Our Town March 5th, 2015 by Our Town

The local paper for the Upper er East Side

OURTOWNNY.COM

TH THE PERFECT PE KNISH KN < Q& Q&A, P.18

MARCH

5-11 2015

OurTownEastSide @OurTownNYC

In Brief

VERIZON PROBLEMS SPOTTED ON EAST SIDE

SCHOOL CELLPHONE BAN ENDS THIS WEEK

NEWS Both sides of Central Park hit by phone and Internet outage BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS

Verizon customers on both sides of Central Park continue to report outages for the fourth straight week. This newspaper ﬁrst reported widespread outages in the west-80s that affected phone and internet service, beginning Feb. 3, and caused some customers -- including West Side Councilmember Helen Rosenthal -- to abandon the company. A Verizon spokesperson initially said technicians were unaware of the problem on the west side, but later said that about 200 customers in the west-80s were affected by a problem with two underground cables between W. 73rd Street and W. 74th Street. “These two cable were affected by water entering these cables, not unusual during these severe weather months when we experience extreme moisture, melting snow and ice, and possibly amplified by the corrosive elements of road salt,” said Verizon spokesperson John Bonomo. While the problem is more pronounced on the Upper West Side, customers across the park on the Upper East Side said they’ve been experiencing outages. too. Bonomo said he’s unaware of the problem on the Upper East Side. The state’s Dept. of Public Services said it has received four complaints of outages in the neighborhood. As for the Upper West Side, Bonomo said the problem will be ﬁxed by next week, but affected customers said the company frequently misses its own deadlines for repairs. A spokesperson with the DPS said the department

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Illustration by John S. Winkleman

BROTHERS BAKE IN TRADITION Glaser’s Bake Shop started in a basement 112 years ago BY PANYIN CONDUAH

Every week for the rest of the year, Our Town celebrate its 45th anniversary by proﬁling a neighborhood business that has been around longer than we have. Know of a local business that should be on our list? Email us at news@strausnews.com. John and Justine Glaser brought the gift of sweets and baked goods when they opened their bakery 112 years ago on the Upper East Side when that slice of the city was predominantly German. Although First Avenue just north of 87th Street and the rest of Yorkville has changed since 1902, Black and White cookies and Butter Wafers are still being churned out, by the third generation of Glasers, brothers Herb and John. A typical morning at the bak-

ery includes prepping pounds of brownies and producing cookies. Herb’s hands are constantly kneading dough on a maple work bench, a sizeable distance from the career trajectory he had once pursued. Studying to be a dentist, he instead fell into the family sweet business. “Now I’m causing the cavities instead of ﬁlling them,” he said. Still, the smiles come easy, particularly as children, their parents and grandparents choose from the shop’s selection. The store’s antique wooden cabinets and mosaic tiles are leftovers from that opening day, at the turn of the last century. The onslaught of new chain bakeries doesn’t bother Herb, for a simple reason: longevity has translated into a loyal following. “When I was a kid I use to think there was a need to expand but I’m glad we never did,” he said.

Owning the building also helps, both the Glasers and their customers. “If people ask for something consistently we’ll make it and then see if it sells; if it doesn’t we’ll stop making it,” said Herb. The Glasers take the summer season off, closing their doors for a few weeks each year. The demand for doughnuts and danishes usually drops, and, besides, there’s also a very practical reason: The store has no air conditioning. “Since we don’t have astronomical rent bills to pay, we can afford to do it. So it really works for me — I have the summer off like I’m back in school.” For a sweet shop with that pedigree, it’s no surprise the Glasers had a run-in with the city health department a few years ago. The community, as well as elected officials, were quick with their support when the department forced the bakery to shut around Christmas time in 2012 for a series of violations. It reopened soon afterward. Herb continues to work long hours baking both German and American classics not only to pass along the opportunity his grandparents made for themselves in America. He does it to pass on the happiness for future generations.

Good news for parents, bad news for teachers: New York City’s 1.1 million students once again will be able to bring cellphones to school. The cellphone ban in city schools had been put in place by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who feared they would interfere with classes. Bloomberg, who knows something about the impact of technology, was in some ways prescient: since the ban was installed, texting and Snapchat and Instagram have taken over teens’ lives, to the annoyance of parents and educators. But the ban also had downsides, ultimately leading Mayor Bill de Blasio to lift it as of March 2. Parents complained that the absence of phones made it tough to reach their kids, particularly in family emergencies. In addition, the ban created a bizarre cottage industry of cellphone babysitters -- vans parked outside of schools that charged students a daily fee to watch their phones while they were in class. Some parents, particularly from less-wealthy neighborhoods, complained that the ban imposed an unnecessary cost. For the moment, no one is talking about allowing cellphone usage in class. Students most likely will be allowed to use their phones during lunch or in designated areas. Otherwise, they’re supposed to be kept in student backpacks and lockers. Good luck enforcing that. We’re old enough to remember the days of surreptitious note-passing across the aisle in math class. Look for its digital equivalent, in the form of under-the-desk texting and photo-sharing, Jewish women and girls light up the world by lighting the Shabbat candles every Friday evening 18 minutes before sunset. Friday March 6 – 5:35 pm. For more information visit www.chabaduppereastside.com.

2 Our Townâ&#x20AC;&#x201A;MARCH 5-11,2015

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MAKING NEWS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD CROWDSOURCING CAMPAIGN LOBBIES FOR SMALL-BUSINESS PROTECTIONS Jeremiah Moss, blogger for the Vanishing New York website, is launching a crowdsourcing campaign, #SaveNYC, to convince politicians to enact legislation that would help sustain small businesses in the city. Supporters can tag or post to the website pictures, videos and stories about small businesses at risk of shutting down or already closed. Moss hopes the legislation would provide rent protection to businesses that residents believe are essential. The blogger has been reporting on closed businesses for years and hopes the campaign could help protect mom-and-pop shops from stiff competition from chains.

WEBSITE GATHERS INFORMATION ON LANDLORDS TO HELP TENANTS The rental listing site Apartable has launched a new website to help renters and house hunters ďŹ nd the

system spending $27 million on chicken during the recent ďŹ scal year. Other districts nationwide that are part of the Urban School Food Alliance, including in Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, will also make the switch to antibiotic-free chickens. The DOE has yet to announce an estimate cost for antibiotic-free chicken, but the department believes the move will be â&#x20AC;&#x153;economically efficientâ&#x20AC;? because of joint buying via the food alliance, according to a DNAinfo report.

legal history of homes they are interested in. The site compiles data from public records dating to 2009 from the Department of Buildings, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development and the Department of. Renters can call up violations, permits and complaints pertaining to certain rentals. The website also includes tenant reviews of landlords and management companies. Avishai Weiss, founder of Apartable, says renters always provide background information to landlords, yet the reverse never

occurs. According to DNAinfo, information on the other buildings landlords own as well as who is behind an LLC, is available through the site.

NYC PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO SERVE ANTIBIOTICFREE CHICKEN New York Public Schools will be serving antibiotic-free chicken for lunch as early as spring 2016, according to Department of Education officials. Chicken is included in 626,000 lunches in city schools, with the school

MAN THREATENS CHURCHGOERS WITH GUN, SAYS HE WAS â&#x20AC;&#x153;GOING TO KILL PEOPLEâ&#x20AC;? A man entered Advent Lutheran Church at Broadway and West 93rd Street last month and said he was â&#x20AC;&#x153;going to kill people,â&#x20AC;? police said. The man, said to be in his 30s, approached a 60-year old churchgoer, ďŹ&#x201A;ashed a black handgun at him at about 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 23rd, according to the Gothamist website. Police reported that the suspect did not ďŹ re his gun and left the church in unknown direction.

The suspect was still at-large as of March 2, police said. The suspect was described as being 5-feet, 8-inches tall and weighing 180 pounds. He was last seen wearing a gray jacket with blue jeans. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577TIPS or (8477).

BURGLARS TARGET UNLOCKED VILLAGE APARTMENTS Police at the 6th Precinct are asking residents in Greenwich village to lock their apartment doors following a spike in area burglaries. Among the recent incidents, a 27-year old returned home from a doctorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appointment at 9:50 am Jan. 12th and found his East 12th street patio door open and his roommatesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; passports, $1,000 in cash as well as other property missing, according to DNAinfo. The website also reported that a 40-year-old woman on Perry Street had her purse, money, Apple products and her health insurance card along with other belongings stolen from her home as she and her boyfriend slept on Jan. 25th. This time last year, area residents faced a similar string of burglaries.

ANGRY TENANTS SUE STANTON STREET LANDLORD Tenants of 113 Stanton Street are suing landlord Samy Mahfar of SMA Equities for endangering their lives by leaving them unprotected from renovation work. A Department of Health report last month was critical of renovation work, according to The LoDown news site. Attorney Garrett Wright asked the housing court judge to discontinue â&#x20AC;&#x153;illegal constructionâ&#x20AC;? which was â&#x20AC;&#x153;creating a hazardous environment and endangering (the tenantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;) health and safety,â&#x20AC;? reported the LoDown. A judge lifted a temporary restraining order on Feb. 27 that had put a stop to construction, but ordered Mahfar to abide by building safer guidelines. Marfar purchased the building for $5.2 million last year. The tenantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lawsuit claims that Mahfar â&#x20AC;&#x153;violated every single health and safety protocol. It cited â&#x20AC;&#x153;the lack of a building department permit to work in the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basementâ&#x20AC;? and also allege heat and water outages and intolerable noise. The parties next appear in court on March 6.

