Our Town August 14th, 2014

Page 1

The local paper for the Upper er East Side A VOICE V THAT HEALS <Q&A, P. 21 <Q&

WEEK OF AUGUST

14 2014

OURTOWNNY.COM

OurTownEastSide @OurTownNYC

Summer in the City

FACING OFF IN ASSEMBLY RACE

ASSEMBLYMAN JOINS EAST SIDE LAW FIRM Assemblyman Dan Quart has joined the law firm of Gonzalez, Saggio and Harlan, LLP, which represents governmental entities and individuals in litigation, employment, environmental, corporate, energy, and education law. Quart represents the 73rd Assembly District on the Upper East Side and is a member of the Assembly’s Insurance, Judiciary and Corporations Committees. Since 2002, Quart has served as a volunteer for the Housing Division of the Legal Aid Society, providing free representation for low-income tenants in eviction proceedings. In 2003, New York State Chief Judge Judith Kaye awarded him the Pro Bono Publico Award as one of New York City’s top pro bono attorneys.

POLITICS Assembly candidates on the Upper East Side debate one another at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS

UPPER EAST SIDE Our Town and Citizens Union joined forces Monday to host a Democratic Primary debate for residents in the 76th Assembly District on the Upper East Side. The event drew a sizeable crowd, exceeding the capacity of the auditorium at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House on East 70th St., where the debate was held. Residents in the district – where any candidate needs to take an almost default stance on certain issues in order to be viable – were curious to see how the four Democrats would distinguish themselves. All are opposed to the marine transfer station, and all talked about the need to keep seniors on fixed incomes in their homes. They all agreed that campaign finance reform would be a priority if elected to Albany, and that the district needs more schools. But different issues appeared to be closer to different candidates. For Gus Christensen, an ex-Wall Streeter turned progressive, closing the income gap was high up on his list. This includes, he said, raising the minimum wage and creating a more progressive tax code. “These are the things that drove me to public service and the things I want to work on in Albany,” said Christensen. Ed Hartzog, a lawyer and two-term Community Board 8 member, brought almost every issue in the district back to the need for campaign finance reform. “We need to get money out of [elections], that’s the root of the problem.” Hartzog also talked about the need to take on big projects in the district, like finishing the East River Esplanade, and increasing the amount of green space. David Menegon, an Army veteran and Xerox executive, said in the short CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

In Brief

SECOND AVE. SUBWAY GETS PHASE 2 FUNDING

AN AFTERNOON OF MEMORIES, VIA THE 4 TRAIN BY LENORE SKOMAL The Bronx Bombers drew two fresh fan faces at a recent afternoon game, thanks to a promise my husband and I made to my sister, their mother, to create memories, not wrapping paper waste, this past birthday season. The boys, age 9 and 10, still live in the wondrous world where they’re the only inhabitants, visited inconveniently by adults. Patience is non-existent at that age—the magical belief is that everything should unfold at the asking.

After what truly did feel like a decade-long Metro-North ride into the city from Connecticut, but was really an hour and a half, the 4 train to Yankee Stadium provided a much-needed change of scenery. The few times we’ve taken the subway with these kids, novelty prompts them to treat the stanchions like stripper poles— amusing some straphangers and clearly annoying others. The zombie majority, however, ears cupped with headphones attached via umbilical cords to smartphones, stare blankly at some curious point in the distance, oblivious to the boys’

attempts to shimmy up the poles. Luckily, the press of the other packed Yankee-capped sardines forced them to stay stick still and plant all feet on the floor so I didn’t have to nail them there. While these athletic boys have boundless energy, the one activity they hate more than waiting is walking. I was reminded on this subway trip, in a reprimanding tone, of the afternoon I forcemarched them from the east side of Central Park to the west. “We don’t want to have to walk 10 miles

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

MTA chairman and CEO Tom Prendergast said at a state assembly hearing last week that the transit agency plans to include funding for the second phase of the Second Avenue Subway construction in its upcoming fiveyear capital plan, the blog Second Avenue Sagas reported. Prendergast reportedly stated that the MTA will allocate $1.5 billion in its 2015-2019 plan for construction of Phase 2 of the subway line. This accounts for about a third of the estimated cost, and the federal government is expected to contribute a majority of the rest of the expected budget. The second phase of the massive project will connect the Q train to the Lexington Avenue line and MetroNorth at 125th Street. Jewish women and girls light Shabbat candles every Friday evening 18 minutes before sunset. Friday August 15 – 7:35 p For more information visit www.chabaduppereastside.com.

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Our Town AUGUST 14, 2014

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS CHECK PROTESTERS ARRESTED AFTER BLOCKING M.T.S. CONSTRUCTION SITE Three protesters, all part of a group of dozens of activists, were arrested after blocking the entrance to the construction site where the city is building a controversial trash station, according to DNAinfo. The protesters, who gathered outside of the Marine Transfer Station site at 91st St and

York Avenue, object to the building of a trash facility in a residential area. Drawing complaints about a recent accident at the nearby Asphalt Green athletic complex, where a jackhammer chisel smashed through a window and injured an employee, the protesters claim that such a facility especially does not belong in an area where children play. The anti-MTS groups say that they will continue to hold protests at the site throughout the month. DNAinfo.com

QATAR REAL ESTATE DEAL FALLS THROUGH The Real Deal reported that Qatar has walked away from a $90 million purchase of a townhouse at 19 East 64th Street. The Middle Eastern country entered into contract in January and the closing was to take place in late June. When July came around, the attorneys representing Qatar stated that Jane Foss, a Yorkville resident, retired community health nurse and tenant leader, was arrested last week as part of a planned act of civil disobedience, protesting against the East 91st Street marine trash transfer station. Photo courtesy of Pledge 2 Protect

occupancy issues were the cause for delay. The townhouse was being used as an art gallery by prominent art dealers, the Wildensteins, who have since vacated. No reasons have been released yet as to why the deal fell through. Had the deal been made, it would have set a record as the City of New York’s costliest commercial townhouse sale. The Real Deal

U.E.S. MOTHER ADMITS TO ABANDONING CHILD ON STREET CORNER According to NY Daily News, a Manhattan woman dumped her 8-yearold son on an Upper East Side corner with the full intent to abandon the child. Natasha Harrow, a resident of E. 93rd St, left her son, Elijah, on 96th Street and Second Avenue with $4 in his pocket. For two hours, Elijah wandered the streets, waiting for his mother to return, before kind passersby spotted the distressed boy. Two weeks later, the mother was apprehended by police, and is now being held on $3,500 bail on Rikers Island. NY Daily News

PRINCESS FIGHTS TO KEEP APARTMENT An Afghan princess is fighting to keep her rent-controlled apartment, reported Business Insider. Her Imperial Highness

Zeynep Osman, the niece of the last king of Afghanistan, lives in a Lexington Avenue walk-up between East 73rd and East 74th Streets, which her late husband first rented in 1945 when he was exiled. Princess Zeynep has lived in the apartment for 20 years and pays $390 a month. When her building was sold in 2011, however, she learned that her new landlord, Avi Dishi, was planning to evict her. Currently Zeynep and Dishi are embroiled in a legal battle to determine whether or not she is entitled to the apartment. Business Insider

EAST SIDE MAN JUMPS TO HIS DEATH The Daily News reports that an unidentified man leapt from his apartment on the 40th floor of a building on the corner of E. 93rd St. and Second Ave. The man had apparently been teetering on the edge of the building as horrified witnesses tried to flag down nearby cops, shouting, “He’s gonna jump!” As soon as more cops arrived on the scene, however, the man immediately jumped, falling with a hard crash to his death as onlookers screamed. The building’s doorman claimed to have just spoken to the man the day before, and was shocked to learn that the supposedly cheerful resident had committed suicide. NY Daily News

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AUGUST 14, 2014 Our Town

CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG TEXTER TESTED

CITI STRIKE

FAKE TAKE

A thief made off with a woman’s cell phone. At 9:20 PM on Sunday, August 10, a 21-year-old woman was standing outside her building on 94th Street between Lexington and Park Avenues texting on her cell phone. Suddenly, a man walked up, grabbed the phone, and ed eastbound. The stolen cell was an iPhone of unspeciďŹ ed value.

A man was arrested for stealing a Citi Bike. At 2:40 AM on Sunday, August 10, a man took a Citi Bike from the stand at 86th Street and Second Avenue without permission or authorization. Police were standing by, however, and the man was arrested and charged with grand larceny. Each Citi Bike is valued at $1,200.

Someone wrote a fraudulent check against a senior’s bank account. At 12 noon on Friday, August 8, a 70-year-old woman living on the Upper East Side received a phone call from her bank stating that someone had written a check against her account in the amount of $5,800. Police said they are still investigating the matter.

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Cuomo signs law lowering NYC speed limit to 25

ONLINE AND UNDERHANDED

19TH PRECINCT Report covering the week 7/28/2014 through 8/3/2014 Week to Date

Year to Date

2014 2013 % Change

2014 2013 % Change

Murder

0

0

n/a

0

0

n/a

Rape

0

0

n/a

7

5

40

Robbery

0

2

-100

51

66

-22.7

Felony Assault

0

2

-100

60

64

-6.2

Burglary

9

5

80

118

119

-0.8

Grand Larceny

21

40

-47.5

739

903

-18.2

Grand Larceny Auto

2

4

-50

46

33

39.4

Unauthorized withdrawals were made from a man’s online bank account. At 2 PM on Thursday, August 7, a man was checking his online banking account statement when he discovered that two unauthorized withdrawals totaling $10,400 had been made on two separate occasions. The situation is under investigation. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation to lower New York City’s speed limit from 30 mph to 25 mph, saying slowing down will cut down on pedestrian and motorist deaths. The new limit is expected to go into effect in three months, once the city approves its own law formalizing it. Photo via Governor Cuomo’s Flickr

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Our Town AUGUST 14, 2014

Useful Contacts POLICE NYPD 19th Precinct

153 E. 67th St.

212-452-0600

FDNY 22 Ladder Co 13

159 E. 85th St.

311

FDNY Engine 39/Ladder 16

157 E. 67th St.

311

FDNY Engine 53/Ladder 43

1836 2nd Ave.

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311

The debate among the candidates for state assembly.

ASSEMBLY RACE FACE OFF CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

FIRE

CITY COUNCIL Councilmember Daniel Garodnick

211 E. 43rd St. #1205

212-818-0580

Councilmember Ben Kallos

244 E. 93rd St.

212-860-1950

1916 Park Avenue #202

212-828-5829

State Senator Liz Krueger

1850 2nd Ave.

212-490-9535

Assembly Member Dan Quart

360 E. 57th St.

212-605-0937

COMMUNITY BOARD 8

505 Park Ave. #620

212-758-4340

222 E. 79th St.

212-744-5824

96th Street

112 E. 96th St.

212-289-0908

67th Street

328 E. 67th St.

212-734-1717

Webster Library

1465 York Avenue

212-288-5049

Lenox Hill

100 E. 77th St.

212-434-2000

NY-Presbyterian / Weill Cornell

525 E. 68th St.

212-746-5454

Mount Sinai

E. 99th St. & Madison Ave.

212-241-6500

NYU Langone

550 1st Ave.

212-263-7300

CON EDISON

4 Irving Place

212-460-4600

US Post Office

1283 1st Ave.

212-517-8361

US Post Office

1617 3rd Ave.

