restaurant, which also operates a foo the entrance 64th Street and 5th Avenue, near th to the Central Park Zoo, remains dedicated to sustainable restaurant practices; executive chef Jeremy Bearman, along with pastry chef James Distefano, work with a culinary nutritionist to craft the restaurant’s menu items. The restaurant also boasts Pascaline Lepeltier, one of only 20 women to achieve the distinguished title of master sommelier. Rouge Tomate is located at 10 East 60th Street, and is open for lunch at noon and dinner at 5:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

eries and retail food shops, along with a café and 100-seat fine dining restaurant. Though not yet approved by the MTA, which runs the space, spokespeople for the group expect the plans to pass a full board vote in the coming days. Meyer is working with New York-based restaurant development firm Heyer Perfor-

mance to convert the landmarked terminal— which cannot be altered, but can house unattached structures—into a dining hall over the next two years. Rent for the space is $1.8 million dollars for the first year, and will increase annually. Parts of Vanderbilt Hall will stay vacant for private events and the holiday market .

NEW FOOD MARKETS DOWNTOWN LOCAL FOOD Three markets are bringing fresh meat and produce to downtown neighborhoods As the residential population downtown continues to swell, the community demand for fresh local food is higher than ever. Here are three markets coming this summer in the downtown area:

Night Market on Water Street Thursday, July 19th 4 - 8 p.m. 2 Coenties Slip The Downtown Alliance and GrowNYC will host the second of two special Night Markets as part of summer long effort to enliven Water Street. Visitors will enjoy the rare chance to shop at a downtown nighttime Greenmarket farmers market, while eating

seasonally inspired dishes sold by neighborhood restaurants, and sipping on beer, wine and hard cider. Music will provided by The Jazz Foundation. Food, music and family activities will make the Water Street Night Market a great event for New Yorkers of all ages. www.downtownny.com

Andaz Wall Street Farmers’ Market Thursdays 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. 75 Wall Street Beginning June 26th, every Thursday, Andaz Wall Street’s hotel plaza will host its outdoor farmers’ market. The farmers’ market suppliers will also provide the hotel’s outlets with fresh produce to be featured on all menus. From basil, beans and beets, to rosemary, rhubarb and rutabaga, the freshest batches will be presented each week by an array of rotating local farmers. For the 2014 season, the hotel’s

principle farmer will be David Zaback from Z Food Farms. Andaz Wall Street’s Executive Sous Chef, Victor Cruz, along with the Hotel’s Purchasing Manager, Joel Patraker, have been working together for nearly a year to revive

the hotel’s weekly Farmers’ Market. The Andaz Wall Street Farmers’ Market will continue through mid November. newyork.wallstreet.andaz. hyatt.com

New Amsterdam Market on South Street Saturday July 26 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday Aug. 24 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday Sept. 28 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. New Amsterdam Market is held on South Street between Beekman Street and Peck Slip in the Fulton Market District of Lower Manhattan. Vendors include the Wild Food Gatherers Guild of Vermont, Big City Fish Share, Lancaster Farm Fresh Collective, Long Island City-based Free Bread, Hudson Valley’s Edgwick Farm, meats from Brooklyn Cured, Catskills Provisions, and dozens of other regional and local purveyors. newamsterdammarket.org

JUNE 26, 2014 Our Town

17

RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS JUNE 9 - 17, 2014

Healthalicious

1594 2 Avenue

Closed by Health Department (51) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours. Evidence of rats or live rats present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.

The following listings were collected from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s website and include the most recent inspection and grade reports listed. We have included every restaurant listed during this time within the zip codes of our neighborhoods. Some reports list numbers with their explanations; these are the number of violation points a restaurant has received. To see more information on restaurant grades, visit www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/services/restaurant-inspection.shtml. Bally Total Fitness

1915 3 Avenue

A

Empire Corner II

1415 5 Avenue

A

Meadows Snacks

0 North Meadow Recreaton Ctr

A

Wimpys Restaurant

23 East 109 Street

A

Maz Mezcal

316 East 86 Street

Subway

1885 3 Avenue

A

Kennedy Fried Chicken

1774 Lexington Avenue

Grade Pending (26) Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations. Evidence of rats or live rats present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Grade Pending (24) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Filth flies or food/ refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/ refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.

Gong Thai Restaurant

173 East 99 Street

Grade Pending (21) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies or food/ refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/ refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. 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.

Chicky’s

355 East 86 Street

A

Soom Soom

1603 2 Avenue

Not Graded Yet (34) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Pure Food

1396 Madison Avenue

A

Q Marqet

38 East 98 Street

Grade Pending (26) 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. Appropriately scaled metal stemtype thermometer or thermocouple not provided or used to evaluate temperatures of potentially hazardous foods during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding.

