Our Town February 12th, 2015

Page 1

The local paper for the Upper er East Side ROAD TESTS FOR TAXIS? < OP-ED, P.15

UNITING TO SAVE A CARNEGIE HILL CHURCH BY MEGAN BUNGEROTH

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2015

OURTOWNNY.COM

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CRACKDOWN ON BUILDING-PERMIT BRIBES

Community rallies to keep a 1870 structure from the wrecking ball

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

12-18 In Brief

NEWS

First Step to Landmark St. Thomas More Churchgoers and preservation activists are rallying around a common cause in Carnegie Hill - to save the Church of St. Thomas More, both from the wrecking ball and the auction block. On Monday, the Upper East Side community board’s landmark committee voted to approve an application to landmark the historic Gothic revival church complex, which was built in 1870. The process, though, is unusual in that the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) has yet to schedule the property, which is on East 89th Street between Madison and Park avenues, for a hearing to consider it for landmark status. The current application, drafted by the Carnegie Hill Neighbors preservation group, is formally a request for the LPC to evaluate whether it’s appropriate to calendar that hearing and start the process. This distinction is crucial as the applicants are racing against the rumored impending sale of the church by the Roman Catholic diocese, which is weighing whether or not to merge

WEEK OF FEBRUARY

A PLAN FOR THE ESPLANADE NEWS Community group focuses on traffic and water erosion BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS

Civitas and a local architecture firm released a plan for the future of the East River Esplanade, which is facing a host of environmental and infrastructure issues even as that part of Manhattan suffers from a lack of green and public space. Civitas is a neighborhood advocacy group focused on sustainable urban planning on the Upper East Side and East Harlem. This time last year, they teamed up with consultants from Matthew Nielsen Landscape Architects on a study of the esplanade with an eye towards repairs and improvements. The study area encompasses 65 city blocks, over 3.5

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miles, from East 60th Street to East 125th Street. Civitas held a series of meetings last year to get input from the public on their experience and suggestions for improvements to the esplanade. “The current esplanade is narrow, congested with bicyclists and pedestrians, noisy, and feels disconnected from the rest of the city,” according to the report. “More programming is desired, as are improved connections to the water, opportunities for gardening, ecological enhancements, and great access to recreational boating.” In 2013, the city’s parks department conducted an underwater investigation that found the esplanade needs significant improvements in the next decade. While Civitas’ study looked into what the community wants the esplanade to be, it also examined

the environmental forces arrayed against the existing walkway. For instance, it was found that over time the tributaries and streams that fed the East and Harlem rivers were slowly filled in and formed what is now the edge of the esplanade. “The esplanade will continue to change in the face of numerous environmental factors,” said the report. For instance, “Improvements in water quality have ironically increased the rate of deterioration to its existing structures.” The report also touched on how the esplanade formed over the years, harking back to the Lenape Indians who fished the river in the centuries prior to 1900 when the esplanade as it’s known today began to emerge. The report notes that approximately 150,000 cars currently use the FDR

In a scene reminiscent of 1970s New York, dozens of building inspectors and private landlords -- some suspected of mob affiliations -- were taken into custody on Tuesday on bribery charges. The Manhattan D.A.’s office and the city Department of Investigation said more than 50 people had been arrested, hauled before cameras in lower Manhattan. The defendants were accused of accepting bribes in exchanging for granting building permits. Some of the buildings were given a pass, investigators said, even though they continued to have serious code violations. The sting, first reported by the Daily News, snagged eight building inspectors, two Buildings Department supervisors, an employee of the Department of Small Business Services, as well as other owners and managers. Investigators said the bribetaking has implicated more than 100 buildings in Manhattan and Brooklyn, and could lead to reinspections across the city. While full details of the scams aren’t yet available, inspectors say they no doubt were fed by a building boom in the city, and a rush to speed up city approval processes. In the last year alone, demand for new building permits has risen 35%, according to city records. That pace will likely only increase as a plan by Mayor Bill de Blasio to amp up the city’s housing stock takes effect.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

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2 Our Town FEBRUARY 12-18 ,2015

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS CHECK JOAN RIVERS’ PENTHOUSE HITS THE MARKET FOR $28 MILLION The Daily News reported that the home of the late comedienne Joan Rivers is up for sale with a $28 million price tag. The opulent penthouse apartment at 1 East 62nd Street occupies three floors of the building, which is a seven-story Gilded Age mansion built by John Drexel in 1903. Since purchasing the property in 1988, Rivers made many renovations to the 5,100-square-foot space. The

unit includes four bedrooms, a ballroom and music room, a library, two outdoor terraces and a separate guest apartment, and is accented with crystal chandeliers and antique columns. The condo is listed with broker Leighton Candler of the Corcoran Group, and is being sold on behalf of Rivers’ estate, which is managed by her daughter Melissa Rivers. Daily News

NY SENATE DEMOCRATS: BAN OUTSIDE INCOME FOR

LAWMAKERS Democrats in the New York state Senate want to put a tight limit on legislative moonlighting to reduce corruption in Albany. Under the proposal announced Monday, lawmakers could make $12,000 in outside income. The limit is similar to one imposed on Congress, and would increase whenever the legislative base salary of $79,500 goes up. Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins says outside income restrictions would ensure lawmakers serve constituents and not private Joan Rivers’ former home on East 62nd Street is on the market for $28 million. Photo courtesy of The Corcoran Group

employers. Senate Democrats are also proposing stricter income disclosure rules, tighter campaign finance limits and a ban on using campaign funds for personal expenses and legal defense. Ethics reform has become a priority following the arrest of former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver on corruption charges. The Manhattan Democrat resigned as speaker and says he expects to be exonerated. AP

townhouse located between his two properties to buy it out. The sellers of the East 75th property had no knowledge that Abramovich was the one interested in his home. “They just got a knock on their door one day and thought a rich Russian wanted to buy their townhouse,” reported the source to the New York Post. After Abramovich finishes building his dream mansion, he plans on living there with his girlfriend Dasha Zhukova. New York Post

BILLIONAIRE ABRAMOVICH TO BUY U.E.S. BLOCK FOR NEW MANSION

HANDICAP BRIDGE OVER EAST RIVER BRINGS MIXED FEELING FOR SOME UPPER EAST SIDERS

Russian Billionaire Roman Abramovich has plans to build one of New York’s largest mansions on the Upper East side — all on one block. The New York Post reported that Abramovich quietly purchased 11 East 75th street on October 2014 for $29.7 million and another townhouse in December on the same block for $18.3 million dollars. According to a source, the once-orphan now-billionaire currently has a contract with the owner of the

Not many residents located near the East river on the Upper East side are happy about the idea of a handicapped bridge blocking their view, DNAinfo reported. Community Board 8 unanimously voted on moving the wheelchair accessible alternative above the FDR Drive, leaving handicapped pedestrians to pass a parking garage before getting on it. Many residents believed moving the bridge was essential based

on the amount they pay for their view. “The view of the river, which I’m paying a lot for, would literally become just a fence and the bridge,” one bridge opponent told DNAinfo. “It’s not fair for the people who made a large investment to live where we do.” DNAinfo.com

DOCTOR CRITICIZES CUOMO’S EBOLA QUARANTINE ORDERS Harlem doctor Craig Spencer made sure his criticism on the way Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie handled the Ebola outbreak was known during his Feb. 5th interview with WNYC radio. Spencer said both Cuomo and Christie acted out of fear without knowing the facts when they ordered the mandatory quarantine for health care workers returning from West Africa. The doctor told WNYC that many politicians used the Ebola outbreak as a chance to appear “presidential.” Spencer, who was diagnosed with Ebola in November 2014, said he was out and about in the city before coming down with a fever and felt like he did nothing wrong. WNYC

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FEBRUARY 12-18 ,2015 Our Town 3

CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG

MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER IN DEATH OF HEDGE-FUND FOUNDER FATHER In the hours after his arrest, a man accused of killing his hedge-fund founder father over a cut in his allowance talked to police about his diet and exercise regimen but nothing to do with the death, according to court papers released Thursday. Tommy Gilbert, 30, pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges Thursday, appearing briey in Manhattan state Supreme Court in an oversized orange jumpsuit. Authorities say Gilbert shot his father on Jan. 4, then tried to make it appear the older man killed himself. Gilbert’s attorney, Alex Spiro, said during an argument objecting to photographers shooting images of his client that the case was largely circumstantial and did not have any witnesses. “Because of the garb that they had him wearing, I think it’s prejudicial to have his photo published,â€? Spiro said. He didn’t comment further. According to court documents, Gilbert, who is trim with blue eyes and

blond hair, was asked in the hours after his arrest by a detective how he kept in such good shape. “A lot of it is diet and exercise,� Gilbert said. He was asked if he ran marathons, he said, “I’m not a distance runner.� But he didn’t speak about his criminal case, asking only to speak with his attorney. Authorities say the son went to his parents’ tony home and asked his mother for a word alone with his dad, Thomas Gilbert Sr. She left to get her son some food, and when she returned to the apartment about 15 minutes later, she found her 70-year-old husband with a bullet wound in his head and a gun resting on his chest with his hand over it, police said.