212-369-2747

STATE LEGISLATORS State Sen. Jose M. Serrano

LIBRARIES Yorkville

HOSPITALS

POST OFFICES

term that he’d focus on keeping seniors in their homes and raising the income ceiling for the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption. He supports Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan to create and preserve 200,000 units of affordable housing over the next decade. Menegon would like to see a 50/30/20 split on new development in the district, with 50 percent of new units rented at market rate, 30 percent for middle-income New Yorkers, and the remaining 20 percent for low-income tenants. Rebecca Seawright, who touted her many endorsements from the likes of State Senator Liz Krueger and Borough President Gale Brewer, said she’d focus on the district’s school overcrowding problem. “What distinguishes me is I’m the only candidate who’s raised her children through the public school system,� said Seawright. When asked how she would use the state’s expected budget surplus, Seawright said she’d work to create more schools on Roosevelt Island and the Upper East Side. All of the the candidates were in favor of keeping horse carriages in Central Park and all were in favor of more bike lanes

SUMMER IN THE CITY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 212-868-0190 nyoffice@strausnews.com ourtownny.com

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PREVIOUS OWNERS HAVE INCLUDED: Tom Allon, Isis Ventures, Ed Kayatt, Russ Smith, Bob Trentlyon, Jerry Finkelstein

But Seawright found herself in the hot seat when Menegon criticized her for her spotty attendance record as a member of Community Board 8. “Can you guarantee us a 100 percent attendance record in Albany?� said Menegon. Of her five absences in 14 meetings last year, Seawright said she was raising two children and taking care of her mother, who broke her ankle. As reported in Our Town, Seawright has missed four out of ten CB 8 meetings this year from January to June. Menegon also criticized her for falling back a few too many

times during the debate on her endorsements, but said she did earn a lot of them. “There will be two more by the end of the night,� he quipped. When given a chance to question Menegon, Hartzog asked who he would support if he wasn’t a candidate. Menegon, as it turns out, said he would give his vote to Hartzog. Finally, the public got in some jabs of their own, with one audience member asking all the candidates to “please stop calling us at home.�

today like we did that day.� To set things straight: It was less than a 40-minute walk. I as-

sured them we would be mere steps to Gate 8. Getting to the Big Ballpark in the Bronx when it opens is a planned thing for most attendees. Our goal: to walk through Monument Park and/or the Yankees Museum before either line snaked around the entire stadium. Given the boys’ mystical ability to make ďŹ ve minutes feel like an hour, we opted for the museum, since we were assured that the line of 20 or so fans in front of us would move quickly. This is where they failed their second test at whether they have what it takes to be New Yorkers—the ability to wait in line. Their failure was punctuated by constant time checks, loud complaints about aching joints and boredom, collapsing on the ďŹ lthy ground with heads cradled in hands, and acid reminders of how they’d suffered enough by walking one block. But once inside, 20 minutes later, all was forgotten when they became engrossed in the wall of autographed baseballs. The game against powerhouse Detroit rippled with suspense, thanks to the Yan-

kees scanty, nail-biting 1-0 lead. Fueled by chicken tenders, fries and waffle cones, the boys’ enthusiasm never waned, even when they realized they wouldn’t get to see their favorite players take the ďŹ eld— Mark Teixeira was recovering from a hand injury and captain Derek Jeter was resting from the game the day before because, as the boys put it, “he’s old.â€? (Jeter, for the record, just turned 40.) By nature, I’m not a souvenir stalker, but the boys are. We spent careful time and consideration before, after and during the game checking stores surrounding the stadium as well as the kiosks inside where, to their amazement, the price of a jersey quadrupled. After settling on a pennant and autographed, framed photo of Methuselah Jeter, we headed home, the train ride blissfully quick, thanks to the intoxicating potion of an exhilarating day and exhausted boys. Lenore Skomal is the awardwinning author of 17 books. She can be reached via her website, www.lenoreskomal.net.

German

Children

for

HOW TO REACH US:

on the Upper East Side, albeit with stricter enforcement. All the candidates are in favor of legalizing marijuana. Some sparks flew, too, such as when Seawright grilled Christensen on how he came to be president of the Lenox Hill Democratic Club. She cited a Daily News article that revealed he bought memberships for 180 friends and family members, thereby securing his election as president. Christensen didn’t deny the charges, but said he built up a wide base of support before the move and followed all the club’s rules.

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The primary vote will be held on September 9. For voter information,

AUGUST 14, 2014 Our Town

We Chose CUNY! NT STUDE

ht g i r b l u F lar Schona Wahab Madniter College Hu

More Award Winners Than Ever

TY FACUL

ht g i r b l u F lar Scho DiSalvo DanyieCol llege Cit

A record 22 City University of New York students, plus 14 faculty members, received highly esteemed Fulbright Program grants this past year for research and teaching abroad. Fulbright winners share their knowledge, skills and cultural perspectives and return home enriched for further study, service and advancement. — James B. Milliken, Chancellor

cuny.edu/awardwinners

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Our Town AUGUST 14, 2014

dirt presents ne’s dirmtagazi

See What’s GROWING UpState!

Central Park

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE PARK?

TAKE DIRT MAGAZINE’S KITCHEN GARDEN TOUR!

LEARN ITALIAN ON A GONDOLA RIDE

September 7th 2014 10am - 5pm

Sip Italian wine while gliding through Central Park on a 1- hour authentic Venetian Gondola ride and enjoy an Italian lesson from a native Italian instructor! Email info@centralpark.com for details.

Reception to follow at Mohawk House, Sparta, NJ

RESTAURANT

BIG CITY TASTE IN A COUNTRY ESTATE

Enjoy locally sourced beer, wine & hors d’oeuvres made with ingredients from local farms. Experience up to 20 unique and creative vegetable gardens in Orange County, NY and Sussex County, NJ. Meet the gardeners & learn different techniques.

Buy Your Tickets Today! Early Bird Special Purchase before August 30 $20 (after August 30 $25)

Kids Under 16 $10 Purchase online at www.kitchengardentours.com

CLOTHING & TEXTILES a t GR E EN M A RK E T

82nd Street Greenmarket Saturdays, 9am–2pm, 82nd St b/t 1st & York

92nd Street Greenmarket Sundays, 9am–1pm, 92nd St & 1st Ave

We accept clean and dry textiles like clothing, paired shoes, coats, linens, scarves, hats, bags and belts. Materials will be sorted for reuse or recycling.

www.GrowNYC.org/clothing 212.788.7964 GrowNYC’s Office of Recycling Outreach and Education is a NYC Department of Sanitation funded program

CENTRAL PARK FILM FESTIVAL 2014 marks the 12th annual Central Park Film Festival. This year, the theme is “Scenes from our City.” This event is free to the public. Rain or shine! August 18 - August 22

Gates open at 6:30PM Screenings start at 8PM www.centralpark.com/ guide/activities

BIRDS IN CENTRAL PARK Ripe elderberries of summer attracted grey catbirds, who have a diet that consists of about 50% berries. Come see for yourself on a bird walk with Birding Bob! More info at www.birdingbob.com.

AUGUST FLOWER IN THE SPOTLIGHT: WATER LILIES Search for the bold pink blooms of water lilies standing out in the dark green waters.

COMING UP THIS WEEK FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE ON GMA

SUMMERSTAGE PRESENTS

Aug 15 at 6AM. Concert airs live from 7-9AM. Part of ABC’s Good Morning America Friday Summer Concert Series. Rumsey Playfield - entrance at E. 69th St. and Fifth Ave. www.centralpark.com/ events

Blood Orange with guests Moses Sumney/Sean Nicholas Savage, Aug 16 7-10PM (free show) Musiq Soulchild 6th Annual WBLS R&B Fest, Aug 17 7-10PM (free show) Rumsey Playfield - entrance at E. 69th St. and Fifth Ave. www.centralpark.com/ events

WHERE IN CENTRAL PARK?

These unique flowers bloom all the way into October so there’s still plenty of time to check them out on your next stroll through the Conservatory Garden, or make a virtual bouquet for someone special at: www.centralpark. com/virtual-bouquet/create. Photo of a Water Lily by NYCRobyn

THE YOGA TRAIL IN CENTRAL PARK Yoga 101: Mon & Wed 6:30PM, Sat 10:30AM Yoga 102: Tue & Thu 6:30PM, Sun 10:30AM Open air yoga on the grass. Reservations required. www.centralpark.com/yoga

Event listings and Where in Central Park? brought to you by CentralPark.com.

Do you know where in Central Park this photo was taken? To submit your answer, go to www.centralpark. com/where-incentral-park. The answers and names of the people who guessed right will appear in next week’s paper and online.

LAST WEEK’S ANSWER The Three Dancing Maidens are at the center of the Untermyer Fountain located in the English Garden section of the Conservatory Gardens. Congratulations to Ravi Rozdon, Hernan Cortes, Bill Ferrarini and Delores Ciarrochi for answering correctly!

AUGUST 14, 2014 Our Town

PARENTS SHOULD READ TO KIDS DAILY HEALTH A pediatric groups says the practice should begin in infancy to prepare kids for school and life BY DENNIS THOMPSON

All pediatricians should encourage parents to read out loud to their children every day, beginning in infancy, to promote literacy and strengthen family ties. That clarion call comes in a new policy statement issued in June by the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Council on Early Childhood. The aim of the recommen-

dation is to help parents “immunize their children against illiteracy,” said statement author Dr. Pamela High, director of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Providence, R.I., and a professor at Brown University. In fact, literacy promotion should be part of residency training for any medical student entering pediatrics, the policy statement added. “This is the first time the AAP has called out literacy promotion as being an essential component of primary care pediatric practice,” High said. “Fewer than half of children are being read to every day by their families, and that number hasn’t re-

ally changed since 2003. It’s a public health message to parents of all income groups, that this early shared reading is both fun and rewarding.” The stakes are high. Every year, more than one of every three American children start kindergarten without the language skills they need to learn to read, a disadvantage from which it is hard to recover, High noted. Reading proficiency by the third grade turns out to be the most important predictor of whether children will graduate high school and be successful in their careers, she said. About two-thirds of children in the United States and about 80 percent of those below the poverty threshold fail to develop reading proficiency by the end of the third grade. The policy statement asks pediatricians to counsel parents about “developmentally appropriate reading activities that are enjoyable for the child and the parents and offer languagerich exposure to books and pictures and the written word.” The statement will be published in the August print issue of Pediatrics.

parents have a leg up when it comes to literacy, High said. Reading can provide even infants with spoken words and sounds that form the basis of future language and literacy development. Children whose parents don’t read to them “hear fewer words and know fewer words. They have fewer literacy resources in the home,” she said. “In children with stronger reading abilities, you will learn that their parents started reading to them at a younger age.” Parents reading to their young children also creates a nurturing experience that promotes social and emotional development during a critical period of early development, the statement reads. “It really is evidence-based that we’re going to have several benefits of daily reading from infancy on. It stimulates brain development, and there’s no question their speech/language development will be enhanced,” said Dr. Peter Richel, chief of pediatrics at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, N.Y. “It also enriches the family experience, and contributes to social/emotional development.”

An enriching experience Research has found that children who are read to by their

Impoverished kids read less Poverty makes a difference in

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Every year, more than one of every three American children start kindergarten without the language skills they need to learn to read, a disadvantage from which it is hard to recover. parents’ reading to kids, and the policy statement encourages state and federal funding for children’s books to be provided to parents at or near the poverty line. About 34 percent of children age 5 and younger in families living below the poverty line are read to daily, compared to 60 percent of kids in families living 400 percent or more above the poverty line, High said. Parents should keep reading to their children for as long as their kids show an interest, she said. “My personal choice about that was I kept reading to my kids until they were 10 or 11,” High said, noting that as kids grow older parents can help improve reading comprehen-

sion by having deeper discussions about each book. Richel agreed, but added that parents should make sure they don’t force reading upon an uninterested teen. “When they are reading, some kids want to have every book in the world, while others want to pick up every piece of athletic equipment they see and aren’t really in love with reading,” he said. “I would make reading part of the routine as long as it lasts. When there’s the eye roll, you don’t want to be counterproductive, so you never force.” For more on reading to your child, visit Reading Is Fundamental (rif. org) Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: healthfinder.gov.