El Chevere Cuchifritos Bakery

2002 3 Avenue

Not Graded Yet (2)

Indo-Pak Halal Restaurant

2173 2 Avenue

A

Maoz Vegetarian

0 106 Street & 5 Avenue

Grade Pending (24) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.

No Pork Kitchen Chinese Restaurant

2135 2 Avenue

Grade Pending (21) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Appropriately scaled metal stem-type thermometer or thermocouple not provided or used to evaluate temperatures of potentially hazardous foods during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding.

Dallas BBQ

1265 3 Avenue

A

Caravaggio

23 East 74 Street

A

Nino’s Restaurant

1354 1 Avenue

A

Tatany

1400 2 Avenue

A

Chipotle Mexican Grill#1766

1288 1 Avenue

A

Gem Sushi

1317A 2 Avenue

A

Trend Diner

1382 2 Avenue

Grade Pending (26) 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. Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.

Subway

1205 Lexington Avenue

A

You Never Forget Who You Grew Up With. The rough touch of tree bark, the scent of freshly mowed grass, the gentle hum of pollinating bees as a flower blossoms — green spaces touch lives and all five senses. Green spaces are a vital part of growing up — they enhance lives, make memories and connect people with their neighborhoods and communities. Be a part of preserving and enhancing green spaces where we live, work and play. To volunteer, to learn how to help your community and to donate, visit ProjectEverGreen.org or call toll-free (877) 758-4835.

projectevergreen.org (877) 758-4835

18

Our Town JUNE 26, 2014

Property

< BRUCE RATNER TO CHAIR MUSEUM OF JEWISH HERITAGE Former Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau is stepping down as chairman of New York’s Museum of Jewish Heritage and turning over the reins to real estate developer Bruce Ratner. Ratner is the chairman of Forest City Ratner Companies, a real estate development com-

pany, and previously served as the city’s commissioner of consumer affairs under former Mayor Ed Koch. The 95-year-old Morgenthau was the founding chairman of the museum. It opened in 1997 in Battery Park City to memorialize the Holocaust and celebrate Jewish culture.

Ratner joined the board in 1996. He told the Wall Street Journal that he did not plan any significant changes to its business model. Morgenthau will stay on as chairman emeritus. He retired as district attorney five years ago.

WEST SIDERS WON’T BE MOVED REAL ESTATE Elderly residents on the U.W.S. protest Salvation Army plan to move them to East Harlem BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS

UPPER WEST SIDE Elected officials and residents of The Williams on the Upper West Side came out en masse to protest the Salvation Army’s plan to move them to East Harlem. “We’re all surprised, taken aback, and disappointed that the Salvation Army wants to move these tenants out of this location, and has decided to sell this building,” said Council Member Helen Rosenthal. “It’s going to be a great loss to our community to lose this senior housing.” The Williams is a senior residence run by the Salvation Army that, while not subsidized in any way, nonetheless provides affordable housing for over 200 seniors. The building, at 95th Street and West End Avenue, has 352 units, but the Salvation Army has not been filling units as they become vacant, according to Major James Betts, a regional official for the organization. The Salvation Army is in the midst of finalizing a deal to sell the building for $108 million to Brack Capital. According to Betts, they’re selling for financial reasons in order to continue their operations in Upper Manhattan. Their plan is to move residents of The Williams to another facility that they’ll build in East Harlem at 125th Street and 3rd Avenue. Rosenthal, Borough President Gale Brewer, and Public Advocate Letitia James want the Salvation Army to consider a financing proposal between the city’s Dept. of Housing Preservation and Development and a NYC-based non-profit that’s interested in operating the home, at least two of which have expressed interest. Rosenthal said Goddard Riverside and the West Side Federation are interested in buying the property through a