GOVERNMENT SEEKS MAXIMUM 25 YEARS IN PRISON FOR EGYPTIAN LAWYER An Egyptian lawyer who admits spreading terrorist threats after the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies should be sentenced to the maximum 25 years in prison under a plea deal he reached last year, government lawyers say while his lawyers have urged a judge to take into account his repu-

19TH PRECINCT Report covering the week 1/26/2015 through 2/1/2015 Week to Date

Year to Date

2015

2014

% Change

2015

2014

% Change

Murder

0

0

n/a

0

0

n/a

Rape

0

1

-100

1

1

0

Robbery

1

1

0

7

5

40

Felony Assault

3

1

200

9

10

-10

Burglary

1

9

-88.9

9

31

-71

Grand Larceny

21

17

23.5

107

100

7

Grand Larceny Auto

0

0

n/a

4

3

33.3

diation of violence. Adel Abdul Bary is set to be sentenced Friday in Manhattan federal court, where he entered a surprise plea to conspiracy charges in September. Prior to his plea, a conviction at trial could have resulted in a life prison term for his role in a conspiracy that resulted in the August 1998 bombings in Tanzania and Kenya that killed 224 people, including a dozen Americans. Prosecutors say in court papers that he deserves the maximum sentence

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after admitting he disseminated claims of responsibility and threats of future attacks after the bombings. They called him an associate of alQaida. The government said correspondence recovered from locations in London show that Bary after the bombings continued to act as a “conduit for communications� between the media and his co-conspirators, including al-Qaida’s then leader, Osama bin Laden.

Prosecutors said Bary was in London when the embassies were bombed. Bary was arrested in connection with the bombings in September 1998 by United Kingdom authorities and again in July 1999, when he was charged by U.S. prosecutors. He was extradited to New York in October 2012. His plea deal says he can be credited with the 15 years he has already served and can serve the remainder of his term in another country.

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4 Our Town FEBRUARY 12-18 ,2015

Useful Contacts POLICE NYPD 19th Precinct

153 E. 67th St.

212-452-0600

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

FIRE FDNY 22 Ladder Co 13

159 E. 85th St.

FDNY Engine 39/Ladder 16

157 E. 67th St.

311

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311

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221 E. 75th St.

311

311

CITY COUNCIL Councilmember Daniel Garodnick

211 E. 43rd St. #1205

212-818-0580

Councilmember Ben Kallos

244 E. 93rd St.

212-860-1950

STATE LEGISLATORS State Sen. Jose M. Serrano

1916 Park Ave. #202

212-828-5829

State Senator Liz Krueger

1850 Second Ave.

212-490-9535

Assembly Member Dan Quart

360 E. 57th St.

212-605-0937

Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright

1365 First Ave.

212-288-4607

COMMUNITY BOARD 8

505 Park Ave. #620

212-758-4340

LIBRARIES Yorkville

222 E. 79th St.

212-744-5824

96th Street

112 E. 96th St.

212-289-0908

67th Street

328 E. 67th St.

212-734-1717

Webster Library

1465 York Ave.

212-288-5049

100 E. 77th St.

212-434-2000

HOSPITALS Lenox Hill

UNITING TO SAVE A CARNEGIE HILL CHURCH

NY-Presbyterian / Weill Cornell

525 E. 68th St.

212-746-5454

Mount Sinai

E. 99th St. & Madison Ave.

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the current parish there with another nearby congregation. If the church is calendared for an LPC hearing, it retains landmark protection while going through the process. That protection can’t prevent a sale of the property, but it would prevent the current or new owners from making any changes to the historic façade of the building. While the community awaits the decision from the diocese, members of the church are distraught at the prospect of losing their spiritual home, and several also came before the community board to emphasize the importance of the church’s architecture and unique aesthetic character as well. Caroline McGill, who lives on East 89th Street and trekked out to Rockefeller University with her young baby in tow to testify to the committee Monday night, said that she was raised through the church at St. Thomas More, and is hoping that the diocese keeps it open, but also that she wants to make sure the structure remains a bastion of old world glory in an otherwise-modernized neighborhood. “Aside from our personal interest, it is an incredible asset to the neighborhood,” McGill said. “It’s a beautiful enclave of 1870s architecture in the middle of what I consider not attractive architecture.” Many others echoed her sentiments, and several people at the meeting said that even though they are not religious, they appreciate the sense of quiet and community that the church brings to their area. One person pointed out that many community groups – Girl Scouts, co-op boards, local superintendents associations – meet in the church as well. Lo van der Valk, the president of Carnegie Hill Neighbors, and Mary Dierickx presented their proposal to the landmarks committee, and were rewarded with resounding approval. The measure will now go before the full board at the next meeting on Wednesday, February 18. The community board’s role is strictly advisory, but the Landmarks Preservation Commission has traditionally placed high importance on community board recommendations.

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FEBRUARY 12-18 ,2015 Our Town 5

A Letter to the Community from the Friends of Asphalt Green Dear Neighbors, No one wants a garbage dump in their back yard. But the reality is the 91st Street Marine Transfer Station (MTS) is being built. Now. Before our eyes. Mayor Bloomberg proposed this dump and Mayor de Blasio has blessed it. With you, we have fought long and hard against the entire misguided plan. Sadly, we have lost every state and city legal battle so far. Last summer, Asphalt Green made a very tough decision to refocus our energy on moving the ramp that will cut through our campus and the adjoining Dekovats toddler park. Our hope is that – at the very least – we can protect the neighborhood from the accidents bound to happen when 150 garbage trucks a day turn in and out of an intersection that more than 1 million visitors cross each year, including vulnerable seniors and children. We also hope to avoid making kids breathe diesel fumes while they exercise. We hired “Gridlock Sam” Schwartz, former NYC Department Transportation Traffic Commissioner and Chief Engineer, who saw the proposed ramp and said, “the City could have thrown a dart and found a safer place.” After extensive review and analysis, he proposed an alternative. The Schwartz Plan moves the ramp one block north, to wrap around the back of Asphalt Green. It is safer for everyone in the community, including our neighbors at Isaacs Houses and Holmes Towers. Among the major benefits: • The new ramp will move trucks away from one of the heaviest pedestrian crossings in the area at 91st and York. Pedestrian counts show drastically reduced foot traffic at 92nd and York, the Schwartz Plan alternative. • Paired with the more direct truck routes we have proposed, the new ramp will keep trucks on wider commercial routes and sharply limit their use of residential streets and crosswalks. This will reduce diesel pollution exposure to pedestrians on nearby sidewalks throughout the neighborhood.

• It will require closing the southbound entrance to the FDR Drive at 92nd Street, taking more than 1,000 cars off 92nd Street daily and slashing associated noise and air pollution. • In addition, removing the York Avenue entrance to the southbound entrance to the FDR Drive will reduce car traffic in the community overall because many cars will simply use another entrance or take a different route. Moving the ramp is only one piece of our effort. We will fight for other sensible and meaningful mitigations to help the whole community, including requiring the best clean technology on all trucks using this MTS, emissions limits, hours of operation restrictions and disclosure to the community of any health issues that may arise once the MTS opens.

Like you, we wish the Mayor had looked more closely at our vibrant community and appreciated this is a residential neighborhood, full of homes, schools and kids at play, with no industry. At this point, the only realistic goal is to make a bad situation better, for as many people as possible. If you see what we do – that the MTS is being built right before our eyes – then please join us in convincing the Mayor to MOVE THE RAMP. Go to www.zerovision.nyc for more information on what you can do to help. Thank you, Friends of Asphalt Green

6 Our Town FEBRUARY 12-18 ,2015

BE THE NEW YORKER WHO REALLY DOES KNOW IT ALL. The panel discussion that Borough President Gale Brewer held in lieu of the traditional State of the Borough address. From left to right: Jaime Estades, Gigi Li, Gale Brewer, H. Carl McCall, Ruth Messinger

A LECTURE SERIES PRESENTED BY THE LAURA AND ISAAC PERLMUTTER CANCER CENTER. CANCER SURVIVORSHIP LEARNING SERIES: KEEPING YOUR TICKER IN TOP SHAPE! Some cancer treatments can increase your risk of developing heart disease. It’s important to be aware of the proactive steps you can take to care for your heart in the years to come. This lecture will review side effects of cancer treatment, tests you may need to monitor your heart, proper diet and exercise, supplements to support cardiovascular health, as well as ways to reduce hypertension and keep cholesterol in check. Date: Tuesday, February 17, 6:00pm – 7:00pm. Presenter: Nieca Goldberg, MD. Location: Perlmutter Cancer Center. 160 East 34th Street. 11th Floor, Room 1121.