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Our Town AUGUST 14, 2014

< SAVING A RELIC OF OLD NEW YORK Regarding the renovations underway at Dunkin’ Donuts at 66th Street and First Avenue. I have always been impressed that the ownership has kept the old ‘Peppermint Park’ mossaic on the doorstep. The sign is now threatened with extinction. I asked one of the

Feedback BIG COMPANIES ABSENT FROM TIMES SQUARE CHARACTER DISPUTES

Voices

contractors if they planned to do away with it, and he replied “Yes, because the tile’s missing.” He was very receptive to hear history of the old PP, a place dear to many New Yorkers’ palates: one of the only places of its era to enjoy a dessert-only menu. I reminded him of the

nostalgia value and to make sure the landlord knows of its planned demise. Let’s hope neighborhood nostalgia survives the “upgrade.” David Wilder, E. 65th Street

ECHOES OF WAR ON THE EAST SIDE BY MAXINE DOVERE

Re “Ticket Me Elmo? City Mulls Law For Impersonators,” (August 7, 2014) it occurs to me that all of these characters are under trademark by some pretty big and powerful companies, including Disney and Marvel. Where are they in all this? After all, it only takes one profanity-using Elmo or cop-punching Spiderman – and the ensuing “bad press” – to tarnish the image of a character into which these companies have poured billions of dollars. It seems to me that Disney et al could easily put the kibosh on this practice by simply refusing to allow the use of their trademarked images in this fashion, unless specifically licensed by them. Why have we heard nothing from them? Ian Alterman, Upper West Side

It is August 9, the fifth Sabbath since Israel’s Operation Protective Edge began, and Azi Schwartz, the hazzan (cantor) of the Park Avenue Synagogue, stood before the congregation and gave voice to traditional Jewish prayers for shalom - peace. Schwartz has been part of the Upper East Side community for almost a decade. “It’s very difficult to be here and listen to what’s going on in Israel,” Schwartz said. “My nephew has been in Gaza for the last month, and one of my best friends is an officer. Communication is difficult. We message through another friend, so we do hear from him. Cell phones are off.” Like many with connections to the Middle East, Schwartz and his wife Noa, a doctor and reserve officer, are “monitoring the news all the time. Every time we hear about something happening, our hearts stop. It’s difficult and scary.” He is concerned about family members, especially the elderly and the very young. His grandmother, an 86-year-old Holocaust survivor, lives in Ashkelon, a southern Israeli city frequently targeted by Hamas rockets. She has refused to leave

STRAUS MEDIA-MANHATTAN President, Jeanne Straus nyoffice@strausnews.com Group Publisher - Manhattan Vincent A. Gardino advertising@strausnews.com

her own own home, despite its lack of a safe room. “It’s very difficult for her to walk,” notes the cantor. “Everyone feels the fear of war in a different way.” “There is not much we can do from here, other than pray for our families,” said Schwartz, whose family is traveling to Israel next week.

Publisher, Gerry Gavin Associate Publishers, Seth L. Miller, Ceil Ainsworth Sr. Account Executive, Tania Cade

Account Executive Sam R. McCausland Classified Account Executive, Susan Wynn

They will stay with another family near Tel Aviv. “We’ve talked about and explained the sirens as much as possible,” he said. “Our children have lots of cousins. They know exactly what it means.” Telephone contact has become important as East Siders try to stay in touch with family and friends.

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

I am the director of the Friends of the Joseph Bau Museum, a small Tel Aviv institution honoring the works of the artist who worked with Oskar Schindler. The museum is based in an older building near Tel Aviv’s Rothschild Boulevard. The structure has no “safe room” and may are afraid to visit.

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

I make an early-morning call every day. We’re in the midst of planning for a New York exhibit in January with much work to be done. The time difference between New York and Tel Aviv is six hours. But even without an alarm, I am awake at about 4 a.m. every day just to check in.

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

AUGUST 14, 2014 Our Town

YOU READ IT HERE FIRST

My Story

A neighborly welcome to our newest neighbors BY LORRAINE DUFFY MERKL nd they say New Yorkers don’t know their neighbors. I know mine. Allow me to introduce you: Bill, Chirlane, Chiara and Dante. The De Blasios just moved around the corner from me straight from Park Slope, Brooklyn via Italy. I saw a picture of where they lived before, and quite frankly, their new digs are a step up. They relocated on account of Bill’s job. I think he and Chirlane actually work together. They seem like really down to earth people, so they probably think they might not ďŹ t in on the Upper East Side, with its reputation for being the hoity-toity section of the borough. Not to worry. Any pretense that this is the fancy part of town has been totally obliterated by the construction of the Second

A

Avenue subway, which makes the area look like a DMZ. It’s a good thing there’s a Duane Reade on just about every block, so Chirlane can pick up the family pack of earplugs, since the jackhammering can really make you mental after a while. I think it’s actually good that they’ve waited until now to join the neighborhood, so when they walk past all the empty store fronts, they won’t get nostalgic like those of us who’ve been here a while, and say things such as, “Wasn’t that the place that sold pizza for 99 cents?� “Oh, remember that restaurant? They had good grilled chicken.� “I wonder if that paint store opened elsewhere or if they just went out of business.� It can be a little depressing. It’s really great that Bill and his family will be spared that. But let’s focus on the positive: Bill, Chirlane and the kids are housed in Carl Schurz Park, right on the water, where bikers and joggers co-exist with dogs – large and small – and their owners. It’s actually quite tranquil. They’re also across the street from Asphalt Green where kids play ball, and both children and adults can swim in the aquatic center. Soon there’ll be a dump near by, so the surrounding

blocks will be besieged by garbage trucks, vermin, and that pungent smell that can only mean refuse is around. For those of us who own our apartments, this could be a real problem, but lucky for the De Blasios, they’re just renting. I also hear that Bill likes children, especially of the Pre-K variety, and animals, too; hence he won’t be taking any horse-drawn carriage rides in Central Park. I’m sure we’ll get the lowdown on what’s up with him, when we bump into the family at the popular local haunts like the Mansion Restaurant on York and 86th Street or the Mega Gristedes on 86th between First and Second. Perhaps they’ll stop and chat while buying fruit at You Don’t Know Nothin’ Produce, or while getting a Slurpee at 7/Eleven, both on York and 84th. They’re sure to be getting a slice from Arturo’s on York and 85th or a cuppa Joe from Starbucks, probably the one on First and 91st. But that’s all after they get a proper welcome. Anyone want to go in on a muffin basket? Lorraine Duffy Merkl is a freelance writer in NYC, and the author of the novels “Back to Work She Goes� and “Fat Chick�

The local paper for the Upper West Side

SOUP BURG CLOSED AFTER RENT INCREASE SAVING SMALL BUSINESS Venerable Upper East Side restaurant to be replaced by a TD Bank branch BY CATHERINE ELLSBERG

Soup Burg has served up its last bowl. The restaurant, which had called its Lexington Ave. and 77th Street location home for the past 10 years, was ďŹ nally forced to call it quits June 29 after the building’s landlord tried to raise the rent exponentially. Unable to pay the higher rent, Soup Burg’s owner, Jimmy Gouvakis, had to make the difficult decision to close the restaurant—a family-owned business since 1963—to make way for the building’s new tenant, TD Bank. Gouvakis has had the difficult news hanging over him since April; since then, his customers have showered him with support -- as well as a healthy dose of outrage. Many neighborhood fans and long-time customers see the closing of Soup Burg as part of a sad, and larger, epidemic—the ousting of small businesses, and the rampant excess of banks and chain stores that replace them. Nikki Henkin, who lives above the Soup Burg and who has been a devoted customer from the beginning, described the restaurant as a favorite local hangout. Located directly across the street from Lenox Hill Hospital, Soup Burg has long “served a neighborhood function,â€? says Henkin, catering to the hospital staff, neighborhood doormen, and “just people.â€? The restaurant, which was open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., represented a neighborhood spirit for many people, including Henkin, who describes such small restaurants as “(necessities) in every community.â€? Other Soup Burg patrons have taken the restaurant’s closing as a particular blow and, to a degree, a sign of a wider decay:

“How far can we go with this? Are we just going to end up with a lot of banks?� added Henkin. Joie Anderson, another local devotee, chastises Mayor de Blasio, who in her eyes has allowed everything to “turn into a Duane Reade and a TD Bank.� For Anderson, these “mom and pop stores give character� to the area, and are welcome remedies to the ubiquitous Starbucks or Panera chains. At places like Starbucks, Anderson complains, there are different workers there every time you visit; Soup Burg, on the other hand, promises personalized attention, regularity, and consistency. “You go into Soup Burg and they act like you’re their favorite customer,� Anderson says, noting that such local joints keep “New York from being a suburban shopping mall.� But as angry as Henkin, Anderson, and a slew of other customers are, Gouvakis, has

been equal parts levelheaded and nostalgic. Recognizing that “a lot of people are upset,â€? Gouvakis acknowledged that this is “all part of business; it’s nothing personal against us.â€? Gouvakis, who owns Soup Burg with his two partners—his brother John and his brother-in-law Timmy— plans on relocating to somewhere else on the Upper East Side, an area they love and are now long familiar with. In the meantime, Gouvakis spent Soup Burg’s ďŹ nal day serving up last meals, to people and dogs alike. Joking that in his next life he’d “rather live with dogs than most humans,â€? Gouvakis has been known to hand out bits of ham to neighborhood pets. Gouvakis also made one of his famous cheeseburgers for his mother. “It was a pleasure being here for ten years,â€? Gouvakis told me: “This was my second family.â€?

July 3, 2014

July 6, 2014

The local paper for the Upper East Side

UPS tells employees to lie, overcharge customers: suit

U.P.S.’S SECRET MANHATTAN PROBLEM One of the Hagan brothers’ 11 Manhattan UPS stores, now closed.

“

Employees in virtually every Manhattan (UPS Store) location were so comfortable with the practice of ‌ lying about expected delivery dates, withholding accurate price quotes and overdimensioning boxes to trigger higher retail billable rates, that they would gladly engage in conversations on the topic.� A former UPS franchisee

BUSINESS A former franchisee accuses the shipping giant of routinely gouging customers throughout the city BY KYLE POPE

Last month, when nearly a dozen UPS Stores across the city closed down in a single day, the initial focus was on the customers put out by the shutdown: dozens of people found themselves unable to access their rented mailboxes, while others complained of packages lost in the The UPS Store believes shuffle. On the West Side, a blog surfaced the allegations made against to swap information about the fate of a store on West 57th Street. it and UPS ... to be false. What none of these customers knew at The UPS Store customer service team is doing all we the time, though, was that they had uncan to assure the customers wittingly become part of a much bigger in the Manhattan store area – and at times bizarre – dispute involving affected are taken care of� the franchisee who until the shutdowns

“

What can Brown screw from you? Two former UPS franchisees accuse the worldwide delivery service of telling employees to lie about the size and weight of packages in order to jack up prices on unsuspecting customers. Brothers Robert and Thomas Hagan, who owned and operated 11 UPS stores in Manhattan, claim in a federal lawsuit that a typical scam was to “add inches to the sides of measured boxes,� as well as an “enhanced declared value,� which allowed clerks to charge customers more. For example, a package with a length, width and depth totaling 26 inches would cost $106.85 to overnight from New York to Pittsburgh, but a 29-inch package would cost $117.19. In some cases, customers were overcharged as much as 400 percent, legal papers allege. “It’s pretty ugly,� said Steve Savva, the Hagans’ attorney. “It seems to be systematic, and the customers have no way of knowing.� The Hagans allege in court filings that The UPS Store, a subsidiary of the publicly traded United Parcel Service, was responsible for violating “the covenant of good faith and fair dealing� by: t 5FMMJOH DVTUPNFST UIBU HSPVOE EFMJWFSZ DPVME OPU CF HVBSBOUFFE BOE XPVME take longer than it actually would, in order to entice them to buy expensive, guaranteed air delivery. t $PODFBMJOH UIF DPTU PG DIFBQFS TIJQQJOH TFSWJDFT t $IBSHJOH DVTUPNFST GVFM TVSDIBSHFT GPS BJS EFMJWFSZ FWFO XIFO QBDLBHFT XFSFO U shipped by plane but by truck. Videotapes offered as evidence show UPS Store employees cheating customers,

