Our Town April 30th, 2015

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The local paper for the Upper er East Side A LANDMARK HISTORY OF THE CITY <CITYARTS, P.10

BY MICKEY KRAMER

Around noon on a recent warm Tuesday, Linda Harris was on the sidewalk at 93rd Street about to cross First Avenue from its west side. That she had

A deliveryman on a bicycle riding southbound in the northbound First Avenue bile lane near 76th Street last week.

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SPRING (FINALLY) ARRIVES AT CARL SCHURZ NATURAL NEW YORK The East Side park preps for its annual spring sale BY MARY BARNETT

OurTownEastSide

O OURTOWNNY.COM @OurTownNYC

2015

THE WHITNEY AND THE MOLTING OF NEW YORK

the green light didn’t appear to matter to a bicyclist going north on the avenue’s bike lane. He sped through the red light. A startled Harris had to halt her 69-year old feet. “I’m just not sure these people know

The main entrance to Carl Schurz Park at East End Avenue and 86th Street. The promenade will be the backdrop to the plant sale on May 9. By then the avenue of cherry trees, shown leafing out here, will be in full bloom. Photo by Juanita Dugdale

30-6 Our Take

PEDESTRIANS LAMENT FIRST AVENUE BIKE LANE Residents say many bicyclists are cavalier about traffic laws

APRIL-MAY

After a winter that was like living inside an iceberg, New Yorkers are ready for landscapes of grass and flowers and leafing trees. And they can find them in city parks like Carl Schurz, where blossoms and trees are exploding with the spring. Against the park’s East River backdrop, visitors can see pink and white flowering apricot trees and clouds of forsythia, tulips, and daffodils. By Saturday of next week--May 9, the day of the park’s yearly plant sale--there will be blooms on the cherry trees, li-

Newscheck Crime Watch Out & About Voices

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City Arts Top 5 Business 15 Minutes

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lacs, crab apples, and silver bells. The plant sale will have annuals that are hard to find, like cardoon, a bigleaved plant from the artichoke family, and some of the new varieties of coleus. Also for sale: unusual specimens of favorites like begonia and zinnia. The standard price is $5 apiece. The sale on May 9, the day before Mother’s Day, is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 86th Street and East End Avenue. Visitors to the sale who stroll

CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

PLANT SALE Saturday, May 9th 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Carl Schurz Park East End Ave. @ 86th Street

So far, the new Whitney Museum is a roaring success. Critics are swooning. Party planners are climbing over one another to reserve event spaces. Celebrities are tweeting out selfies of themselves. All of this has happened before the public has stepped foot into the place. That happens this weekend, and the new museum, a hulking space on the Hudson, will finally face its most important test. What the new Whitney has done, though, is make very clear a shift in the tectonic plates of power and prestige in the city. If you’re looking for where the money in New York in – and, by extension, the cultural cache that tends to follow it – you have to look downtown. And you need to focus that attention on Chelsea, whose remarkably swift ascendancy will only be sped up by the arrival of the Hudson Yards that are a 15-minute walk from the new museum. This is the way New York grows and stays vibrant. Neighborhoods and communities molt and shift, new ones rise as old ones settle down. The arrival of a new museum downtown – actually, the return of an old museum to its downtown roots – is as good as excuse as any to see those changes in action. Jewish women and girls light up the world by lighting the Shabbat candles every Friday evening 18 minutes before sunset. Friday May 1– 7:34 pm. For more information visit www.chabaduppereastside.com.

Home delivery of Our Town Eastsider H $ $49 per year. Go to OurTownNY.com or call 212-868-0190

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OUR TOWN APRIL 30-MAY 6,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

WHAT’S MAKING NEWS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD BRATTON: DECRIMINALIZING OFFENSES WOULD LEAD TO HIGHER CRIME Police Commissioner Bill Bratton suggested that decriminalizing certain qualityof-life offenses, as the City Council is considering, would lead to escalating crime, the New York Post reports. “We are certainly open to additional alternatives to give our officers discretion in lieu of arrest, but if you lose those powers to arrest, that’s where Pandora’s Box is opened and the 1970s, the 1980s have the potential to come roaring back again,� the paper quoted Bratton as saying earlier this week. Among the offenses that would be decriminalized under Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito’s proposal are public alcohol consumption, fare beating, public urination, bicycling on the sidewalk, being in parks after dark, failure to obey park signs, littering and unreasonable noise. Under the proposal, those offences would earn violators

some of the most common criminal offenses would lead people to increasingly out laws. Summonses, he said during a City Council hearing last month, “don’t have any bite to them.â€? Bratton has got a strong ally at City Hall in Mayor Bill de Blasio, who, according to the Post, does not support the Council’s plan. A Daily News analysis concluded that among the seven offenses that would be decriminalized accounted for about 42 percent of summonses issued between 2001 and June 2014 by police.

application has passed, families will be given other chances to apply. Mayor Bill de Blasio hailed what he called the program’s success. “This is big! Every one of these applications means a child put on a path for success for school and beyond,� de Blasio said in a statement released by his office.

LOCAL RABBI TO BE HONORED BY POPE Arthur Scheiner, an 85-yearold Holocaust survivor took who has run the Upper East Side’s Park East Synagogue since 1962, is being honored by Pope Francis with Papal Knighthood for his peace efforts, NY1 reports. Scheiner also founded and runs the Appeal of Conscience foundation. This interfaith organization of business and religious leaders espouses peace, tolerance, and ethical conict resolution among all religions.

CITY CLOSES IN ON GOAL FOR PRE-K ENROLLMENT

Police Commissioner Bill Bratton says that a City Council proposal to decriminalize certain quality-of-life offenses would lead to a spike in crime. Photo: Policy Exchange.

summonses to administrative court rather than arrests and criminal court proceedings.

But Bratton last month suggested that decriminalization of what are

ENGLEWOOD FIELD CLUB

The city has nearly reached its enrolment goal of 70,000 for its public school prekindergarten programs, Capital New York reproted. As of later April, 68,849 children were said to have enrolled in the program. The program has 75,000 slots. There are already 53,000 4-year-olds enrolled in the program so this year. The city is likely to exceed its enrolment threshold, Capital reported. Although an initial deadline for W

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TD Bank on the corner East 85th Street and Third Avenue, Pix 11 reported. The SUV, which was going full speed in reverse, smashed into several cars before hopping the curve and smashing into the bank, shattering its front window. The driver was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. No other injuries were reported. Two lanes of traffic, in addition to the sidewalk in front of the bank, were closed off while police investigated the accident and city workers cleaned up the mess caused by it.

FORMER WALL STREET POWERHOUSES’ HOME SELLS The Park Avenue home of the late renowned Wall Street executive William Salomon sold for a whopping $6.8 million to Robert Isen, the chief legal officer and president of Corporate Development at fashion juggernaut Tory Burch. The apartment, which is situated in the 12th oor of 550 Park Avenue, was designed by J.E.R Carpenter is described as being “charming and digniďŹ ed,â€? as well as “grand without overdoing it.â€?

DRIVER CRASHED INTO BANK The driver of an SUV crashed through the window of the T

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APRIL 30-MAY 6,2015

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CRIME WATCH BY WILLIAM MATHIS

VIOLENT POLICE STRUGGLE IN EAST VILLAGE A 22-year-old robbery suspect died after he was shot once by a detective during a violent struggle on Manhattan’s East Village, police said. The shooting occurred after two detectives searched a building at 1:48 p.m. Saturday, looking for a man who had punched and stolen the purse two days earlier of a 21-year-old woman who stopped a presentation she was giving at City College when the man demanded to see her, police said. Police said the suspect, who was not immediately identified, fled out a sixth-floor apartment window and down a fire escape. They said two detectives ran down steps inside the building and encountered the suspect near the building’s lobby. “There, a violent struggle ensued between the suspect and the two detectives,” police said in a release. “During

the five-minute-long fight, the suspect was able to grab hold of a police radio. Armed with the radio, he began to strike both detectives in the head, causing lacerations and abrasions to both of the detectives’ heads.” It was then, police said, that one of the detectives drew his firearm and fired once, striking the suspect in the torso. The suspect was taken to Beth Israel Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. One detective had a dislocated shoulder. Both had bruising and lacerations to the head and were hospitalized at Bellevue Hospital in stable condition.

diners took advantage of outdoor seating at local restaurants. One 50-year-old woman sat with a friend at a sidewalk table at a restaurant on East 66th Street near Madison Avenue. As the pair enjoyed their meal, another guest visited their table. But he didn’t stay long. He snatched the woman’s purse, worth $3,000, and ran east on 66th Street. In an act of courage or perhaps fear that he would have to foot the bill if the bag were not recovered, the woman’s friend ran after the thief. Despite the valiant effort, the friend could not catch up. Police are investigating for grand larceny.

NEW WARDROBE

MISCOMMUNICATION

A woman in search of a free makeover is paying the price. The 52-year-old woman visited a Third Avenue retailer on April 21 and took a number of items to try on in the dressing room. She liked what she saw in the mirror so much that she left the store with the items, including a dress, jacket and scarf, without paying, police said. Store security caught up with her outside the building. Instead of checking out, the woman ended up checking in, to the 19th precinct, where she was charged with grand larceny.

Chains could not bind the love two men had for a couple of cell phones. The men walked into a wireless store on April 23 and saw a pair of phones secured to the display case. As one man stood watch, the other liberated the two phones by yanking them from the cords that them to the display case. They ran away with both phones, each valued at $750.

DINE AND DASH Spring finally arrived in April and

LOW BLOW A 66-year-old woman riding her bike was hit by a car on April 23. As she sat waiting for paramedics and the police to arrive, someone crept up and took advantage of the situation.

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STATS FOR THE WEEK Reported crimes from the 19th Precinct for April 13 to April 19 Week to Date

Year to Date

2015 2014 % Change

2015 2014 % Change

Murder

0

0

n/a

1

0

n/a

Rape

0

0

n/a

1

3

-66.7

Robbery

3

1

200

34

30

13.3

Felony Assault

3

1

200

34

30

13.3

Burglary

5

5

0

38

66

-42.4

Grand Larceny

29

26

11.5

349

384 -9.1

Grand Larceny Auto

2

1

100

11

14

The unknown man noticed that both the woman’s bag and bicycle were unattended and walked off with them undetected. The total value of the stolen items was $1450.

SMOOTH CRIMINAL A man visited a Madison Avenue retailer to do some browsing last Tuesday. He entered the store,

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perused the merchandise and left without buying anything. It was not a remarkable visit until a store employee noticed a $2,000 handbag missing from the store’s display. They reviewed the security tapes and realized the man had done more than just browse after all. Before he exited the store, he slipped the bag under his jacket without anyone noticing. Police are investigating for grand larceny.