Make That

Call

FOR COLON CANCER SCREENING This Call Can Save Your Life

s -AKE4HAT#ALL ORG #MakeThatCall to Prevent, Treat and Survive the second leading cause of cancer related deaths in the United States

MARCH 5-11,2015 Our Town 3

CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG

CABBIE SUSPENDED AFTER PULLING PREGNANT WOMAN OUT OF TAXI A New York City cabbie’s license has been suspended after surveillance video showed him pulling a pregnant passenger out of his vehicle and driving off. CBS New York reports that passenger Leslie Cooper says she climbed into the cab in Manhattan last week, and the driver told her his credit card reader was broken. She offered to stop at an ATM near her home, and he told her to get out of the cab. It was cold, and she refused. Surveillance video shows the driver pulling up to a curb, getting out and pulling Cooper from the car. She landed on the ground, and he drove off. “I was just in shock -- complete shock,” Cooper told the station. “I was really worried about my baby.” Cooper said she ﬁled a police report at the scene but had no visible physical injuries. The New York Police Department closed the case, the station reported. Cooper went to the hospital to be checked out and was cleared to go home. She went into labor a few days later and delivered her baby ﬁve weeks

early. New York City’s Taxi and Limousine Commission said that the cabbie’s license has been suspended.

STATS FOR THE WEEK Reported crimes from the 19th Precinct for Feb. 16 to Feb. 22 Week to Date

DRILL HIT This story sounds like something from a movie. At 1 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 23, three perpetrators broke into a high-end jewelry store after drilling a hole from an adjacent building. The three baddies made off with $150,000 worth of jewelry in ﬁve minutes. Video is available of the break-in. Police, who did not identify the store or its location, said an investigation is ongoing.

ARRESTED IN CONCERT What is worse than ticket scalpers? Ticket forgers. At 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 24, police arrested two men and charged them with selling forged concert tickets. The bust went down on East End Avenue, and the value of the forged ticket was given as $600.

INAPPER NABBED Police caught an iPhone thief. At 8:50 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 24, a cellphone snatcher contacted a 21-year-old man and demanded $400 to return the young man’s stolen iPhone. The phone’s owner called police, who met the thief, arrested him and charged him with grand larceny.

Year to Date

2015 2014

% Change

2015

2014

% Change

Murder

n/a

Rape

n/a

Robbery

-50

Felony Assault

-75

-21.1

Burglary

-50

Grand Larceny

-16.7

174

181

-3.9

Grand Larceny Auto

-100

-20

ROBBER EARNS RAZZIE

investigating.

A bad guy spoiled the celebration at an Oscar party. On Monday, Feb. 23, a 46-year-old woman hosted an Oscar party at her Upper East Side residence. The following day she discovered that a $16,000 platinum vintage ring was missing from her home. Police are

BACK JACK Police remind pedestrians never to carry money in a back pocket. On Wednesday, Feb. 25, a 49-year-old woman was at the corner of 85th Street and Lexington Avenue when

she felt someone reach into her back pocket. She dialed 911 on her cell phone, and police later apprehended the male pickpocket and charged him with grand larceny. It happened that she had just transferred her money from that back pocket to her purse before the thief made his move.

Join us for a FREE seminar on planning your funeral arrangements in advance. Harlem Hebrew is a ƚƵŝƚŝŽŶͲĨƌĞĞ ƉƵďůŝĐ ĐŚĂƌƚĞƌ ƐĐŚŽŽů focusing on an immersion approach to Modern Israeli Hebrew and the study of Israeli culture and history Harlem Hebrew has two-three teachers in a classroom throughout the day We provide our students with outstanding instruction across all curriculum areas Our curriculum is individualized, differentiated and designed to meet each individual needs ,ĂƌůĞŵ ,ĞďƌĞǁ ƵƐĞƐ ƚŚĞ dĞĂĐŚĞƌƐ ŽůůĞŐĞ ZĞĂĚĞƌ͛Ɛ ĂŶĚ tƌŝƚĞƌ͛Ɛ tŽƌŬƐŚŽƉ DŽĚĞů We are located at 147 St. Nicholas Avenue, between 117th and 118th Streets in Manhattan DOE yellow bus transportation may be available for students living less than 5 miles from Harlem Hebrew ^ĞĂƚƐ ĂƌĞ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ ŶŽǁ ŝŶ ŐƌĂĚĞƐ <͕ ϭ ĂŶĚ Ϯ ĨŽƌ ƚŚŝƐ ƐĐŚŽŽů ǇĞĂƌ Call us at 212-866-4608 for more information about how to get your child enrolled! tĞ ĂƌĞ ĐƵƌƌĞŶƚůǇ ĂĐĐĞƉƚŝŶŐ ĂƉƉůŝĐĂƚŝŽŶƐ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ϮϬϭϱͲϭϲ ƐĐŚŽŽů ǇĞĂƌ Our lottery will be held on April 16th, 2015! ALL ARE WELCOME!!

“YOUR LIFE YOUR LEGACY” Hosted by:

FRANK E. CAMPBELL THE FUNERAL CHAPEL 1076 Madison Avenue (at 81st Street) New York, NY 10028

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2015 AT 6:15 PM RSVP by February 24, 2015 Contact Angela Taglione (212) 288-3500 Speaker:

Robert Sommese, Advance Planning Manager TOPICS • Creative cremation and traditional burial planning • Learn how to reduce stress for your loved ones

&Žƌ ŵŽƌĞ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƚŝŽŶ Žƌ ƚŽ ĐŽŵƉůĞƚĞ ĂŶ ĂƉƉůŝĐĂƚŝŽŶ͕ ǀŝƐŝƚ ŽƵƌ ǁĞďƐŝƚĞ Žƌ ĐŽŶƚĂĐƚ ƵƐ͊ (212) 866-ϰϲϬϴ ͻ ŝŶĨŽΛŚĂƌůĞŵŚĞďƌĞǁĐŚĂƌƚĞƌ͘ŽƌŐ

ǁǁǁ͘ŚĂƌůĞŵŚĞďƌĞǁĐŚĂƌƚĞƌ͘ŽƌŐ 147 St. Nicholas Avenue, New York, NY 10026

• Learn about Transportation and Relocation Protection Plan

• Veteran’s Benefits - Learn the 10 Important Facts that every Veteran needs to know • Learn the advantages of prearranging

Refreshments Will Be Served. This firm is owned by a subsidiary of Service Corp. International 1929 Allen Pkwy, Houston, TX 77019, 713-522-5141

4 Our Town MARCH 5-11,2015

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 Second Ave.

311

FDNY Engine 44

221 E. 75th St.

311

FIRE

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

GOING IT ALONE ON TRASH NEWS ANALYSIS Trash bill in city council has supporters everywhere but on East Side BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS

LIBRARIES Yorkville

222 E. 79th St.

212-744-5824

96th Street

112 E. 96th St.

212-289-0908

67th Street

328 E. 67th St.

212-734-1717

Webster Library

1465 York Ave.

212-288-5049

100 E. 77th St.

212-434-2000

HOSPITALS Lenox Hill NY-Presbyterian / Weill Cornell

525 E. 68th St.

212-746-5454

Mount Sinai

E. 99th St. & Madison Ave.

212-241-6500

NYU Langone

550 First Ave.

212-263-7300

CON EDISON

4 Irving Place

212-460-4600

POST OFFICES US Post Office

1283 First Ave.

212-517-8361

US Post Office

1617 Third Ave.

212-369-2747

HOW TO REACH US: 212-868-0190 nyoffice@strausnews.com ourtownny.com

TO SUBSCRIBE:

for veriﬁcation. Letters that cannot be veriﬁed will not be published. We reserve the right to editor or condense letters for libel, good taste, grammar and punctuation. Send your letter to nyoffice@strausnews.com

Our Town is available for free on the east side of Manhattan in select buildings, retail locations and news boxes. If you would like to subscribe it’s just $49 per year. Call 212-868-0190 or go online to Straus News.com and click on the photo of the paper or mail a check to Straus Media, 20 West Ave., Chester, NY 10918

BLOG COMMENTS:

NEWS ITEMS:

Call 212-868-0190. Classiﬁed ads must be in our office by 12pm the Friday before publication, except on holidays. All classiﬁed ads are payable in advance.

To report a news story, call 212-8680190. News releases of general interest must be emailed to our offices by noon the Thursday prior to publication to be considered for the following week. Send to nyoffice@strausnews.com.

We invite your comments on stories and issues at ourtownny.com. We do not edit those comments. We urge people to keep the discussion civil and the tone reﬂective of the best we each have to offer.

PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD:

ABOUT US

When it comes to trash, the Upper East Side is on its own. Seven of Manhattan’s nine council members have signed on to a waste equity bill in the City Council that seeks to reduce the trash burden on outer borough communities. Notably absent: Councilmembers Ben Kallos and Dan Garodnick, who both represent portions of the Upper East Side, and who both believe the bill could increase the trash burden at the soon-tobe-completed East 91st Street marine transfer station. “We may be putting the cart before the horse here,” Garodnick said. “There are lots of open questions on the existing waste management plan, so I am concerned about changing the citywide dynamic at this moment in time.” The bill seeks to evenly divide the total amount of trash processing responsibility among New York’s 59 community districts.