UPS, and their right to operate a UPS store was revoked. But, in an effort to clear their name, the Hagans have ďŹ led an extraordinary claim against UPS in Federal Court that lays out, over 200 detailed pages, what they say is a systemic effort by UPS to rip off its Manhattan customers. The Hagans, UPS franchise owners since 2008 whose business grossed $6 million a year at its peak, even brought in a private investigator to secretly document the abuses they say occur at every UPS store in the city. Among their claims: Customers are routinely duped into paying more than necessary for shipping Employees are encouraged to lie about the weight and dimensions of packages to result in a higher bill Customers are told that one method of shipping is the cheapest, when often it is not The Hagans, in their lawsuit, says the deception is so widespread at UPS in

May 1, 2014

May 11, 2014

The local paper for Downtown

12

Our Town MAY 8, 2014

From Vandals to Artists: Time Rouses More Appreciation for Graffiti

THESE WALLS CAN TALK ART Current exhibits explore NYC streets’ past and present BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO

Last November, one of New York’s most iconic art exhibits was uncermoniously whitewashed. Outdoor art space 5Pointz, a destination in Long Island City where graffiti writers from all over the world came to leave their mark, was covered over with white paint last November at the behest of the building’s owner, Jerry Wolkoff. When the vast walls of colorful graffiti were covered, Long Island City resident Jeffrey Leder took notice. Wolkoff had allowed graffiti writers to legally create work on his property for more than a decade, but now plans to demolish the building and construct residential high-rises after winning legal disputes with the 5Pointz artists. Leder, who operates an art gallery a block away, joined forces with Marie Cecile-Flageul, a member of the 5Pointz community who also manages its press, to curate “Whitewash,� an exhibition responding to the destruction, featuring work by nine artists who once painted at 5Pointz. Included in the exhibit are paintings by Meres One, the longtime curator of 5Pointz as well as prints

Leder about the debut of the exhibit. “It was a celebration 5Pointz of the life of 5Pointz and also showed that there mourning its death.â€? was a need for While “Whitewashâ€? is a di- graffiti culture rect response to the recent as a tourist events at 5Pointz, the Jeffrey destination spot, Leder Gallery is not the only and so therefore local space exploring graf- any gallery or art fiti’s presence in New York institution that City. In February, Museum of can provide people the City of New York opened with their graffiti “City as Canvas,â€? an exhibi- ďŹ x will do so.â€? tion of 1980s graffiti art. City Gregory J. Lore, a non-proďŹ t organiza- Snyder, author tion that preserves and pro- of “Graffiti motes folk and grassroots Lives: Beyond arts movements, opened its the Tag in New new gallery space in April York’s Urban Undergroundâ€? with “Moving Murals,â€? a photographic display of graffiti-covered subway cars shot by photographers Henry Chalfant and Martha Cooper during the 1970s and early 1980s. “Graffiti is so emblematic of the way people can be creative in their own environment,â€? said Steve Zeitlin, founding director of City Lore, who noted that, while graffiti still exists in the city, painted train cars are rare. In August, Gothamist reported that a tagged 4 train was spotted in the Bronx, though Zeitlin said it didn’t stay in public view for very long. “They never make it out of the train yard,â€? Zeitlin said. While graffiti is more policed now than in the 1970s and 1980s, street art has become a more accepted public display in urban areas, thanks in no small part to the international celebrity of clandestine British street artist Banksy, who completed a month-long ‘residency’ on New York City’s streets in October. Gregory J. Snyder, a sociologist and professor at Baruch College whose book “Graffiti Lives: Beyond the Tag in New York’s Urban Undergroundâ€? resulted from a decade of immersive research into graffiti’s subculture, makes a distinction between the two forms. “A lot of what we consider street art was antici

Above, a train mural from the City Lore exhibition. Photo by Henry Chalfant

“

Left, Henry Chalfant and graffiti writer SHARP at the City Lore exhibition opening. Photo by Fernanda Kock

the early 1990s stared deďŹ antly at Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s cleanup efforts. Snyder also acknowledged the open tension between graffiti writers and street artists. “Street artists do not necessarily have to answer for their vandalism the same way that graffiti writers do,â€? he said. “Graffiti is thought to break windows, where street art is just, ‘hey, I’m putting up art.’ So it’s a little bit easier in the public mind to be a street artist than to be a grafďŹ ti writer, and I think both of those subcultures like it the way it is.â€? Abby Ronner, director of the City Lore gallery, echoes Snyder’s sentiments. “They’re totally different aesthetics,â€? Ronner said, noting that the City Lore exhibit explores an era when graffiti was transitioning from pure vandalism to legitimate expression in the art world’s view. Graffiti’s presence in galleries and museums isn’t new, Snyder said, nor is its alignment with ďŹ ne art. Brooklyn Museum exhibited graffiti in 2006 and included some of the same artists as the Museum of the City of New York show which

sent artists rooted in graffiti and street art. Many artists who were part of graffiti’s halcyon days have gone on to professional art careers, including Barry McGee, also known by his tag name Twist, and Steve Powers, known as ESPO, who are now successful studio artists. Still, Ronner notices a recent uptick in public interest. “In New York City, the cost of living is increasing so signiďŹ cantly and quickly, and there’s so much commercial development,â€? said Ronner. “A lot of people feel New York is being lost. The very deďŹ nition of New York and the character of it are lost. People are seeking old New York City culture.â€? Snyder suggests that Banksy’s mainstream success and the current popularity of street art renewed some interest in graffiti art and its culture, though he wonders if the recent events at 5Pointz affected gallery and museum attention. “Curators have a good sense of the moment,â€? said Snyder, who said that, though 5Pointz became a prestigious space for graffiti writers from all over the world it wasn’t necessarily home to

May 8, 2014

May 13, 2014

FIRST IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD The local paper for the Upper East Side

The local paper for the Upper West Side

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Our Town AUGUST 14, 2014

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GMA SUMMER CONCERT: FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE Rumsey PlayďŹ eld in Central Park (enter at Fifth Avenue and 72nd Street) 7 – 9 a.m.; free The 2014 Summer Concert Series returns for the sixth year to Rumsey PlayďŹ eld in Central Park, home of the SummerStage festival, where music’s biggest names will perform live every Friday. Fans of every genre of music will ďŹ nd a favorite artist in “GMA’sâ€? summer concerts, with music from the worlds of pop, rock, country, alternative, electronic dance music and hiphop. See Florida Georgia Line perform live. Please arrive early. nycgovparks.org

JAMES LEE BYARS “IS, IS, AND OTHERS� Michael Werner Gallery, 4 East 77th Street (btwn Fifth and Madison Avenues) 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.; free For the summer, Michael Werner Gallery, New York is pleased to present Is, Is, and Other Works, an exhibition of sculpture by James Lee Byars. Is, Is, and Other Works presents three late sculptures, which exemplify the artist’s “interrogative philosophy� and the artist’s obsession with “question� as an aesthetic precept. michaelwerner.com

16 ART TREK Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue at East 82nd Street 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.; Pay what you wish ($25 suggested)

Be an art explorer! Take a new voyage around the globe every time you visit the Met. For families with children ages 5–12. This month, explore our theme of People and Places throughout the Museum. metmuseum.org

CENTRAL PARK SUMMERSTAGE: BLOOD ORANGE Rumsey PlayďŹ eld in Central Park, 830 Fifth Avenue 7 p.m.; free SummerStage presents: Blood Orange with guests Moses Sumney / Sean Nicholas Savage. DevontĂŠ (Dev) Hynes is a producer, songwriter, and artist currently based in New York City who also writes music under the moniker of “Blood Orangeâ€?. Moses Sumney is a new LA-based singer and songwriter who creates soulinfused folk tunes using guitar and layered arrangements built on loop pedals. Sean Nicholas Savage is a Canadian Singer and Ballad Composer. Savage touches always on a theory or profound observation and comes to at least a suggested point in his pop, drama compositions. Perhaps the pinnacle attractions of his work are these observations, learned wisdoms, the ongoing adventures shaping Savage himself, the Artist, the Performer, the Narrator. Patrons will be admitted ďŹ rst come, ďŹ rst in, until the venue reaches capacity. summerstage.org

17 92ND STREET GREENMARKET First Avenue btwn East 92nd and 93rd Streets 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.; free This seasonal Sunday market on the Upper East Side offers neighborhood residents a convenient location to shop for a selection of vegetables, fruits, baked goods, eggs and locally caught seafood. Community partners The Upper Green Side and Stanley Isaacs Houses help promote the beneďŹ ts of eating fresh, locally grown food and provide additional environmental information and activities at the market.

grownyc.org

JEFF KOONS; A RETROSPECTIVE FOURTH FLOOR TOUR

Whitney Museum of American Art, 945 Madison Avenue (at East 57th Street) 3:30 p.m.; free with admission ($20) Comprising almost 150 objects dating from 1978 to the present, this exhibition will be the most comprehensive ever devoted to the artist’s groundbreaking oeuvre. Reservations are not necessary. whitney.org

18 PALACES FOR THE PEOPLE Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Avenue (btwn East 103rd and 104th Streets) 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Pay what you wish ($10 suggested) Throughout the ďŹ ve boroughs are more than 200 long-overlooked marvels of engineering and architectural beauty—the interlocking tile vaults built by Spanish immigrants Rafael Guastavino, Sr. (1842-1908), and his son, Rafael Jr. (1872-1950). The system of structural tile vaults developed by the Guastavinos—lightweight, ďŹ reproof, low-maintenance, and capable of supporting signiďŹ cant loads—was used by leading architects of the day. Palaces for the People: Guastavino and the Art of Structural Tile is a major exhibition exploring the innovations the Guastavino Fireproof Construction Company (1889-1962) brought to the science and art of building. mcny.org

MOVIES ON MONDAYS 67th Street Library, 328 East 67th Street (btwn Second and First Avenues) 3 p.m.; free Showing Sony Pictures’ “Hotel Transylvaniaâ€?. Welcome to Hotel Transylvania, Dracula’s lavish ďŹ ve-stake resort where monsters and their families can live it up and no humans are allowed. One special weekend Dracula (Adam Sandler) has

AUGUST 14, 2014 Our Town

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invited all his best friends Frankenstein and his wife the Mummy the Invisible Man the Werewolf family and more to celebrate his beloved daughter Mavis’s (Selena Gomez) 118th birthday. For Dracula catering to all of these legendary monsters is no problem but the party really starts when one ordinary guy stumbles into the hotel and changes everything! nypl.org

19 KATE ERICSON AND MEL ZIEGLER

top trainers to utilize the Park’s best natural features: rocks, trails, stairs, hills, and gorgeous open lawns. A variety of in-Park classes will help you to maximize your strength and agility, as well as increase exibility and muscle tone. Free. Ages 18+. Classes are drop-in and open to all ďŹ tness levels. Space is limited for each class on a ďŹ rst come, ďŹ rst served basis. MEMBERS: Bring your membership card to each class for guaranteed entry. centralparknyc.org

the Jazz Foundation of America has been keeping jazz and blues alive by helping the musicians who played with everyone from Duke Ellington and Billie Holiday to Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones, providing housing assistance, health care, gigs and emergency ďŹ nancial support in times of crisis. They now assist in more than 5,000 cases a year, including hundreds of musicians and their families affected by Hurricane Sandy in New York as well as those still recovering from Katrina in New Orleans. fairwaymarket.com