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Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

APRIL 30-MAY 6,2015

Useful Contacts POLICE NYPD 19th Precinct

153 E. 67th St.

212-452-0600

159 E. 85th St.

311

FIRE FDNY 22 Ladder Co 13 FDNY Engine 39/Ladder 16

157 E. 67th St.

311

FDNY Engine 53/Ladder 43

1836 Third Ave.

311

FDNY Engine 44

221 E. 75th St.

311

CITY COUNCIL Councilmember Daniel Garodnick

211 E. 43rd St. #1205

212-818-0580

Councilmember Ben Kallos

244 E. 93rd St.

212-860-1950

STATE LEGISLATORS State Sen. Jose M. Serrano

1916 Park Ave. #202

212-828-5829

State Senator Liz Krueger

1850 Second Ave.

212-490-9535

Assembly Member Dan Quart

360 E. 57th St.

212-605-0937

Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright

1365 First Ave.

212-288-4607

COMMUNITY BOARD 8

505 Park Ave. #620

212-758-4340

LIBRARIES Yorkville

222 E. 79th St.

212-744-5824

96th Street

112 E. 96th St.

212-289-0908

67th Street

328 E. 67th St.

212-734-1717

Webster Library

1465 York Ave.

212-288-5049

100 E. 77th St.

212-434-2000

HOSPITALS Lenox Hill NY-Presbyterian / Weill Cornell

525 E. 68th St.

212-746-5454

Mount Sinai

E. 99th St. & Madison Ave.

212-241-6500

NYU Langone

550 First Ave.

212-263-7300

CON EDISON

4 Irving Place

212-460-4600

POST OFFICES US Post Office

1283 First Ave.

212-517-8361

US Post Office

1617 Third Ave.

212-369-2747

ALIEN ATTACK ON EAST END NEWS Film crew for space spoof settles into the U.E.S. BY MAXINE DOVERE

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Finally, a warm spring Sunday. Trees in the park along the East River are just coming into bloom. Parents are pushing strollers along the esplanade. And E. 86th Street is under attack by space aliens. While New Yorkers are used to the interruptions of film screws, this particular set took on the air of a street party. Kids rushed to take their pictures with the robots. The shoot was organized by Temple Horses, an online comedy sketch duo that produces short films “using our wits, our gear, and our friends...and comedians from all over the New York comedy scene.” The current production feature Chuck Nice from ABC’s “Good Morning America” and Nick Stevens of MTV and Comedy Central, both appearing as Avengerstyle good guys taking on the aliens. “Everybody gets paid,” say Ryan Hoffman, the man behind the camera and, along with Nick Ruggia, a founding part-

ner Temple Horses. SAG rules do not allow union members to work without pay. although under specific circumstances, their compensation can be deferred. “The actors will be paid - If we sell it! We’ll go back and pay everybody. Hopefully that will happen,” Hoffman said. How did Ultron and the alien get to East End Avenue? “Everything is in bloom. I’m in love with the location,” Hoffman said. “We need many different settings - stairs, a basketball court, a garden. You can feel like you’re in three or four or five places within a couple of blocks, with all kinds of buildings and textures.” Hoffman, a veteran of the Sopranos, and Ruggia appear on the fourth Friday of every month at Stairs Bar in a monthly show called “This Is Not a Sex Dungeon.” The company’s videos go to blogs and TV stations. “We make good stuff for no budget,” Hoffman said. “Maybe, someday, someone will give us a budget and we can pay everybody!” Currently, says Hoffman, “the end game is more for fun. - to make people laugh online and build an audience. Hopefully we might eventually get a TV show.”

Temple Horses partners Ryan Hoffman, left, and Nick Ruggia

APRIL 30-MAY 6,2015

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Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

45 Years and Counting

SWEETLY DONE, FOR NEARLY A CENTURY The Lexington Candy Shop Luncheonette estchews the trendy in favor of a classic aesthetic

CAMP OUT

BY PANYIN CONDUAH

Every week for the rest of the year, Our Town will celebrate its 45th anniversary by proďŹ ling a neighborhood business that has been around longer than we have. Know of a local business that should be our list? Email us at news@strausnews.com. New Yorkers and people of all kinds venture to the Lexington Candy Shop Luncheonette. Most are looking to indulge their sweet tooths and to treat themselves to other goodies this throwback venue has to offer. Located on 83rd Street and Lexington Avenue, the luncheonette has been serving its neighbors ever since Soterios Philis opened its doors in 1925. The business moved beyond sweet treats in 1948 and started serving American style favorites such as cheeseburgers, tuna melts and freshly squeezed lemonade. Today John Philis and his business partner Bob Karcher run the luncheonette. “We don’t try to do the trendy thing, we try to stay classic,â€? said John. Among the clientele: beauticians, doctors and janitors, who start their day with pancakes and/or french toast. Tourist, too, flock into the shop, some just to take pictures of the ever growing collection of Coca-Co-

Illustration by John Winkleman. la bottles on display. “People grew up with driveins or diners — you know that classic feel,â€? Philis said. “And what is more classic than CocaCola?â€? He gets sent Coca-Cola bottles from nearly every corner of the globe, and each in turn becomes part of the store’s history. Philis said his appreciation for history and food eventually brought him into the family business. While there’s much to celebrate about a business that’s nearing a century of doing commerce, there are obstacles, Philis said. With the increase in real estate comes more taxes, higher rents, which can derail small businesses in a ash. “That’s one reasons why you see a lot of empty storefronts and another reason why all similar businesses have disap-

peared,â€? he said. The price to alter the appearance of a business to ďŹ t certain regulations usually becomes the issue that drives them out. To stay open means that he must sometime increase the cost of menu items. “I don’t like having to raise prices, but it’s a fact of life — if we want to stay in business which we do then you have to do it,â€? he said. Despite the challenges that come with keeping up this small business, Philis believes it’s a “part of the fabric of New Yorkâ€? and wants to keep vibrant. “You need to have a tie to the past,â€? he said. “You can’t just let it all disappear because that’s what makes New York unique as well as the Upper East Side.â€?

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APRIL 30-6,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

Out & About More Events. Add Your Own: Go to ourtownny.com

NEWYORK-PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL AND WEILL CORNELL MEDICAL COLLEGE FALL SEMINAR SERIES

Fri

1

REVOLUTION OF THE EYE: MODERN ART AND THE BIRTH OF AMERICAN TELEVISION The Jewish Museum 1109 Fifth Ave. and 92nd Street 11 a.m.-5:45 p.m. This exhibit explores modern art and the birth of television with the focus on the 1940s to the 1970s. Enjoy clips from Batman and The Twilight Zone. 212-423-3200. www. thejewishmuseum.org

M AY

5

Spine Health: Help is on the Way for Neck and Back Pain A Multidisciplinary Approach Naomi Feuer, M.D. Roger Hartl, M.D. Jaspal R. Singh, M.D. Lisa R. Witkin, M.D.

selections of Susato, Marricone, Granados, Telemann, Lauridsen, Vivaldi, Verdery, Parisi, & Betts performed by Nylon Wound and Friends. 212- 289-0908. www.nypl. org/events/calendar?location=5

Sun

3

PS 267 SPRING FLING â–ź

CHARLINE VON HEYL, “DĂœSSELDORF: PAINTINGS FROM THE EARLY 90Sâ€? Spine Center at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Millions of people experience back or neck pain at some point in their lives. Drs. Feuer, Singh, Witkin and Hartl will present education about causes of various spine ailments, including herniated discs, sprains and muscle spasms. They will offer tips for spine health and modiďŹ able behaviors that can alleviate pain. They will also share the latest in treatments, from non-operative rehabilitation and physical therapy to minimally-invasive surgery. Don’t miss this opportunity to improve your quality of life!

Time: All seminars will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Petzel Gallery, 35 E. 67th St. between Madison and Park Avenues 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Check out Charline von Heyl’s paintings from the early ’90’s as she utilized a more consistent approach from her now diverse style. 212-680-9467

Sat

2

ON A WING: FAMILY FESTIVAL

Place: All seminars held at Uris Auditorium Weill Cornell Medical College 1300 York Avenue (at 69th St.) For more information: For more information, if you require a disability-related accommodation, or for weather-related cancellations, please call: 212-821-0888. Or visit our website at: www.weill.cornell.edu/seminars All seminars are FREE and open to the public. Seating is available for SHRSOH RQ D ÂżUVW FRPH ÂżUVW VHUYHG EDVLV

! E E R F

Belvedere Castle Terrace, Central Park, Mid-park, about 79th Street Noon-3 p.m., Free Kick off the May migration season with Central Park Conservancy’s annual On A Wing Festival. Come see all birds and insects with wings: bats, song birds and butteries. 212-310-6600. www. centralparknyc.org/calendar/ events/on-a-wing-050215.html

CLASSICAL GUITAR RECITAL WITH NYLON WOUND AND FRIENDS 96th Street Library, 112 E. 96th St. and Park Avenue 3 p.m., Free Check out performances of

East 63rd Street between Second and Third Avenues 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Free Admission, costs for rides Bouncy inatables, games, snacks will all be present at the PS 267 annual block party for the whole family. Proceed beneďŹ t the PTA and the programs it supports. 212-888-7848. www.ps267. org

FAMILY ART ADVENTURES: DIY LUGGAGE TAGS â–ź 92nd Street Y - Classroom, Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street 10 a.m., $12 Prepare the family for summer travels with this DIY luggage tag event. 212-415-5500. www.92y. org/Event/DIY-Luggage-Tags

Mon

4

19TH PRECINCT COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING NYPD 19th Precinct — 3rd Floor, 153 East 67th St., at Third avenue 7 p.m. Come hear speaker Eric Miu Safety Educator and Community Coordinator of the NYC Dept. of Transportation Office of Safety Education. He will be discussing Senior Safety.At free shredder truck at the Precinct will be available from 3:30 to 7 p.m. in front of the building. 212-452-0600

CHADD OF NYC PRESENTS DR. ROBERTO OLIVARDIA: ADHD AND SLEEP Church of Saint Thomas More, 65 E 89th St. between Park and Madison Avenues 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m., $10 suggested donation. Learn about the important relationship between sleep and Attention DeďŹ cit Hyperactive Disorder. 212-721-000. 7www. facebook.co/CHADD.NewYork

Tues

5

COMMUNITY BOARD 6 “HEALTHY AGING: MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT� Stein Senior Center, 204 E.

APRIL 30-6,2015

23rd St., between Third and Second Ave. 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Free Expert panelists will lead a discussion regarding physical and mental well-being for seniors. Council Member Corey Johnson, Chair of the Council’s Health Committee, will be the keynote speaker. 212- 319-3750. www.cbsix. org

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Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

org/Event/A-Life-in-Shoes

Thur

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org/locations/yorkville

TEEN WORKSHOP: DESIGNING FOR A CLIENT Cooper Hewitt Design Center,

â–˛ R.L. STINE DON’T STAY UP LATE: A FEAR STREET NOVEL Barnes & Noble, 150 East 86th St., at Lexington Ave. 11:30 a.m. Enjoy a reading by children ďŹ ction author R.L. Stine of his latest novel Don’t Stay Up Late. 212-369-2180. www.storelocator.barnesandnoble.com/ event/86872

Wed

What does it take to move ahead?