STRATEGIES TO KEEP YOUR HEART HEALTHY. Avoid heart problems in the future by adopting a healthy lifestyle today. Although you cannot change some risk factors—such as your family history, sex, or age—there are some key heart disease prevention steps you can take. A blood pressure screening will be offered. Date: Thursday, February 19, 12:00pm – 1:30pm. Lunch will be provided after

INTERACTIVE STATE OF THE BOROUGH On Sunday, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer held an interactive State of the Borough forum at Columbia University’s Lerner Hall in Morningside Heights, ceding the traditional podium speech to a panel discussion featuring input from the public as well as other officials and advisors. U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, Deputy Borough Presidents Aldrin Bonilla and Joseph Garba, and 19-year old Community Board 4 member Austin Ochoa gave opening remarks, and Brewer followed by leading a wide-ranging panel discussion. The panel included nonprofit leader Jaime Estades, Commu-

nity Board 3 chair Gigi Li, SUNY Board of Trustees Chair H. Carl McCall, and American Jewish World Service President (and former Manhattan borough president) Ruth Messinger. The panelists covered a range of topics, housing and affordability, education, technology, economic development and health. The discussion was peppered with interactive media, including tweets from audience members projected onto a display, and the entire address was broadcast live on the Manhattan Neighborhood Network. Elected leaders also made their own 6-second videos for the so-

cial video sharing service Vine, highlighting their visions for the future of Manhattan. Brewer also emphasized the role of youth in shaping the borough’s future, pointing to her initiative to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to apply and serve on community boards. The event included a performance from The Drowsy Chaperone by students from the Repertory Company High School for Theatre Arts. “The whole world knows our twenty square miles for our landmarks, our institutions, and our iconic skyline – but it’s also home to 1.6 million New Yorkers,” Brewer said. “The work ahead of us is clear: on education, affordable housing, development, and public space, we must realize a vision of Manhattan’s future not just as the world’s greatest center of business and culture, but as its greatest community.”

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Students from Repertory Company High School for Theatre Arts perform number from The Drowsy Chaperone.

FEBRUARY 12-18 ,2015 Our Town 7

A PLAN FOR THE ESPLANADE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Drive daily, and that “the narrow esplanade is once again deteriorating.” Concrete at the edge of the esplanade is frequently damaged. A temporary bridge covers a sinkhole at 116th Street. There’s also a sinkhole at 89th Street that’s cordoned off. Another component of the study found that noise on the esplanade ranges from 75 to 90 decibels, 10 decibels over what a normal conversation creates up to something approaching the sounds of a lawnmower. The 119-page reports also notes that the esplanade falls under a “complex jurisdictional arrangement resulting from ownership by multiple agencies” between the parks department, both state and city DOTs, the city Dept. of Sanitation, the city’s Dept. of Environmental Protection, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the state Dept. of Environmen-

tal Conservation. “While [the parks department] operates the esplanade, various city, state and federal agencies would need to be involved in most future reconstruction projects,” said the report. For that reason and others, what is left unaddressed are site-specific improvements. While the Civitas study has the support of local elected officials, including Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, who organized an event touting the study, and the authors and officials know what the community wants the esplanade to be, the study says that proposing specific improvements is premature. The report does suggest that the esplanade could be expanded into the river, and recommends such a plan would be more feasible if paired with a project that creates excess fill, such as construction of the 2nd Avenue subway. But in the main, it looks to function as the impetus behind, and point of reference to, future endeavors

to preserve and improve the esplanade. “Due to the required level of agency coordination, permitting and investment needed to formulate a comprehensive plan, this effort must be developed with city and state support and lead to plans that are both definitive and implementable.” In the short term, the study recommends repairing in the next 1-5 years critical infrastructure issues that could lead to a collapse or dangerous conditions. “However, in addition to structural repairs, short term opportunities must also be implemented to inspire the community and political leaders to further develop and carry out medium and longer term plans.” To that end, said Civitas, relevant agencies could introduce low-cost attractions like temporary installations of art, landscape programming, and educational activities that encourage people to use and appreciate the park.

Medium-term recommendations include improving waterfront access and programming, providing restrooms, and several capital projects like the reconstruction of Pier 107. In the long term, after about a decade of steady improvement, Civitas recommends rebuilding the esplanade, addressing sea level rise and restoring river ecology.

The report notes that $35 million has already been allocated to improve some of the esplanade’s deterioration, and additional money can be raised from capital funding programs, participatory and discretionary funding, grants, private investment and philanthropy. “It is important to keep in mind that this undertaking

will require time and patience, and the first step is to activate community support and political leadership,” concludes the report. “There are very real regulatory, technical, planning and funding challenges that must be addressed, but the process should begin now given the current need for serious structural remediation.”

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8 Our Town FEBRUARY 12-18 ,2015

Write to us: To share your thoughts and comments, go to ourtownny.com and click on Voices.

Letter THE GARDEN AT THE FRICK To the Editor: I visited the Frick twice in the last two months, first time alone, and the second with my daughter. Regarding the garden in question, for a visitor, while you see it on entering, and it is lovely, it does seem inconsequential to the overall museum. You only see it glancingly, and there is no way to sit and appreciate it, as it is encircled by a high iron fence. While I understand why the neighborhood might like that little splash of glancing garden, you are hardly a stone’s throw from Central Park, which you see easily if you look to your left while looking at the barred garden. In fact, it does indeed seem the garden, despite the quality of the design and execution, really is temporary in intent, and does not add in any meaningful way to the museum. Other aspects of the expansion I am enthusiastic about. It is impossible to tour the Frick and not want to walk up those magnificent stairs to see the undoubtedly beautiful rooms that are currently off limits. While I understand neighborhood resident concerns, as a museum visitor who intends to visit regularly in the future, the expansion plans seem completely beneficial to the museum in its function as a museum and art education center. JT B via the web

Op - Ed

Voices

Let’s fund the next phase of the second avenue subway project BY ASSEMBLYMEMBER DAN QUART ew York State is in the enviable position of deciding what to do with a projected $5.1 billion surplus in next year’s budget. Unsurprisingly, there is no shortage of ideas for exactly how to spend this money – many issue advocates see this as an opportunity to call for more funding for their pet cause. However, even in this time of plenty, it’s important to be fiscally responsible and to use the surplus in the way that will be most effective. Best budget practices demand that these funds are not used to plug a hole in an operating budget, nor to kickstart a new program that will incur further costs down the road. Instead, this one-time windfall should be used for one-time spending that will generate both revenue and economic development in future years. There’s a project in Manhattan that fits the bill – Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway. The Second Avenue Subway is the most important transportation project in New York City right now. It brings a subway line to the Far East Side of Manhattan, which is currently severely underserved by public transit. The Lexington line, the only subway line spanning the eight avenue blocks of the East Side, is chronically overcrowded. More than 1.3 million people ride this line each day – that’s more than any other entire transit system in the United States! When the first phase of the Second Avenue Subway finishes construction next year, it is predicted to begin relieving these problems. However, that first phase will only extend the Q line from 57th Street to 96th Street. To bring true transit equity to the East Side, it’s essential to continue build-

N

ing the Second Avenue Subway from Hanover Square to 125th Street. The MTA has begun planning the transition to Phase 2 of Second Avenue Subway construction, proposing just over $1.5 billion of spending in the 2015-2019 Capital Plan. By continuing construction, we can ensure that we are not left with a three-stop stubway, instead building the first expansion of the subway system since the 1940’s. Using surplus funds to pay for this piece of the MTA’s Capital Plan will allow the MTA to focus its efforts on funding the rest of the plan, which is still short some $15 billion. The Capital Plan includes a number of high-profile projects, like East Side

Access, as well as regular maintenance needed to keep the system in a state of good repair. It will also disencumber the MTA’s debt load, preventing an increase in debt service payments that would be likely to lead to a fare increase. As subway service becomes accessible to more residents of the Far East Side, fare revenues will increase, since many New Yorkers who do not regularly use the system will, once it’s right outside their door. It will also drive economic development in the new construction area; we’ve seen increased economic activity already on the Second Avenue corridor as construction has approached an end. Increasing the

reach of the Second Avenue Subway will multiply these effects, generating revenue that will pay back the initial $1.5 billion investment. Most state budget processes are an exercise in what essential services will have to be cut because the money simply isn’t there. This year, we in the state legislature are fortunate to have the opportunity to be able to choose how to spend a surplus. We should do so responsibly and fully fund the Second Avenue Subway. Dan Quart represents the 73rd Assembly District on Manhattan’s East Side.