20 21

LINKEDIN FOR JOB SEEKERS

Galerie Perrotin, 909 Madison Avenue at 73rd Street 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; free Galerie Perrotin, New York presents iconic works by this collaborative duo, who worked together from the late 70s until Ericson’s premature death in 1995. In addition to such major works as “Peas, Carrots, Potatoes� (1994-1996) and “Give and Take� (1986), a collection of never before exhibited sketches and drawings will be on display. perrotin.com

Barnes and Noble, East 82nd Street and Broadway 7 p.m.; free Model agent and etiquette specialist Wynne Dalley discusses tips for helping teens reach their maximum potential, in the invaluable resource books, Be Cool & ConďŹ dent: A Guide for Guys and Be Cool & ConďŹ dent: A Guide for Girls. barnesandnoble.com

CENTRAL PARK CIRCUIT

LIVE JAZZ PERFORMANCES

East Meadow in Central Park (enter at Fifth Avenue and East 97th Street) 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.; free Reach your ďŹ tness goals in the world’s most beautiful outdoor gym – Central Park! Get ďŹ t with innovative exercises designed by

Fairway Upper West Side CafÊ at 74th Street, 2127 Broadway 7 – 9 p.m.; free We have teamed up with a Jazz foundation to bring you retired artist to play in our 74th Street Store CafÊ. For 25 years,

BE COOL AND CONFIDENT

58th Street Library, 127 East 68th Street (btwn Park and Lexington Avenues) 3 – 5 p.m.; free Learn strategies and tips on how to utilize your LinkedIn account in your job search, including customizing your LinkedIn proďŹ le, strategies for determining LinkedIn groups to join, performing basic and advanced job search using LinkedIn, and more. nypl.org

35 AND UNDER’S DRINK AND DRAW 92Y, Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street 7 p.m.; $25 Ever wanted to expand your drawing skills beyond Etch-ASketch and stick ďŹ gures? Join 92Y’s 35 and Under group and come hang out—you’re bound to create some modern day masterpieces. We provide the model, drinks and materials; you bring your creativity and artistic air! For just $25 you’ll draw like Michelangelo ‌ or at least have fun trying. Ticket price includes two drinks, paper, charcoal, pencils, and two and half hours of guided ďŹ gure drawing. 92y.org

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Our Town AUGUST 14, 2014

Teenage Scenes

Art

Photography contest encourages students to shoot photos -- without a cell phone By Gabrielle Alfiero

The Instagram hashtag #nyc has more than 21.5 million posts and features a range of subjects, from the Statue of Liberty to street buskers to piping hot bowls of ramen, all designed for tagging, liking and social media sharing. But a local business is encouraging teenagers to put down their phones and pick up cameras to capture scenes of the city. H and B Digital, a photography shop on West 46th Street near the Diamond District, recently launched “City Through Your Eyes,” a city-wide student photography contest. Open for entries through September 30, the contest urges students ages 14-21 to submit work representing life in New York. Thus far, the contest has received about 70 submissions, but John Morabito, marketing director for H and B Digital, antici-

pates an influx of entries come September, once students are back at work on school art projects. Young photographers lean toward familiar subject matter, Morabito said; portraits of friends, still lives and street photography from neighborhood blocks aren’t uncommon, though he thinks teenagers are capable of pushing beyond the usual. “I’d always see an elderly person or an older person, or someone from a completely different walk of life that I would never talk to otherwise,” Morabito said about his early days as a photographer, when shooting the unfamiliar was a challenge. “I’d really like to see some of those photos where we can instantly tell where the photographer had to have stepped outside of their comfort zone to take this photo.” For McDonald Layne, a former photography professor at York College in Jamaica, Queens, encouraging his students creatively means getting them away from their myriad devices and screens; he even discourages relying on the monitors on the backs of digital cameras. The contest requires that all submissions be shot on a camera (even a disposable one), printed on photo paper and mailed or delivered to the shop. “I try to get them from in front of the television screen,” said Layne from H and B Digital’s stock room, an organized series of shelves stacked with boxes of digital cameras, lenses and headphones. “Everything is digital. Nobody actually knows how to pick up a pen and paper and write or draw. They don’t do that anymore. Everything is tap, tap, tap. So it’s important for me to teach

children to actually take their hands and their minds and do stuff on paper.” One of Layne’s students has already entered the contest, a 14-year-old named Tiara, whom he taught at Shorehaven Community Center in the Bronx. She captured self-portraits, a black-and-white scene of her young cousins playing at the beach and a still life of her Converse sneakers. Layne taught her about cropping, digital effects in Photoshop and working with manual camera settings, and even helped her set up an art show at Savoy Bakery on 110th Street in East Harlem, where she was taken aback when patrons asked her about her work. “She’s like, ‘What am I supposed to say?’” Layne said. Not all public school students in the city have a mentor like Layne; nearly 30 percent of the city’s public schools are without a full-time arts teacher. Without a course requirement and an instructor’s guidance, Morabito said he may not have picked up a

camera. “In high school I had to take an art class,” Morabito said. “And all the cool kids who I hung out with took photography.” But he got hooked on the art form and spent all his free time in his school’s darkroom developing prints, and went on to study photography in college. The student work will be critiqued by a panel of expert judges, including Luiz C. Ribeiro, a former staff photographer and photo editor for the New York Post. The top three contestants will win a DSLR camera, which Canon donated to the competition. Morabito hopes that the contest will expose the participants to the possibilities of an artistic career or pastime. The winners of the DSLR cameras could book professional event photography jobs with that level of equipment, Morabito and McDonald said, and the contest’s organizers have already scheduled an exhibition of the submitted work for late October in Brooklyn, with 10 more venues interested in showing the prints. “Photography and the arts in general can be utterly transformative for kids,” Morabito said. “Not to be too lofty about this—I don’t know if participating in one photo contest is going to have that transformative effect on them—but you never know, and if it does, that’s awesome. If it plays a part in that overall life-long transformative scheme then I’d be really happy about it.” For more information and to download an entry form, visit http://www.handbdigital.com/info/ City_Through_Your_Eyes

Photography and the arts in general can be utterly transformative for kids.” John Morabito, marketing director at H and B Digital Above: Photo submissions from 14-year-old Tiara, who took shots of her cousins as well as self-portraits and still-life photos.

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AUGUST 14, 2014 Our Town

Prep classes for the entrance examination (SHSAT) for New York City's SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS

FOR THE WEEK BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO

KIDS

PUPPET PRODUCTIONS This family art workshop, presented by Mad. Sq. Kids, teaches crafters of all ages how to build puppets with a range of materials, including wood, clay and cloth. Inspired by Rachel Feinstein’s “Folly,” the current Madison Square Park art installation that includes a series of aluminum sculptures crafted to resemble illustrative theater scenery, the workshop is open to children of all ages. Saturday, August 16 Madison Square Park, northwest lawn Entrances on East 26th Street 10 am to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. FREE

CHUCK BRAMAN JAZZ BAND

“CELEBRITY AUTOBIOGRAPHY”

Chuck Braman’s jazz quintet was birthed by the drummer and bandleader’s desire to perform the widely underappreciated compositions of Texas-born bebop trumpeter Kenny Dorham, which were written in the 1960s and performed by Dorham’s own quintet, co-led by prominent tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson. Braman’s iteration also performs music by Freddie Hubbard, Hank Mobley and Thelonious Monk. Friday, August 15 Pier 45 on the Hudson River (at Christopher Street) 7 p.m. FREE

This ongoing series, which won a 2009 Drama Desk Award, celebrates the at times inherent comedy of the celebrity biography. Actors and comedians read from the autobiographies of the famous, including those written by Vanna White, Mr. T and Suzanne Somers. Performers in the upcoming show include Mario Cantone from “Sex and the City” as well as the series’ creators, Eugene Pack and Dayle Reyfel. Monday, August 18 Stage 72 158 West 72nd Street 7 p.m. Tickets $35 to $60

Grand Central Station’s Vanderbilt Hall brings the outdoors inside, with picnic tables and live entertainment. Guests can dine on food from Café Spice, Two Boots Pizza, Murray’s Cheese and other vendors and satiate a sweet tooth with cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery, cheesecake from Junior’s and gelato from Ciao Bella, among other dessert staples. Every afternoon and evening, live performances take over, including numbers from Broadway musicals “Chicago” and “Motown,” as well as performances by local jazz bands and a magic show from the Big Apple Circus. August 18 through August 22 Grand Central Station: Vanderbilt Hall 89 East 42nd Street 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. FREE

GRF

Our summer course begins July 28, 2014 and meets every Monday and Thursday evening until August 28.

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Fall courses begin either September 6th or 7th, 2014 Test taking techniques taught 6 complete practice exams Ten 3-hour classes 2014 will be our 34th year

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LIFE’S A PICNIC IN GRAND CENTRAL STATION

Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, Brooklyn Tech, American Studies, Mathematics And Engineering, Queens H.S. For The Sciences, Staten Island Tech, and Brooklyn Latin

Cost: $925 GRF TEST PREP CLASSES Call: (201) 592-1592 Visit our website: www.GRFTestPrep.com To request a brochure: e-mail us at: GRFTestPrep@aol.com

MUSIC

FOOD

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THEATER

YOUR FOOD SCRAPS at Greenmarket

Drop off household fruit and vegetable scraps at

82nd Street Greenmarket

Saturdays, 9am–1pm, 82nd St b/t 1st and York

92nd Street Greenmarket Sundays, 9am–1pm, 92nd St & 1st Ave

www.GrowNYC.org/compost | 212.788.7964

“THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA” While the choices of free outdoor Shakespeare this summer aren’t limited or without star power— John Lithgow currently takes on the role of the title character in the Public Theater’s production of “King Lear”—Barefoot Shakespeare Company offers a performance of what some consider Shakespeare’s first play. “The Two Gentlemen of Verona,” performed at Summit Rock in Central Park, explores many of Shakespeare’s common themes, including love, friendship and loyalty. Wednesday, August 20 and Thursday, August 21 Central Park, Summit Rock Entrance at West 81 Street and Central Park West 6 p.m. Saturday, August 23 Central Park, Mineral Springs Entrance at West 67th Street and Central Park West 4 p.m. FREE

GrowNYC and DSNY Food Scrap Compost Program A program partnership between the City of New York, the NYC Department of Sanitation, GrowNYC, and community partners.