However, according to a Kallos spokesperson, the bill regards all trash - whether it be construction debris, recyclable paper or actual garbage - as the same, leaving it up to the sanitation department to ﬁgure out what trash goes where. For this reason, the spokesperson said, sanitation commissioner Kathryn Garcia formally registered her opposition to the bill at a recent hearing. And while there’s an exemption for communities with marine transfer stations, a loophole in the bill says that in times when the city’s trash output exceeds its ability to process it evenly, some facilities - like the East 91st Street MTS – could see an increase in the amount of trash they need to process. It’s a political reality in the city council – and in any legislative body - that fellow members will inevitably vote against each other at some point. But seldom is a line so deﬁnitively drawn than on Intro 495, as the bill is known. Perhaps it’s the neighborhood’s reputation as one of the most affluent in the city -- and at times one of the most per-

East 91st Street MTS would triple the cost of what the city is now paying to dispose of the same amount of trash. And yet these arguments seem to fall on deaf ears. “It certainly does feel that way, that we’re under siege, no one cares,” said a longtime Upper East Sider and Community Board 8 member. “On this particular issue it seems that way, but in a general sense I don’t know of any community that goes to bat for another community.” Another way to look at it is that no matter how sound the argument is made against the East 91st Street MTS, the conversation isn’t about safety or fiscal responsibility as much as it’s about the progressive ideal of distributing the city’s less savory operational needs equally to all quarters. Councilmember Mark Levine, who

(OMEWORK (ELP s 'RADES + #OLLEGE 3TANDARDIZED 4EST 0REP 3!4 s !#4 s '2% s 33!4 s .934#% s '%$ )3%% s 03!4 s 4!#(3 s %,! s 3(3!4

(212) 203-9272 www.MATHnyc.com

I BUY OLD TRIBAL ART I buy old African, Oceanic, Indonesian and Native American art. Masks, ﬁgures, weapons etc.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

PREVIOUS OWNERS HAVE INCLUDED:

Include your full name, address and day and evening telephone numbers

Tom Allon, Isis Ventures, Ed Kayatt, Russ Smith, Bob Trentlyon, Jerry Finkelstein

For a free appraisal: (917) 628-0031 daniel@jacarandatribal.com

Information for inclusion in the Out and About section should be emailed to hoodhappenings@strausnews.com no later than two weeks before the event.

snickety. Upper East Siders made a fuss last winter when they accused Mayor Bill de Blasio of purposefully passing over their streets when it came to snow removal. And in the 2013 election, de Blasio and his populist message won Manhattan handily in most areas, but not on the Upper East Side, which almost as a block voted for the Republican challenger Joseph Lhota. Nevertheless, sensible arguments have been made against operating an MTS at East 91st Street, not the least of which is that the access ramp to “the dump,” as it’s known locally, runs straight through an athletic complex with soccer ﬁelds on one side and a children’s playground on the other. A study commissioned by Kallos and carried out by the city’s Independent Budget Office found that routing trash through the

MATH TUTOR Susanne Hughes

Our Town is published weekly by Straus Media-Manhattan. Postmaster: Please send address changes to Straus Media-Manhattan, 20 West Ave., Chester, NY 10918.

CALENDAR ITEMS:

Upper East Side residents staged a die-in last year against the East 91st Street marine transfer station. Photo by Daniel Fitzsimmons.

BARRY LIEBMAN,

ATTORNEY AT LAW

Millions of dollars recovered on behalf of injured clients

Personal Injury Auto Accidents Slip, Trip & Fall Accidents

445 Park Avenue, 9th Floor New York, NY 10022

Medical Malpractice Construction Accidents Other legal matters

Free Consultation (212) 935-6535

Email: negligencelawyer@outlook.com

MARCH 5-11,2015 Our Town 5 represents the northernmost portion of the Upper West Side, said the bill would have no impact on his district but that the idea behind it â&#x20AC;&#x153;reďŹ&#x201A;ects the values of the people in my district.â&#x20AC;? Levine said he signed on as a cosponsor of the trash equity legislation as a member of the city councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s progressive caucus. (Ironically, Kallos is the progressive caucusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; vice-chair for policy, while council member Helen Rosenthal is the vicechair for budget advocacy). Levine said heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sympathetic to Upper East Siders who will be affected by the MTS, and supports a plan to move the access ramp to East 92nd Street to avoid Asphalt Green, but does not believe the law will have an appreciable impact on the MTS. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This bill would, over the long term, insure a slightly more equitable distribution of the impact,â&#x20AC;? said Levine. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This has become a priority for the progressive caucus in the council, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to largely explain the support here.â&#x20AC;? Cou nci l member Helen Rosenthal agrees. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You spend some time in these [outer borough] districts and you can really see the impact of the disproportionate trash burden,â&#x20AC;?

Pledge 2 Protect president Kelly Nimmo-Guenther being led away in handcuffs after a civil disobedience demonstration last year against the East 91st Street marine transfer station. Pledge 2 Protect is the most high-proďŹ le group dedicated to preventing the MTS from becoming operational. Photo by Daniel Fitzsimmons.

she said. The bill is looking speciďŹ cally to reduce the trash burden in those communities, namely north Brooklyn, southeast Queens and the south Bronx, by 18 percent. According to Rosenthal, those three districts handle three-quarters of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trash. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s outrageous, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clearly tied to socioeconomic status,â&#x20AC;? she said. Her district is currently home to an MTS that recycles paper, but, she said, those duties will be moving south into council member Corey Johnsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s territory. The MTS in her district, on West 59th Street, will soon be processing commercial waste, she said. Rosenthal believes that in addition to working towards trash equity throughout the city, officials need to push to increase the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recycling and composting habits. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To the extent weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all paying a little more attention to that and doing our fair share in composting and recycling, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to have a huge impact on peoplesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lives,â&#x20AC;? Rosenthal said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really incumbent on residents in my district to up our game.â&#x20AC;? Manhattan Borough Presi-

dent Gale Brewer likened Intro 495 to the larger solid waste management plan passed in 2006 when she was on the city council. She was one of only a handful of members citywide who voted against the plan. She said she did so because its effect on the West 59th Street MTS was unclear, not because it included provisions for trash equity, of which she is support-

ive. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When the SWMP plan was voted on, it was only me and the east siders that voted against it,â&#x20AC;? said Brewer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think this is any different. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really dĂŠjĂ vu.â&#x20AC;? She said she doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see any schism developing in the city councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Manhattan delegation, and believes Kallos and Garodnick are critical of the

bill because it changes the way trash is handled in New York before the East 91st Street MTS is even open. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People do vote their districts, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what they were voted in to do,â&#x20AC;? said Brewer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think this is unusual.â&#x20AC;?

Going to the Airport?

1-212-666-6666 ;V 1-2 ;V 5L^HYR ;V 3H.\HYKPH Tolls & gratuities not included. Prices subject to change without notice.

One Coupon per Trip. Expires12/31/13 12/31/15

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll Be There For You!â&#x20AC;?

Toll Free 1-800-9-Carmel

www.CarmelLimo.com

Preventive health services offered in 2015 covered at 100%:

Talk to your doctor about new preventive services Medicare offers this year.

Annual Wellness Visit Shots (Flu, Pneumococcal, Hepatitis B) Second Pneumococcal vaccine one year after first vaccine was administered Screening for Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Bone Mass Measurement Colon Cancer Screening Breast Cancer Screening (Mammograms) Smoking cessation (stop smoking) counseling and more Free, impartial, expert guidance for your Medicare questions: NYC Health Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program [HIICAP] For more information on HIICAP services, call 311 and ask for HIICAP or visit us on the web at www.nyc.gov/aging Informacion disponsible en espanol â&#x20AC;&#x201C; llame al 311 Department for the Aging

6 Our Town MARCH 5-11,2015

BE THE NEW YORKER WHO REALLY DOES KNOW IT ALL. A LECTURE SERIES PRESENTED BY THE LAURA AND ISAAC PERLMUTTER CANCER CENTER. COLORECTAL CANCER RISK REDUCTION: THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY DETECTION. Early detection is key for preventing colorectal cancer. Join us for a discussion on different screening options available, the importance of understanding your risk, and understanding the signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer. In collaboration with the Ofﬁce of Business Affairs at Woodhull Medical Center North Brooklyn Health Network. Date: Thursday, March 12, 12:00pm – 1:30pm. Lunch will be provided after the program.

Presenters: Stefan Balan, MD; Harry A. Winters, MD. Location: Woodhull Medical Center. Third Floor. Conference Room One. 760 Broadway, at the intersection of Broadway and Flushing Avenue, Brooklyn, NY.

VERIZON PROBLEMS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

RSVP: To attend call 718.963.8640.

CANCER SURVIVORSHIP LEARNING SERIES: EATING HEALTHY ON THE RUN. As a New Yorker on the run, you know the pitfalls of eating on the go: “grande” morning coffee drinks, pizza by the slice, and super-sized bagels. No matter the length of your commute or workday, you CAN eat healthy on the run! Learn how to snack healthy, avoid calorie disasters, and make restaurant deliveries really work for you. Date: Tuesday, March 17, 6:00pm – 7:00pm. Presenter: Amanda Buthmann, MS, RD. Location: Perlmutter Cancer Center. 160 E. 34th Street, 11th Floor, Room 1121.

RSVP: To attend call 212.263.2266 or visit nyulmc.org/cancer-rsvp

These lectures are free and open to the public, but you must RSVP. View past lectures at youtube.com/nyulmc

has received four complaints of outages on the Upper West Side. “The department is closely monitoring Verizon’s efforts to repair the Upper West Side copper cabling that failed on Feb. 3,” said a DPS spokesperson. “Verizon has restored nearly all of the customers impacted by the failure, and it expects to complete restoration efforts early next week.” Bonomo said the underground cable issue on the Upper West Side is unrelated to any issues affecting customers on the Upper East Side. The company continues to offer affected customers its Voice Link product free of charge, which provides phone service over their wireless network. None of Verizon’s fiber optic network customers were affected, according to Bonomo. Susan Dudley-Allen lives at 93rd Street and Lexington Avenue. She said she’s been without phone and internet service for at least a month, and has

since switched to Time Warner. “It’s immoral, what they’re doing,” said Dudley-Allen. “I’d like to know what actually happened and why we were all left with no explanation.” Although she switched to a different phone company, Dudley-Allen retained her Verizon landline and now has two phone numbers. When asked speciﬁcally about her problem, Bonomo said it’s an isolated issue and has nothing to do with the integrity of Verizon’s copper cable network on the Upper East Side. “Evidently a cable that runs to a terminal box at the back of her building, or an adjacent building, was damaged by we assume a contractor or someone. Not our doing,” said Bonomo, who noted technicians are working to fix the problem. “Another customer in her building is also affected. Two customers.” Another Upper East Sider contacted us two weeks ago to discuss an outage where she lives, on Park Avenue between 57th Street and 58th Street, said last Thursday that her phone service had been restored after about a month of it

not working. After her phone service was restored, she received automated messages from Verizon apologizing for the outage and offering her the company’s Voice Link alternative. The woman, who asked that her name not be printed, said the muddled communication from the company is in keeping with her experience of trying to get a fixed date for repairs. “I’ve had so many calls that it’s been fixed or it will be fixed and they just don’t agree with the facts,” she said. “I think the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing.” But for some customers, like Councilmember Helen Rosenthal on the Upper West Side, repairs came too late. “Guess who finally showed up to my district office this morning?” tweeted Rosenthal on Feb. 27, referring to Verizon technicians who visited that day to address the outage. The tweet, which namechecked Verizon and local reporters, concluded with the hashtag, “switched carriers weeks ago.”