STRAUS MEDIA-MANHATTAN President, Jeanne Straus nyoffice@strausnews.com Vice President/CFO Otilia Bertolotti Vice President/CRO Vincent A. Gardino advertising@strausnews.com

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

FEBRUARY 12-18 ,2015 Our Town 9

My Story

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“We’ll Be There For You!�

A Valentine to Our Neighbors BY BETTE DEWING Valentine’s Day is deďŹ nitely not for couple love only, although the sickness and health, death-do-us-part kind needs all-out support. And that kind never excludes or diminishes family and friendship love. Ah, if ever a balance were needed. it’s the relationship kind. And don’t forget the neighborly kind, which Big Apple apartment house staffs are often the primary everyday “neighborliness source.â€? And in emergencies, quite typical is Wally Sandoval, the super at 505 E. 79th, making a list of residents who may be at risk or need some kind of help in the snow storm. It was meant to help the storm-pressured skeleton staff to remember. Maybe we tenants need such reminders? Ah, but some #505 tenants didn’t need reminding to help the staff in the emergency. Valentines to all involved. But what about the many buildings without doormen and live-in supers? Tenant committees reportedly are increasingly in short supply. And with the population aging, elected officials, civic and yes, faith groups may need reminding to work to fulďŹ ll this very real need. Valentines are surely due to those who attend civic forums even when their ox is not being gored. (If only more able-bodieds did even then.) And I learned from a friend concerned with

the East River ramp bridge placement and design how her group waited two hours as Board 8 discussed the 86th bus service. The continuing bridge debate needs enormous ongoing community involvement, but immediate action is needed to stop the MTA plan to speed up M86 cross-town service by making some buses the Select kind. This means many fewer local buses, needed especially, but not only, by elder or otherwise disabled riders. It means more speeding on this truck-crowded commercial two-way thoroughfare, even as the city speed limit is at last being lowered. And the MTA and elected officials ignore this longtime bus advocate’s demands for drivers to “Pull to the curb!� Valentines unlimited for those who actively protest this bus change, and yes, also who opt for medium speed rather than high speed passenger trains and know many more passengers would have perished or been severely injured had the Metro North train been the high-speed kind. They also know train travel is at least 10 times safer than the motor car travel, and that once upon a total-vision time, the medium speed train connected every city, village and town. And fares were affordable. The mayor’s broad vision affordable housing plan, is not so “total-visioned� when the 100,000 “senior units� planned means more segregation by age, and less opportunity for intergenerational neighborliness. And what about the natural support systems provided when multigenerational and extended families live under

one roof? Somehow, I hope that once very natural option will be considered in the next Sen. Liz Krueger-sponsored Boomer/Senior Forum on “Aging in Place and Affordable Senior Housing.� But these and other forums must also stress learning and using communication skills and other get-along guidelines to aid compatible home-sharing – indeed for constructive relating in general. As for intergenerational relating, although age 85plus people are the Upper East Side’ fastest-growing age group, relatively few take part in events that so affect their everyday lives like the Boomer/Senior Round Table forum on Thursday, Feb 19th at 8:30-10:30 AM. (The location is The Lenox Hill Neighborhood House at 331 E. 70th Street, and of course there’s a ramp.) I am sure Sen. Krueger is actively concerned about the 85-plus group absentee factor, but immediately doable is for the forum’s primary planner and moderator, Alice Fisher, to push for some dialogue between the two or three generations sharing the forum round tables. For one thing, it might lead to “Boomers� helping “Seniors,� travel to and from these forums. And surely not for Valentine’s Day only, is Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey’s heartfelt belief that “The impersonal hand of government can never replace the helping hand of a neighbor.� Nor should a “hired helper� be expected to replace the helping hand of a neighbor, family member or friend. dewingbetter@aol.com

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10 Our Town FEBRUARY 12-18 ,2015

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Request for Bids (RFB) for the Sale of Food from Mobile Food Units at Various Locations at Central Park, Manhattan In accordance with Section 1-12 of the Concession Rules of the City of New York, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (“Parks�) is issuing, as of the date of this notice, a Request for Bids for the sale of food from mobile food units at various locations at Central Park, Manhattan. Hard copies of the RFB can be obtained, at no cost, commencing on Friday, January 30, 2015 through Monday, February 23, 2015 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., excluding weekends and holidays, at the Revenue Division of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, which is located at 830 Fifth Avenue, Room 407, New York, NY 10065. All bids submitted in response to this RFB must be submitted no later than Monday, February 23, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. The RFB is also available for download, commencing Friday, January 30, 2015 through Monday, February 23, 2015 on Parks’ website. To download the RFB, visit www.nyc.gov/parks/businessopportunities, click on the link for “Concessions Opportunities at Parks� and, after logging in, click on the “download� link that appears adjacent to the RFB’s description. at

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TLB Music, 266 E. 78th St. at Second Ave. 3 - 5:30 p.m., $25 per child. Sing your heart out with a love songs sing-along, craft cards for family and friends, snack on vegan treats and let loose in an indoor playspace. Don’t forget to wear something red to get in the spirit! Ages 4 months to 6 years. 212-744-0404. www. tlbmusic.com

KAZUO SHIRAGA Mnuchin Gallery, 78th Street and Madison Ave. Kazuo Shiraga’s exhibit showcases the evolution of his signature “foot paintings.� Pieces range from his work from 1959 and onward. 212-861-0020. www. mnuchingallery.com/ exhibitions/kazuo-shiraga

CENTRAL PARK ICE FESTIVAL

CafĂŠ Grumpy (S.C.A.R)

Kaalund

RED ROCKIN’ VALENTINE’S DAY PARTY

14

Chelsea Market (I.O.H.R)

For more information, contact Glenn Glenn.Kaalund@parks.nyc.gov. Thank you.

Out & About 13

360-1397

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TELECOMMUNICATION DEVICE FOR THE DEAF (TDD) 212-504-4115

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Central Park, Namburg Bandshell, Mid-Park at 72nd Street. 3-7 p.m., Free. This Valentine’s Day, celebrate your love of Central Park at the 4th Annual Ice Festival. Witness ice-carving artists from Okamoto Studio transform more than 3,000 pounds of ice into sculptures. 212-310-6600. www. centralparknyc.com

NEW YORK OPERA FORUM: WAGNER’S SIEGFRIED AND GOTTERDAMMERUNG 96th Street Library, 96th Street and Park Avenue. 1 p.m., Free. This live musical recital will feature selections of Siegfried (Act 3) and Gotterdammerung (Act 3) by Richard Wagner. 212-289-0908.

www.nypl.org/events/ calendar?location=5

15 OH KAWARA - SILENCE Solomon Guggenheim Museum, 89th Street and Fifth Ave. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Seniors/ students with ID $22, Members $18, Children Free. Kawara’s latest exhibit will feature his pieces since 1964 illustrating the way he handles place and time through his art career. 212-423-3575. www. guggenheim.org/new-york/ exhibitions/on-view/onkawara-silence

julliard.edu

16 KID’S WEEK Central Park, Dana Discovery Center, 110th St. between Fifth and Lenox Ave. 2 p.m.Free. Come out and enjoy nature during kid’s week.Participate in activities and programs facilitated by Urban Park Rangers. 212-628-2345. www. nycgovparks.org/events/ kids_week

WANDA SKYES IN CONVERSATION WITH JUDY GOLD

92nd Street Y JULLIARD PRESENTS A Buttenwieser 92nd Street MUSICAL EVENING OF and LexingtonHall, Ave. CABARET 7:30 p.m., From $34. Harold and Mimi Steinberg Drama Studio, Julliard, 60 Lincoln Center Plaza. 2-8 p.m., Free. Attend one of two shows this Sunday at Julliard for a free performance by their third-year students. It is a great way to enjoy ďŹ rst class theatre for free. 212-799-5000. www.