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Our Town AUGUST 14, 2014

John Philis behind the counter at his restaurant Lexington Candy Shop, a 1920s style soda fountain that’s been in business for 89 years and passed down through three generations. Photo by Megan Bungeroth

CAN RESTAURANTS BE SAVED? SAVING SMALL BUSINESS A recent panel of restaurant and real estate experts posed the question -- can restaurants be preserved like landmarks? BY MEGAN BUNGEROTH

Picture your absolute favorite restaurant. If you wanted to ensure it would remain operating for the next 50 years, what would you do? Immortalize the menu? Clone the chef - or, more realistically, have him train apprentices who will take over when he leaves? Keep hiring the same friendly, helpful service staff? Give the owner an influx of cash so that the restaurant doesn’t fold to pressures of increasing supply, labor and rent costs? Incentivize the landlord so he doesn’t oust the place in favor of a more profitable chain outlet? And even if you could do any or all of these things - do you think you should? Last week, the Greenwich Village Historic Preservation Commission hosted a forum at Judson Memorial Church across from Washington Square Park to ask, and attempt to answer, those very questions. Moderated by the GVHPC’s Karen Loew, the panel of speakers was comprised of Eater NY food critic Robert Sietsema, assistant professor of urban planning at Columbia’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation Stacey Sutton, president and owner of Tower Brokerage, Inc. Robert Perl, and food writer and critic Mimi Sheraton. The issue that the audience of more than 100 people, many of them restaurant owners, had come to debate was whether and how restaurants could be preserved in a city where turnover is abundant, and a successful, thriving business model does not guarantee lon-

gevity. Recent news that Danny Meyer’s famous Union Square Café will soon be forced from its eponymous home by a precipitous rent increase was fresh on everyone’s mind; many small restaurant owners wonder how they can compete if a food industry behemoth like Meyer can’t. Even asking the question about restaurant preservation, however, is a fraught exercise that exposes the tensions, and potential contradictions, between free market capitalism and an instinct to keep history intact. Loew addressed that dichotomy in her introduction. “Skeptics will ask, how do you preserve a business, a living breathing thing?,” she said. “Supporters will ask, what business person can pay double or triple the rent when the lease is up?” The rent conundrum, it seems, is paramount. While the panel members discussed all the myriad reasons a restaurant can succeed or fail, none of those reasons loomed as large, and perhaps insurmountable, as that of the control a landlord has of a restaurant’s ultimate fate. Sietsema, who earlier this year caused a stir when he published his own proposal on preserving certain restaurants in the city on Eater, hit this point early and often. “Gray’s Papaya went out of business. It was a cheap eating place people depended on. It had a significance to the history and story of New York,” Sietsema said, pointing to the long-standing hot dog joint as one example of a place that should have been saved. “Why is it that restaurants like this have to go out of business when the landlords make ridiculous demands?” Restaurants, even successful ones, survive on thin profit margins, and a sudden large increase in any costs can throw that out of balance. A woman in the audience stood up during

the Q&A – she was remaining anonymous, she said, for fear that something she said would get back to her vindictive landlord – and related the exasperating situation she found her own restaurant in, year after year. “The games that my landlord plays are just on another level, and there’s no one to turn to and say, this is not normal,” she said. Her restaurant on Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District is the only one left standing on her block, she said, and it’s been there for 16 years. And every year, she fights astronomical increases and allocates more money to pay her landlord. Recently when their lease was up for renewal, the woman said, she received a retroactive water bill for $250,000. “The man [her landlord] won’t even sit down with us to negotiate our lease. We have 15 employees, we contribute to the community; we’re a legitimate business,” she said. “I allow myself each year to get extorted. We’re keeping up, but barely.” Some posit that market forces should not be curtailed by regulation, and that the numbers will bear out what people really want to save. “Who says,” asked Mimi Sheraton, “that future generations will want to go to the same old places?” It’s a fair question, but there are a handful of restaurants in the city whose very existence shows that history and market demand can work together. At the Lexington Candy Shop on the Upper East Side, coowner John Philis has been watching customers come and go from behind the counter for

his entire life. The shop at Lexington and 83rd Street is surrounded by chain stores like Starbucks, Hot & Crusty, Shake Shack, and it’s been in business continuously since 1925, founded by Philis’ grandfather; it’s on Sietsema’s proposed list of restaurants the city should preserve. The soda fountain and diner is now a unique relic, but restaurants like it used to dot the neighborhood and the city. Philis and his business partner know that they keep going year after year partly due to a consistent and quality product – the $8.50 milkshakes, while a bit steep, are exceptional, and made with real ice cream brought in from Philadelphia – and partly due to their ability to transport diners back to an earlier time when Coke came in bottles and you could sidle up to the counter at any corner shop and order a tuna melt and an egg cream for a couple bucks. The prices have risen, of course, but the food and atmosphere remains largely unchanged. You can still sit at the counter and order an egg cream; they haven’t made any major renovations or changes to décor since 1948. But one of the most crucial elements of their longevity, Philis acknowledges, is the cooperation of their landlord. “We have a very fair landlord,” Philis said. His rent goes up every year, but he feels that his landlord deals in good faith. “From what I see and hear, that is the exception.” Philis also has made a concerted effort to keep up with the times, not by changing his food but by updating his business practices. His wife operates the shop’s social media accounts, and they have a website. They

advertise heavily – something they never used to do in his father’s day, Philis said – to tourists, putting ads on the NYC visitors’ information channels that run in hotel rooms and in tourist brochures. They’ve even offered a Groupon. Philis has seen a lot of neighborhood institutions like his fold, but he is hesitant to suggest that the city should regulate or save them all. He praised Danny Meyer, by way of example, for being a great chef and restaurant owner, and spoke admiringly of his Union Square Café, but he wouldn’t necessarily include it on a list of storied institutions to be preserved. For the small number of generations-old restaurants, he thinks that the city could offer protection in the way of lowered property taxes, or zoning changes like what has been done on Columbus Avenue to restrict banks, or some kind of legal way to allow landlords to make a reasonable profit but not extort these culinary gems. Still, he thinks it could only work if the business model is already viable. “You can’t just do it to save a place from going out of business,” he said. “If it has historical value, it needs to be protected. There aren’t many of these businesses left. In the fabric of New York, there just aren’t that many businesses that deserve this kind of protection. I happen to think we’re one of them.” Not many would argue with putting Lexington Candy Shop on a short list of restaurants worth saving. But what about the neighborhood institutions without the historic façade and intergenerational story? Big Nick’s Burger and Pizza Joint, on Broadway between 76th and

77th Streets, was a beloved Upper West Side eatery. The food was shockingly varied – you could order classic American fare along with Greek standbys and Italian favorites, from a menu with hundreds of items – and reasonably priced, a boon for local families looking for a cheap and crowd-pleasing meal out. It closed last year. On the restaurant’s Facebook page, a post explained: “After 51 years, we have lost our lease after two years of difficult and torturous negotiation…We cannot handle an increase from $42,000 to $60,000++ a month for 1,000 square feet.” Many decried the loss of Big Nick’s – but would it have even made it onto the radar of a preservation panel in the first place? Sietsema might not think so; he wants to only protect places where the food is good. Robert Perl, who has had firsthand experience as a landlord to restaurants, said that’s not enough of a metric either. “Sometimes the restaurateurs have more money than the landlords. Do we want to look at this as a factor?” Perl said. He also pointed out the potentially thorny moral problem of deciding who should get help from the city – what if a restaurant owner is abusing his workers, not paying fair wages? No one at the panel, or for that matter around the city, could provide easy answers to these questions. But it’s worth considering, the next time you step into your favorite local spot – what would you do to keep it around?

AUGUST 14, 2014 Our Town

Planned Service Changes

1 WEEKEND 11:30PM Fri to 5AM Mon, Aug 15 –18 Significant service changes impact the 1 in Manhattan and the Bronx. There is no 1 service between 96 St and 242 St. A C trains, M3 and free shuttle buses provide alternate service. Stay Informed

Call 511 and say “Current Service Status,” look for informational posters in stations, or visit mta.info – where you can access the latest Planned Service Changes information, use TripPlanner +, and sign up for free email and text alerts.

2014 Metropolitan Transportation Authority

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Our Town AUGUST 14, 2014

Food & Drink

< OPENTABLE INTEGRATES PAYMENT FEATURE Reservation-booking service OpenTable now offers diners the option to pay their tabs from their mobile phones, without having to wait for a check. The company started testing a pilot program of the mobile service in San Francisco this February, and it is now available to diners at nearly 50 Man-

hattan eateries, including JoJo on the Upper East Side, Atlantic Grill at Lincoln Center and Café Cluny in the West Village. The payment service, which is integrated into the reservation app, allows diners to view their itemized checks anytime during a meal, choose a tip amount and pay their bills with their regis-

RECIPES FOR BETTER LIVES COMMUNITY KITCHEN At the West Side Campaign Against Hunger, unemployed aspiring food service workers learn culinary skills that help them forge new careers BY LIZ NEUMARK

Dreams of food find expression in many ways. Some are driven to a career in the food world by thoughts of entrepreneurship, culinary passion or Food Network fame, while others see the entry level jobs as a way out and up. The West Side Campaign Against Hunger, on West End Avenue and 86th, has been a leader in the anti-hunger movement for decades. WSCAH provides food for about 15,000 families a year through its supermarket-style pantry, translating to 1.7 million pounds of healthy food. “The people who come to West Side Campaign

Against Hunger for food have the potential for upward economic mobility. We use our core strengths in distribution and preparation of healthy food to offer a pathway toward jobs that can offer household stability to our customers,” executive director Stewart Desmond said. In WSCAH’s 12-week long Chef’s Training Program, chef/instructor Andrea Bergquist teaches the skills needed to work in the kitchen, and in concert with counselors, how to make successful life changes. Applicants have never worked in food service and are unemployed. The process seeks to determine what obstacles individuals are facing. In the early weeks, there are dropouts. It is the reality of what culinary work entails – washing dishes, sweeping floors, standing up for long hours – that makes “getting out of one’s comfort zone” difficult. The group meets four times a week from 12 - 4 p.m.

Part of the program with counselors includes learning how to set goals, dream big and then achieve them. I joined the summer season class toward the end of their program, a smaller group than usual with about 10 men and women, ages ranging from mid-20s to mid-50s. Chef Andrea began with a review from the various Wednesday food sections – a Village Voice article about restaurants losing leases (the theme of gentrification resonated with the group); featured recipes from The New York Times about peaches spurred a thought about a future recipe; a story in Metro NY about BBQ and reading nutrition labels, all pointing to developing an awareness of trends and a sensitivity to details in the restaurant and food industry. A brief conversation about cooking methods for rice (there are three options) and a discussion about grains preceded the move to the

tered credit card. Servers will see when checks are paid and diners are free to dash when they choose; a payment receipt is then sent by email. OpenTable isn’t alone in the space. PayPal, the startup Cover and a handful of other options exist for mobile bill payment.

kitchen for some hands on work. On the menu: Feta, tomato and watermelon salad (the ubiquitous first course in restaurants citywide became an exploration of new flavors and unusual combinations as well as seasonality) and granola (highlighting the conversation about oats and nutrients). Our two hours of cooking and talking were exhilarating. The students’ passions, curiosity, knife skills and food literacy were evident. I felt a hearty dose of homegrown food-love in comparison with the jaded veneer of the lauded urban foodie. I worked with Sade and Daquan figuring out our plan of attack for a very large watermelon. Questions like “what have you learned” and “where do you want to work” accompanied our figuring out how best to get the seeds out of the now sliced watermelon. Linda shared her love of hospitality, making the transition from a former job in social services to hopefully, a job in catering. There were aspirations for entry into the restaurant world, or the dream of operating a food truck or small entrepreneurial venture. “I want to learn about new things.” The salad was done – the ingredients

ABOUT THE PROGRAM The culinary program at West Side Campaign Against Hunger is 10 years old, but only recently, as a result of Chef Andrea Bergquist’s efforts, has the focus centered more on job training. The program is funded with grants from Robin Hood, Episcopal Charities and WSCAH’s general operating funds. WSCAH, located in the heart of the Upper West Side, is in the downstairs space of a multidenominational house of worship & community house. Many neighboring institutions support WSCAH but to most residents, it is unknown, and hunger, an unfamiliar reality. combined with a delicious and simple dressing of olive oil, sherry vinegar and mint chiffonade. The reaction? Delightful and startling. The combo was surprising but aptly analyzed as “a combination of sweet, salty and sour.” The pride in creating something so beautiful and intriguing was palpable. It was offered to waiting pantry clients (food critics all), an elegant footnote in sobering circumstances. What happens post graduation? Students will have earned their Food Handlers Certificate and appointments with job placement counselors. Almost half will get jobs and receive more training. Chef Andrea emphasized that the program is about skills but also motivation to develop their lives. “It is about people overcoming obstacles – it is a long road and food is the garnish for that journey.” Her greatest pride is seeing students who get work and come back happy. In households everywhere, meals are prepared several times a day – for most it’s a chore, but for others it sparks something previously undiscovered and before you know it, a universe of possibility opens up. Dreams of cooking, working in a kitchen and feeding others begin; turning food into art, work into passion. Eating is never the same again, and hopefully, neither is life. Liz Neumark is the CEO of Great Performances catering company and the author of the cookbook Sylvia’s Table.