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CRANACH’S SAINT MAURICE ► Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Ave., at 82nd Street 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Free with admission Learn about a rich history through this exhibit of paintings featuring Cranach’s Saint Maurice. 212-535-7710. www. metmuseum.org/exhibitions/ listings/2015/cranach-saintmaurice

A LIFE IN SHOES â–ş 92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave., at 92nd Street Noon, from $24 Hear the journey of veteran cultural reporter Patricia Morrisroe as she talks about how shoes marks various rites of passage in her book 9 1/2 Narrow. 212-415-5500. www.92y.

FAMILY STORY TIME Yorkville Public Library, 222 East 79th St., between Second and Third Ave. 4 p.m., Free Enjoy an afternoon of picture book stories with friends and family. 212-744-5824. www.nypl.

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APRIL 30-MAY 6,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

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

<RAMP OR NO RAMP, DON’T BUILD THE M.T.S. To the Editor: Pledge 2 Protect (P2P) would like to clarify our position, regarding the Our Town article: “MTS Decision Referred to Mayor” (April 23). P2P believes that the East 91st Street Marine Transfer Station is not needed and should never be built in a residential neighborhood. As construction continues, we believe that locating a truck ramp at East 91st Street between

Poetry SENIOR CITIZEN BLUES I’m still here Oh yeah, I’m still here. Maybe you look past my Unhip clothes: Maybe there’s a fray or two At the collar, at the cuff, No matter.

So I remember how to fix hems And use a different scarf on top To disguise my sensible shoes.

I’ll keep standing: Standing when I get a chance Standing in spite of your mores Standing despite that smug– almost sneer.

So I just have basic cable And am happy to use the radio, as well.

I intend to make sure I fill My calendar, fill it with Ways to keep in touch with folks, Ways to teach me something new, Something I’ve never done before, Ways to make my brain try a different route! I will keep me alive I will keep me alive Oh yeah, I will keep me alive.

I love the importance of my shopping trip, It is such a joy to join with others, Comparing notes, recipe ideas, these damn new prices.

Why I Never Became Betty Draper BY LORRAINE DUFFY MERKL

Try to find my entertainment, Bartering ushering to get my tix, Oh, for sure Bartering ushering to get my tix.

So the food budget takes on more importance. Let’s use food to cure our ills. Wasn’t that what our grandmas taught us? Catching two ways to “skin– the–cat?”

a playground and a playing field puts lives in danger. Eight other alternative ramp locations were under consideration, but the City is considering just one: one block north at E. 92nd Street. If the ramp moves to E. 92nd Street, measures must be taken to protect the health and safety of the surrounding residents, including those in low-income public housing, among them:

1. Stringent air quality control measures 2. Noise and pollution control measures 3. Traffic safety control measures to prevent fatal truck/pedestrian accidents As the City continues to plow ahead with the facility, we will fight to reduce the negative impacts to the community and all New Yorkers. Sincerely, Kelly Nimmo-Guenther and Sean Wood Pledge 2 Protect Board Members

OP-ED

So I can’t shop the way that you do Getting Freshdirect to deliver To my door.

I can still tell time without a smart phone I remember why the dictionary exists I can write my name in cursive. Take that. Take that.

Voices

It is the least I can do To outwit these new blues, These senior citizen blues Pat Dasko

SEND US YOUR POEMS! Have you written poems that your neighbors should see? Send them to us at news@strausnews.com.

e’ve begun counting down the final episodes of Mad Men. I’ve watched since the beginning, first because the show was about my business – advertising -- but then because this groundbreaking series served as a constant reminder of how lucky I am that I never went the way of “Betty Draper.” Even though I am not blonde or a former model, like Betty I was a single working woman in NYC, who met a handsome man and got married. Unlike “Don” though, Neil did not pack me up and ship me off to Ossining, where Betty lived unhappily ever after. She always felt cooped up in the house all day with her young children, and put out for having to rev up the car to buy a loaf of bread. She didn’t even derive any joy from her hobby: horseback riding. There was also probably the underlying stress of knowing that if anything were to happen, her husband would be 40 miles away. Hence, Betty always had a disgruntled puss on her face. No wonder Don spent so many nights at The Roosevelt. Yet when Neil and I bought our apartment, many of my mommy peers didn’t understand why we were investing in New York City. How could I not share in their house-fever that would take us to a split-level somewhere in Westchester, Jersey or on Long Island?

W

It was our mutual love of Manhattan that kept us here, deciding to raise our two children, Luke, 20, and Meg, 17, on the Upper East Side. I never felt like a prisoner in my home, because even in inclement weather we could easily get out of the house, if only to go just across the street to The Mansion Diner for hot chocolate. There’s always something to do in Manhattan, even when there’s nothing to do. You’ve got to be from here to understand what that means. I could walk wherever to get what I needed (from the post office to the grocery store to my children’s schools), and when what I needed was a change of scene, we’d go to the park in another neighborhood. When I had free time, I had The Met nearby and the various avenues between 72nd and 96th Streets, all which have their own flavor. I also

took comfort knowing that Neil was only 40 blocks away. He took comfort knowing he’d never be nagged about mowing the lawn. That was the job of the grounds crew of our backyard: Central Park, as well as Carl Schurz. Living on the Upper East Side also kept me from being mommy-tracked. Although I freelance off-site, whenever I did have to go to the office for a meeting, I didn’t have some long day’s journey “commute,” and didn’t lose my edge (as in attitude) that’s a driving force for those who call our borough home. I’ll miss Mad Men, and that mad woman, Betty, in particular, because she proved what I believed all along: there may be more grass outside of NYC, but it’s not always greener. Lorraine Duffy Merkl is the author of the novel, Back To Work She Goes.

STRAUS MEDIA-MANHATTAN President, Jeanne Straus nyoffice@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

APRIL 30-MAY 6,2015

Op-Ed

LET’S CLOSE THE LLC LOOPHOLE BY BESSIE SCHACHTER ince I was elected to the New York State Democratic Committee last September, I’ve tried to schedule regular meetings with East Siders. Over coffee, over breakfast, you name it – if you live here I want to talk to you. And whenever I meet someone new I always ask this question: What single local government issue do you think is the most worrying? Time and again I hear the same answer: money in politics. Just this Monday a new friend who’s lived on 50th and 2nd for over 20 years put it simply and elegantly by asking: “Bessie, why does every single political e-mail I get ask for money?â€? Sadly, we all know the answer. There is no public ďŹ nancing system in New York state. So, if you want to run for state office you either have to raise the money from donors, or put it up yourself. That makes it hard to run if you don’t have money. And it means that if you’re willing to give a lot of money, you get a lot of attention. It’s a huge problem, and reformers have been trying to make it better. Recently, reform efforts have focused on a particularly silly rule, called the LLC loophole. The LLC loophole was created by the Board of Elections in 1996, and has allowed special

S

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Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

interests to spend tens of millions of dollars since. That’s money spent in secret and above contribution limits. It’s possible because the board treats LLCs – limited liability corporations – as human beings, rather than as corporations or partnerships. In a city council campaign, if a candidate has broad support, he or she can raise money really fast. If 50 neighbors give $50 each, the public ďŹ nancing system adds a 6-to-1 match that makes it $16,500! Small donations can really add up. But for state office, a single donor can overwhelm that easily. In a state assembly race one big donor can give $4,100 dollars - already 150% more than what you can raise from 50 neighbors giving $50. Of course, that one donor can just as easily create 10 LLCs and max out with each one. Now one donor has contributed nearly $50,000! That’s 20 times more than all of those small donors put together! And this isn’t just a hypothetical - LLCs have donated a shocking $25 million to state candidates over the past two years alone. Real reform would require a publicly funded state-wide campaign ďŹ nance system. For now, an easy step to more democratic elections would be closing the LLC loophole. It wouldn’t even take a bill – the board can decide by majority vote to treat LLC contributions

as partnerships, the same way the FEC does. LLCs could still contribute, but sham LLCs that just exist to get around contribution limits would be locked out. Senator Squadron and Assembly Member Kavanaugh sponsored legislation to close the LLC loophole, and they have been vigorously backed by Senators Liz Krueger, Brad Hoylman and Jose M. Serrano. Further, a coalition of six good-government groups wrote to the board demanding a revision to the 1996 opinion – they were the Brennan Center for Justice, Common Cause, the League of Women Voters, Citizens Union, the New York Public Interest Research Group and Reinvent Albany. All of these groups do great work and their websites are a great source of further information. But the loophole still exists, and that means we community activists still have our work cut out for us. It’s common sense solving a lot of government’s problems. By working together, by holding government accountable, and by combining our voices, I know that we can make a difference. And that’s what I’m going to keep doing, until the LLC loophole is closed. Bessie Schachter is the Democratic State Committeewoman for the 73rd Assembly District, which includes the Upper East Side, Midtown East, Turtle Bay and Sutton Place.

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The successful battle to save Grand Central Terminal, led by Jackie Onassis, helped legitimize the Landmarks Commission

A HALF CENTURY OF SAVING NEW YORK EXHIBITIONS The Museum of the City of New York chronicles the city’s landmarks battles BY IAN ALTERMAN

On April 19, 1965, Mayor Robert F. Wagner signed the New York City Landmarks Law, authorizing, among other things, the formalization of the Landmarks Preservation Commission (which had actually been established informally in 1962) for the purpose of “preserving the City’s architectural heritage.” This historic legislation has led to the landmarking of over 33,000 properties in 114 historic districts in the five boroughs, as well as over 1,350 individual landmarks, 117 interior landmarks, and 10 scenic landmarks. As the city, and particularly its historic preservation community, celebrates the 50th anniversary of the law, there have been and continue to be many exhibitions and events. The most important and comprehensive exhibit is at the Museum of the City of New York, at 1220 Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street. Entitled “Saving Place: 50 Years of New York City Landmarks,” it opened on April 21st and runs through September 13th. Curated by Donald Albrecht (the museum’s curator for architecture and design), Andrew S. Dolkart (director, historic preservation program, Columbia University), and Seri Worden (consultant, National Trust for Historic Preservation), the exhibit -- comprised of a combination of photographs, documents, artifacts and videos, and nicely presented in a large gallery with adequate, yet austere lighting -- has three components: a timeline of the law, including its pre-history and impact; a section on “restoration” and “preservation and new architecture”; and a photo exhibit (by architectural photographer Iwan Baan) of landmarks “in context” with their surroundings. The timeline, set neatly around the walls, is broken into five periods. The

first, “Prelude to the Law” (late 1800s to early 1940s), includes: the demolition of St. John’s Chapel in 1918; the first “chronicling” of NYC architecture by the city’s Art Commission; the saving of City Hall and City Hall Park; early efforts to protect buildings with “patriotic” or “national” associations (e.g., Fraunces Tavern); and the “City Beautiful Movement” which promoted the “visual” qualities of the city visà-vis their “moral and civic virtue.” The second period, “Fighting Robert Moses” (1939 to 1950), deals with the first stirrings of a broader concern (which became the “grass roots” of the historic preservation community as we know it today) as Mr. Moses was laying waste to thousands of architecturally significant buildings in pursuit of his many massive public works projects. His first real opposition came when he sought to demolish Castle Clinton; a coalition that included Eleanor Roosevelt ultimately saved the Castle. He faced his first organized community opposition when the Brooklyn Height Association successfully fought off his attempt to run a section of the Brooklyn Queens Expressway through the heart of Brooklyn Heights. Other defeats included an attempt to extend 5th Avenue through Washington Square Park, and to demolish Tavern on the Green. The third period, “Sparking the Law” (1945 to 1965) includes: the 1956 passage in Albany of the Bard Act, which authorized cities to pass landmarks laws; the city’s first formal survey of historic buildings; saving Carnegie Hall (scheduled to be demolished when the Philharmonic moved to Lincoln Center, but saved by a coalition led by violinist Isaac Stern); an intensification of the “development versus history” battle; the protection of most of historic Greenwich Village and a huge swath of Brooklyn Heights; the infamous demolition of the old Penn Station; the involvement of the press (in particular Ada Louise Huxtable); the demolition of the Brokaw Mansions (the true “straw that broke the camel’s back”); and the passing of the