Listen to funny woman Wanda Skyes and fellow comedian Judy Gold talk careers, jokes and the way they’re breaking barriers with what they do. 212-415-5500. www.92y. org/calendar/index.aspx

FEBRUARY 12-18 ,2015 Our Town 11

YOU READ IT HERE FIRST The local paper for the Upper East Side

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BAZM AND RAZM: FEAST AND FIGHT IN PERSIAN ART

CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD STYLES: 20TH CENTURY FOX IN THE 1940S

THE ART OF PARENTING

Metropolitan Museum of Art, E. 82nd St. and Fifth Ave. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Free with admission. Bazm and Razm will illustrate the role feat and fight plays in the roots of pre-Islamic Iran. Three dozen pieces of art in various mediums will be on display. 212-535-7710. www. metmuseum.org/exhibitions/ listings/2015/bazm-and-razm

92nd Street Y, 96th St. and Lexington Ave. 7 p.m., From $30. As part of the Classic Holly wood styles series, movie Kiss of Death Directed by Henry Hathaway shows how an ex-con and his family attempt to start a new life. 212-415-5500. www.92y. org/Event/20th-Century-Fox

BRUCE WAUMAN’S ANIMAL PYRAMID

TOP OF THE ROCK WINTER STARLIGHT MUSIC SERIES

Gagosian Gallery, E. 75th St. and Park Ave. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Free. Animal Pyramid exhibits seventeen stacked taxidermy molds that shows the dichotomy of nature and sport. This exhibit goes beyond the animal pyramids, but shows the gap between real and surrogate. 212-796-1228. www. gagosian.com/exhibitions/ bruce-nauman-january-27-2015

Top of the Rock Observation Deck, 30 Rockefeller Plaza. 7-9 p.m., $29. Top of the Rock Observation Deck at Rockefeller Center will kick off the 2015 Winter Starlight Music Series with a performance from NYC-based 6-piece jazz ensemble, Carte Blanche. 212-698-2000. www. topoftherocknyc.com

The Chabad Preschool at Beekman Place, 336 East 53rd St. 8-9:30 p.m., $99 (textbook included), $149 Couples discount. The Art of Parenting with special instructor Rabbi Michoel D. Shapiro, scholar and course author at the Rohr JLI, the International Jewish Adult Education Institute. 2123191770. www.chabadsutton.org/ templates/articlecco_cdo/ aid/2836025/jewish/JLIWinter-Session.htm

The local paper for the Upper West Side

LOST DOG TALE, WITH A TWIST LOCAL NEWS

A family hopes that Upper West Siders will help bring their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel back home Upper West Side For the past week, Eva Zaghari and her three children from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, have been papering the Upper West Side with over 1,300 flyers asking for information on their beloved dog Cooper. ?We are devastated, please return our dog,? the sign implores. The catch though, is that Cooper didn?t technically get lost, or even stolen. He was given away. When she explains the story, sitting at Irving Farm coffee shop on West 79th Street before heading out to post more flyers around the neighborhood, Eva and her kids are visibly distraught. About a month ago, on September 5th, her husband Ray had arranged to give the dog away, via a Craigslist ad. He mistakenly thought that removing a source of stress from his wife and kids ? walking and feeding and caring for a dog, tasks which had fallen mostly to Eva ? would make everyone happier

October 2, 2014

October 8, 2014

The local paper for the Upper East Side

SPEAKING OF PEOPLE: EBONY, JET, AND CONTEMPORARY ART The Studio Museum in Harlem, 144 W. 125th St. @ Lenox Ave. 12-9 p.m., $7 suggested donation. The Studio Museum is currently featuring artist Derrick Adams’ work which he calls “an encyclopedia or archive of African Diaspora culture.” 212-864-4500. www. studiomuseum.org

November 5, 2014

April 17, 2014

A CENTURY OF SEX TALK ON THE EAST SIDE MILESTONES Shirley Zussman, who recently celebrated her 100th birthday, worked with Masters and Johnson, and still sees patients as a sex therapist BY KYLE POPE

UPPER EAST SIDE Some people’s life stories write themselves, and Shirley Zussman, the 100-year-old sex therapist of the Upper East Side, is one of those people. She was born in 1914 at the start of World War I (less than a month after the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand), lived in Berlin at the height of the Cabaret era, became a protege of the original Masters and Johnson, and, now into her second century, continues to see patients in an office in the ground floor of her apartment building on E. 79th Street. Last month, more than 50 people crowded Yefsi restaurant, a Greek place

August 7, 2014

August 20, 2014

FI R S T I N YOU R N E I G H BO R H O O D

(212) 868-0190 The local paper for the Upper East Side

The local paper for the Upper West Side

The local paper for Downtown

12 Our Town FEBRUARY 12-18 ,2015

EGON SCHIELE, REBEL ON DISPLAY EXHIBITIONS Responding to very strong demand, the Neue Galerie has extended its first-of-its-kind show of the iconoclastic Austrian artist BY VAL CASTRONOVO

Portrait of the Artist’s Wife, Standing (Edith Schiele in Striped Dress), 1915 Oil on canvasCollection Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, The Hague, The Netherlands

After rave reviews and lines that wrapped around the block, Neue Galerie has given its Egon Schiele show a reprieve and extended its run until April 20. The exhibit, with an exclusive focus on the artist’s portraiture, is the first of its kind at a major U.S. museum. Curator Alessandra Comini, who wrote her doctoral thesis at Columbia on the Austrian Expressionist’s portraits, has gathered some 125 drawings, paintings and sculptures on the third floor of the museum, a showcase for German and Austrian art. The works, most on paper with just 11 oil paintings, are organized thematically, with the music of Arnold Schoenberg wafting in the background. Born in 1890 in a suburb of Vienna, Schiele was a rebel painter, “the James Dean of his age,” the audio tour states about the artist, who bore a striking physical resemblance to Dean (both died in their 20s). After only three years at Vienna’s conservative Academy of Fine Arts–where he precociously enrolled at age 16–Schiele and several fellow iconoclasts broke free and formed the Neukunstgruppe (New Art Group). A protégé of the Vienna Secession’s Gustav Klimt (1862-1918), whom he idolized, Schiele made his mark in the age of Freud, Webern, Hoffmann, Loos, and Wittgenstein. His emotionally complex, psychosexually charged images, with their brilliant line, unconventional use of color and depictions of masturbation, lesbian couples and lewd behavior, set the art world on fire and got him arrested and briefly incar-

cerated in 1912 on a charge of public immorality. His edgy, angular style softened in the aftermath of his imprisonment, but the exhibit is rife with paintings and drawings of elongated, emaciated, trippy figures resembling Mick Jagger (“Self-Portrait with Arm Twisted Above Head,” 1910) or Frankenstein’s monster (“SelfPortrait, Head,” 1910). The many portraits of the artist himself, an egotist and a dandy with great hair (“Self-Portrait with Peacock Waistcoat, Standing,” 1911), are a testament to his fondness for self-reference and exhibitionism—though it is true that the practice saved him the cost of hiring models. The self-portraits, many in the nude and quite provocative, are grouped in a room alongside the Eros and Lovers sections, and together form the exhibit’s hot-button core. But with all the X-rated material on display in this gallery, it is a tame, rather bland portrait of Schiele’s wife Edith that steals the show. And it is not just because it is a large oil painting in a room full of modest-sized, albeit very explicit, works on paper. Edith Harms, the respectable, middle-class girl whom Schiele married in 1915 after discarding his longtime model and live-in lover “Wally”, charms with her ruffled collar and prim, finely delineated striped dress, a garment that conjures up visions of Joseph’s coat of many colors. Set against an off-white void, Schiele’s wife looks doll-like and awkward, rather like a marionette waiting to be manipulated. Edith and her family hated the painting, with her sister Adele protesting, “Why did he have to show her looking so dumb?” But the portrait with the vapid expression is considered one of Schiele’s finest. Another masterful female likeness painted in the early stages of his career, “Portrait of Gerti Schiele” (1909), is displayed in the room de-

Self-Portrait with Peacock Waistcoat, Standing, 1911Gouache, watercolor, and black crayon on paper, mounted on board Ernst Ploil, Vienna voted to family and fellow artists. A gold-bronzed, decorative tribute to his youngest sister, it presents yet another figure in an existential, empty space, this one silver-toned. The work is eerily reminiscent of Klimt’s iconic, golden portrait “Adele Bloch-Bauer I” (1907), currently residing on the 2nd floor and the subject of a new show opening at Neue Galerie on April 2, timed to coincide with the upcoming film, “Woman in Gold,” starring Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds. Not surprisingly, Schiele’s emulation of the master in his early years inspired the moniker “the silver Klimt.” The adjacent gallery is filled with portraits of sitters and patrons and includes an especially endearing painting of a young boy in striped shirt and rumpled trousers (“Standing Boy in Striped Shirt,” 1910). A small side room, from which the Schoenberg emanates, is given over to his time in prison, with reproductions of the agonized watercolors Schiele completed while serving his 24-day sentence. After Edith became pregnant in 1918, Schiele painted the mellow trio, “The Family,” with a naked mother and father sheltering a small child. (Alas, the picture could not stay until April and has been returned to its lender.) But six months into her pregnancy, Edith contracted the Spanish flu and died. Schiele perished three days later of the same malady—on the same day as his wife’s funeral, October 31, 1918. He was only 28, a prodigy, with a career that lasted just a decade. But he is now heralded as one of the greatest artists of the last century for pushing the envelope and advancing the cause of modernism. Make that rebel with a cause.