financing deal with HPD. “Not for $108 million, but that’s not what being a non-profit is about,” said Rosenthal. “This is the Salvation Army. Whose mission it is to take care of those most in need who are now selling this residence to the highest bidder.” A crowd of residents bearing picket signs gathered in front of The Williams last Thursday to voice their opposition to the Salvation Army’s plan. “I speak for all the people who live here; we do not want to move,” said Jean Polshuck, a tenant leader at The Williams. “Many of us living here are infirmed and have limited mobility.” But Betts said his organization has no choice, and that needed renovations to The Williams would cost somewhere north of $20 million, money that the Salvation Army does not have. Under the terms of the deal, residents can stay at The Williams until the East Harlem facility is built, which will take at least two years, according to Betts. There is currently a two-story Salvation Army ered by the Salvation Army, said Betts. facility at the property, which would “We’re committed and invested in be demolished and replaced with a 250- serving the community, and we’ve been here 50 years,” he said. But for residents and leaders in the community, the move amounts to a business decision that harms seniors on the Upper West Side and is in stark “I speak for all the people contravention to the Salvation Army’s stated purpose. who live here; we do not “The mission of a non-profit like the want to move. Many of us Salvation Army is to support, in this living here are infirmed and case, senior affordable housing and not have limited mobility.” to sell the building to an owner who is Jean Polshuck, a tenant leader at going to put in luxury housing,” said The Williams Brewer. “If the Salvation Army wants to sell this building, they should sell it to another non-profit who will continue unit, 10-story building for residents of the mission of this building.” The Williams and others, he said. In addition, Rosenthal said her office Residents have six months from when could not get a guarantee from the Salthe deal is finalized with the State At- vation Army that residents who move torney General’s Office to decide if to East Harlem in accordance with their they want to remain at The Williams plan will not see a rent increase after and eventually move to East Harlem, 18 months. “That’s a disgrace, it can’t or have the Salvation Army try to find be part of their mission, they need to them alternate housing in their net- change their minds,” said Rosenthal, work. The cost of moving will be cov- who is fearful that her former constitu-

Residents rallied with Upper West Side Council Member Helen Rosenthal outside the Williams building last week. Photo by Daniel Fitzsimmons

ents’ rent would increase after a year and a half in East Harlem. Betts’ response to calls urging the Salvation Army to make a deal with a non-profit and the HPD is that doing so would equate to his organization subsidizing another non-profit. “We have to consider the future of the Salvation Army,” said Betts. “For us to take whatever that discount is and give that to another agency, I think our own donors would question that at some point. Why would we take dollars that we’ve been given for our mission and through this deal, essentially give it to another non-profit or to the city? It doesn’t make sense.” The deal must still be approved by Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s office in accordance with laws governing real estate transactions by non-profit organizations. According to Public Advocate Letitia James, the Salvation Army must demonstrate to the state that the deal is in the best interest of their organization and is in keeping with their mission. “And that is where I believe they’ll run

into a problem,” said James. Betts responded later by saying that the Salvation Army is not at all concerned with the legal hurdles faced by his organization because the deal is necessary for them to continue operating in Upper Manhattan. Still, for elderly residents of The Williams, many of whom have called the Upper West Side home for decades, the possibility of having to move is daunting. “The prospect of leaving the Williams is catastrophic and inconceivable,” said Poleshuck. “Moving shortens life spans, and this is a matter of life and death.” Rosenthal and other elected officials, along with local activists like the SRO Law Project’s Marti Weithman, said they will continue to pressure the Salvation Army to make a deal with HPD and a local non-profit. Residents, too, remained defiant, concluding the rally with a rendition of the popular protest song, “We Will Not Be Moved.”

JUNE 26, 2014 Our Town

19

Real Estate Sales Neighborhd

Address

Price

Bed Bath Agent

Upper E Side

108 E 82 St.

$1,800,000

Beekman

420 E 51 St.

$535,000

2

2

Douglas Elliman

Upper E Side

530 E 76 St.

$999,000

2

1

Beekman

400 E 52 St.

$370,000

0

1

New York Private Realty Group

Upper E Side

444 E 75 St.

$340,000

0

Upper E Side

340 E 74 St.

$775,000

2

Beekman

420 E 51 St.

$378,000

1

1

Corcoran

Upper E Side

165 E 72 St.

$715,000

Beekman

424 E 52 St.

$1,305,000

Upper E Side

150 E 77 St.

Beekman

420 E 51 St.

$660,000

2

2

Douglas Elliman

Upper E Side

Beekman

425 E 51 St.

$1,085,000 2

2

Douglas Elliman

Carnegie Hill

1080 5 Ave.

$350,000

Murray Hill

210 E 36 St.

$320,000

0

1

Bond New York

Sutton Place

25 Sutton Place South

$1,159,000 2

2

Halstead Property

Sutton Place

300 E 55 St.

$2,150,000 2

2

Douglas Elliman

Sutton Place

60 Sutton Place South

$2,035,000 3

3

Halstead Property

Sutton Place

347 E 53 St.

$615,000

1

1

Douglas Elliman

Sutton Place

35 Sutton Place

$830,000

2

1

Corcoran

Sutton Place

300 E 55 St.

$1,511,250

1.5 1

Sutton Place

425 E 58 St.

$604,011

Sutton Place

303 E 57 St.

$440,000

Sutton Place

339 E 58 St.

$335,000

0

1

Douglas Elliman

Sutton Place

435 E 57 St.

$800,000

2

2

City Connections Realty

Sutton Place

400 E 56 St.

$720,000

1

1

Douglas Elliman

Turtle Bay

250 E 53 St.

$2,695,000 2

2

Corcoran

Turtle Bay

45 Tudor City Place

$270,000

Turtle Bay

865 United Nations Plaza $932,000

1

1

Halstead Property

Turtle Bay

251 E 51 St.

$760,000

1

1

Owner

Upper E Side

111 E 75 St.

$612,000

1

1

Corcoran

Heller Organization

0

1

Coldwell Banker Bellmarc

435 E 85 St.

$940,000

Yorkville

1760 2 Ave.