MARCH 5-11,2015 Our Town 7

Central Park

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE PARK? Spring is just around the corner and the park will soon be showing the first signs of green life again! Send us your best ‘first signs of spring’ photos in the coming weeks and we’ll post our favorites here and onwww.facebook.com/centralpark. The first King Penguin ever hatched in New York City is now able to be seen at the Central Park Zoo! After six months of being monitored behind the scenes, the chick has been moved to the Polar Circle exhibit. Visit the Zoo to see the baby penguin chick, Betty and Veronica the grizzly bears, the snow leopards and more. www. centralparkzoo.com. Birding Bob hosts birding walks each weekend where you can birdwatch and at the same time enjoy visiting many of Central Park’s most famous landmarks. Check them out on Saturday & Sunday mornings. More info and signup at www. birdingbob.com.

Spend your morning photographing birds in the zoos tropic zone... before the zoo opens! Reservations and personal camera required. Sunday 3/8 at 8:30am Central Park Zoo www.centralpark.com/events

Wed/Thu: 10:00am10:00pm Fri/Sat: 10:00am-11:00pm Sun: 10:00am-9:00pm www.centralpark.com/events

HIDDEN SECRETS OF CENTRAL PARK Daily guided walking and bike tours Experience the lesser known and often missed parts of Central Park! www.centralpark.com/guide/ tours

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

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

LAST WEEK’S ANSWER The Obelisk, also known as Cleopatra’s Needle, is the oldest man-made construction in Central Park. Its shaft is 71 feet high and weighs about 200 tons! Congratulations to Henry Bottjer, Bill Ferrarini, Katherine Wessley, Marisa Lohse, Peter DeNicola, Robyn Roth-Moise, George Brady, Danny Sangil, Gregory Holman, Ravi Rozdon and Robyn Roth-Moise for answering correctly!

118894

Insurance subject to terms, qualiﬁcations and availability. Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Co., Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Co., Allstate Indemnity Co., Allstate Vehicle and Property Insurance Co. Life insurance and annuities issued by Lincoln Beneﬁt Life Company, Lincoln, NE, Allstate Life Insurance Company, Northbrook, IL. In New York, Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York, Hauppauge, NY. Northbrook, IL. © 2010 Allstate Insurance Co.

ICE SKATING AT WOLLMAN RINK (FINAL DAYS!)

WHERE IN CENTRAL PARK?

Some people think Allstate only protects your car. Truth is, Allstate can also protect your home or apartment, your boat, motorcycle - even your retirement and your life. And the more of your world you put in Good Hands®, the more you can save.

X'-,0/07XccjkXk\%Zfd

COMING UP THIS WEEK

Ice skating at Central Park’s Wollman Rink is open!

Auto Home Life Retirement

Call me today to discuss your options.

;/, >90./; (.,5*@

PHOTO SERIES: BREAKFAST WITH THE BIRDS

Mon/Tue: 10:00am-2:30pm

Protect your world

8 Our Town MARCH 5-11,2015

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

< LET’S FINISH THE SECOND AVENUE SUBWAY To the Editor: In his welcome forward-looking call for the full build Second Avenue subway, Assemblymember Dan Quart urges continued work on this long overdue, and very much needed, expansion of the our subway network. Phase Two, which would run from 96th Street north to 125th Street and Park Avenue,

Letter IN MEMORY OF TERI SLATER To the Editor: Teri’s life was devoted to making her community a more wonderful place in which to live. Her days and her dreams were attempting to save the beautiful and historic buildings around which she was surrounded on Manhattan’s Uppper East Side. She lived beside the East River, upon which she could look and made efforts to beautify its walk. She started with a friend an organization to protect and defend historic areas on the Upper East Side that she hoped would live on after she was gone and that her two sons, Edward and Eric, could continue to enjoy. She spent many hours working with the Committee to Save the NY Public Library on 42nd St which had become endangered by attemps to alter its magnificent interior. There was no area of the city that did not catch her loving eye and as a long-time member of the Historic Districts Council she gave many days to reaching out to protect the gracious and designated structures that filled her world. Teri was a dear friend to those of us who appreciated her courage and she was so like a soldier of old who carried a sword to defend her beliefs, never giving up the fight. We who loved her will long remember that courage, that tencity and that belief that it was possible to win. Joyce Matz E. 79th Street

Voices

would make possible a substantial reduction in the overcrowding on the 4 and 5 Lexington Avenue lines. The complete full build Second Avenue subway would make possible the expansion of our subway system in three other boroughs. It is going to take the combined efforts of all our city, state and federal officials to press for

the money necessary to get this done without an interruption in the ongoing work. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney has been an unwavering champion of the full build Second Avenue subway for over 20 years, and reiterated her determination to have the subway completed in her comments at the inauguration of the East Side’s new member of the Assembly, Rebecca Seawright. Lou Sepersky

MY STORY

Sunshine or No, I’ll Take New York BY LORRAINE DUFFY MERKL left the Upper East Side for the lower west side – of the country. That’s right, I spent a week in Los Angeles on a college road trip with my daughter, Meg. She, like many before her, thinks the place is paradise. I can see the allure. In the parlance of The Beverly Hillbillies: “Swimming pools, movie stars…” and of course, the weather. (We were basking in a sunny 72 in Southern California, while you all were freezing in New York City.) Yet, I could not wait to get back home. First of all, I had to drive everywhere. I truly missed living in a place where everything is around the corner, up the block, and across the street; where walking somewhere is not a long day’s journey, and if hooﬁng it gets tiresome you can hail a taxi. There is Uber in L.A. and a smattering of cabs, but it is most deﬁnitely a driving city, where it appears that the only people who take the bus are ones who cannot actually afford a car. I like that we’re an equal opportunity city. I’ve seen the rich and famous on the Madison Avenue bus (Isabella Rosselli), the M79 crosstown (Stephan Baldwin), and 6 train (Ed Schlossberg), and YouTube footage of many more. Think anyone in L.A. ever sees George Clooney on public transportation? Once you do pick an area to spend time in, you can, of course, walk

around. When crossing the street, just like we do, they have those same anxiety-producing countdowns at the light that make you feel like you’re participating in a track meet. But get this: Californians actually wait for the light to turn green before they step off the curb. Oh indeed, this chronic jaywalking New Yorker was a ﬁsh out of water. Meg wanted to go shopping on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, the west coast version of the Upper East Side. (It was more of a window-shopping

experience and FYI: they have all the same stores out there that we have here.) She thought we were going to see the real housewives in Starbucks or Kristen Stewart and Taylor Swift trying on clothes at Intermix. Unlike the impression given by TMZ and US Weekly, these people are not strolling around “just like us.” Most likely they are sitting in traffic, as seems to be the city’s pastime. Yes, it’s a nice place to visit (sort of), but, unlike Meg, I wouldn’t want to live there. I’ve got it too good here,

even though the fate of the Marine Transfer Station is still up in the air, the construction on Second Avenue is never-ending, and there are way too many empty stores on East 86th Street. While I was gone, though, it seems a Whole Foods opened on Third Avenue and 87th. Even though NYC is always NYC, it’s also ever-changing, which is part of the excitement of living here. That’s our ray of sunshine, no matter of degrees.

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

Associate Publishers, Seth L. Miller, Ceil Ainsworth

Sr. Account Executive, Tania Cade Account Executive Fred Almonte, Susan Wynn

Editor In Chief, Kyle Pope editor.ot@strausnews.com Deputy Editor, Richard Khavkine editor.dt@strausnews.com

Staff Reporters, Gabrielle Alfiero, Daniel Fitzsimmons

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

MARCH 5-11,2015 Our Town 9

www.ourtownny.com Your Neighborhood News

The local paper for the Upper East Side

10 Our Town MARCH 5-11,2015

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

Out & About More Events. Add Your Own: Go to ourtownny.com FEST! THE ART OF COLLABORATION 92nd Street Y, Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street 1 p.m.–5 p.m., Free but space is limited. RSVP at http:// www.92y.org/Guitar-Fest.aspx Worshops, classes and concerts for teens and adults currently enrolled in a guitar program or interested in learning more about the medium. With Benjamin Verdery, artistic director of the 92Y Guitar Institute and of the Yale School of Music, and others. Bring your own guitar and amp. 212-415-5500.

November 5, 2014

April 17, 2014 The local paper for the Upper West Side

SELF: PORTRAITS OF ARTISTS IN THEIR ABSENCE

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

▲ CHICAGO CITY LIMITS IN HUS ON FIRST Jan Hus Playhouse, 351 E 74th St and First Ave. 11 a.m., $25 minimum two drinks. Enjoy a night of impromptu songs and games done in an “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” way. 212-288-6743. www. janhus.org

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

SELF: PORTRAITS OF ARTISTS IN THEIR ABSENCE

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

Self is an exhibit where artist explore their own image and how self representation has evoked over the past 200 years. 1083 Fifth Ave., at 89th Street. 9 a.m.-5 p.m., pay what you wish 212-369-4880

7 BEWARE THE IDES OF MARCH! A dramatic, staged reading of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar by the Instant Shakespeare Company. For Bard fans of all ages. 67th Street Library, 328 East 67th St. 1:30 p.m., Free 212-734-1717

FROM POP TO PUNK: PETER SAUL Venus over Manhattan, 980 Madison Ave., near 77th Street. Cartoonish satire, Surrealism, Pop Art and Expressionism are all seen in Peter Saul’s witty art exhibit. Check out his work featuring pieces spanning his career. 212-868-0190

8 92Y GUITAR

National Academy Museum, 1083 Fifth Ave., between 89th and 90th st. 11 a.m.-6 p.m., pay what you wish. Self is an exhibit where artist explore their own image and how self representation has evoked over the past 200 years. 212-369-4880. www. nationalacademy.org/selfportraits-of-artists-in-theirabsence/

9 COMMUNITY BOARD 8, YOUTH AND EDUCATION COMMITTEE New York Blood Center, 310 East 67th St., between First and Second Avenues, Conference Room 1 & 2 7 p.m. Michael Mirisola, School Construction Authority, will speak about planned construction projects to maintain and upgrade the existing school facilities in Community District 8: PS 158, PS 183, PS 198 & Wagner Middle School 212-758-4340, http:// cb8m.com/events/youth-andeducation-committee-22

MARCH 5-11,2015 Our Town 11

JOHN KRTIL FUNERAL HOME; YORKVILLE FUNERAL SERVICE, INC. Dignified, Affordable and Independently Owned Since 1885 WE SERVE ALL FAITHS AND COMMUNITIES 5 )/'&1 /'+$1)-,0 $2250 -+.*'1' 5 )/'&1 2/)$*0 $2850 5 4.'/1 /' *$,,),( 3$)*$%*'

1297 First Ave (69th & 70th & + # " $& )" $ " $ ) * "#( & " $ + ))) $& '" $ #! #! Each cremation service individually performed by fully licensed members of our staff. We use no outside agents or trade services in our cremation service. We exclusively use All Souls Chapel and Crematory at the prestigious St. Michael's Cemetery, Queens, NY for our cremations unless otherwise directed.