Do something you You’d have

FOR THE WEEK BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO

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5 TOP

FEBRUARY 12-18 ,2015 Our Town 13

FILM

“IF THESE KNISHES COULD TALK” Director Heather Quinlan’s 2013 film celebrates the idiosyncrasies of the New York accent and the residents from across the five boroughs who embody what it means to talk like a New Yorker. Showing as part of City Lore’s new exhibition on endangered languages, the screening is followed by a talk-off between four native New Yorkers. Thursday, Feb. 12 City Lore Gallery 56 E. 1st St., between First and Second Avenues 7 p.m. Tickets $15

MUSIC GABRIELA LENA FRANK’S “RAPSODIA ANDINA NO. 2” Berkeley native Gabriela Lena Frank draws on her Peruvian, Chinese, Lithuanian and Jewish heritage and explores identity in her commissioned work for St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble. The program also includes Mozart quartets for oboe and flute: Frank cites the “melody and rhythmic vibrancy” of his compositions as influences for her new piece. Friday, Feb. 13 Morgan Library and Museum 225 Madison Ave., at 37th Street 7:30 p.m. Tickets$10-$48

light. Monday, Feb. 16 Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall 57th Street and Seventh Avenue 7:30 p.m. Tickets $32

Email us at news@strausnews.com

OUR BUS IS YOUR BEST BET.

GALLERIES “MODERNO: DESIGN FOR LIVING IN BRAZIL, MEXICO, AND VENEZUELA, 1940-1978” Brazil, Mexico and Venezuela, unscathed from World War II, saw an economic boom in the 1940s and 1950s. Modern development and design in cities influenced the residential environments, with designers and architects helping shape national identities. Americas Society explores this period of modernization in a new exhibition of design pieces from the era. Through May 16 Americas Society 680 Park Ave., at 68th Street Gallery Hours: Wednesday-Saturday, noon- 6 p.m. FREE

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THEATER “HARLEM REMEMBERED” MEREDITH MONK’S “BACKLIGHT” Composer and singer Meredith Monk has, over her 50 year career, explored the boundaries of vocal expression and the intersections of music, theater and dance. As Carnegie Hall’s current composer-in-residence, Monk continues composing orchestral pieces and performing with her vocal ensemble. On Monday, she premieres “Backlight,” a piece written for and performed by young music collective Ensemble ACJW that contemplates the interplay between dark and

Xoregos Performing Company highlights work by female artists of the Harlem Renaissance. The small cast of fewer than ten actors performs Eulalie Spence’s “The Hunch” and Marita Bonner’s “Exit, an Illusion,” both one acts from 1927, as well as songs and poems by Langston Hughes and other writers. Thursday, Feb. 19 Muhlenberg Library 209 W. 23rd St., at Seventh Avenue 5:30 p.m. FREE

Why not extend your stay? Visit mymohegansun.com to view your hotel rates.

DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU’D LIKE US TO LOOK INTO? DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU’D LIKE US TO LOOK INTO? DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU’D LIKE US TO LOOK INTO? Email us at NEWS@STRAUSNEWS.COM

14 Our Town FEBRUARY 12-18 ,2015

RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS JAN 29 - FEB 5, 2015 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. Felice

1593 1 Avenue

A

Coffee Bean Tea & Leaf

1469 3 Avenue

A

Morini Ristorante

1167 Madison Avenue

A

Table D’hote

44 East 92 Street

A

Carino On Second

1710 2 Avenue

A

Andaman Thai Bistro

1843 1 Avenue

A

Dunkin Donuts

200 East 89 Street

A

Manny’s On Second

1770 2 Avenue

Grade Pending (26) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Selena Rosa Mexicana

1712 2 Avenue

Grade Pending (34) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, crosscontaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. 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. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Maharaja Palace

1350 Madison Avenue Closed by Health Department (63) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

La Tarte Flambee

1750 2 Avenue

Grade Pending (21) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.

Cuchifrito

168 East 116 Street

A

Makana

2245 1 Avenue

A

Milenio Bakery

2030 Third Avenue

A

Kennedy Fried Chicken

1774 Lexington Avenue

A

Mexican Restaurant

1779 Lexington Avenue

Grade Pending (24) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.

El Nuevo Caridad Restaurant

225759 2Nd Ave

A

Mercado’s Cuisine

1759 Lexington Avenue

Grade Pending (18) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.

HEALTH

ANTI-INFLAMMATION RECIPES A nutritionist offers breakfast, lunch & dinner options to restore health The link between chronic disease and inflammation based on a poor diet and sedentary lifestyle has been made clear by now, as outlined in an article from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The article explores how humankind uncovered the tools to overcome infectious disease with germ theory, posited in the 19th Century. More than a century later, as we’ve encountered the wrath of chronic disease – including heart disease, cancer, stroke, rheumatoid arthritis, and many others – research has identified a modern-day equivalent, this time caused by inflammation. “The best medicine to ease the massive suffering endured by so many in our population today is an active lifestyle and an anti-inflammatory diet; food should be nourishing and pleasurable,” says nutritionist and juicing pioneer Cherie Calbom, MS. Her latest book, “The Juice Lady’s Anti-Inflammation Diet,” outlines the causes of inflammation and offers solutions with healthy meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as robust juicing recipes. “Whether you’re on a vegetarian, vegan, low-carb, nocarb, Mediterranean, Neanderthal or any other kind of diet, there are delicious recipes available to anyone who wants to up their anti-inflammation efforts.” Calbom lists just three of her many recipes, with some ingredients that may already be found in your pantry, she says.

Breakfast: Spanish frittata and simple salad with maple orange vinaigrette (serves 4-6) Frittata: 12 large organic eggs; ½ cup coconut milk; ½ tsp. sea salt, or more to taste; 2 tbsp. coconut oil or extravirgin olive oil; 1 small red onion, small chop; ½ cup sautéed mushrooms or your favorite vegetable; 1 cup spinach or arugula. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Whisk the eggs and coconut milk with 2 pinches of salt. Set aside. Prepare pan with coconut oil and medium-high heat and sauté onions until translucent, about 3 min. Add mushroom or favorite vegetable and sauté until soft. Toss in spinach and fold into veggie mixture just until wilted. Remove vegetables from pan; set aside. Turn down the heat to low, adding a little more coconut oil if needed. Using the same skillet, add the eggs, shaking to distribute the mixture evenly. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 min. using a spatula to spread the eggs from the edges to the center until the edges are no longer runny. Arrange the vegetable mixture over the top evenly. Transfer to a 375-dgree oven and cook for 5 minutes until set and slightly browned. Remove from oven. Be very aware of the hot handle! To finish, slide partially cooked frittata onto a large plate; wearing oven mitts, place a plate over the pan and, holding the two together, invert them so the frittata drops onto the plate. Slide the frittata back into the pan so partially cooked side is up. Place back in oven to cook 3-4 min. more.

and olive oil. Add to the bowl. Add the cooked, cooled quinoa and mango to the bowl and toss well. Mix in mint, cilantro, ginger and salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with sliced avocado and cashews. Scoop mixture over greens and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Dinner: grilled salmon and asparagus with stone fruit and lavender chutney (serves 4-6) Chutney: 2 lb. stone fruit, small dice; 1 large onion, finely chopped; zest of 1 lemon or lime; 2 tbsp. garlic, minced; ¼ tsp. chili flakes (optional); 1/3 cup red wine vinegar; ¾ cup raw honey or agave; ¾ tsp. sea salt; 2 tbsp. fresh lavender (or use basil or mint; use 1 tsp. dried lavender if you cannot find it fresh). In a saucepan combine all prepared ingredients except the herbs. Bring to a boil. Continue cooking at a rolling boil, 15 min. Stir occasionally. Mix in fresh herbs and/or lavender at the end.