APRIL 30-MAY 6,2015

New York City Landmarks Law. The fourth period, “Defending the Law” (1965-1978) includes: the first landmarks (beginning with the Pieter Claesen Wyckoff House); “last minute saves” (including the Astor Library, which is now the Public Theater); some losses (including the old Metropolitan Opera house, the old Ziegfeld Theater, the Jerome Mansion); restoring landmarks -- particularly including Weeksville, a 19th-century settlement of free black New Yorkers in Crown Heights; the expansion of the Landmarks Law in 1973, which included its ability to designate interior and scenic landmarks, and made the LPC a full-time body (prior to this, it only met for six months every three years); protecting the Soho “cast-iron” district; and the battle to save Grand Central Terminal, led by Jackie Onassis. This lawsuit (against the LPC by the owners of GCT) went to the Supreme Court, which ruled 6-3 in favor of the LPC. This helped legitimize the NYC Landmarks Law in a way that nothing else could have done. The final period, “The Law in Action” (1978 to the present) includes: the saving of the interior of Radio City Music Hall; the protection of the Broadway Theater District after the infamous “dead of night” demolition of the Helen Hayes and Morosco Theaters; the rejection of certain proposed skyscrapers (e.g., over St. Bartholomew’s Church); the tension between preservation and affordable housing; the designation of “modernist” architec-

ture; and ongoing advocacy. (Interestingly, neither the interior of Carnegie Hall nor, even more incredibly, the Rose Reading Room at the New York Public Library, has been landmarked.) In the center of the room are two tables, one devoted to “Restoring Landmarks,” featuring both elements of existing or lost landmarks, and materials used in restoration of existing landmarks. The other is devoted to “Preservation and New Architecture,” and deals with aesthetics of new additions to existing landmarks, and new construction in historic districts. The Landmarks Law remains controversial, particularly for real estate

developers, who feel that it prevents growth of both housing and jobs. What is undeniable is that the Landmarks Law was critical in protecting the “built environment” of New York City, spanning all historical eras and all types of architecture, while still permitting growth and progress -protecting our history while leaving plenty of room for our future. Ian Alterman is a former co-chair of the CB7 Landmarks Committee, a member of the West End Preservation Society, and an avid historic preservationist

A LANDMARKS TIMELINE Early 1900s. Efforts to protect buildings with patriotic/national associations. 1900-1930. City Beautiful Movement: protection for “moral and civic virtue.” 1940s/1950s. First “grass roots” reactions to destruction of huge swaths of buildings by Robert Moses in pursuit of massive public works projects. 1945. Brooklyn Heights Association defeats Moses’ proposal to build BQE through Brooklyn Heights. 1956. Passage of NYS Bard Act, authorizing cities to pass landmarks laws. 1961. Penn Station is scheduled for demolition. Protests begin. 1962. Mayor Robert Wagner creates “informal” Landmarks Preservation Commission. 1963. Penn Station is demolished. May 1964. Legislation is drafted and presented to Mayor Wagner. September 1964. The Brokaw Mansions are scheduled for demolition. Protests begin. December 1964. Legislation is introduced in the City Council. February 1965. The Brokaw Mansions are demolished. April 19, 1965. New York City Landmarks Law is passed and goes into effect immediately.

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APRIL 30-MAY 6,2015

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

FOR THE WEEK BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO OUR ARTS EDITOR

MUSIC

JUILLIARD415 AND YALE SCHOLA CANTORUM Juilliard415, the school’s period-instrument ensemble, joins with Yale’s chamber choir Schola Cantorum for a varied program that includes Beethoven’s “Mass in C Major” along with Daniel Kellogg’s contemporary composition, “Shout Joy!” with text from works by author and poet Madeleine L’Engle, as well as series’ by Roderick Williams and Franz Joseph Haydn. Juilliard415 and Yale Schola Cantorum Saturday, May 2 Lincoln Center Alice Tully Hall 1941 Broadway, between W. 65th and W. 66th Streets 8 p.m. Tickets $20 To purchase tickets, visit events.juilliard.edu or call the Alice Tully Hall box office at 212-7216500

THEATER “ALL DANCING! ALL SINGING!” This song and dance revue brings legendary composer Irving Berlin’s greatest film numbers to the stage, chronicling the composer’s career with Hollywood’s biggest studios. May 2-4 92nd Street Y 1395 Lexington Ave., at 92nd Street Tickets $55-$75 To purchase tickets, visit 92y.org or call 212415-5500

Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery 37 W. 57th St., between Fifth and Sixth Avenues Gallery hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.5:30 p.m. FREE For more information, visit meiselgallery.com or bernarduccimeisel.com, or call 212-677-1340 or 212-593-3757

THEATER “COOL HAND LUKE” After a sellout show in Brooklyn, Godlight Theatre Company brings its adaptation of the Don Pearce novel to an Upper East Side stage. May 5-31 59E59 Theaters 59 E. 59th St., between Park and Madison Avenues Tickets $30 To purchase tickets, visit 59e59.org or call 212-279-4200

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GALLERIES YIGAL OZERI: RECENT WORK Israeli painter Yigal Ozeri’s portraits are so realistic that viewers would be forgiven for confusing them with photographs. His young female subjects, alone in dramatic landscapes, are often bathed in light and fashionably dressed, as if styled for a fashion magazine spread. May 7-June 17 Louis K. Meisel Gallery 141 Prince St., near West Broadway

Professional puppeteers with Compagnie des Zonzons stage the high-octane show “Le Pot de Confiture” with hundred-year-old puppets, including Guignol, a French icon for more than 200 years. Saturday, May 2 French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) 22 E. 60th St., between Park and Madison Avenues 1:30 p.m. Tickets $30 To be included in the Top 5 go to ourtownny.com and click on submit a press release or announcement.

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A SWEEPING VISION OF AMERICAN ART EXHIBITION A stunningly successful inaugural show at the Whitney BY MARY GREGORY

America is hard to see. It’s big, it’s diverse, it’s constantly in flux. It’s a melting pot of divergent elements. The inaugural exhibition of the same name at the new Whitney museum is all of those things as well, and yet it gives a clear view of how American art has evolved in the past century and what makes it unique, particular and wonderful. To inaugurate its new building in the Meatpacking District, a curatorial team led by Donna De Salvo, chief curator and deputy director for programming, selected over 600 works by some 400 artists, filling every indoor and outdoor gallery in the light-filled, soaring Renzo Piano-designed space. After an extensive process of reexamining the museum’s permanent collection of over 22,000 works, they’ve culled a vision that they hope will bring viewers a new understanding of American art. The intelligent, elegant exhibition is dense, thought-pro-

voking, filled with surprises and loaded with star power. It’s been divided into 23 “chapters,” each anchored by at least one iconic work of art, each exploring a different theme or moment. The entire exhibition is laid out democratically and chronologically, one of its strongest points. “It tracks,” De Salvo explained, “the Whitney’s collecting history and… acquisitions over time.” This arrangement allows visitors to view history, artistic trends, superstars, and hidden gems. A small gallery on the first floor (open to all without admission fees) pays tribute to the Whitney’s beginnings. Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, the founder, was an accomplished artist and a great patron who built a collection exclusively by American artists. Titled “Eight West Eighth” (the museum’s original address) this gallery includes classic black and white photographs by Berenice Abbott and Charles Sheeler, an array of sculptures, including a work by Whitney herself, and American Realist paintings like John Sloan’s Backyards, Greenwich Village, with impressionistic lavender and gray shadows in snow on a New York rooftop. The rest of the exhibition fills

floors five through eight, starting on the eighth, which covers the years 1910-1940. Here, abstraction rules. Two bold Marsden Hartley paintings with swaths of color and only slight references to recognizable objects announce the shift from the earlier works downstairs. Here we see early 20th century artists experiment and find their voices. Stuart Davis’s House and Street shows city blocks formed of color blocks. Georgia O’Keeffe’s lyrically beautiful 1929 masterpiece Music, Pink and Blue No. 2 shares a gallery with a painting by the poet E.E. Cummings, Noise #13, which echoes surprisingly in both color and line. Arthur Dove’s quiet tonality and fluid shapes find a companion in a powerful work by John Covert, an artist whose work I’d never seen before. Another delightful discovery was an Italian Futurist-inspired vision of the national pastime, in James Daugherty’s watercolor, Three Base Hit from 1914. The seventh floor brings you to the beloved sculptural assemblage, Calder’s Circus. It’s a delight to see, all shined and polished in new circular vitrine for ease of viewing. This section explores spectacles and showmanship--with a boxing

APRIL 30-MAY 6,2015 painting by George Bellows, Poker Night by Thomas Hart Benton and a boozy, floozy atmosphere captured by Reginald Marsh in Ten Cents a Dance. In other sections, politics and the American landscape are presented with iconic works by Edward Hopper, Ansel Adams and Margaret Bourke-White. Ben Shahn’s The Passion of Sacco and Vanzetti and Armenian-American artist Arshile Gorky’s memorial portrait with his mother, who died of starvation in 1919, are arresting, thoughtful paintings about difficult subjects. They also point to the curatorial care in presenting what De Salvo called “the diversity…and the hybrid nature of American art.” Masterworks of Abstract Expressionism are on display in a section titled “New York, 1955” after a painting by Hedda Sterne--a geometric, almost architectural abstraction in dark greens and oranges. Pollock’s Number 27 (hung sideways? It doesn’t match the Whitney’s own object description) is placed next to Alfonso Ossorio’s Number 14-1953. Both are compelling; neither overpowers the other. The juxtaposition, like so many others in “America is Hard to See” raises the question of which artists achieve fame and why. The rest of the gallery is filled