â&#x2013;˛ TOO BIG TO JAIL 92nd Street Y, Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street 12 p.m., $24 University of Virginia law professor Brandon Garrett draws on detailed data from more than a decade of federal cases to explain why so few individuals have been accountable for corporate crimes. 212-415-5500, http:// www.92y.org/index.aspx

11 ART EXHIBIT: CONVERSING OUR CITY OF NATURE Central Park, Arsenal, 830 Fifth Ave. 9 a.m.-5p.m., Free Artist Alan Messer captures migrating blackburnian warblers through his paintings, illustrations and ďŹ eld sketches. 212-360-8163

about their mouth watering life lists of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best dishes and ingredients. 212-415-5500

THE MOST INNOVATIVE ITALIAN SCHOOL IN NEW YORK CITY

Learn to speak Italian!

FREE SNAP (FORMERLY FOOD STAMP) APPLICATION ASSISTANCE FOR OLDER ADULTS

Parliamo Italiano offers: t 0SJHJOBM NBUFSJBMT t /BUJWF *UBMJBO UFBDIFST t ZFBST PG FYQFSJFODF t XFFL XPSLTIPQT t 1SJWBUF MFTTPOT

Lincoln Square Neighborhood

MEETING OF THE MINDS: DR. JEFFERY LIEBERMAN WITH DR. ERIC KANDEL â&#x2013;ź 92nd Street Y, Buttenwieser Hall Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street 8:15 p.m., from $30 Kandel, a Nobel Prize winner for his brain research, and Lieberman discuss the truth about mental illness, how far psychiatry has come â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and why destructive stigmas still persist. 212-415-5500, http:// www.92y.org/tickets/ production.aspx?PID=112386

4QSJOH DPVSTFT TUBSU .BSDI Join us at an Open House! .BSDI UI BOE UI 5P RSVP DBMM PS FNBJM QBSMJBNP!IVOUFS DVOZ FEV â&#x2013;˛ KITCHEN ARTS AND LETTERS: A CULINARY BUCKET LIST

Center, 250 W. 65 St. 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Free. LiveOnNY, aarp Foundation and Dept for the Aging offers snap (Food Stamps) and 92nd Street Y, Lexington Senior Citizens Rent Increase Avenue at 92nd Street Exemption assistance.To reserve 7:30 p.m., $30 Mimi Sheraton in conversation call aarp 877-926-8300 WALK-INS WELCOME. with restaurateur Danny Meyer 212-398-6565, ext. 221. ww.liveon-ny.org

THE MAN WITH TWO FACES Edward G. Robinson and Mary Astor star in the 1934 black and white classic directed by Archie Mayo. 96th Street Library. 112 East 96th St. 2 p.m., Free 212-289-0908

www.hunter.cuny.edu/parliamo CU NY

Casa Lally, 132 East 65th Street b/w 3rd & Lex New York, NY 10065

neighborhood news? neighborhood celebrations? neighborhood opinions? neighborhood ideas? Email us at news@strausnews.com

/PIatHunter

12 Our Town MARCH 5-11,2015

RENAISSANCE MAN At 76, UES Resident Earns First Solo Art Show BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO

Alvin “Al” Gordon, at his home on the Upper East Side. The 76-year-old painter has his ﬁrst ever exhibition of work at the E. 96th Street branch of the New York Public Library this month.

Painter Alvin Gordon, who goes by Al, lives in a cozy one-bedroom on E. 61st Street, not far from the East River. With eucalyptus branches in a vase on his coffee table and a neat arrangement of his own paintings on one wall, Gordon’s tidy living room and kitchen possess a homey order. His bedroom is another matter. The artist keeps his extra large easel in the adjacent bedroom, facing the room’s lone window. Coffee cans filled with stained paintbrushes and half-squeezed tubes of paint sit on top of the air conditioning unit, itself covered in splotches and smudges of blues, reds and oranges, as is the tiled floor. “It’ a total love experience,” Gordon said of his art, adding that he only feels hindered by the cost of materials and the size of his apartment, which doubles as a studio for both him and his partner, Ellen Hughes, also a painter. “I can’t describe it any other way.” At 76, Gordon is celebrating his first art exhibition at the 96th Street Library, which runs through March. Stacks of his abstract paintings lean against his bedroom walls, some labeled with index cards in preparation for the show. The bed, strewn with newspapers, seems an afterthought. Gordon grew up in Williamsburg with his mother and four older sisters. His father passed away when he was three and his family scraped by, often sleeping on the floor of the apartment or using a row of chairs as makeshift beds, he said. His mother got remarried to a man who was physically abusive to Gordon. As a boy, Gordon loved drawing and sketched seascapes and old ships, an occasional landscape, and lots of cartoons. He dreamed of attending the High School of Music and Art in Manhattan, which merged with the School of Performing Arts in 1984, becoming LaGuardia High School. But on the day of his interview at the school, his stepfather wouldn’t let him out of the apartment, he said. Art was not a career that paid the bills. “I gave up on everything,” Gordon said. “I just gave up.” At 17, he joined the Air Force and was stationed in Europe. As a child, he enjoyed singing—his mother was a vaudeville singer— and when stationed abroad he found his way to the stages of jazz clubs in Paris and Munich. After leaving the military, he returned to Europe to sing, and eventually moved to

Spain to work in Italian and Spanish films, he said. “Living in Europe was a total change of life for me,” said Gordon, who has thick white hair, dark eyebrows and a smile like a lemon wedge. “I understood that there were other people in the world and other things one could do, and that you could actually try to do what you wanted to do, despite one’s finances.” Throughout his time in Europe and his years on stage, Gordon sidelined his drawing, but six years ago, with performing behind him, he took his first art class and developed a small collection of drawings. Armed with that portfolio, Gordon walked into the Art Students League on W. 57th Street and inquired about taking classes, a move Hughes called “ballsy.” The school called him the next day, he said. “Al makes his own criticism,” said Heidi Johnson, Gordon’s painting instructor at Temple Emanu-El on E. 65th Street, near Central Park. “He’s self-determined, completely.” Hughes ran an antique restoration business on the Upper East Side with her husband, who was also an artist. She met Gordon in 2008 in the laundry room of the apartment building where they both lived, after her husband passed away. She knows art, she said, and she finds Gordon’s bold abstracts, lively strokes of color and excess globs of paint unique, especially for his limited experience. “He does everything in a big way,” she said. “His paintings are him. There’s something in there that tells you who he is as a person. This vibrant, strong person. He’s an exciting person. He’s full of life, full of zest.” He transitioned into painting partly because, Hughes thinks, he saw her at her easel. “It was scary to do that,” Gordon said. “I didn’t know if I could make that transition from pencil or charcoal to the brush. But I did.” Whatever hesitancy came from his inexperience was short lived. He’s a fast painter, sometimes completing a piece in 30 minutes, Johnson said, and now has over 100 finished canvases. His 27 paintings for the show at the library, many done with just a palette knife and generous helpings of paint, come mostly from his own imagination, and are as self-assured as his early drawings, done with very few and mostly contiguous dark lines. “I had a voice teacher once upon a time,” he said. “Who said to me, ‘can’t you ever do anything low? Why do you have to do it like you’re on stage?’ I said, ‘that’s the way I function.’”

5 TOP

MARCH 5-11,2015 Our Town 13

FOR THE WEEK BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO OUR ARTS EDITOR

THEATER “VERITÉ”

Writer Nick Jones’ latest play stars Anna Camp, from HBO’s “True Blood” and the ﬁlm “Pitch Perfect,” as an aspiring writer and stay-at-home mother named Jo, who, while penning her memoir, ﬁnds her life taking a bizarre and dubious series of twists and turns, causing her to wonder if these new events are part of someone’s elaborate design. “Verité” Through March 14 Claire Tow Theater at Lincoln Center 150 W. 65 St., between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues Assorted showtimes Tickets $20

“LET IT COME DOWN” Essayist, storyteller and Upper East Side resident Eve Lederman presents a free stage reading of her play “Let it Come Down,” which explores the complicated relationship between a therapist and a patient. Staged at Dixon Place during the fall of 2014, Lederman pulled inspiration for the show from deposition transcripts from a malpractice suit. RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ theater-for-the-new-city-let-it-come-downtickets-15808919905 “Let It Come Down” Monday, March 9 Theater for the New City 155 First Ave., between E. 9th and E. 10th Streets 7 p.m.

March 6-8 92nd Street Y Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street Assorted show times Tickets $25-$29

IN CONVERSATION “BALANCHINE AND IMAGINATION” Coinciding with the Frick Collection’s exhibition of illustrative paintings and tapestries by Charles Coypel, which depict scenes from “Don Quixote,” dance historian Jennifer Homans discusses the role Cervantes’ comic tale played in the world of ballet, including George Balanchine’s 1965 version of the story, choreographed to an original composition by Nicolas Nabokov. “Balanchine and Imagination” Friday, March 6 Frick Collection 1 E. 70th St., near Fifth Avenue 6 p.m. Tickets $40

MUSIC JOHANNES BRAHMS’ “LIEBESLIEDER WALTZES”

Vicky Shick’s “Pathétique, Miniatures in Detail”

To be included in the Top 5 go to ourtownny.com and click on submit a press release or announcement.

something

us to

into

Hunter College alum Vicky Shick approaches dance as a multi-sensory experience, and dwells on the interactions of her dancers. The costumes, designed by Shick’s longtime collaborator Barbara Kilpatrick, are fashioned to make sound when the dancers move, adding to the original music by composer Elise Kermani, which she performs and mixes live.