$2,300,000 4

3

Warburg

Yorkville

301 E 79 St.

$650,000

1

1

Corcoran

Yorkville

309 E 87 St.

$400,000

$1,610,000

Yorkville

212 E 95 St.

$2,700,000

131 E 81 St.

$1,700,000

Yorkville

225 E 79 St.

$289,000

0

1

Stribling

Upper E Side

178 E 80 St.

$730,000

Upper E Side

20 E 84 St.

$981,000

Upper E Side

401 E 74 St.

$460,000

1

1

Upper E Side

170 E 77Th St.

$1,910,000 2

2

1

Yorkville

212 E 88 St.

$302,500

Keller Williams

Yorkville

1

Town Residential

1

Charles Rutenberg

1

3

Yorkville

222 E 80 St.

$635,000

1

1

Brown Harris Stevens

Yorkville

415 E 80 St.

$380,000

1

1

Corcoran

Douglas Elliman

Yorkville

309 E 87 St.

$280,000

0

1

Charles Rutenberg

Douglas Elliman

Yorkville

301 E 87 St.

$672,045

Warburg

Yorkville

75 E End Ave.

$1,225,000 2

2

Douglas Elliman

Yorkville

215 E 80 St.

$1,070,162

2

1

Rachel Realty

Yorkville

340 E 93 St.

$438,000

1

1

Rich Associates Real Estate Llc

Laseven, Inc.

Upper E Side

300 E 79Th

$3,100,000 3

Upper E Side

179 E 79 St.

$726,500

Upper E Side

950 Park Ave.

$5,650,000 3

Upper E Side

402 E 74 St.

$605,000

Upper E Side

235 E 73 St.

$1,440,000

Yorkville

215 E 81 St.

$305,000

Yorkville

1623 3 Ave.

$1,280,000 2

2

Douglas Elliman

Yorkville

239 E 79 St.

$785,000

1

1

Douglas Elliman

Yorkville

510 E 86 St.

$872,030

2

2

Blu Realty Group

Yorkville

245 E 93 St.

$720,000

1

1

Corcoran

Yorkville

33 E End Ave.

$380,000

0

1

Stribling

3

Stribling

Upper E Side

200 E 78 St.

$1,495,000

Upper E Side

230 E 73 St.

$673,000

1

1

Town Residential

Upper E Side

205 E 78 St.

$680,000

1

1

Helen Downey Company

Upper E Side

111 E 85 St.

$820,000

1

1

Halstead Property

Upper E Side

123 E 75 St.

$490,000

0

1

Stribling

Upper E Side

893 Park Ave.

$13,700,000

Yorkville

501 E 79 St.

$2,595,000 3

3

Brown Harris Stevens

Yorkville

301 E 79 St.

$1,465,000 2

2

Corcoran

Yorkville

333 E 79 St.

$1,320,000 2

2

Douglas Elliman

Yorkville

515 E 89 St.

$1,112,500

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RE-SELLING LUXURY THROUGH GENERATIONS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 access to the most luxurious fashion has remained consistent through all 60 years the family has been in business. In 1954, Aaron’s son Michael Kosof (their name was shortened to appeal to more clients), headed the current Michael’s on Madison Avenue under the same business model his grandfather started in 1902. “What’s interesting about Michael’s is that neither my mother nor I wanted to get involved with the family business, but when my grandfather needed some extra help, my mother started working and decided she wanted to become a part of the tradition,” Tammy said. “The same thing happened with me, and I immediately loved the entrepreneurship of this store’s business model.” In addition to embracing the idea of resale, Michael’s also believes in community involvement, and has seen such long-standing success because they have always catered directly to the customers who live in the area surrounding the store. “My grandfather created a real community 60 years ago; he was a very charismatic man, all of the ladies in the neighborhood loved him.” Tammy explained that although the store has grown in popularity, they have business partners and customers that have been involved with the store for several