13

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com with sculptures by Mark di Suvero and John Chamberlain and major paintings by Mark Rothko, Franz Kline, Willem de Kooning and others. An enormous, striking abstraction by Lee Krasner (Jackson Pollock’s wife) spans the entire width of the room filling it with energy. The sixth floor galleries bring us from the 1950s to the 70s. Signage, trademarks, technology, advertising, consumerism and shifting values find voice in great works of Pop art, minimalism and post-minimalism along with assemblages and a focus on found materials. Jasper Johns’ Three Flags, Andy Warhol’s Green Coca-Cola Bottles and Wayne Thiebaud’s painting, Pie Counter capture a corner of the American spirit of the 60s. The section titled “Raw War” covering the late 60s and 70s captures another. “Rational Irrational” focuses on artists championed by the Whitney and a period when artists began to bridge the divide between their space and the viewer’s with art coming off the wall as in Eva Hesse’s hanging latex, rope, string and wire piece, “No Title.” The period from 1965 through the present fills the fifth floor, which is the largest columnfree gallery space in the city. However, for this presentation, it’s been broken into smaller sections. Several of these

works made their Whitney debuts at past Biennials, and many of the artists deal with issues of gender, race, identity, the AIDS crisis, and politics. New media and new materials are explored—everything from Jeff Koons’ vacuum cleaners to Nam June Paik’s television Vyramid. A particularly beautiful section is titled “Threat and Sanctuary” and pays homage to artists who continued to pursue painting in an era when many abandoned it. Huge canvases by Chuck Close, Susan Rothenberg, Philip Guston and Cy Twombly are displayed in a vast, contemplative, sunbathed space. Elizabeth Murray’s ebullient Children Meeting shines. “One of the things that’s a hallmark of the Whitney,” curator De Salvo noted “is to have huge respect for the work of art, giving it the space it needs. Quantity shouldn’t be the operative. It’s really about understanding the power of each object and allowing that to show through.” In “America is Hard to See,” that power is evident. Thanks to a gorgeous new space and inspired curatorial vision, the exhibition provides maximum visual impact, enjoyment, and understanding. It’s quite a feat. Don’t miss it.

ACTIVITIES FOR THE FERTILE MIND

thoughtgallery.org NEW YORK CITY

My Night with Philosophers

FRIDAY, MAY 1ST, 7:30PM 92nd Street Y | 1395 Lexington Ave. | 212-415-5500 | 92y.org The Tolstoy of crime fiction, James Ellroy, talks about his classics (The Black Dahlia and L.A. Confidential among them) and his latest, Perfidia, which centers on the murder of a Japanese family in L.A. in December, 1941. ($30)

LIVE from the NYPL with Diane von Fürstenberg

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6TH, 7PM Stephen A. Schwarzman Building | 476 Fifth Ave. | 917-275-6975 | nypl.org Fashion icon Diane von Fürstenberg, born just 18 months after her mother left Auschwitz, discusses her fascinating life with Chanel biographer Rhonda Garelick. ($25)

Just Announced: An Evening with Henry M. Paulson, Jr. | Dealing with China, an Insider Unmasks the New Economic Superpower

MONDAY, JUNE 15TH, 6:30PM New-York Historical Society | 170 CPW | 212-873-3400 | nyhistory.org The 74th Secretary of the Treasury sits down with former Federal Reserve chair Ben Bernanke for an inside look at the rising power of the world’s second-largest economy. ($38)

For more information about lectures, readings and other intellectually stimulating events throughout NYC, “Threat and Sanctuary” Gallery view with Elizabeth Murray’s Children Meeting in the center. Photo by Adel Gorgy

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

14

APRIL 30-MAY 6,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS APR 16 - 24, 2015

Swifty’s

1007 Lexington Avenue

A

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

Mcdonald’s

1286 1 Avenue

A

Jones Wood Foundry

401 East 76 Street

A

Tasti D-Lite

1221 3 Avenue

A

3 Guys Resturant

1232 Madison Avenue A

The Coffee Inn

1316 1 Avenue

A

Chinatown Restaurant

1650 3 Avenue

Grade Pending (18) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food worker does not use proper utensil to eliminate bare hand contact with food that will not receive adequate additional heat treatment.

Bottega Restaurant

1331 2 Avenue

A

Starbucks Coffee

1445 1 Avenue

A

Orsay

1057 Lexington Avenue

A

Wok 88

1570 3 Avenue

A

Voila 76

1452 2 Avenue

A

Little Luzzo’s

119 East 96 Street

A

A

1750 York Avenue

A

Garden Court Cafe (Asia Society)

725 Park Avenue

Cafe Maggio New Sunny East 88 Restaurant

1680 1 Avenue

A

Cucina Vivolo

138140 East 74 Street

A

Third Avenue Ale House

1644 3 Avenue

Grade Pending (40) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Appropriately scaled metal stem-type thermometer or thermocouple not provided or used to evaluate temperatures of potentially hazardous foods during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.

Uskudar Restaurant

1405 Second Avenue

A

Salumeria Rosi Parmacotto 903 Madison Avenue

A

Pinocchio Ristorante

1748 1 Avenue

Grade Pending (4)

Bareburger

1681 1 Avenue

A

Timmy’s By The River

1737 York Avenue

A

Il Vino City Wine Bar

1728 2 Avenue

A

Subway

1392 Madison Avenue A

R & J Lounge

109 E 116Th St

Not Graded Yet (19) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided.

Brasserie Cognac East

963 Lexington Avenue A

Campagnola Restaurant

1382 1St Ave

A

Andre’s Cafe

1631 2 Avenue

Grade Pending (27) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Appropriately scaled metal stem-type thermometer or thermocouple not provided or used to evaluate temperatures of potentially hazardous foods during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.

Lili’s Asian Cuisine

1500 3 Avenue

Grade Pending (24) Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.

Nargila Grill

1599 York Avenue

Grade Pending (25) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. 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 not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Brisas Del Mar Seafood Market

17851787 Lexington Avenue

A

The Duck

2171 2 Avenue

A

Cross Culture Kitchen

62 East 116 Street

Grade Pending (44) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, crosscontaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred. Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.

Luke’s Lobster

242 East 81 Street

A

Sistina Restaurant

1555 2 Avenue

A

Gael Pub

1465 3 Avenue

A

The Supply House

1647 2 Avenue

Grade Pending (26) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided. Wiping cloths soiled or not stored in sanitizing solution.

Bondurants

303 E 85th St

A

Pizza Beach

1426 3 Avenue

Not Graded Yet (16) Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.

Bangkok Cuisine

1586 2nd Ave

A

Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers

2121 3Rd Ave

A

Domino’s Pizza

1993 Third Avenue

A

Baraonda

1439 2 Avenue

A

APRIL 30-MAY 6,2015

FIRST AVENUE BIKE LANE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 they actually have to follow the rules,” she said. “It infuriates me that the protected bike lane is there in the first place,” Harris continued. “So many go the wrong way, you don’t know where to look.” Later that week, a half-hour’s observation during the morning commute saw 12 bicyclists using the First Avenue bike lane, seven of them travelling southbound on the northbound street. Since bicyclists are generally bound by the same traffic rules as motorists, they did so illegally. Among the southbound posse: a man pedaling a bicycle built for two with a helmetless

15

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com child riding in the back. He also ran a red light. Another southbound cyclist, informed that he was “going the wrong way” replied, “No, I’m not. I work downtown.” Neighborhood resident Shelly Berent, 57, said bicyclists seem to have a sense of entitlement. “They are very dangerous, as the majority feel they have no restrictions and can do whatever they want,” she said. Most pedestrian gripes regarding bicyclists concern wrong-way biking, running red lights and riding on the sidewalk, all of which are against the law. Several pedestrians said those misdeeds are not enforced enough. Police said officers issued 30,951 summonses to bicyclists last year, a 2.8 increase over the year before. Still, Joy Ann Auringer, who

walks her pit bulls along First and York Avenues, said that bicyclists who break the law need to be dealt with more harshly. “Even when I have the light I have to look both ways to cross the bike lane—it’s ridiculous and dangerous-- and so many don’t pay attention to the lights,” Auringer said. “I don’t think anything can be done except for increasing the penalties.” On a recent Saturday afternoon, 41 people rode in the bike lane along an Upper East Side block, a quarter of them venturing south. But even those riding northbound had obstacles, including several pedestrians, many of whom stood, walked and even ran into and against traffic. A few others, staring into their phones, stood in the bike lane, oblivious to passing bicyclists.

Notice of Joint Public Hearing, May 11, 2015: Intent to Award as a Concession the Operation, Maintenance and Management of the Parking Lots at Randall’s Island Park, Manhattan to Parking Services Plus, Inc.

BARRY LIEBMAN,

A draft copy of the agreement may be reviewed or obtained at no cost, commencing Friday, April 24, 2015, through Monday, May 11, 2015, between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm, excluding weekends and holidays at the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, located at 830 Fifth Avenue, Room 313, New York, NY 10065. Individuals requesting Sign Language Interpreters should contact the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services, Public Hearings Unit, 253 Broadway, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10007, (212) 788-7490, no later than SEVEN (7) BUSINESS DAYS PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC HEARING. TELECOMMUNICATION DEVICE FOR THE DEAF (TDD) 212-504-4115

ATTORNEY AT LAW

Millions of dollars recovered on behalf of injured clients

Personal Injury Auto Accidents Slip, Trip & Fall Accidents

NOTICE OF A JOINT PUBLIC HEARING of the Franchise and Concession Review Committee and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation to be held on Monday, May 11, 2015 at 22 Reade Street, Borough of Manhattan, commencing at 2:30 p.m. relative to: INTENT TO AWARD as a concession the operation, maintenance and management of the parking lots at Randall’s Island Park, Manhattan (“Permitted Premises”), for a five (5) year term, to Parking Services Plus, Inc. Compensation to the City will be as follows: for each operating year, Parking Services Plus, Inc. shall pay to the City a permit fee consisting of the greater of the annual minimum fee (Year 1: $128,000; Year 2: $120,000; Year 3: $90,000; Year 4: $90,000; Year 5: $90,000) vs. 78% of gross receipts.

A representative from Time’s Up!, a grass-roots organization that advocates for a greener city, said the recent increase in bike lanes citywide have been beneficial overall. “The truth is that the increase in bicycling has transformed the city in an incredibly positive way,” Bill Di Paola said. “The bike lanes have led to auto-free plazas, which in turn have given us greenways that wrap around the city and connect to uninhibited bridge access not only for cyclists but also for pedestrians. In the long run, everybody will be safer.” Ann Marie Jungmann, an Upper East Side resident for about 40 years, would dispute that claim. About the First Avenue bike lane, and bicyclists in general, she was forthright, and brief: “Hate ‘em.”

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

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More neighborhood news? neighborhood celebrations? neighborhood opinions? neighborhood ideas? neighborhood feedback? neighborhood concerns?