Lunch: tropical quinoa salad with cashews with carrot fries (serves 4) Quinoa: 1 cup dried quinoa, rinsed well; ½ red onion, finely chopped; 1 cup apple or carrot, finely chopped; juice of 1 lime, 2 tbsp. honey or agave; 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil; 1 large mango, chopped (not overly ripe); ¼ cup mint, finely chopped; 1 tsp. seal salt, to taste; freshly ground black pepper, to taste; ½-inch-piece ginger, finely chopped; 1 avocado, chopped or thinly sliced; 1 cup cashews, coarsely chopped; 3 cups Romaine lettuce (or greens of choice), roughly chopped. Cook the quinoa: Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan; add the quinoa and simmer, covered 15-20 min. Set aside and let cool (spread out for best results). In a large bowl toss the chopped red onion and apple/carrot. Whisk together the lime juice, honey

Snack: Cherry Chocolate Shake (serves 1) 1 Tbsp. unsweetened, unprocessed cocoa powder; ½ cup frozen dark cherries, pitted; 1 cup coconut, almond or flax milk; ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract; several drops of liquid stevia (suggest Sweet Leaf Vanilla Creme); ice cubes as desired Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

FEBRUARY 12-18 ,2015 Our Town 15

OP-ED

A ROAD TEST FOR CABBIES BY DANA LERNER

Last week I got out of a cab on the northeast corner of West End Avenue and 97th Street. I braced myself, as I always do when I return to that spot. I watched, in horror, as another cab driver proceeded to run a red light, speed through the intersection, and make the same sharp left turn onto West End Ave that killed my son, Cooper Stock, over a year ago. My heart dropped into my stomach. I learned shortly after my husband was hit and my son was run over on Jan. 10, 2014, that in New York City, cab drivers could actually kill people on the road, maintain their license, and keep driving without any punishment. I know for a fact that there are many drivers who have seriously injured or killed people who are still allowed to drive and are on the road right now. The City Council passed Cooper’s Law in the summer of 2014 as a way to take dangerous drivers off the road. Their licenses are suspended pending an investigation. But what happens next? How can we be sure that only people who are equipped to be professional drivers are the ones picking us up on the streets? During this year I have attended numerous TLC hearings as part of the advocacy

work I am doing for a newly formed organization called CabRidersUnited.org. I was floored to learn that drivers are not required to have any sort of training on the streets in NYC. No road test is required. How can a professional driver be hired if they have not been adequately tested on the streets of NYC? The education for cabbies in New York is substandard as compared to many other cities. Yet we have one of the largest fleets. The TLC under the new leadership of Meera Joshi has begun to take long-overdue steps to try to ramp up the training. But it is an egregious oversight that drivers are not road tested on the streets they will be working on. When I confronted the TLC commissioners about this deficiency, the only answer I received was, “It is not part of the curriculum.” The main requirement is a defensive driving course. This consists of hours in a classroom and, until very recently, could be completed online. If you were going to have surgery and you could have it performed by a doctor who has read about it in a book, or by one who has actually done the surgery under the supervision of other doctors, which would you choose?

Your Neighborhood News Source Making News Being a taxi driver is very hard work. They typically work 12-hour shifts with little or no break. There is sleep deprivation, the pay is very low, and therefore there is pressure to get as many fares as possible. Maneuvering around the crowded streets of New York without ever having driven here is simply ludicrous. It puts TLC drivers who are not capable or suited to this type of work immediately in a compromised state. That decision puts drivers at risk to themselves and in my son’s case, to others. The NV200, also known as “The Taxi of Tomorrow,“ is currently on the streets and is expected to replace most sedans, SUVs and other mini-vans as of April 2015. One new feature is sliding doors to prevent hitting cyclists and pedestrians and also potentially soften the impact if a person is struck. This is an essential part of the design because of the heavy concentration of pedestrians and vehicles in New York City. But, it is a larger and different vehicle, a different driving experience, and therefore potentially harder for people to navigate. There are also different blind spots. Isn’t it only logical that drivers receive on-the-road training to ensure safety? Every single day in our city 200 people are injured by cars. Above all, it is the TLC’s job as the agency that licenses 75,000 vehicles that drive 24 hours a day in our neighborhoods, to ensure safety and not contribute to the number of New Yorkers injured or killed. Adding a road test into the curriculum is an easy task -and it is an issue of common sense.

Our “Pedestrian Vs. Cars” Town Hall meeting was standing-room-only — and attracted a lot of media attention.

The local paper for the Upper East Side The local paper for the Upper West Side

The local paper for Downtown

Your neighborhood newspaper FOR MORE PHOTOS OF THE EVENT GO TO ourtownny.com westsidespirit.com otdowntown.com

16 Our Town FEBRUARY 12-18 ,2015

Business

< LOCAL OFFICALS APPLAUD EAST RIVER FERRY PROPOSAL Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, Council Member Ben Kallos, State Senator Liz Krueger, and Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright applauded the Mayor’s proposal for new ferry service in New York, including locations to connect Roosevelt Island with Astoria, Long Island City and 34th Street in Manhattan, and

to connect East 90th Street and East 62nd Street with lower Manhattan and the Bronx. Under the mayor’s plan, the city would spend an initial $55 million for a ferry system that would start with three routes in 2017 and add two more in 2018. Getting from a ferry dock in Lower Manhattan to up-and-coming Red Hook

across New York Harbor, for example, would take just 20 minutes. The city has said it would set aside $10 million to $20 million for subsidies to keep a ferry ride fare at the same price as a subway ride, $2.50, and has estimated more than 4 million people a year would take advantage. More rides than that are taken on the subway every single weekday.

A map of the current routes the East River Ferry takes. Mayor de Blasio has proposed to greatly expand the service.

In Brief POSTMASTER GENERAL: AGENCY LOOKING FOR NEW REVENUE SOURCES The nation’s new postmaster general says the Postal Service is looking beyond its regular mail and package delivery for new sources of revenue. That means building on what Megan J. Brennan calls its “core competency” — the delivery of goods. So what is the agency doing? “We’re testing grocery delivery in San Francisco,” Brennan said in an interview with The Associated Press. “We’re also delivering water, cases of water in Manhattan and the boroughs” of New York City. During the 2014 holiday season, the Postal Service rolled out a new deal with Amazon to deliver packages and to expand Sunday deliveries of them. Brennan, the first female postmaster general, is easing into her first days on the job. At age 52, she’s a 29-year veteran of the Postal Service who started her career as a letter carrier in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. “I had mentors along the way ... and I was flexible,” she said. “I relocated. I took on assignments and I kept learning.” Brennan is the 74th postmaster general. Benjamin Franklin was the first. She said the agency has to find a way to be relevant with a younger consumer base, and that includes a mobile app for cellphones. The Postal Service says the app can be used for buying stamps, creating shipping labels and tracking packages. The Postal Service, which receives no tax dollars, has had its share of financial difficulties in recent years. Since 1971, it has been posting annual losses, including a $5.5 billion shortfall in the budget year that ended Sept. 30. The shortfalls have been largely fueled by a requirement that the Postal Service prefund retiree health benefits. Also, first-class mail, long the agency’s most profitable product, fell by 2.2 billion pieces in 2014. “Our current financial situation is untenable when you consider that we have 35 cents in assets for every dollar of liability,” Brennan said. Seeking to cut costs, her predecessor, Patrick R. Donahoe, had tried to get Congress to withdraw the prefunding requirement but without success. The agency under Donahoe also proposed eliminating Saturday delivery and closing some rural post offices. Brennan supports delivering mail five days a week and packages seven days a week. With the decline of first-class mail volumes, Brennan is also carrying out a plan to modify retail hours to match customer demand to help keep open smaller post offices around the country. Brennan already has been meeting with members of Congress to discuss financing issues and other major problems facing the Postal Service, including the financial drain presented by having to prepay retirees’ health benefits. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., said after a meeting that he looked forward “to continuing our dialogue to restore mail delivery standards in rural America,” according to a statement from his office.

CITY OFFERING HELP ON TAX CREDITS NEWS Consumer affairs department invests millions in EITC outreach program In an effort to put money back in the pockets of New Yorkers who need it most, the city launched a $3.1 million campaign to help more lowincome residents take advantage of the Earned Income Tax Credit. Through outreach efforts, volunteer services and advertising campaigns, the Department of Consumer Affairs hopes to help 150,000 New York families take advantage of free tax preparation services and file for the tax credit, up from about 96,000 families that filed last year. Tax credits and tax prep savings could total approximately $250 million dollars for the 150,000 residents. The largest poverty reduction program in the country, EITC provides federal, state and city tax credits. Families with children earning up to $52,427 could qualify for the credit, while New Yorkers without children making up to $20,020 annually could also be eligible. Parents with children younger than four could also qualify for an additional credit designed to help alleviate child care costs. While the average refund is around $2,500, families can qualify for up to $10,000 in combined refunds. “With credits like EITC, a tax refund can be the largest one-time sum a family receives in a year, which can be pivotal in helping them pay bills, get out of debt and save for the future,” said

Department of Consumer Affairs Commissioner Julie Menin, left, and Mayor Bill de Blasio call taxpayers as part of the city’s EITC push. Department of Consumer Affairs Commissioner Julie Menin, whose department spent an average of $165,000 in outreach efforts in previous years. “We have committed a nearly 20-fold increase in funding to the tax credit campaign because we believe every working New Yorker deserves to get their hardearned refund.” DCA estimates that one in five households eligible for EITC don’t file for the credit. To further raise awareness, the city also launched an $800,000 ad campaign, plastering promotional materials for the tax credit and the city’s free tax services on subway cars, bus and train stations and other outdoor locations, as well as a social media program encouraging

New Yorkers to share how they’d use their refund. The city urges qualified residents to take advantage of free tax preparation services offered online and throughout the five boroughs—there are 200 physical tax prep sites across the city. DCA created an interactive online map designed to help residents identify the most convenient free drop-off sites and tax prep locations where volunteers prepare returns. On Jan. 31, as part of the city’s investment in its tax credit awareness campaign, 2,000 volunteers called residents across the five boroughs, educating them on the tax credit program and the city’s free services. DCA partnered with fellow city agencies to identify 270,000