generations as well. The store has relationships with local consigners, and often helps support local charities. They frequently offer discounts to Lenox Hill Hospital employees and PS.. 6 teachers for their hard work, and contribute special experiences, like a night of private shopping, to be raffled off for local fundraising events. The beautiful two-story shop, located on 79th Street and Madison Ave, is surrounded by some of the same luxury designers that they sell in the store, but Tammy explains that consignment stays competitive by only selling items that are under two years old. Celebrity stylists, costume designers, and television personalities looking for either inspiration or something to wear often visit the clothing racks at Michael’s. “The nice thing about our shop is that

everything is all under one roof,” Tammy said. Tammy became part of the team in 2006, offering a young perspective to the established shop. Creating an online presence through social media and an online shopping option, Tammy has introduced her family’s store to a new generation of women looking for more affordable high-end fashion. “I quickly realized that this store is a win, win, win, and there are very few business models out there today that keep everyone involved happy,” she explained. “Our partnered consigners win by getting money for items they no longer want, customers win because they are spending less money on the world’s most coveted designers, and we are winning by being able to offer such

great pricing and fashion to our customers.” MTV Networks senior stylist Alana Kelen often praises Michael’s as her favorite consignment shop when shopping for her celebrity clients, and the mother-daughter team that has formed between Tammy and Laura has become very well respected in one of the biggest fashion capitals in the world. “It’s essentially recycling and our customers realize that the products they no longer have use for shouldn’t just be thrown away,” Tammy said. “So many of our customers take pride in their clothing, and we offer a place for them to bring these beautiful items, allowing other women the opportunity to feel beautiful wearing them.”

Michael’s stays current by only accepting highend clothing and accessory consignments that are less than two years old.

20

Our Town JUNE 26, 2014

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Clare Shanley, Executive Director says, “The 80th Street Residence has always been &ODUH 6KDQOH\ ([HFXWLYH 'LUHFWRU VD\V ´7KH WK 6WUHHW 5HVLGHQFH KDV DOZD\V EHHQ GHYRWHG devoted to providing excellent care and specialized services to our Residents. In fact, WR SURYLGLQJ H[FHOOHQW FDUH DQG VSHFLDOL]HG VHUYLFHV WR RXU 5HVLGHQWV ,Q IDFW RXU SURJUDP ZDV our program was the Nation’s ďŹ rst to receive The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s WKH 1DWLRQ¡V Ă€ ‘Excellence UVW WR UHFHLYH 7KH $O]KHLPHU¡V )RXQGDWLRQ RI $PHULFD¡V Âś([FHOOHQFH LQ &DUH¡ DZDUG in Care’ award. Now with the highest level of licensing for Assisted Living, 1RZ ZLWK WKH KLJKHVW OHYHO RI OLFHQVLQJ IRU $VVLVWHG /LYLQJ LQ DGGLWLRQ WR SURYLGLQJ RXU XQLTXH in addition to providing our unique program, we are able to offer families the peace of SURJUDP ZH DUH DEOH WR RIIHU IDPLOLHV WKH SHDFH RI PLQG LQ NQRZLQJ WKDW WKHLU ORYHG RQHV PD\ mind in knowing that their loved ones may now age in place and receive more nursing QRZ DJH LQ SODFH DQG UHFHLYH PRUH QXUVLQJ FDUH VKRXOG WKH\ QHHG LW LQ WKH SODFH WKH\ FDOO KRPH Âľ care should they need it in the place they call home.â€? Fully Licensed by the New York State Department of Health, The 80th Street Residence )XOO\ /LFHQVHG E\ WKH 1HZ <RUN 6WDWH 'HSDUWPHQW RI +HDOWK 7KH WK 6WUHHW 5HVLGHQFH LV WKH isRQO\ GHGLFDWHG DVVLVWHG OLYLQJ FRPPXQLW\ LQ 1HZ <RUN &LW\ 6SHFLDOL]LQJ LQ 0HPRU\ &DUH ,Q WKHLU the only dedicated assisted living community in New York City Specializing in Memory Care. In their boutique setting, 80th Street offers unique neighborhoods, each comERXWLTXH VHWWLQJ WK 6WUHHW RIIHUV XQLTXH QHLJKERUKRRGV HDFK FRPSRVHG RI QR PRUH WKDQ posed of no more than eight to ten Residents with similar cognitive abilities. All neighHLJKW WR WHQ 5HVLGHQWV ZLWK VLPLODU FRJQLWLYH DELOLWLHV $OO QHLJKERUKRRGV KDYH FR]\ DQG KRPHOLNH borhoods have cozy and homelike dining and living rooms and are staffed 24 hours a GLQLQJ DQG OLYLQJ URRPV DQG DUH VWDIIHG KRXUV D GD\ ZLWK SHUVRQDO FDUH DWWHQGDQWV 7KH day with personal care attendants. The intimate setting allows for an environment that is LQWLPDWH VHWWLQJ DOORZV IRU DQ HQYLURQPHQW WKDW LV FRQGXFLYH WR UHOD[DWLRQ VRFLDOL]DWLRQ DQG conducive to relaxation, socialization, and participation in varied activities. A true jewel SDUWLFLSDWLRQ LQ YDULHG DFWLYLWLHV $ WUXH MHZHO RI FDUH RQ WKH 8SSHU (DVW 6LGH of care on the Upper East Side