AUGUST 14, 2014 Our Town

RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS JULY 30 - AUGUST 7, 2014 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. Malaga Restaurant

406 East 73 Street

Grade Pending (17) 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.

Via Quadronno

25 East 73 Street

A

Oslo Coffee Roasters

422 East 75 Street

A

Good Health Natural Cafe

1435 1 Avenue

A

Alex Cafe & Deli

1018 Lexington Avenue

Grade Pending (16) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Live animals other than fish in tank or service animal present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.

Tanoshi Bento

1372 York Avenue

Grade Pending (22) 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. Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared.

Tang’s Garden

1328 3 Avenue

Grade Pending (25) Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

World Cup Cafe

956 Lexington Avenue

Grade Pending (56) Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations. Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. Evidence of 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. Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Bella Blu

18 Restaurant

Cascabel Taqueria

967 Lexington Avenue

240 East 81 Street

1556 2 Avenue

Grade Pending (26) 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. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

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Port Authority 201.420.7000 ext. 2353 85th Street Candy 212.288.7690

Grade Pending (20) 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.

*Offer is for approved line run bus companies. Bus vouchers must be purchased using Momentum Dollars at the Bus Marketing Window at Mohegan Sun. Bonus packages are issued to individuals 21 years of age or older. To receive a casino bonus package, passengers must have a Momentum card or be able to sign up for a Momentum card on day of travel. Proper identification required. Please visit the Bus Marketing Window for official rules. Offer subject to change without notice. mohegansun.com

Not Graded Yet (31) Insufficient or no refrigerated or hot holding equipment to keep potentially hazardous foods at required temperatures.

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Our Town AUGUST 14, 2014

Property

< SAVING THE SUBWAY INN The owners of the East Side’s beloved dive bar, Subway Inn, have started a change.org petition and Indigogo funding drive to stay in their home since 1937, which was recently bought by developer World-Wide Holdings. “The Subway Inn, which has been a part of

In Brief CITY ENDS LEGAL SPAT OVER BUILDINGWORKERS WAGE LAW City officials have ended a legal challenge to a “prevailing wage” law for some buildingservices workers, paving the way for its implementation. A Manhattan judge signed off Friday on a move by both sides to end the mayor vs. City Council dispute, which arose during former Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s administration. Current Mayor Bill de Blasio had promised to implement the law. “Today’s ruling will now allow the administration to advance its goal of expanding the number of jobs that pay a living wage to hardworking New Yorkers,” city lawyer Jeff Friedlander said in a statement. The measure guarantees pay topping $20 an hour for security guards, janitors, handymen and other workers at buildings that that get more than $1 million in city subsidies or lease significant space to the city. Bloomberg vetoed it in 2012, saying it would discourage companies from doing business in the city. “While this bill would result in higher wages for some workers, these increases would come at the cost of job creation,” he wrote in a veto message. Then he sued the City Council after it overrode his veto. A judge struck down the measure last year, saying state minimum wage preempted the city measure. The City Council appealed, as did the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union and Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ.

this neighborhood for more than 77 years, must close by Aug. 20 so that high-end, luxury condos can be built on our spot,” said the owners’ son, Steven Salinas, in the petition.As of Monday, the petition had 800 signatures and the Indigogo campaign has raised about $700

of a $10,000 goal. The change.org petition targets the Landmarks Preservation Commission, Mayor Bill de Blasio and several elected officials in the neighborhood, asking them to, “stand up to these actions, and to stop World-Wide Hold-

USING HISTORY AS A WEAPON AGAINST THE WRECKING BALL PRESERVATION Upper West Side residents want the landmarks commission to reconsider a building slated for demolition BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS

Upper West Siders opposed to a developer’s plan to demolish a building on West 79th Street are calling on the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission to take a closer look at the building’s historical merits. In a letter to the LPC and local elected officials, Robert Withers, whose apartment on West 80th Street overlooks the rear of 203-209 West 79th Street, said “there is a major error of fact that has crept into these hearings: the idea that the existing building was totally demolished in the 1970s.” The building was originally four separate row houses built in 1896-97 that were combined into one apartment building in the 1970s, according to Dept. of Building records. The original front-facing Renaissance Revival façade visible on West 79th Street was replaced with a brick façade. Although the building isn’t landmarked, it resides in the

Upper West Side – Central Park West Historic District and the developer, Anbau Enterprises, must first receive LPC approval before making any changes to it. In a hearing before the LPC, Anbau said there are no traces

of the original row houses due to the work done in the 1970s, and therefore the building has no historical merit. Its initial application to demolish the building and replace it with a 16-story luxury residential building was denied by the

ings Corporation from destroying our home and ripping it away from those who helped build this city and who would never be able to afford the multi-million dollar condos that they are planning to put in place of a neighborhood treasure.”

LPC, but not in the interest of historical preservation. Anbau will likely come back before the LPC with a more palatable plan that nonetheless involves demolishing the building. Anbau did not respond to a request for comment. The LPC considers the building as having a modern style façade, and three commissioners agreed at the recent hearing that the building could be demolished without any significant impact to the surrounding historical district. However, residents of the West 80th Street building are seeking to challenge that assumption. Withers said although the four row houses were combined in the 1970s, “it is not true that the original townhouses were demolished and that there is no trace of them. Many of us who live in the row houses on the south side of 80th Street have a clear view of the back of this building. The surface has been stuccoed over, but clearly displays important design elements and architecture of the original townhouse.” The original features Withers points to are three garden terraces on the middle and upper floors of the West 79th Street building and a private garden on the ground level that features 20-foot high rose bushes and trees. Gina Higginbotham, who’s lived in the same building as Withers for 38 years, and whose apartment also overlooks the West 79th Street building, said there’s significant opposition in the community to Anbau’s plan, and that critics packed a Community Board 7 landmarks committee meeting and the recent LPC hearing to voice their displeasure with the prospect of a luxury residential building in the area.

The project also has significant detractors in Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal, and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer. The adjacent Lucerne Hotel on West 79th Street, which was designated a landmark by the LPC, has hired a lawyer to fight Anbau’s proposal. While the noise, dust and debris will be a significant nuisance to Higginbotham and others in the neighborhood, she said she’s more concerned that Anbau will build right up to her kitchen window. As it stands now, there’s about 15 feet of space between her kitchen window and the West 79th Street building. “On a personal level I’m more worried their bathrooms are going to be in my kitchen, there’s going to be no air or light in this apartment,” said Higginbotham. “The other thing that bothers me on a broader level is the inhumanity and mean-spiritedness of picking a building where people are going to be displaced.” Higginbotham said she knows people in the West 79th Street building that have lived there for 30 years, and has watched their kids grow up. According to her, local residents are mostly against the plan “because it will throw people out of their homes.” But according to Jacqueline Peu-DuVallon, a historical preservation expert working in Manhattan who also used to work for the LPC, the building is unlikely to have retained any of the original character that would be of interest to the commission. “It’s inconsequential in this case, it’s your typical row house rear. There’s nothing special about it,” said Peu-DuVallon.

AUGUST 14, 2014 Our Town

19

Real Estate Sales Neighborhd

Address

Price

Bed Bath Agent

Lenox Hill

420 E 64 St.

$685,000

1

1

Corcoran

Midtown

60 E 55 St.

$2,495,000 2

2

Brown Harris Stevens

Beekman

425 E 51 St.

$610,000

1

1

Douglas Elliman

Lenox Hill

340 E 64 St.

$1,610,000 2

2

Keller Williams

Midtown

136 E 56 St.

$542,000

1

Douglas Elliman

Beekman

415 E 52 St.

$1,485,000 2

2

Corcoran

Lenox Hill

201 E 62 St.

$1,625,000 2

2

Corcoran

Midtown E

225 E 57 St.

$610,000

1

1

Heller Organization

Beekman

400 E 52 St.

$1,610,000 2

2

Douglas Elliman

Lenox Hill

190 E 72 St.

$2,695,000 4

4

Warburg

Midtown E

225 E 57 St.

$649,000

1

1

Corcoran

Beekman

433 E 51 St.

$650,000

1

1

Douglas Elliman

Lenox Hill

200 E 66th St.

$3,075,000 2

2

Corcoran

Midtown E

235 E 57 St.

$66,000

Beekman

400 E 52 St.

$588,500

1

1

New York Private

Lenox Hill

524 E 72 St.

$976,000

1

1

Sotheby’s

Midtown South 244 MADISON Ave.

$385,000

0

1

City Connections Realty

580 PARK Ave.

$5,500,000 3

3

Brown Harris Stevens

1

1

Douglas Elliman

1

Carnegie Hill

170 E 94 St.

$410,000

1

1

Douglas Elliman

Lenox Hill

Murray Hill

7 PARK Ave.

$570,000

Carnegie Hill

1095 PARK Ave.

$5,600,000 3

4

Douglas Elliman

Lenox Hill

520 E 72 St.

$510,000

1

1

Brown Harris Stevens

Murray Hill

330 E 38 St.

$1,650,000

Carnegie Hill

175 E 93 St.

$300,000

0

1

Douglas Elliman

Lenox Hill

315 E 70 St.

$1,360,000 2

2

Halstead Property

Murray Hill

330 E 38 St.

$1,650,000

Carnegie Hill

121 E 88 St.

$500,000

1

1

Bond New York

Lenox Hill

166 E 61 St.

$1,475,000 2

2

Halstead Property

Murray Hill

415 E 37 St.

$780,000

Carnegie Hill

1230 PARK Ave.

$1,320,000 2

2

Brown Harris Stevens

Lenox Hill

200 E 66th St.

$6,236,781 3

3

Corcoran

Murray Hill

630 1 Ave.

$770,000

Carnegie Hill

114 E 90 St.

$1,503,500 3

2

Douglas Elliman

Lenox Hill

160 E 65 St.

$1,210,000 1

1

Douglas Elliman

Murray Hill

330 E 38 St.

$1,070,000 1

1

Douglas Elliman

Carnegie Hill

170 E 87 St.

$1,150,000 2

2

Nestseekers

Lenox Hill

160 E 65 St.

$1,950,000 2

2

Halstead Property

Murray Hill

110 E 36 St.

$380,000

0

1

Halstead Property

Carnegie Hill

1120 PARK Ave.

$995,000

1

1

CORE

Lenox Hill

200 E 66th St.

$2,189,237 1

1

Corcoran

Murray Hill

25 TUDOR CITY PLACE $285,000

0

1

Town Residential

Carnegie Hill

153 E 87 St.

$490,000

0

1

Cypriana Realty Corp.

Lenox Hill

333 E 69 St.

$790,000

1

1

Sloane Square

Murray Hill

35 E 38 St.

$612,000

1

1

Kian Realty

Carnegie Hill

121 E 88 St.

$260,000

0

1

Corcoran

Lenox Hill

900 5 Ave.