On-Call Scheduling Puts Lives on Hold Stuart Appelbaum, President Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union

I

t’s tough being a retail worker. Low wages and insufficient hours can make it a struggle just to get by. And now, making things worse is the widespread and growing practice of oncall scheduling.

With on-call scheduling, retailers require employees to call in just hours in advance to see if they are working that day. Employees are forced to keep their schedules open in the hopes that their employers will decide that they are needed, and in the end, they might not even go to work. On-call scheduling benefits employers because they can make their staffing decisions on a whim. But we all know that it’s virtually impossible for people to plan their daily lives the same way. How do you schedule child-care or schooling when you don’t know when you’ll be home or available to take classes that can help improve your earning power? How do you maintain any semblance of a social life, or plan for doctor visits or other important appointments for yourself or your kids when you never really know when you’ll be at work or when you’ll be free? The simple answer is that the burden of on-call scheduling makes it extremely difficult to do any of these things. And with on-call scheduling, retail workers can forget about taking a second job that they may need to make ends meet. It’s just not an option for workers who need to keep their schedules open until the last minute. The abuses of on-call scheduling have gotten the attention of New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, whose office announced this month that it is investigating 13 large retailers’ scheduling practices to determine if they violate state labor laws. The AG’s office is requiring these chains - including the GAP, Target, Abercombie & Fitch, and Sears - to supply information about their scheduling practices by May. On-call scheduling Requiring workers to put their lives on hold without any guarantee of pay is wrong, and the growth of on-call scheduling is a troubling trend that our society shouldn’t tolerate. Working people have a right to their own lives, and their own time, and certainty as to when they are on the job and off the clock.

Visit us on the web at:

Email us at news@strausnews.com

www.rwdsu.org

“

benefits employers because they can make their staffing decisions on a whim. But we all know that it’s virtually impossible for people to plan their daily lives the same way.

“

16

APRIL 30-MAY 6,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

< CITIBIKE OVERHAULING SERVICES Crain’s New York Business reported that CitiBike is embarking on an overhaul of its bicycles and systems in an effort to attract more customers to the service heading into the warmer months. The bike share company’s operator, Motivate, is bringing back the original software developer, 8D technologies, to fix bugs in CitiBike’s mobile

In Brief MAYOR’S OFFICE: PRE-K IS IN DEMAND Nearly 69,000 children applied for free, full-day pre-K during the first round of admissions that closed last Friday, according to Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office. The Department of Education will now begin the work of matching children to individual programs. Parents will receive offers in June, and have the option of accepting their offer or continuing their search. “When school opens in September, for the very first time, there will be a free, full-day, high-quality pre-K seat waiting for every four-year old who applies,” said the mayor’s office in a statement. “This is big,” said de Blasio. “Every one of these applications means a child put on a path for success for school and beyond. We made pre-k for all the centerpiece of our fight against inequality. And come September, our vision of free, full-day, high-quality pre-K for every child will become reality.” Families that did not apply during the first round will have additional opportunities later in the process, and are encouraged to call 311 or visit nyc.gov/prek to find information on when to apply next.

SEASON COULD BE EXTENDED FOR CITY’S POOLS AND BEACHES City council parks committee chair Mark Levine held a recent hearing on a bill he’s sponsoring that would extend the length of the season for city beaches and pools from its usual end on Labor Day to the end of September. In 2014, the closure of the city’s beaches and pools after Labor Day during a historically warm September spurred calls to re-examine the length of the pool season, according to Levine’s office, which used data from NASA that said September 2014 was the third warmest September on record for the Northern Hemisphere, and the warmest September on record globally. “Increasingly popular, the city’s beaches and pools, operated by the Parks Department, welcomed nearly 20 million visitors last year,” said Levine’s office in a statement. “Beaches saw 18 million visitors, representing a 22 percent jump from the previous year, as pool attendance held steady at roughly 1.4 million users.” Labor leaders, who spoke on behalf of the more than 100 lifeguards who attended the hearing, made clear their support of extending the beach and pool season and expressed their interest in working with the council and the administration to overcome logistical and staffing challenges.

Business

app. Motivate is also bringing its 6,000 bicycles in for maintenance to repair those that have cracked seats, loose pedals, bad brakes and graffiti. Crain’s reported some customers who couldn’t dock their bikes would ram them into the stations. Motivate built a dock-bashing machine to test stations’ durability and

technicians will be visiting stations overnight to install new software that eases the docking process. To remedy its money woes, CitiBike has hired CEO Jay Walder, who Crain’s said is shaking up management and considering new sponsorship opportunities.

OP-ED

MEMO TO DE BLASIO: GIVE A BREAK TO RENT-STABILIZED OWNERS BY JOSEPH STRASBURG

Mayor Bill de Blasio consistently leaves the most important group out of the affordable housing discussion: the owners of one million rent-stabilized apartments in the five boroughs who are the city’s largest providers of existing affordable housing. The stark reality to de Blasio’s housing plan is that it would produce a minimal number of affordable housing units while doing absolutely nothing to preserve the this biggest pool of rent-regulated, affordable housing – existing rent-stabilized apartments. Instead of stricter rent regulations, old solutions and radical policies, we know exactly what de Blasio needs to do to protect the most vulnerable tenants and preserve affordable housing. If City Hall really wants to make an impact on protecting and preserving affordable housing, then we propose that de Blasio freeze – or even roll back – property tax assessments and water and sewer rates. We believe this is a practical and immediate solution. It is well-documented that the owners of Class 2 rental properties, which house all rent-stabilized tenants, pay proportionately higher real estate taxes than any other structure classifications in New York. Ever increasing property taxes (a 13% increase in assessments for 2015 was announced earlier this year by de Blasio) and water and sewer rates are driving rents higher. Holding the line on property tax assessments and water and sewer rates by either a freeze or roll back would relieve the pressure on landlords to increase rents. It would also provide the financial wherewithal that enables landlords to re-invest in their buildings – making repairs, upgrades and improvements that translate directly into protecting and preserving affordable housing for the tenants who need it most… poor and working families

Furthermore, a recent study on the economic impact of rent-stabilized housing showed that $19.4 billion was generated in 2014 from expenditures on capital improvements and overall operating costs in rentstabilized buildings. This directly translated into work for thousands of small neighborhood businesses, over 160,000 jobs for local residents, millions of dollars in payroll and sales tax, and support for neighborhood economies. This infusion of capital – the economic impact of improvements, upgrades and repairs – is felt directly in our neighborhoods. Landlords give this work to local contracting companies, plumbers, electricians, painters and laborers – and this translates into goodpaying jobs for neighborhood residents who provide for their families and support local restaurants and retail shops. Clearly, owners of rent-stabilized apartments contribute greatly to preserving and

protecting existing affordable housing. They are the backbone and fabric of our neighborhoods. But City Hall can’t have it both ways – supporting rent freezes and stricter rent regulations in Albany while raising real estate taxes and water rates. If de Blasio continues to burden landlords of rent-stabilized apartments with the highest property taxes and water and sewer rates – in tandem with his support of rent freezes and stricter state rent regulations – investment in our neighborhoods and re-investment in affordable housing will dry up. It is time to consider new solutions to an old problem – or City Hall could ultimately bring the city’s housing stock for poor and working families back to the bad old days of the late 1970’s and 1980’s. Strasburg is president of the Rent Stabilization Association, which represents 25,000 owners of 1 million rent-stabilized apartments in the five boroughs.

APRIL 30-MAY 6,2015

17

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

Real Estate Sales Neighborhd

Address

Price

Bed Bath Agent

Beekman

414 E 52 St.

$1,200,000

2

2

Brown Harris Stevens

Carnegie Hill

120 E 87 St.

$1,550,000

Carnegie Hill

45 E 89 St.

$2,237,500

2

2

Adriana Arciello

Lenox Hill

795 5 Ave.

$560,000

Lenox Hill

200 E 69 St.

$1,215,000

1

1

Corcoran

Lenox Hill

200 E 69 St.

$940,000

1

1

Kleier Residential

Lenox Hill

360 E 72 St.

$730,000

1

1

Douglas Elliman

Lenox Hill

1175 York Ave.

$560,000

1

1

Keller Williams Nyc

Lenox Hill

530 Park Ave.

$9,062,425

Midtown E

245 E 54 St.

$616,500

1

1

Next Stop Ny

Survivorship Series: Healthy Living After a Cancer Diagnosis.

Midtown E

150 E 56 St.

$825,000

2

1

Olshan Realty

Join us for a lecture on living well during diagnosis, treatment, and beyond. We will discuss diet and exercise, survivorship issues, and fertility.

Midtown South

7 E 35 St.

$640,000

1

1

Sotheby’s

Murray Hill

225 E 34 St.

$1,325,000

Murray Hill

330 E 38 St.

$1,280,000

1

1

Charles Rutenberg

Murray Hill

20 E 35 St.

$710,000

1

1

Brown Harris Stevens

Location: Bellevue Hospital Center. 462 First Avenue at 27th Street. Saul Farber Auditorium.

Murray Hill

138 E 36 St.

$1,175,000

2

2

Corcoran

Info: This lecture is free and open to the public, but you must RSVP.

Murray Hill

201 E 37 St.

$360,000

0

1

Citi Habitats

To attend, call 212.263.2266 or visit nyulmc.org/cancer-rsvp. View past lectures at youtube.com/nyulmc.

Murray Hill

25 Tudor City Place

$262,000

0

1

Tudor Realty

Murray Hill

330 E 38 St.

$2,250,000

Murray Hill

211 E 35 St.

$530,000

1

1

Douglas Elliman

Sutton Place

419 E 57 St.

$917,500

Sutton Place

320 E 57 St.

$1,200,000 2

2

Douglas Elliman

Sutton Place

411 E 57 St.

$1,385,000 2

2

Bellmarc Realty

Turtle Bay

155 E 49 St.

$435,000

Turtle Bay

310 E 53 St.

$3,150,000

2

2

Corcoran

Turtle Bay

240 E 47 St.

$1,163,000

1

2

Fox Residential Group

Upper E Side

785 Park Ave.

$1,200,000 1

1

Douglas Elliman

Upper E Side

108 E 82 St.

$1,730,000

2

2

Stribling

Upper E Side

241 E 76 St.

$595,000

1

1

Bellmarc Realty

Upper E Side

936 5 Ave.