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SENIORS Healthy ways to reinvent yourself and help the aging process Aging gracefully is as much about feeling good on the inside as feeling good on the outside. It’s never too late to make changes to reinvent yourself and maximize your mental and physical wellbeing. Self-improvement is at the top of many women’s to-do lists, and doing so can take many forms. According to a recent survey, 73 percent of women said they’d reinvented themselves since they turned 40 by improving their health, finding a new passion or changing their career. Eighty-three percent of survey participants (women, ages 40-plus) think the greatest obstacle to reaching their full

potential is what they think of themselves, rather than what others think of them. Follow these tips to become your own best friend and take steps toward creating a happier, healthier you.

Give proper attention to your diet. A common form of reinvention is improving your eating habits. A balanced diet that promotes a healthy digestive system is an important step in creating a healthier you. Starting each day with a nutritious breakfast is one easy change. Fill your menu with nutrition you can see and wholesome ingredients.

Take time to understand yourself. Digging deep to understand your true passions may help reveal a new, more fulfilling path in life, whether it be in the

form of new hobbies or even a new career. If you’re not sure where to start, begin by making a running list of situations which capture your attention, such as news articles or engaging conversations. Over time, look for patterns to emerge. Topics or themes rising to the top could signal a special interest you may have overlooked in the past.

Nurture valuable relationships. Knowing (and loving) yourself comes first, but having a strong support system is also important for overall wellbeing. While it’s important for women to surround themselves with people who will boost them up, that boost doesn’t always have to come from another woman. When they need a good laugh, 59 percent of women in the survey said they turn to their signiďŹ cant other. Investing time to strengthen your personal connections improves not only the health of those relationships, but the effects of those relationships on your physical health, as well. While charting a new path may seem daunting, focusing on your physical and mental health as you work to introduce change into your life can smooth the way to reinventing a better and brighter you.

JUNE JUNE JU NE 2 26, 6, 2014 Our Town

21

YOUR FIFTEEN MINUTES TES

A SCOOP OF HISTORY ON THE LOWER EAST SIDE When I grew up in New York, you were just always on guard -- you learned how to walk and how to try to look tough.

Q&A Bestselling author Susan Jane Gilman on Frank McCourt, Italian immigrants, and the Upper West Side BY ANGELA BARBUTI

Susan Jane Gilman has skillfully combined ice cream, New York, and history all into one novel. In “The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street,” readers follow a young Russian immigrant who moves to the Lower East Side with her family, only to get crippled by an ices peddler shortly after her arrival. The man, who is an Italian immigrant, takes in the girl out of guilt, and teaches her his trade. Set in 1913, the novel takes us on a 70-year journey through history, reminding us of all the hardships New Yorkers overcame in that period. Telling the story through an underlying theme of ice cream was an easy choice for the author. Although a seemingly simple subject, ice cream has a rich and complex history, one that Gilman embraced. “I was interested in it intellectually and then I just love to eat it,” she said.

On your website, you describe yourself as “made, born and raised in Manhattan.” Which neighborhood did you grow up in? I grew up on the Upper West Side before it was the neighborhood as we know it to be today. I watched a lot of it get built -the high rises, the luxury condos. But then, it was still pretty rough and tumble and dangerous. I was made in Lincoln Towers on 69th Street and West End Avenue. When I was born, we lived on 96th between Amsterdam and Columbus. I used to take the subway to school when I was in junior high and high school and you really had to plan what streets you walked down to get to Broadway or to a friend you were going to visit. My friend’s parents would make her call when she got to my house, and she just lived a block and a half away. It was really dicey. My brother used to get beaten up, our neighbor was shot.

You dedicated this book to Frank McCourt, who was your teacher at Stuyvesant. That’s so cool. It’s really cool. I miss him. He was not just my teacher, but he really influenced me. He was the person who encouraged me to be a writer; he told me to send a piece I’d written to the Village Voice. And I was 16 years old and I did and they published me. And it was the first time I was ever published. And that was Frank McCourt. I promised myself that whenever I wrote a novel, I would dedicate it to Frank McCourt; this was before he wrote Angela’s Ashes. I thought, “I’ll dedicate it to my teacher so he’s remembered too.” [Laughs] And he and I stayed friends until the day he died. When my second book made the New York Times bestseller list, he was the first person I called.