Johannes Brahms’ “Liebeslieder Waltzes” Wednesday, March 11 285 Central Park West, between 88th and 89th Streets 7:30 p.m. Tickets $35

VICKY SHICK’S “PATHÉTIQUE, MINIATURES IN DETAIL”

have

DANCE

This intimate chamber concert, set in a private residence on Central Park, includes a collection of romantic waltzes from Brahms’ “Opus No. 52,” performed with two-person piano and a vocal quartet. The classical repertoire is paired with a contemporary piece for piano and voice by composer Gordon Beeferman, set to lyrics by poet Jane Barnes.

you You’d look

Email us at news@strausnews.com

14 Our Town MARCH 5-11,2015

NYPD Sergeant Chris KaKit Yip performing with New York Piano Society at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall.

HOW DOES THE COP GET TO CARNEGIE HALL? CONCERTS A professional concert for nonprofessional musicians BY MICKEY KRAMER

When the New York Piano Society holds its sixth annual benefit concert at the stately, 268-seat Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, composers on the program, including Mozart and Chopin, will need little introduction. The performers? A slightly different story. Elena Leonova, founder and artistic director of the New York Piano Society, started the non-profit organization in 2005 with the mission of discovering and developing talented pianists whose primary professions or fields of study aren’t in classical music. “There was no real outlet for people to continue performing after choosing other careers,” said Leonova, whose

own distinguished playing career started in her native Russia, where she attended the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. Since moving to the states, she’s performed at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, as well as venues in Los Angeles and Rome, and also teaches music. “We want to reach out to communities who otherwise are not exposed to classical music,” she said. “We want to continue to bring an interest to classical music by presenting performers who are part of them.” Among the eight society members performing in the benefit concert is Sergeant Chris KaKit Yip, 35, a member of the New York City Police Department for more than a decade. He got his ﬁrst keyboard about 12 years ago, and only started taking lessons in 2005. “To play piano as a child, you need parents to pay for lessons,” said Yip. “My parents couldn’t afford it, but

once I started making my own money, I bought the keyboard and took it from there.” Following one of Yip’s recitals in 2008, Leonova pursued him, calling several precincts in order to track him down, he said. Yip has played the Carnegie Hall benefit show every year since 2010. It’s an honor to perform in the concert every year, he said, but also “terrifying and nerve wracking.” Yip also performs yearly benefit recitals of his own. Three weeks ago, Yip and Michael Brenner, an assistant district attorney in Brooklyn, dubbed themselves “Law & Order” and performed a duel piano concert benefiting the Brooklyn Music School in Fort Greene, where Yip took his first lessons. Last year’s beneficiary was the Soho animal shelter Animal Haven. Dr. Len Horovitz, a lung specialist who also treats Broadway and Metropolitan Opera vocalists, was born with

two thumbs on his right hand. At his birth, Horovitz’s doctor jokingly told his mother that he wouldn’t be able to play piano. At two months old, Horovitz had the extra thumb removed, and endured seven additional surgeries on his remaining thumb. Contrary to his doctor’s prediction, Horovitz began playing piano at six years old and started performing public recitals by age ten. He has been playing in the New York Piano Society beneﬁt shows since their inception. Although a passionate musician, Horovitz always wanted to go into medicine. He sees similarities between playing the piano and being a doctor as both require discipline, manual dexterity, sensitivity and thousands of hours of study. “It was the doctors who allowed me to play, so in some way, my debt was to medicine,” said Horovitz, who will perform a solo of Chopin’s “Barcarolle” during the upcoming concert.

New York Piano Society has an online application and in-person audition process, and holds monthly gatherings at the Kaufman Music Center on W. 67th Street. At these gatherings, auditions take place and members practice for the eight or nine yearly concerts, which are typically free or have a suggested donation. Venues have included the New York Public Library for Performing Arts at Lincoln Center and the Baruch Performance Arts Center on Lexington Avenue, between E. 24th and E. 25th Streets. Leonova notes that members of the society travel from as far away as Texas, California, and in one case Düsseldorf, Germany to perform, and are often joined on stage by professional violinists, cellists and vocalists. “We want our concerts to reach an even larger audience and continue to present the ﬁnest distinguished concert musicians sharing stage with our members,” Leonova said.

MARCH 5-11,2015 Our Town 15

HELP KEEP YOUR PET HEALTHY Over 50 percent of pets are considered overweight or obese, with numbers climbing steadily. Just as with people, pet obesity has become an epidemic in the U.S. Dr. Mark Verdino, North Shore Animal League America vice president and chief of veterinary staff, said, “The most common cause for obesity in animals is overfeeding and lack of exercise. In this regard, most overweight animals can easily be put on a path to lose weight”. North Shore Animal League America would like to share some important pet health tips for you to incorporate into your four-legged family member’s life: • Have your pet evaluated by

something

have

daily feeding guide. • While preparing and cooking your own meals, it is best to keep your pet in another room. • Make sure additional food is not just lying around as it will only encourage your pet to eat more than his/her daily diet suggests. • If you are going away, make sure to leave clear diet/feeding instructions with the person who will be looking after your pet. • If you have more than one pet, feed them separately. • When purchasing pet food, look for the words “complete and balanced nutrition” on the label. Consult with your veterinarian for more information regarding your pet’s speciﬁc diet. To learn more about keeping your pets safe and healthy at all times, visit www.AnimalLeague.org.

us to

into

BY THE NORTH SHORE ANIMAL LEAGUE AMERICA

a veterinarian to develop a plan for healthy living. Unchecked obesity in pets can lead to debilitating diseases such as arthritis, diabetes, cancer and other ailments. • We love to snack, and so do our pets. Although satisfying, unhealthy snacking can put on a couple of unnecessary pounds. Avoid feeding snacks and table scraps to your cat or dog. • Exercise with your pet. From running an errand to going for a jog, take your dog with you. Exercise is essential for your pet’s health as it increases strength and longevity. • Wellness through water. Water is key for digesting food and will help your pet’s body absorb important nutrients. Make sure your pet’s bowl is ﬁlled with clean, clear water. • Feed on a schedule. Avoid accidental overfeeding by sticking to your pet’s recommended

Take Fido on your errands, and nine other tips to manage your 4-legged friend’s weight

you You’d look

Email us at news@strausnews.com

50% OFF

YOUR PET’S INITIAL SPECIALTY CONSULTATION

Established in 1910, The Animal Medical Center is a leading non-profit veterinary healthcare center that promotes the health of companion animals through advanced treatment, research and education. Nearly 100 veterinarians utilize a team approach to care for pets 24/7/365. * LIMIT ONE COUPON PER CLIENT 510 East 62nd Street, New York, NY 10065 | 212-838-8100 | www.amcny.org

16 Our Town MARCH 5-11,2015

Business

In Brief SANDY RECOVERY WORKSHOPS Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration will be holding a series of workshops in support of the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project, a U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development-funded initiative that seeks to beef up Manhattan’s flood preparedness. When completed, the project will not only shield the area from flooding, but is expected to provide greater access to the waterfront, more open space and other social and environmental benefits to the community, according to Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney’s office. Maloney and several other elected officials, including Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez and Assemblyman Brian Kavanagh, held a recent press conference to encourage broad participation in the workshops by everyday New Yorkers. In June 2014, HUD awarded $335 million in federal funds to create a protective system for the area that stretches from Montgomery Street to East 23rd street. The city has scheduled workshops on March 19 and 23, which are intended to get community input on the project.

COUNCILMEMBER PUSHES BACK AGAINST TRANSPACIFIC PARTNERSHIP Upper West Side Councilmember Helen Rosenthal came out against the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which she said threatens NYC standards and protections for workers, the environment, and food sanitation. According to Rosenthal, the free trade agreement is being secretly negotiated between the United States and eleven other Pacific Rim countries, and will eliminate tariffs and other barriers to goods and services trade and investment among these countries. “However leaked texts and news reports show that the TPP would significantly alter the balance of international power, reduce national, state and city sovereignty, and negatively impact domestic businesses, environmental and labor protections, food sanitation standards, and free access to the internet and low-cost medications,” said Rosenthal’s office. Rosenthal introduced a resolution opposing President Barack Obama fasttracking of the TPP and declaring New York City a TPP-free zone. “It is critical that the voices of local and state governments are heard on this potentially dangerous agreement,” said Rosenthal. “This resolution sends a strong message to the federal government that New York City stands in opposition to this trade agreement and the process through which it is being negotiated, without the scrutiny of the American people.”