New Yorkers who potentially qualify for the refund to target with phone calls, based on information from community tax data, neighborhood demographics and previous work with city services. “The Earned Income Tax Credit is an important boost for working families and we need to spread the word,” said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer. “An EITC-enhanced tax refund could mean the difference between struggling and security, and money in working New Yorkers’ pockets is money that supports their own families and all the businesses where they shop.” To learn more, visit www. nyc.gov/taxprep

FEBRUARY 12-18 ,2015 Our Town 17

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18 Our Town FEBRUARY 12-18 ,2015

YOUR FIFTEEN MINUTES

CELEBRATING CULTURE THROUGH THE PIANO Q&A Steinway artist Jiaxin Tian on the musical journey that led her to New York BY ANGELA BARBUTI

It was fate that brought Jiaxin Tian to New York to study music. Having been on a bunch of auditions in different cities, her last stop was New York. After that final try-out was over, and she was on her way back to her native China. On that plane ride, she met a professor from the Manhattan School of Music. It was then that she knew she would choose the school to further her study of the piano, and the rest is musical history here in the city. On February 18, the 27-yearold will play a solo concert at Carnegie Hall, just in time for Chinese New Year. Having

been born in Beijing, she hopes to express her feelings for Chinese culture through this performance. “You can hear the sound of ancient Chinese history from the Ming period through the Cultural Revolution, and in the present day, you can hear us giving our best wishes to China,” she said.

You moved to New York in 2010. What did you think when you first got here? Actually, my first time here was to audition. I traveled to different cities like Cleveland, Washington, D.C. and Boston and the last stop was New York City. When I got here, I thought, “This is so amazing.” Because we have a lot of concert halls like Carnegie, Lincoln Center and the Met, there are so many opportunities to listen to the best in music. Finally, I got into the Manhattan School of Mu-

sic, and when I got here, it was the summertime. It was even more exciting to enjoy the summer in the city. I met my parents’ friends, and actually now they are my godparents. I lived with them for the first year and they really helped me. Everybody told me, “New York City is so expensive and the spaces are so tiny.” But when I got to their home, I was amazed. My godfather collects antique art and loves Chinese culture, so I saw a lot of Chinese-style stuff. And my godmother, her name is Erica Mason, she was an opera singer and they have a wonderful piano in their house. So when I saw that, I said, “This is my new life. Oh my goodness.”

I read that you ran into a professor from the Manhattan School of Music on a plane. When I finished my audition here, I flew back to China. And

on the plane, I met a lady. She just smiled at me and I smiled at her. And she said, “You look so cute. What are you doing here?” And I said, “I just finished my audition.” So she asked me, “Are you a musician?” And I said, “Yes, I’m a pianist.” And she said, “I’m a musician too. I’m a violinist.” And she asked me what schools I applied to. And when I mentioned the Manhattan School of Music she said she was on faculty there. And she said, “My husband is piano faculty.” He was on the plane and came to meet me. There were other schools that gave me scholarships, but I still chose New York City, because that was really special.

You went on to get two degrees there. What was your experience like at the school? Yes, I got my master’s degree

in 2012 and got a Professional Studies certification in 2013. I studied with Jeffrey Cohen there and he is really amazing. Now we are the best of friends. I got the opportunity to play with Philippe Entremont and now he is my mentor. Everyone knows he is amazing. He just celebrated his 80th birthday and he can still play really well. We will play together at a special event to celebrate China and France’s culture of friendship. They chose me for the Chinese part and him for the French part.

Your first solo concert at Carnegie Hall was in February of 2013. Were you nervous? Kind of, but more excited because that was my dream come true. When I got here, I always went to Carnegie to see different artists. But finally, after three years, I got the opportu-

Jiaxin Tian came from China to New York in 2010 to study piano at the Manhattan School of Music.

nity. That’s just unbelievable.

Your show this month includes a world premiere of “Chinese Dream.” How can you explain it? I played a concerto version of it in China this past November at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing with the National Symphony Orchestra. This is the first time I will play the solo version in New York City. Our government gave this topic about the dream of China. The composer, Zhao Zhang, composed this piece to tell people about the rich history of China. Because it is at the piano, we don’t have language, we are not like singers, so all I can do is use the piano sounds and give them imagination.

Your father is a composer, and your mother, a soprano. How did they react to you wanting to be a pianist? They wanted me to play, but they didn’t use the pushy way. They brought me to neighbors’ houses and I saw kids playing the piano and felt so differently. I felt it was really amazing that you could use the paddle and feet and hands together to play. I told my parents, “I want to learn that.” And mom said, “That is so boring and a waste of time.” When she said that, I wanted to do it even more. I took my first lesson at three. My parents gave me a special teacher and said, “You only have one lesson and if you don’t play well, the teacher will not allow you to go there again.” So every time I went to a lesson, it was perfect. The six years of middle school and high school for me was really hard. Every day after school, I needed to practice for six hours and then had to do my homework.

What’s your favorite piece from your show coming up? Wow. Every one is my favorite, that’s why I chose them. But Chopin Number 2 sonata is the top for my whole life up until now. You feel excited, and sometimes anxious about your life and always want to do better. It’s a really emotional piece. To learn more about Jiaxin Tian, visit www.jiaxintian.com/#new-year For tickets to her show, see www.carnegiehall.org/ Calendar/2015/2/18/0800/PM/ Jiaxin-Tian-Piano/

FEBRUARY 12-18 ,2015 Our Town 19

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Indoor & Outdoor FREE Admission Questions? Bob 718.897.5992 Proceeds Benefit PS 183

SAG Actor with 20 years experience

Private Acting Coach SAG Actor w/20 years exp. Free Interview 212-737-8538 www.EdwardLongo.net Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers NYC’s Coolest Place to Skate! ChelseaPiers.com/sr 212-336-6100 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 Gold & Silver. Also Stamps & Paper Money, Comics, Entire Collections, Estates. Travel to your home. Call Marc in NJ: 1-800488-4175 Cash for OLD Comics! Buying 10c and 12c comic books or MASSIVE quantities of after 1970 Also buying toys, sports, music and more! Call Brian: 1800-617-3551 I Buy Old Tribal Art Free Appraisal 917-628-0031 Daniel@jacarandatribal.com TOP CASH PAID FOR OLD GUITARS! 1920’s thru 1980’s. Gibson, Martin, Fender, Gretsch, Epiphone, Guild, Mosrite, Rickenbacker, Prairie State, D’Angelico, Stromberg. And Gibson Mandolins/Banjos. 1-800-4010440 WE BUY-TOP DOLLAR PAID Fine & Costume Jewelry Gems-Silver-Gold-Jade Antiques-Art-Rugs Call Gregory@718 608 5854 Certified GIA Gemologist

ANTIQUES WANTED

TOP PRICES PAID

Chinese Objects Paintings, Jewelry Silver, Furniture, Etc. Entire Estates Purchased

800.530.0006

Free Interview

www.EdwardLongo.net

212-737-8538 DOG TRAINING

&HUWL¿HG 'RJ 7UDLQLQJ ,Q <RXU +RPH Vet Recommended Bonded & Insured Excellent References

Alex Himel (H) 516.767.0747 (C) 516.633.3384

CLEANING SERVICES

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL - Experienced - Bonded & Insured -

SEE W W W.MANHATTANWASH.COM FOR INFO OR CALL 212.410.3200

SOHO LT MFG

462 Broadway MFG No Retail/Food +/- 9,000 sf Ground Floor - $400 psf +/- 16,000 sf Cellar - $100 psf Call Mark @ Meringoff Properties 646.262.3900

20 Our Town FEBRUARY 12-18 ,2015

COME HOME TO GLENWOOD

MANHATTAN’S FINEST LUXURY RENTALS

453*,*/(-: *.13&44*7& ".&/*5*&4 "/% 4&37*$&4 */$-6%*/( '6-- 4*;& 8"4)&3 %3:&3 */ ."/: 3&4*%&/$&4

UPPER EAST SIDE #34 '30. t #34 #"5)4 '30. t $0/7&35*#-& #34 '30.

MIDTOWN & UPPER WEST SIDE #34 '30. t #34 '30. t #34 '30.

TRIBECA & FINANCIAL DISTRICT #34 '30. t $0/7&35*#-& #34 '30. t #34 #"5)4 '30. '3&& 1"3,*/( 8)*-& 7*&8*/( "1"35.&/54 01&/ %":4 ". 1. t /0 '&& 61508/ -&"4*/( 0''*$& %08/508/ -&"4*/( 0''*$&

GLENWOODNYC.COM

Builder | Owner | Manager

Equal Housing Opportunity.

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