What was your first publishedd piece on? It was called “Scenes from m Stuyvesant verhead conHigh,” it was excerpts of overhead bout drugs, versations, kids talking about ock and roll. parents, grades, sex, and rock me of it was Some of it was funny and some d, with phopoignant. They did a spread, tographs. And they gave me 200 doley. lars, which was a lot of money.

So the West Side Spirit was the he first paper you wrote for out of college? lege? The West Side Spirit is my y hometown n er that pubpub bpaper. You’re the first paper lished me when I was out of college. So wed by you. I it’s an honor to be interviewed was really excited.

My father came to New York from Italy, so I was happy that you wrote about bout Italian immigrants. Why did you make that choice? I chose that for several reasons. The reason that Italians feature so prominently is because, in my mind, Italian immigrants at the turn of the last century were like the prophets of ice cream. Especially the Sicilians and the Neapolitans. They brought recipes with them. They started the ices trade. There’s a guy, Italo Marchiony, who was credited with creating the precursor to the ice cream cone. And that was a big business. Also, Italians were the ones who were sharing the Lower East Side with the Jews. And as a novelist, I wanted my protagonist to grow up in a family that was unlike her own. Also, I always have an impulse as a writer to explode stereotypes. I didn’t want to write a nice, sweet ice cream woman. I wanted to write a really complicated, sort of nasty female antihero because women aren’t portrayed like that. Also, Italians, I think, sometimes get a raw deal in the media, with either “The Sopranos,” with the Mafia or everyone slapping each other upside the head and yelling, “Mom, make the sauce.” Italian Americans disproportionately served in both wars, World War I and II, they built huge infrastructure, they gained so much, and nobody writes about that.

How did the ice cream idea come about? Because I just love ice cream. If you’re going to write a novel, even with my nonfiction, it’s like asking it to move in with you for several years. And you’re not gonna love it every moment, sometimes you’re going to hate it and hate yourself. It’s like living with a lover. So you have to make sure that you really in love with it.

So in moments where you hate it and hate yourself, it will really sustain you.

What are some historical facts you can tell us about it? Prohibition was great for ice cream because all these taverns and bars had to turn themselves into ice cream parlors to make money. In World War II, the U.S. government became the largest ice cream manufacturer in the world because they were supplying ice creams to the troops.

I read that part of your research for the book involved you working at a Carvel on Long Island. Yes, I was very much inspired by Tom Carvel’s story. That’s why I originally got the idea. I learned that his real name was Tom Carvelas; he was a Greek immigrant. And he came over to the States with nothing. I loved Carvel as a kid. So I contacted the Carvel corporation and I told them I was writing a novel, and asked if there was a Carvel somewhere near New York City where I could go and visit. And they hooked me up with this owner named Zaya Givargidze, out in Massapequa Park. I said, “Could I work here for a day or two?” and he said, “Sure.” And he taught me the trade and I got to make a Fudgie the Whale cake. For more about Susan and her books, visit www. susanjanegilman.com.

Best-selling nonfiction author Susan Jane Gilman has published her first novel, set on the Lower East Side beginning in 1913. Photo by Francois Bourru Gilman’s novel spans a 70-year period following the life of a young Russian immigrant who becomes a titan of the ice cream industry.

22

Our Town JUNE 26, 2014

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Antique, Flea & Farmers Market, East 67 St Market (bet. First & York Ave). Open every Saturday, 6am-5pm, rain or shine. Indoor & Outdoor, Free Admission. Call Bob 718-8975992. Proceeds benefit PS 183. Carino on Second Blending traditional Italian favorites with contemporary accents. 1710 2nd Avenue (bet. 88th & 89th) NYC 212-860-0566 www.carino2nd.com Chirping Chicken - We Deliver & Cater! Mon/Sun 11am-11pm 1560 2nd Ave,(212)517-9888-9 Ask about our daily Greek specialty dish! GrowNYC.org Recycle@GrowNYC.org 212-788-0225 Marble Collegiate Church Dr. Michael B. Brown, Senior Minister, 1 West 29th St. NYC, NY 10001, (212) 689-2770. www.MarbleChurch.org

LEGAL AND PROFESSIONAL Anthony Pomponio, Allstate 212-769-2899 apomponio@allstate.com Rick Bryan, Attorney & Counselor at Law. Wills, Living Trusts, Probate, Elder Law, Guardianships, Legal Advice. Home Visits Available. We honor all AARP and Legal Service Plan Discounts, 237 1st Ave, 2nd Fl, S.W. Corner of 14th St and 1st Ave, New York, NY 10003, 212-979-2868.