DUANE READE FINED FOR WORKER SAFETY VIOLATION NEWS Fine followed tip from an employee Employees of a Duane Reade store in midtown would have been unable to exit the store safely in the event of a ﬁre or other emergency, according to an inspection by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration. As a result, OSHA has cited the company for one repeated and four serious violations of workplace safety standards. The retailer faces $77,400 in proposed ﬁnes. Inspectors found that three emergency exit routes from the store’s basement were blocked by boxes, crates, garbage bags and merchandise stored or strewn in aisles and passageways. The emergency exit lights were not illuminated, and

one exit was not marked. “An exit route should not be an obstacle course. Seconds count during a ﬁre or other emergency. These obstructions steal away precious moments employees could use to save themselves,” said Kay Gee, OSHA’s area director in Manhattan. “This is especially troubling because we cited Duane Reade in 2013 for similar hazards at its 598 Broadway store in Lower Manhattan.” OSHA’s inspection of the Duane Reade Inc. store at 1150 6th Ave. came in response to an employee complaint about obstructed exits. Inspectors also found that boxes of merchandise and inventory in the store’s second- floor stockroom were unsafely stacked in 10- to 12-foot piles that could tip, slide or collapse, striking or crushing workers. A repeated violation exists when

an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last ﬁve years. A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known. “These hazards from top to bottom, so they don’t occur again here or at any other Duane Reade store. The lives and well-being of employees depend on it,” Gee said. A subsidiary of Illinois-based Walgreen Co., Duane Reade operates a chain of 250 pharmacies and convenience stores in the greater New York City area. It has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, meet with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings

before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, ﬁle a complaint or report workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency’s Manhattan Area Ofﬁce at 212-620-3200. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

MARCH 5-11,2015 Our Town 17

Real Estate Sales Neighborhd

Address

Price

Bed Bath Agent

Turtle Bay

321 E 43 St.

All Upper E Side

140 E 72 St.

$1,550,000

Stribling

Turtle Bay

310 E 46 St.

$875,000

Beekman

433 E 51 St.

$1,365,000

Stribling

Turtle Bay

330 E 49 St.

$490,000

Beekman

415 E 52 St.

$775,000

Firstservice Realty

Turtle Bay

330 E 49 St.

$450,000

Beekman

424 E 52 St.

$390,000

Douglas Elliman

Turtle Bay

240 E 47 St.

$1,200,000

Carnegie Hill

110 E 87 St.

$1,290,000

Room Real Estate

Yorkville

239 E 79 St.

$1,243,000

Carnegie Hill

1172 Park Ave.

$4,314,000

Sotheby’s

Yorkville

215 E 80 St.

$1,660,000

Carnegie Hill

61 E 86 St.

$1,650,000

Yorkville

309 E 87 St.

$1,640,000

Carnegie Hill

115 E 90 St.

$494,142

Yorkville

206 E 90 St.

Carnegie Hill

1120 5 Ave.

$8,000,000

Brown Harris Stevens

Yorkville

305 E 85 St.

Carnegie Hill

111 E 88 St.

$800,000

Sotheby’s

Yorkville

Carnegie Hill

40 E 94 St.

$2,681,250

Carnegie Hill

111 E 88 St.

$700,000

Modlin Group

Carnegie Hill

125 E 93 St.

$2,999,000

Lenox Hill

530 Park Ave.

$2,600,000

$429,000 1

Space Marketing Shop

Compass

Halstead Property

$465,000

Stribling

$2,300,000

Brown Harris Stevens

203 E 89 St.

$290,000

Keller Williams Nyc

Yorkville

1623 3 Ave.

$1,275,000

Yorkville

425 E 79 St.

$603,000

Halstead Property

Brown Harris Stevens

Yorkville

200 E 90 St.

$669,499

Keller Williams Nyc

Bond New York

Yorkville

302 E 88 St.

$530,000

Corcoran

Lenox Hill

21 E 61St St.

$8,709,287

Extell Development Company

Yorkville

222 E 80 St.

$530,000

Halstead Property

Lenox Hill

315 E 69 St.

$399,000

Brown Harris Stevens

Yorkville

443 E 87 St.

$6,500,000

Sotheby’s

Lenox Hill

301 E 69 St.

$525,000

Corcoran

Yorkville

224 E 95 St.

$329,000

Owner

Lenox Hill

405 E 63 St.

$599,000

Corcoran

Yorkville

309 E 87 St.

$625,000

Lenox Hill

880 5 Ave.

$1,650,000

Corcoran

Yorkville

1623 3 Ave.

$1,327,000

Lenox Hill

167 E 61 St.

$1,120,175

Yorkville

333 E 79 St.

$660,000

Halstead Property

Midtown E

325 Lexington Ave.

$748,413

Corcoran

Yorkville

325 E 80 St.

$800,000

Saldo Properties

Midtown E

325 Lexington Ave.

$1,211,717

Corcoran

Yorkville

340 E 93 St.

$510,000

Rich Associates Real Estate Llc

Midtown E

325 Lexington Ave.

$896,060

Corcoran

Midtown E

325 Lexington Ave.

$789,143

Corcoran

Midtown E

325 Lexington Ave.

$850,238

Corcoran

Midtown South

11 E 36 St.

$950,000

Douglas Elliman

Midtown South

11 E 36 St.

$585,000

Douglas Elliman

Midtown South

445 5 Ave.

$999,500

Nestseekers

Midtown South

7 E 35 St.

$699,000

Link Ny Realty

Midtown South

11 E 36 St.

$1,355,000

Core

Murray Hill

25 Tudor City Place

$329,000

Douglas Elliman

Murray Hill

333 E 41 St.

$480,000

Coldwell Banker Bellmarc

Murray Hill

201 E 37 St.

$560,000

Douglas Elliman

Murray Hill

80 Park Ave.

$53,000

Murray Hill

25 Tudor City Place

$290,000

Halstead Property

Murray Hill

50 Park Ave.

$785,000

Murray Hill

5 Tudor City Place

$300,000

City Connections Realty

Sutton Place

350 E 54 St.

$740,000

Town Residential

Sutton Place

420 E 55 St.

$620,000

Sutton Gardens

Sutton Place

333 E 53 St.

$352,000

Bond New York

Sutton Place

420 E 55 St.

$875,000

Sutton Gardens

Sutton Place

433 E 56 St.

$1,225,000

Sotheby’s

Turtle Bay

349 E 49 St.

$349,000

Corcoran

More neighborhood news? neighborhood milestones? neighborhood events? neighborhood celebrations? neighborhood opinions? neighborhood ideas? neighborhood feedback?

Email us at news@strausnews.com

SOHO LT MFG

462 Broadway MFG No Retail/Food

St.Easy.com is New York’s most accurate and comprehensive real estate website, providing consumers detailed sales and rental information and the tools to manage that information to make educated decisions. The site has become the reference site for consumers, real estate professionals and the media and has been widely credited with bringing transparency to one of the world’s most important real estate markets.

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

+/- 9,000 sf Ground Floor - $90 psf +/- 16,000 sf Cellar - $75 psf Call Mark @ Meringoff Properties 646.262.3900

projectevergreen.org (877) 758-4835

18 Our Town Town MARCH n MA MA M AR RC CH 5 CH 5-11,2015 -1111,,2 201 05

YOUR 15 MINUTES

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

EXPLORING JEWISH HISTORY IN THE CITY Q&A Paul Kaplan on his quest to provide an in-depth resource to Jewish history and culture in Manhattan BY ANGELA BARBUTI

PAUL’S FAVORITE PLACES TO ... Eat a knish: Yonah Shimmel’s Knish Bakery Have a bowl of matzo ball soup: Russ & Daughters Cafe Consume a pastrami sandwich: Pastrami Queen Worship: Romemu Learn Jewish history: Skirball Center for Adult Learning at Temple Emanu-El Experience Jewish culture: Jewish Community Center

To research his book, Jewish New York: A History and Guide to Neighborhoods, Synagogues, and Eateries, Paul Kaplan spent a year and a half interviewing museum curators, tour guides, nonproﬁt directors and historian. From Katz’s Deli to former Harlem synagogues and several not-so-celebrated locations -- as well as sites and places that no longer exist -- he ventured throughout Manhattan to document Jewish life both past and present. Kaplan sits on the board of directors for the Lower East Side Jewish Conservancy.

You have a marketing background. What made you start writing? My work during the day is around digital marketing and marketing strategy for various industries. I also pursue historical preservation. I feel it’s important to capture the essence of the city and document it for future generations. I noticed that there were so many different places of Jewish interest, but there was no one place where it was all together. And I thought it particularly important to tell the story behind the sites.

Why do you think, as you said, nothing of its kind has been written before? Well, what’s been written before tends to be very focused, on particular restaurants and places. There are deﬁnitely a lot of those books. I think that people tend not to think holistically. So this is taking a step back and trying to connect the dots.

What is your family’s history in New York? My parents are both from Brooklyn, and I was born in Manhattan, lived here until I was ﬁve, and then moved to New Jersey. I grew up in Princeton, but I came here a lot growing up, so I witnessed a lot of the changes.

What were some things you learned from writing this book? I didn’t know that Harlem was such a hotbed of Jewish activity from the 1880s until around 1920. And that a lot of Jews had moved there from the Lower East Side, and you can see a lot of old synagogues in Harlem, many of which are

churches today. You can observe some of the architectural relics of the past if you look closely. Another one would be that Second Avenue, between Houston and 14th Street, was like Broadway today for Yiddish theater. There was a real variety of quality in the theaters themselves. There was a Yiddish stars Walk of Fame, which was on the street, just like you have on Hollywood Boulevard. A lot of the buildings those theaters were in are still there today. For example, the theater that Stomp has been in for a really long time, was a Yiddish theater. There were 22 Yiddish theaters and two Yiddish vaudeville houses.

One of those Yiddish theaters became the Fillmore East. They used to call it “The Church of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” It was the former Commodore Theater, erected in 1926, on Sixth Street and Second Avenue. It is the only building in the world I think that has been a Yiddish theater, a cinema, a playhouse, a very famous rock ‘n’ roll venue, an exclusive gay club and now a local bank. I just found it amazing that not only has it had many uses, which you would expect, but how varied they were. John Lennon, Frank Zappa, Jefferson Airplane and Crosby, Stills and Nash played at the Fillmore East, and now you’re making your deposit at the bank. Hanging on the wall in the bank is a collage of photos and drawings from all the buildings that were there previously.

You hosted your book launch at the Eldridge Street Synagogue. Your story about its restoration is fascinating. That’s really a signiﬁcant story about historical renewal. It’s an important one to tell because a lot of times, unfortunately, many places fall into disrepair and that’s it. But this one has a very heartwarming story behind that. At its time, when it was erected in 1887, it was a very important synagogue, and a place where the poor and the rich sat together and worshiped. It was the ﬁrst immigrant-built synagogue in the U.S. The neighborhood changed profoundly in the 40s and 50s, with a lot of people moving away to the suburbs, and fewer immigrants coming in because of the changes in the law. Yes, you always had a little service there, but it was disused and the whole sanctuary fell into disrepair. There just weren’t funds to keep it going and essentially from the mid-50s to the early 80s, that main sanctuary

wasn’t used. In the early 70s, author Gerard Wolfe was very intrigued and had a caretaker let him into the synagogue and open it up and he said it was like a time capsule. There were many who helped with the restoration project and then it really took hold. They tried to restore it authentically so that it looks like it did in 1887.