$4,700,000 3

3

Douglas Elliman

Murray Hill

314 E 41 St.

$790,000

2

2

Corcoran

Carnegie Hill

111 E 88 St.

$890,000

1

1

Corcoran

Lenox Hill

521 PARK Ave.

$17,450,000 4

4

Brown Harris Stevens

Murray Hill

5 TUDOR CITY PLACE

$550,000

Carnegie Hill

19 E 88 St.

$2,000,000 2

2

Douglas Elliman

Lenox Hill

200 E 66th St.

$3,385,681 2

2

Corcoran

Murray Hill

137 E 36 St.

$520,000

1

1

Stribling

Lenox Hill

150 E 72nd St.

$6,516,800 3

2

Macklowe Investment

Lenox Hill

401 E 65 St.

$419,000

1

Corcoran

Lenox Hill

401 E 65 St.

$1,260,000 2

2

Douglas Elliman

Lenox Hill

360 E 72 St.

$2,450,000 3

3

Owner

Lenox Hill

710 PARK Ave.

$4,312,500 2

2

Douglas Elliman

Lenox Hill

360 E 72 St.

$756,000

1

1

Douglas Elliman

Lenox Hill

310 E 70 St.

$775,000

1

Douglas Elliman

Lenox Hill

650 PARK Ave.

$2,125,000 2

2

Corcoran

Lenox Hill

11 E 68 St.

$22,000,000

Lenox Hill

333 E 66 St.

$790,000

1

1

Brown Harris Stevens

$375,000

Midtown

480 PARK Ave.

$1,228,500 1

1

Brown Harris Stevens

Lenox Hill

333 E 66 St.

1

0

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Our Town AUGUST 14, 2014

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Do you know a great doorman, porter or ǫ ƥ ǡ ƥ worker who helps make life a little easier at ǫ ǡ ǡ ǫ Join Our Town, The West Side Spirit, Our Town Downtown and 32BJ SEIU, the property workers union, in honoring the ǡ ƥ ǡ Ǥ ǯ ͚͛ǡ ͚͙͘͜ǡ writing about them in New York’s leading Ǥ ǡ who’s gone above and beyond to make residents’, tenants’ and New Yorkers’ lives better?

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YOUR FIFTEEN MINUTES

AUGUST 14, 2014 Our Town

21

A VOICE THAT HEALS Q&A

ents couldn’t afford to pay for everything.

Subway accident survivor Renee Katz turns her experience into art

You referenced your nurse, Ethel, who really helped you while you were in the hospital. Are you still in touch with her?

the hospital, which was really helpful.

So you can still play the piano.

BY ANGELA BARBUTI

Renee Katz does not just want to be known for the accident that changed her life, and captured the attention of the entire city when she was only 17. A promic & ising flutist at the High School of Music Art during the crime-ridden 70s, she was way pushed in front of an upcoming subway train and her hand was severed at the wrist. Although it was reattached, she had to abandon her acceptance into the New d inEngland Conservatory of Music, and stead, endure countless surgeries at Bellevue Hospital. h reThrough her positive experience with habilitation, she decided to give back, and py at went on to study occupational therapy NYU. However, her passion for music was oice still in her heart, so she minored in voice there, and to this day, is still deeply conming nected to her singing. Besides performing in cabaret clubs here in the city, she also released an album in 2013. k of In June, she published her first book e she poetry, which she actually began while was in the hospital year ago. “My main goal is that I always wanted to be known forr my nder talents, not the girl who was thrown under mea subway train, but a girl who did somentelthing with her life, and who has an intelligent voice,” she said.

Although it was highly publicized at the time, me, explain your accident for people who are not familiar with it. I went to the High School of Music & Art, hool which is now the La Guardia High School ight of Music & Art and Performing Arts. Right before my graduation, in June of 1979, I was rain pushed in front of a subway train. The train went over me and I somehow rolled to the left and got almost out of the way, butt my rist. hand did not and it was severed at the wrist. ime. Microsurgery was in its infancy at the time. evue They found my hand and I went to Bellevue Hospital and in a 16-hour operation, they nist reattached it. I was a flutist and a pianist and and was about to go to the New England Conservatory at Tufts.

Your rehabilitation was at the Rusk Institute, ute, and Dr. Howard Rusk helped with the costt of your treatment. I can’t really say enough about it. It’ss an e fuamazing place. I got to perform at the ably neral of Dr. Howard, which was probably one of the biggest honors of my entire life, tion. because he was the father of rehabilitation. He helped me personally because my par-

If you look through those stages of grief, one of them is denial and one is where you’re feeling sorry for yourself. And I would say I had those two stages. Ethel whipped me into shape. She gave me a pen and paper and told me to start learning how to write with my left hand. She told me to write the ABCs. And while I was doing that, I was getting surgeries for my hand and undergoing skin grafts, and was in a lot of pain. She put me into perspective. I lost touch with her recently and would love to be able to find her again. I hope she gets my book.

The next time you took the subway again was when you started NYU. What did you study there? I had underdone eight surgeries or more and had had a lot of occupational and physical therapy, so I decided I was going to give back what was given to me. I majored in occupational therapy and minored in voice. I kept on studying music, and was in choirs. I redirected my focus and passion, because I needed music in my life.

I read that as an occupational therapist, you created certain techniques for people with injuries; can you explain those? I developed some one-handed techniques. I can use my right hand as, what we call, “an assist.” I developed some techniques for hand splinting for people who have limited use of one hand, and I use that in my work.

How was music part of your healing process? Even in the hospital, I found other people who had had accidents. I found a piano a nd people ere who w we also musicians, and started singing there. My voice teacher also came to

I can, but it’s limited. My main instrument is my voice now, and my writing. I’m a cabaret singer, and was nominated for a MAC award. I’ve performed at Don’t Tell Mama and Eighty Eights in the Village, which closed. But Don’t Tell Mama is still there and the owner is a lovely person, cabaret veteran Sidney Meyer.

You named your book, “Never Been Gone,” after a Carly Simon song. Why did you choose that title? Because when you have a bad accident, there are ways to come back and I feel that my soul and passion for music have never been gone. There are always ways to redefine your life, whether it’s through music or occupational therapy. There are always passions within you where if you look deep enough and have the support and love around you, you can find them. My parents are inspirations to me.

Your dad is a Holocaust survivor. How did that affect you growing up? He’s a survivor, and has done amazing things with his life. My father never dwelled, he tries not to dwell on the past. He keeps on going like a little Energizer Bunny. But, on the other hand, when you’re thrust in the media like I was at 17, that type of personality does help you get through life. It helped me go to college, get through all that surgery, and move on. But sometimes you need to stop and think. And I think young people who are thrust into that media light, do not have that time to grieve. And later on in life, I did get a chance to grieve through divorce, and writing poetry. It’s important to do that. And media is great, I got thousands of letters from people all around the city, and I had them plastered all over my hospital walls for inspiration. New York is incredible for that and all that support helped me moved forward.

How did you meet your new husband? I met him online, but we talked for a long time before we actually met. He’s a wonderful person. I’m lucky.

When did you decide to publish your writing? Well, as you can see, much later in life. I never tried to capitalize on my accident, and I still haven’t. This is a labor of love. It’s a dedication to my parents, my son, people who are known and loved, and other survivors. The book is very honest and open, and it took a lot of courage to write a lot of that. One of the poems is about that, it’s called “Vulnerability.” To learn more about Renee, visit www. reneekatzmusic.com

Renee Katz continued her musical career even after a terrible subway accident took the use of her right hand and thwarted her promise as a floutist.

22

Our Town AUGUST 14, 2014

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PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, PURSUANT TO LAW, THAT THE NYC DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS WILL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON Wednesday, August 27, 2014 AT 2:00 P.M. AT 66 JOHN STREET, 11TH FLOOR, ON A PETITION FOR CASCABEL HOSPITALITY GROUP LLC TO ESTABLISH, MAINTAIN, AND OPER ATE AN UNENCLOSED SIDEWALK CAFÉ AT 1556 2ND AVE IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN FOR A TERM OF TWO YEARS. REQUEST FOR COPIES OF THE REVOCABLE CO NSEN T AGR EE M EN T M AY B E A D D R E S S E D TO:DEPARTMENT OF CONS U M E R A F FA I R S , AT T N : FOIL OFFICER, 42 BROADWAY, NEW YORK, NY 10004.

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Directory of Business & Services Antique, Flea & Farmers Market SINCE 1979

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CLASSIFIEDS Classified Advertising Department Information Telephone: 212-868-0190 | Fax: 212-2868-0190 Email: classified2@strausnews.com Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm | Deadline: 2pm the Friday before publication ACCOUNTING/FINANCIAL SERVICES ALLSTATE INSURANCE Anthony Pomponio 212-769-2899 125 West 72nd St. 5R, NYC apomponio@allstate.com

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ANTIQUES/COLLECTIBLES

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GLENWOOD - Manhattan’s Finest Luxury Rentals Uptown office 212-535-0500 Downtown office 212-4305900. glenwoodNYC.com LET US FIND YOUR DREAM APARTMENT! 1BR/1BA Harlem - $1,750 2BR/1BA Ft. Tryon Pk - $1,725 2BR/1BA Inwood - $2,200 2BR/2BA, Dining Room, Harlem - $1,900 CALL OR TEXT TODAY! 917-689-2944, Tim Heath, The Homefinder, Lic R.E. Agent Tim@Bohemiarealtygroup.com Bohemia Realty Group

REAL ESTATE - RENT

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

SERVICES OFFERED

John Krtil Funeral Home; Yorkville Funeral Service, INC. Independently Owned Since 1885. WE SERVE ALL FAITHS AND COMMUNITIES 212-744-3084

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

New-York Historical Society Making history matter! 170 Central Park West www.nyhistory.org (212) 873-3400

Unique Apt for Rent 205 E 59th St, #11C, New York, NY. Exlusive, spacious, bright, 3BR/3BA in full service building. $11,500 per month. Call or text Lisa Levina, 917-330-8423, or Email lisa@nvhny.com. Lic. Real Estate Broker, New Vista Horizons, Inc. 4 W 37 St, 3rd Fl, New York, NY 10018.

SPORTS CENTER at Chelsea Piers ChelseaPiers.com/SC 212-336-6000

REAL ESTATE - SALE

FARMLAND SELL- OFF! 8/23! 1 DAY ONLY! 5acres- $19,900 15acres- $29,900 19acres$39,900 Trout streams, ponds, springs, valley views, apple orchards, pine forest, stonewalls! 3 hours NY City! Owner terms! Cash discounts! Call: (888)905-8847 newyorklandandlakes.com Sebastian, Florida Beautiful 55+ manufactured home community. 4.4 miles to the beach, Close to riverfront district. Pre-owned homes starting at $35,000. New models available. 772-581-0080, www.beach-cove.com Victor Ferrer , Licensed Real Estate Agent, Douglas Elliman Real Estate. 347-573-3882 / 212-712-6083 - victor.ferrer@ elliman.com SERVICES OFFERED

CARMEL Car & Limousine Service To JFK… $52 To Newark… $51 To LaGuardia… $34 1-212-666-6666 Toll Free 1-800-9-Carmel Event & Salon Hair Stylist 347.243.3170 for appointments www.sharimelisabeauty.com Frank E. Campbell The Funeral Chapel Known for excellence since 1898 - 1076 Madison Ave, at 81st St., 212-288-3500 Hudson Valley Public Relations Optimizing connections. Building reputations. 24 Merrit Ave Millbrook, NY 12545, (845) 702-6226 Marble Collegiate Church Dr. Michael B. Brown, Senior Minister, 1 West 29th St. NYC, NY 10001, (212) 689-2770. www.MarbleChurch.org

Riverside Memorial Chapel Leaders in funeral pre-planning. 180 W 76th St (212) 362-6600

TEKSERVE NYC’s Store For Technology Apple Repairs & Services Business Support 119 W 23rd St www.tekserve.com (212) 929-3645 Vamoose Bus Providing premium bus service between: NYC|MD|VA www.vamoosebus.com 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 WANTED TO BUY

ANTIQUES WANTED Top Prices Paid. Chinese Objects, Paintings, Jewelry, Silver, Furniture, Etc. Entire Estates Purchased. 800-530-0006. 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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24

Our Town AUGUST 14, 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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