$3,000,000

Yorkville

521 E 88 St.

$960,000

2

2

Corcoran

Yorkville

55 E End Ave.

$1,100,000

2

2

Corcoran

Yorkville

1 Gracie Square

$3,260,687

Yorkville

250 E 87 St.

$1,340,000 3

2

Douglas Elliman

Yorkville

200 E 89 St.

$1,705,000

2

2

Douglas Elliman

Yorkville

301 E 79 St.

$950,000

1

1

Brown Harris Stevens

Yorkville

501 E 79 St.

$1,262,500

2

2

Sotheby’s

Yorkville

301 E 79 St.

$850,000

1

1

Platinvm Property Group New York

Yorkville

350 E 82 St.

$600,000

Yorkville

444 E 87 St.

$235,000

0

1

Halstead Property

Yorkville

531 E 88 St.

$625,000

2

1

Sotheby’s

Yorkville

450 E 83 St.

$1,725,000

Yorkville

200 E 90 St.

$650,000

1

1

Ygny Realty

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Magnolia trees are in full bloom right now. Photo by Juanita Dugdale

APRIL 30-6,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

Flowering hellebores, the amazing little plants that bloom in the spring, summer, fall, and winter. Photo by Juanita Dugdale

SPRING ARRIVES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 through the park can see plants that shine in other seasons too. Because the winter was so cruel and so long, park gardeners have been adding more cold-weather superstars: evergreens like holly, that look well in the snow; shrubs that ower very late in the fall, like camellias; and late-winter trees, like witch hazel, that bloom long before spring. Most surprising of all are hellebores, smaller plants whose maroon, pink, and white blossoms not only grace the park now but keep owering through storm and arctic cold. Plants like these will spread color through the park in every month of the year,

APRIL 30-MAY 6,2015

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Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

IN A REVERSE COMMUTE, COYOTES TAKE MANHATTAN NEWS At least four spotted so far this year, from Riverside Park to the Battery BY JENNIFER PELTZ

One moseyed around Manhattan’s East Village. Another was caught in trendy Chelsea. Yet another rambled through a Hudson River park this week. A string of recent sightings in Manhattan has drawn new attention to coyotes in the city, spotted periodically in New York since the 1990s. Experts say New Yorkers should expect to see more of them as they become more comfortable adapting to city streets and parks. Call it coyote urban. “I would say that this is going to be a new normal: that coyotes are going to continually show up in downtown New York City,� says Daniel Bogan, a coyote researcher at Siena College. At least four coyotes have been spotted around Manhattan so far this year, and one was seen clambering around on the

roof of a Queens bar before disappearing, says Sarah Aucoin, the director of the city’s Urban Park Rangers program. Three of the animals were captured in Manhattan and released in Bronx parks with established coyote populations, she said. Police chased after the fourth on Wednesday in Manhattan’s Riverside Park, even using a helicopter before until the animal secreted itself in deep brush near Grant’s Tomb. (On Saturday, police collared a coyote near a sidewalk cafe in Battery Park City neighborhood, after taileing her up and down Hudson River park for about an hour. It’s unclear if the downtown coyote was the same one that was spotted in Riverside Park on Wednesday.) There’s no ďŹ rm count of coyotes or sightings in the nation’s biggest city, but the population is probably at least in the teens, says wildlife biologist Chris Nagy, a co-founder of a study group called the Gotham Coyote Project and the research director at the Mianus River Gorge in Bedford, New York.

With some coyotes ensconced and breeding in the Bronx, others are likely heading into Manhattan this spring to seek their own turf, said coyote project co-founder Mark Weckel, a conservation biologist at the American Museum of Natural History. Coyotes were once creatures of Midwestern plains and southwestern deserts. But they have dramatically expanded their range in the last two centuries, partly because of declines in their predators, such as wolves and cougars, experts say. Although coyotes have been hunted for sport and killed as threats to livestock, they’re now found from coast to coast. There are an estimated 30,000 in New York state, where they were first noted in the 1930s, the state Department of Environmental Conservation says. Hardy and omnivorous, they’ve appeared in cities from San Francisco to Detroit to Chicago, where one coyote popped into a downtown sandwich shop in 2007 and researchers

Police on the Upper West Side released this photo of the Riverside Park coyote.

have tracked hundreds in the area. In New York, there were at least four Manhattan sightings in 2010 and a headlinegrabbing chase in Central Park in 2006. If coyotes have acclimated themselves to living among people, it doesn’t necessarily go both ways. The animals are generally shy but sometimes go after people and pets. There have been two

coyote attacks in northern New Jersey’s Bergen County this month; one man was bitten by a coyote that tested positive for rabies. Suburban Chappaqua, New York, has been enmeshed in bitter debate over whether and when to kill coyotes after at least 10 recent attacks on pets. There haven’t been any reports of aggressive coyotes in New York City, Aucoin said. Wildlife experts say people

can reduce the risk of coyote conflicts by not feeding them and securing trash and pets, among other steps. “We’ll just have to adapt our behavior and accept the fact that they’re going to be around,� says Patrick Thomas, general curator of the Wildlife Conservation Society, who’s captured images of coyotes on a motion-activated camera in his own New Jersey backyard.

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

Resident Manager of The 80th Street Residence Recognized for Expertise

Ensconced in the landmark neighborhood of the Upper East Side, Residents continue to enjoy the heart and soul of this incomparable city they have always loved.

The only licensed Assisted Living Residence in New York City Entirely Devoted to Enhanced Memory Care The 80th Street Residence is proud to announce that their Resident Manager, Leah Gallagher, LMSW, has completed the “Positive Approach to Care (PAC)� Consultant Training and has been awarded with a “Certificate of Expertise.� The PAC program was created by dementia-care education specialist Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, an occupational therapist with over 30 years in clinical practice. Ms. Gallagher completed pre-requisite training work, a multi-modal classroom training and participated in weekly post-classroom calls with a coach to further exemplify her knowledge and skills.

• Beautiful Upper East Side Environment • Each floor a “Neighborhoodâ€? with Family Style Dining & Living Room • 24-hour Licensed Nurses & Attendants specially trained in dementia care • Medication Management • Around the clock personal care, as needed • Housekeeping, Linen & Personal Laundry • Courtyard & Atrium Rooftop Garden • Chef prepared Meals

Clare Shanley, Executive Director says, “Leah Gallagher walked in the door 6 years ago and immediately immersed herself in supporting our Residents, Families and Staff. When we learned of the opportunity to train with Ms. Snow, who has long been known as the dementia-care guru, it was clear that this was an opportunity that just couldn’t be passed up. Leah’s unbridled enthusiasm for continued education is a perfect example of how she strives to provide the best support that she can for those navigating the difficult terrain of dementia. We couldn’t be more proud of her successful completion of the training and receiving a ‘Certificate of Expertise’.� With the highest level of Assisted Living Residence licensure by the New York State Department of Health, The 80th Street Residence is the only dedicated assisted living community in New York City Specializing in Memory Care. In their boutique setting, 80th Street offers unique neighborhoods, each, composed of no more than eight to ten Residents with similar cognitive abilities. All neighborhoods have cozy and homelike dining and living rooms and are staffed 24 hours a day with personal care attendants. The intimate setting allows for an environment that is conducive to relaxation, socialization and participation in varied activities. A true jewel of care on the Upper East Side.

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430 East 80th Street, New York, NY 10075 Tel. 212-717-8888 www.80thstreetresidence.com

20

APRIL 30-MAY 6,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

DOZENS ATTEND FUNERAL OF MAN KILLED IN EAST VILLAGE BLAST Different communities come together in face of tragedy BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS

On occasion, an event binds the city’s seemingly disparate communities, a reminder that for all its enormity, New York has an uncanny ability to connect people, whether in triumph or tragedy.

Nixon Figueroa, an East Harlem resident who works at a building on the Upper West Side, welcomed that collective embrace recently, when dozens of the building’s tenants ďŹ lled the Church of the Holy Name of Jesus on West 96th Street for his son’s funeral. Nicholas Figueroa, 23, was one of two people killed in the explosion

that ripped through a building on Second Avenue in the East Village last month. “It’s great that we have people like that, that will come out to a tragic event like this,� Nixon Figueroa said outside of 219 West 81st St., where he is a maintenance worker. “The good thing is that they’re caring, they’re open to what hap-

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pened because they have kids, and then it’s a tragedy because it was my son, and he died over nothing.â€? Investigators have said the explosion was caused by an illegally tapped gas line. Nicholas Figueroa, 23, was about to graduate from Buffalo State with a degree in forensic psychology and planned to join either the city’s police or fire departments, said his father. He was on a date at Sushi Park on Second Avenue when the explosion occurred March 26. A busboy at the restaurant, Moises Ismael LocĂłn Yac, 26, was also killed in the blast. Nixon said his son was excited about the date with Theresa Galarza, also 23, who survived the blast. Nixon and his wife, Ana Lanza, dropped Nicholas off at the 96th Street subway stop on Lexington Avenue like they always do. “I told him, ‘be careful, I love you.’ He told me, “don’t worry about it, dad, I’m strong.’ He said ‘I love you too,’ and he left, and I never saw him again. Just with that, it kills me,â€? Figueroa said of his last words with his son. “At least I said what I said to him.â€? Nixon Figueroa said about 40 tenants from 219 West 81st St. came to Nicholas’ funeral. Nixon’s brother, Marcello, who

The Church of the Holy Name of Jesus, where Nicholas Figueroa’s funeral was held, at 96th Street and Amsterdam Avenue on the Upper West Side. Photo: Daniel Fitzsimmons. worked as a superintendent in the same building for over 23 years before moving to a nearby building on West End Avenue, said he too appreciated the outpouring of support for his family. “It’s touching because people I’ve worked with in the past were kind enough to show their feelings and sympathies, and concern for the family, which is important,� Marcello Figueroa said. Manhattan Borough Presi-

dent Gale Brewer, who also attended the funeral, said she did so to be supportive of the community, and because the church is in her former City Council district. She said she was surprised when other West Siders, friends and neighbors she’s known for years, began ďŹ lling the pews. “I sit down in the front and all the sudden other West Siders, older women, started sitting next to me,â€? Brewer told The Spirit. “I couldn’t figure out what was going on.â€? Brewer said West Siders’ presence at the funeral showed how, particularly in that community, residents rally around one another regardless of circumstance. “The whole West Side knew the family,â€? said Brewer. “It was very special to me to see all these different people hugging and supporting each other. It was almost too much, I couldn’t quite believe it all.â€? Nixon Figueroa said his family is broken in the wake of the tragedy. “We’re in pain every day. We want him back home but he ain’t going to come back,â€? said Nixon. “Hopefully with this event people will open their eyes and start reaching out to their landlords to stop this.â€?

APRIL 30-MAY 6,2015

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Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

YOUR 15 MINUTES

To read about other people who have had their “15 Minutes” go to ourtownny.com/15 minutes Don Frantz, the producer of “Disenchanted,” also worked on Disney’s The Lion King.

WISHING UPON A (SLIGHTLY SKEWED) STAR Q&A A long-time theater producer on the history of his latest project, a satire of Disney princesses BY HEATHER STEIN

Don Frantz has earned his credits in theater: from theme parks to cruise lines to Disney. Now, the Upper West Sider is producing Disenchanted, a musical spoof on fairy-tale princesses playing at the Westside Theatre on W. 43rd Street. The show’s roots date to 2011, with a sold-out run at Orlando’s International Fringe Festival before moving to New York. Productions are now slated for Latin America this summer, and China’s leading commercial theatrical producer, Musical Theatre China, is planning a production in Beijing this winter. A U.S tour is planned for 2016.