MASSAGE

Massage by Melissa (917)620-2787

Imperial Fine Books & Oriental Art - Rare & fine books, Chinese ceramics and art from the Ming to Qing Dynasties. 790 Madison Avenue, 2nd Floor New York, New York 10065 (212)861-6620 www.imperialfinebooks.com PAINT & WALLPAPER

SABBY PAINTING (917) 292-9595 Interior/Exterior Painting Wallpaper Removal Free Estimates, Affordable Prices, Neat & Clean Work Licensed & Insured REAL ESTATE - RENT

Apar tment Rentals - New Renovations, Exclusive Listings, Upper Manhattan. 1 BRs from $1 ,45 0, 2 BR s from $1,750. Tim Heath, The Homefinder, Licensed Real Estate Agent. Call or Text 917-6592944. Bohemia Realty Group, 2101 Frederick Douglass Blvd, NY, NY 10026

REAL ESTATE - SALE

Sebastian, Florida Beautiful 55+ manufactured home community. 4.4 miles to the beach, 2 miles to the riverfront district. Homes starting at $39,000. 772-581-0080, www.beach-cove.com. TROUT STREAM BARGAIN. 5.4 acres, $49,900. Was $199,900. Bank ordered sale. Beautiful Bethel NY. Near Woodstock site. 85 miles from Manhattan. Assorted hardwoods, approved building site, underground utilities, across from lake, walk to Performing Arts Center, financing. Call 877-8361820. NEW YORK LAND, RIVERS & CAMP BARGAINS 8.4 Acres w/ New Cabin & Access to Fish Creek River: $29,995 34 Acres Cherry Forest & Access to Little Salmon River: $49,995 27 Acres, Mohawk River Frontage: $49,900 We Finance Land! Call Christmas & Associates: 800-229-7843. Or Visit: landandcamps.com Owner/Broker SERVICES OFFERED

GLENWOOD - Manhattan’s Finest Luxury Rentals Uptown office 212-535-0500 Downtown office 212-4305900. glenwoodNYC.com

CARMEL Car & Limousine Service To JFK… $52 To Newark… $51 To LaGuardia… $34 1-212-666-6666 Toll Free 1-800-9-Carmel

Now Leasing! SHARED OFFICES Park Avenue 212-231-8500 www.410park.com

Frank E. Campbell The Funeral Chapel Known for excellence since 1898 - 1076 Madison Ave, at 81st St., 212-288-3500

OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND. Best selection of affordable rentals. Full/ partial weeks. Call for FREE brochure. Open daily. Holiday Real Estate. 1800-638-2102. Online reservations: www.holidayoc.com PRIME VACATION OPPORTUNIT Y. !!!$1 50/NIGHT. PRIVATE, Spectacular Lakefront setting MID-COAST MAINE. 1 BR, Sleeps 4. Swim, Boat, Fish, Hike or Just Relax. highfields@tidewater.net; 207-7852851; toll-free 844-785-2851 REAL ESTATE - SALE

Victor Ferrer , Licensed Real Estate Agent, Douglas Elliman Real Estate. 347-573-3882 / 212-712-6083 - victor.ferrer@ elliman.com Delaware’s Resort Living Without Resort Pricing! Low Taxes! Gated Community, Close to Beaches, Amazing Amenities, Olympic Pool. New Homes from $80’s! Brochures available 1-866-629-0770 or www.coolbranch.com.

instagram.com/sharimelisa housecalls/events hair stylist text 347.243.3170 to reserve VACATIONS

Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises HIDDEN HARBOR TOURS For tix, visit: www.circleline42.com/hiddenharbor or call 1-855-382-0397 Dutchess County Tourism Make plans for an easy weekend escape at www.DutchessTourism.com, 800-445-3131 Interlaken Inn A resort getaway in the hills of CT. Lodging, Dining, Spa and More! 800-222-2909 www.InterlakenInn.com WANTED TO BUY

ANTIQUES WANTED Top Prices Paid. Chinese Objects, Paintings, Jewelry, Silver, Etc. Entire Estates Purchased. 800530-0006. CASH for Coins! Buying ALL Gold & Silver. Also Stamps & Paper Money, Entire Collections, Estates. Travel to your home. Call Marc in NY 1-800959-3419

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Our Town JUNE 26, 2014

COME HOME TO GLENWOOD

MANHATTAN’S FINEST LUXURY RENTALS

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GLENWOODNYC.COM

Builder | Owner | Manager

Equal Housing Opportunity.

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