Streit’s Matzo is one placed you toured. You wrote on your blog that it’s moving. They’re not going out of business, but they’re moving out of the Lower East Side, which is kind of sad. Just walking by, you can smell the matzo being made. To learn more, visit www.paulkaplanauthor. com Kaplan will be at the Mid-Manhattan branch of the New York Public Library on March 24th and the Upper West Side Jewish Community Center on March 29th for a Q&A and book signing

Know somebody who deserves their 15 Minutes of fame? Go to ourtownny. com and click on submit a press release or announcement.

MARCH 5-11,2015 Our Town 19

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: Monday 12 noon for same weeks’ issue ACCOUNTING/FINANCIAL SERVICES LOMTO Federal Credit Union It’s hard to beat our great rates! Deposits federally insured to at least $250K (212)947-3380 ext.3144

CARS & TRUCKS & RV’S Donate your car to Wheels For Wishes, beneﬁting Make-AWish. We offer free towing and your donation is 100% tax deductible. Call (855) 376-9474

ADOPTION

CLEANING SERVICES/LAUNDRY

A childless young married couple, hands-on mom/devoted dad (she-31/he-37) seeks to adopt. Financial security. Expenses paid. Call/text. Mary & Adam. 1-800-790-5260.

CLEANING SERVICES Residential & Commercial Exp., Bonded & Insured. See manhattanwash.com for info, or call 212-410-3200

A dream is a wish your heart makes, our wish is a baby to love. We’re loving, educated, close family. Expenses paid. Danny/Lorraine 1-866-9977171 ANIMALS & PETS

Certiﬁed Dog Training in your home. Vet recommended. Bonded & Insured. Excellent References. Alex Himel, 516767-0747 or 516-633-3384. North Shore Animal League AnimalLeague.org 1-877-4-SAVE-PET Facebook.com/TheAnimalLeague ANNOUNCEMENTS

GrowNYC.org Recycle@GrowNYC.org 212-788-0225 ANTIQUES/COLLECTIBLES

Antique, Flea & Farmers Market, East 67 St Market (bet. First & York Ave). Open every Saturday, 6am-5pm, rain or shine. Indoor & Outdoor, Free Admission. Call Bob 718-8975992. Proceeds beneﬁt PS 183. AUCTIONS

AUCTION CHEMUNG COUNTY REAL PROPERTY TAX FORECLOSURES- 100+ Properties March 25 @11AM. Holiday Inn, Elmira, NY. 800-243-0061 HAR, Inc. & AAR, Inc. Free brochure: www.NYSAUCTIONS.com Exciting Neighborhood Auction Antiques & Collectibles, Paintings, Decorative Objects, Costume Jewelry. Sat March 7, 3pm. 1157 Lex Ave @ 80th St (garden ent next to All Souls) Prev & Reg 11am-3pm. Martine’s Auctions, 212-772-0900, martine-auctions@outlook.com

CAMPS/SCHOOLS Alexander Robertson School Independent School for Pre-K through Grade 5, 212-663-2844, 3 West 95th St. www.AlexanderRobertson.com Loyola School 646-346-8132 www.loyolanyc.org admissions@loyolanyc.org River Park Nursery School 212-663-1205, www.river parknurseryschool.com York Preparatory School 212-362-0400 ext 133 www.yorkprep.org admissions@yorkprep.org

ENTERTAINMENT

Mohegan Sun Why Drive? For info call Academy: 1-800-442-7272 ext. 2353 - www.academybus.com HEALTH SERVICES

Carnegie Hill Endoscopy 212-860-6300 www.carnegiehillendo.com Columbia Doctors of Ophthalmology - Our newest location at 15 West 65th Street (Broadway) is now open. www.ColumbiaEye.org 212.305.9535 Lenox Hill Hospital Lenox Hill Orthopaedics (855) 434-1800 www.Lenoxhillhospital.org/ ortho Mount Sinai-Roosevelt Hospital University Medical Practice Associates 212-523-UMPA(8672) www.umpa.com New York Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital www.nyp.org/lowermanhattan NYU Langone Medical Center Introduces the Preston Robert Tisch Center for Men’s Health. 555 Madison Ave bet. 55th & 56th, 646-754-2000 HELP WANTED

AIRLINE CAREERS begin here Get FAA approved Aviation Maintenance Technician training. Financial aid for qualiﬁed students – Housing available. Job placement assistance. Call AIM 866-296-7093 Quality Drive Away is adding drivers to its driver family. Quality drivers enjoy speed-oflight settlements and competitive rates. With Quality’s nationwide network of pickup locations, Quality Drivers enjoy the best reload opportunities in the industry. Call 866-7641601 or email recruiter@qualitydriveaway.com today to take your driving career to the next level. WELDING CAREERS- Hands on training for career opportunities in aviation, automotive, manufacturing and more. Financial aid for qualiﬁed students. Job placement assistance. CALL AIM 855-325-0399

HELP WANTED

MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

VOLUNTEER!

WE’LL MATCH YOUR SKILLS/INTEREST WITH NON-PROFITS THAT NEED YOU

CALL 212.889.4805 OR WWW.VOLUNTEER-REFERRAL.ORG

NO FEE HOME IMPROVEMENTS

Beautify your home with custom radiator covers, nightstands & more. www.licrc.com Handyman/Carpet Cleaner. Skilled, Exp, , Reasonable, Reliable. Joe - 917-530-6790

LEGAL AND PROFESSIONAL ALLSTATE INSURANCE Anthony Pomponio 212-769-2899 125 West 72nd St. 5R, NYC apomponio@allstate.com

MASSAGE BODYWORK by young, handsome, smooth, athletic Asian. InCall/OutCall. Phillip. 212-787-9116

Massage by Melissa (917)620-2787 MERCHANDISE FOR SALE

Fresh California Organic Walnuts, home grown, hand picked. Reduces the risk of heart disease. One of the best plant source of protein, Omega 3 and E &B vitamins. $12 a pound shelled, $5 a pound in shell, plus shipping. Perry Creek Walnuts 530-503-9705 perrycreekwalnuts.com perrycreekwalnuts@hotmail.com Pandora Jewelry Unforgettable Moments 412 W Broadway - Soho, NYC 212-226-3414 REAL ESTATE - RENT

GLENWOOD - Manhattan’s Finest Luxury Rentals Uptown ofﬁce 212-535-0500 Downtown ofﬁce 212-4305900. glenwoodNYC.com OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND. Best selection of affordable rentals. Full/ partial weeks. Call for FREE brochure. Open daily. Holiday Resort Services. 1-800-638-2102. Online reservations: www.holidayoc.com

POLICY NOTICE: We make every effort to avoid mistakes in your classified ads. Check your ad the first week it runs. We will only accept responsibility for the first incorrect insertion. Manhattan Media Classifieds assumes no financial responsibility for errors or omissions. We reserve the right to edit, reject, or re-classify any ad. Contact your sales rep directly for copy changes. All classified ads are pre-paid. REAL ESTATE - SALE

ABSOLUTE LAND SELL OFF! March 14th & 15th! Cooperstown NY! 60-70% below market prices from $19,000 or $254/month! 26 Tracts! Waterfront! Views! Woods! 6 miles from Village, low taxes, town rd, utils, 100% g’tee! Call: 888905-8847 to register! NewYorkLandandLakes.com SERVICES OFFERED

Allstate - The Wright Agency Anthony Wright 718 671 8000 Ao65989@allstate.com Auto.home.life.retirement CARMEL Car & Limousine Service To JFK… $52 To Newark… $51 To LaGuardia… $34 1-212-666-6666 Toll Free 1-800-9-Carmel 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 John Krtil Funeral Home; Yorkville Funeral Service, INC. Independently Owned Since 1885. WE SERVE ALL FAITHS AND COMMUNITIES 212-744-3084 Marble Collegiate Church Dr. Michael B. Brown, Senior Minister, 1 West 29th St. NYC, NY 10001, (212) 689-2770. www.MarbleChurch.org 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: 1-800959-3419 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 WE BUY-TOP DOLLAR PAID Fine & Costume Jewelry Gems-Silver-Gold-Jade Antiques-Art-Rugs Call Gregory@718 608 5854 Certiﬁed GIA Gemologist

Directory of Business & Services To advertise in this directory Call Susan (212)-868-0190 ext.417 Classified2@strausnews.com

Antique, Flea & Farmers Market SINCE 1979

East 67th Street Market

(between First & York Avenues) Open EVERY Saturday 6am-5pm Rain or Shine Indoor & Outdoor FREE Admission Questions? Bob 718.897.5992 Proceeds Beneﬁt PS 183

ANTIQUES WANTED

TOP PRICES PAID

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

800.530.0006

AU C T I O N Antiques & Collectibles, Paintings, Decorative Objects, Costume Jewelry

EXCITING NEIGHBORHOOD AUCTION

Saturday, March 7, 3pm 1157 Lexington Ave @ East 80th St (Garden entrance next to All Souls) Preview & Registration 11am-3pm

Martine’s Auctions, 212 772 0900 martine-auctions@outlook.com Martine’s Auctions, Lic. #2006090-DCA

Stephen Feldman, Lic. #1440856-DCA

CLEANING SERVICES

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL - Experienced - Bonded & Insured -

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

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

:H DUH D SURXG PHPEHU RI WKH $VVRFLDWHG 3UHVV DQG WKH 1DWLRQDO 1HZVSDSHU $VVRFLDWLRQ

20 Our Townâ&#x20AC;&#x201A;MARCH 5-11,2015

COME HOME TO GLENWOOD

MANHATTANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 #3 #"5) '30. t #34 #"5)4 '30. t $0/7&35*#-& #34 #"5)4 '30.

MIDTOWN & UPPER WEST SIDE #3 #"5) '30. t #34 #"5)4 '30. t #34 #"5)4 '30.

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

GLENWOODNYC.COM

Builder | Owner | Manager

Equal Housing Opportunity.