Tell me about your background in theater. After a master’s degree in theater management at UCLA, I ran a theater company in Hollywood until I was introduced to the grand producer Tommy Walker, who was the first entertainment director for Walt Disney. I joined Tommy in production positions for the Louisiana World Expo in New

Orleans, Harvard’s 350th Anniversary and Liberty Weekend here in in NYC. These jobs all prepared me for the very creative, expansive work on the entertainment team at Walt Disney World. The eight years at Disney included producing and directing the new light parade at the Magic Kingdom, and then as associate producer on “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Lion King.” From 2007 to 2012, I spent a lot of time in China producing, writing and directing musicals, until in January of 2011 I found a show called “Bitches of the Kingdom” from the Orlando Fringe Festival.

How did Disenchanted come about? Dennis T. Giacino is the creator of the show. It started when he was a teacher teaching the story of Pocahontas. It was at that time that the Disney movie was in the movie theaters and the difference between the history book and the film was dramatic. And so Dennis wrote a song. It was the real Pocahontas singing about how she felt she was being portrayed nowadays. Soon the other princesses started ‘whispering’ to Dennis. Song after song, Dennis conjured up the songs that revealed another side of the storybook and history book princesses.

Talk to us about the unique challenges, and rewards, of creating a musical. The reward is simple: something exists that would not have existed without one’s effort. Songs would be sung that would not be sung. Also along the way you discover talent who would not have had a chance if it was not for a producer putting their money and efforts behind them. And after this show, they will go on to create many more. There are many people passionate about their vision all looking for common ground.

A favorite moment from the show? There are so many. I suppose near the end, after all the laughter and all the fun, Cinderella has a speech that wraps up the story and launches us into the final number ‘Once Upon A Time.’ It is at that moment when you feel the audience feel that it’s all fun but it’s more than fun. In this song you also see all six amazingly talented women sing, and bond as a unit of full joy. It’s a great ending.

Who is the target audience of the show? Well ... it’s a musical about princesses! So any woman that has watched, or dreamed of, or hoped for, or been influenced by a cartoon about a princess,

or even a Barbie Doll, or a beauty pageant, or simply pinned a lot of hopes on ‘the guy’ will enjoy the show. Women from 18 to 65 are loving it each night. One reviewer in Tampa said, “If you hate Disney this show is for you AND if you love Disney this show is for you.” My favorite target is the

women from 40 to 55 who see Disenchanted and buy tickets to bring back their daughter. They often come back in a girls’ night out....wearing tiaras!

How do you think Disney sees the show? On a personal level, I have not met the Disney or ex-Disney employee who has not loved the show. Most of us, including six of the producing/creative team and three of the actors, have loved, worked for, and some are still working for Disney. To be clear, I think Disney is the absolute gold standard in entertainment. There are probably some senior Disney execs who feel we poke a few jabs, a little satire, too many. And there are probably a few senior execs that wished they did it first.

Did the show restore your faith in fairy tales? In the show we do generally dispel the myth that you should sit around and wait for your prince to come. But I don’t think we ever suggest that you should not believe that sometimes dreams can come true. A

lot of people on the team have realized a dream with this show, mostly because they kept believing in themselves. Specifically two wonderfully talented actresses, Lulu Picart and Michelle Knight, who have worked in Orlando all their careers, have, in their 40’s, come to New York to make their offBroadway debut and as a result both won a Lortel Award Nomination for their talents. Dreams come true when you believe. Disenchanted is playing at the Westside Theatre Upstairs. 407 W. 43rd St. Tickets are available via Telecharge. com (212-239-6200) or via www. DISENCHANTEDMusical.com. The performance schedule is Monday at 7 p.m., Tuesday at 7 p.m., Thursday at 8 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 3 p.m. and 8pm and Sunday at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

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

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APRIL 30-MAY 6,2015

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APRIL 30-MAY 6,2015

CLASSIFIEDS

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

HEALTH SERVICES

Lenox Hill Hospital Lenox Hill Orthopaedics (855) 434-1800 www.Lenoxhillhospital.org/ ortho

ADOPTION ADOPTION: Unplanned Pregnancy? Caring licensed adoption agency provides financial and emotional support. Choose from loving pre-approved families. Call Joy toll free 1-866922-3678 or confidential email:Adopt@ForeverFamiliesThroughAdoption.org

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

ANIMALS & PETS

North Shore Animal League AnimalLeague.org 1-877-4-SAVE-PET Facebook.com/TheAnimalLeague 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.

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

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 ENTERTAINMENT

LIPS The Ultimate in Drag Dining & Best Place in NYC to Celebrate Your Birthday! 227 E 56th St., 212-675-7710 www.LipsUSA.com 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 High Colonic By Rachel Relieve constipation & bloating 24 yrs exp. 212-317-0467

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Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

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

$8,000 COMPENSATION. EGG DONORS NEEDED. Women 21-31. Help Couples Become Families using Physicians from the BEST DOCTOR’S LIST. Personalized Care. 100% Confidential. 1-877-9-DONATE; 1-877-936-6283; www.longislandivf.com ATTEND AVIATION COLLEGE– Get FAA approved Aviation Maintenance training. Financial aid for qualified students. Job placement assistance. Call AIM for free information 866296-7093 Can You Dig It? Heavy Equipment Operator Career! Receive Hands On Training And National Certifications Operating Bulldozers, Backhoes & Excavators. Lifetime Job Placement. Veteran Benefits Eligible! 1-866-926-2441

VOLUNTEER REFERRAL CENTER & HEALTH ADVOCATES PRESENT

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MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN NEW YORK CITY! LEARN HOW TO GET STARTED AND WHY ORGANIZATIONS WANT VOLUNTEERS OF ALL AGES Thursday, May 14, 3:30-5:00 ALL SAINTS CHURCH 230 EAST 60TH STREET (SUBWAYS 4,5,6,N, Q, R, to Lex/59th St) RSVP: 212 889-4805 FREE Light Refreshments

MR.BULTS’S is currently hiring experienced Class A CDL Drivers in the NY state. If interested in applying, please text “Haul” to 55000 or www.mrbults.com/careers Want an in-demand career as a HVAC Technician? Offering accelerated “hands on” training to get EPA/OSHA Certified! Lifetime job placement. VA Benefits eligible! 1-877926-2441

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 Therapeutic massage, $75/Hr. Lic., 20+ yrs exp. 917-734-7448 tonydif.massage@gmail.com 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 Privacy Hedges - SPRING Blowout Sale 6ft Arborvitae (cedar) Reg $129 Now $59 Beautiful, Nursery Grown. FREE Installation/FREE delivery 518-536-1367 www.lowcosttrees.com Limited Supply! REAL ESTATE - RENT

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 REAL ESTATE - SALE

ABANDONED FARM! 34 acres -$169,900 Upstate NY farmhouse, barn, apple orchard, woods, long gated drive, incredible setting! Terms avail! 888-905-8847 newyorklandandlakes.com RUSHING STREAM- CHRISTMAS TREE FARM- 6 acres$26,900 BUY BEFORE MAY 1ST AND TAKE $5,000 OFF! Gated drive, views, stunning upstate NY setting! Town rd, utils, terms! 888-701-7509 Sebastian, Florida Beautiful 55+ manufactured home community. 4.4 miles to the beach, Close to riverfront district. New models from $85,000. 772-581-0080, www.beachcove.com

Telephone: 212-868-0190 Fax: 212-868-0198 Email: classified2@strausnews.com

POLICY NOTICE: We make every effort to avoid mistakes in your classified ads. Check your ad the first week it runs. The publication will only accept responsibility for the first incorrect insertion. The publication 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 any copy changes. All classified ads are pre-paid. REAL ESTATE - SALE

WANTED TO BUY

PUBLIC NOTICES

Spectacular 3 to 22 acre lots with deepwater access- Located in an exclusive development on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Amenities include community pier, boat ramp, paved roads and private sandy beach. May remind you of the Jersey Shore from days long past. Great climate, boating, fishing, clamming and National Seashore beaches nearby. Absolute buy of a lifetime, recent FDIC bank failure makes these 25 lots available at a fraction of their original price. Priced at only $55,000 to $124,000. For info call (757) 442-2171, e-mail: oceanlandtrust@ yahoo.com, pictures on website: http://Wibiti.com/5KQN

CASH for Coins! Buying Gold & Silver. Also Stamps, Paper Money, Comics, Entire Collections, Estates. Travel to your home. Call Marc in NY: 1-800959-3419

New York City Department of Transportation Notice of Public Hearing The New York City Department of Transportation will hold a Public Hearing on Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at 2:00 P.M., at 55 Water St., 9th Floor Room 945, on the following petitions for revocable consent, all in the Borough of Manhattan: #1 410 Park Avenue Associates, L.P. - to continue to maintain and use planters, together with electrical conduit, on and in the west sidewalk of Park Ave., south of E 55th St. and on the south sidewalk of E 55th St., west of Park Ave. #2 Hyatt Equities LLC - to continue to maintain and use a projection over the property line, on E 42nd St., west of Lexington Ave. Interested parties can obtain copies of proposed agreements or request sign-language interpreters (with at least seven days prior notice) at 55 Water St., 9th Fl. SW New York, NY 10041, or by calling (212) 839-6550.

UPSTATE NY WATERFRONT! 7 acres-$59,900. 400 feet of pristine frontage on bass lake! All woods, town rd, utils, gorgeous setting! EZ terms. 888-479-3394 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 Your Homeownership Partner. The State of NY Mortgage Agency offers funds available for renovation. www.sonyma.org. 1-800-382-HOME (4663) WANTED TO BUY

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

I Buy Old Tribal Art Free Appraisal 917-628-0031 Daniel@jacarandatribal.com $WANTED$ COMIC BOOKS Pre-1975: Original art & movie memorabilia, sports, nonsports cards, ESPECIALLY 1960’s Collector/Investor, paying cash! Call WILL: 800-2426130 buying@getcashforcomics.com WE BUY-TOP DOLLAR PAID Fine & Costume Jewelry Gems-Silver-Gold-Jade Antiques-Art-Rugs Call Gregory@718 608 5854 Certified GIA Gemologist

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

ANTIQUES WANTED

TOP PRICES PAID

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

800.530.0006

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

SOHO LT MFG

462 Broadway MFG No Retail/Food +/- 9,000 sf Ground Floor - $90 psf +/- 16,000 sf Cellar - $75 psf Call Farrell @ Meringoff Properties 646.306.0299

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APRIL 30-MAY 6,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

COME HOME TO GLENWOOD

MANHATTAN’S FINEST LUXURY RENTALS

453*,*/(-: *.13&44*7& ".&/*5*&4 "/% 4&37*$&4

INCLUDING FULL SIZE WASHER/DRYER IN SOME RESIDENCES 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 #"-$0/: '30. t $0/7&35*#-& #34 #"5)4 '30.

TRIBECA & FINANCIAL DISTRICT #3 #"5) '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''*$&

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