Our Town June 11th, 2015 by Our Town

The local paper for the Upper er East Side TEEN IN A FUN HOUSE < 15 MINUTES, P.21

WEEK OF JUNE

11-17 2015

THE FLAWS IN COOPER’S LAW

WHY THE FRICK FOLDED

INVESTIGATION

NEWS ANALYSIS

Only two people have had their licenses suspended since a high-profile law aimed at slowing pedestrian-traffic deaths went into effect

The museum’s expansion was thwarted by an opposition that it underestimated BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO

BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS

Most of Cooper Stock’s friends were able to hold it together during a street renaming ceremony last week at 97th Street and West End Avenue, where the nine-yearold was killed by a reckless cab driver last January. Jacob Hume, age 10, wasn’t one of them. “Cooper was the kind of person who made you feel good about yourself,” said Hume, a classmate of Cooper’s at the Calhoun School. “It’s devastating. I miss Cooper every day of my life.” As Hume spoke, Cooper’s mother, Dana Lerner, break down, choking back sobs. The two embraced after Hume finished, and cried softly together. “I love what you guys said, it meant so much,” said Lerner, as she hugged the rest of his class, now in fourth grade. Last week, students at the Calhoun School marched from their building on 81st Street up to Cooper Stock Way to remember their classmate and draw attention to the issue of pedestrian safety. Cooper and his father, Richard Stock, were struck

Dana Lerner embraces Jonathan Hume, who along with his twin brother Jacob, eulogized their former classmate Cooper Stock at a recent street renaming ceremony. Photo by Daniel Fitzsimmons. by cabbie Koffi Komlani as they crossed 97th Street with the green light. After Cooper’s death, Komlani was charged with a traffic violation and issued a $500 ﬁne by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance’s office. In the months following the tragedy, Lerner devoted herself to advocating for pedestrian safety and railing against reckless driving. Her

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efforts led to the passage of Cooper’s Law, which revokes a cab or livery driver’s license if they are found guilty of committing a traffic violation resulting in the death or critical injury of another person. Under the law, if a driver licensed by the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission is issued a violation or summons for an accident where someone is killed or critically

injured, their TLC license is immediately suspended pending an investigation. If, during the investigation, the driver is found guilty of the violation or summons, their TLC license is permanently revoked. The bill was signed into law last June and was part of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s slate of pedestrian-friendly Vision Zero laws, which included

lowering the citywide speed limit to 25 m.p.h and other measures. But despite the attention that the issue has received, and the high proﬁle of Cooper’s death, the impact of the law named after him has been disappointing: According to the TLC, in the almost nine months since the

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Just months after the Frick Collection announced a renovation and expansion, a grassroots effort to block the project quickly began to take shape. The opposition, which began with a small group of local residents, ballooned to a grassroots and online force, collecting thousands of signatures and winning the support of preservation groups and even wellknown artists. Yet despite the clear threat developing, Frick officials stayed stoic, conﬁdent that the proposal would clear the necessary hurdles and receive approval from the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission. That early confidence now seems like a miscalculation. On June 4, a year after the Frick ﬁrst announced its plan, the museum’s board of trustees elected to change course and revisit the expansion in a way that won’t eliminate a tiny garden on E. 70th Street that had become a flashpoint for the opposition. Museum director Ian Wardropper, who had argued that the expansion was critical to the Frick’s growth, is now having to reassess how the Frick will

CONTINUED ON PAGE 15 Jewish women and girls light up the world by lighting the Shabbat candles every Friday evening 18 minutes before sunset. Friday June 12 – 8:09 pm. For more information visit www.chabaduppereastside.com.

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WHAT’S MAKING NEWS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD MTA DEBUTS NEW VIDEO GAME SIMULATOR ABOUT THE SECOND AVENUE SUBWAY The newest exhibit at the MTA’s Second Avenue Community

Information Center is designed to give patrons a taste of what’s to come. The newest feature in the center is a simulator that allows patrons to virtually traverse the still- unﬁnished Second Avenue Subway. Players get to take on the role of the conductor,

earning points for making each stop in a timely manner and keeping the ride as smooth as possible. MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz says that the simulator cost $80,000 to construct. Nevertheless, Ortiz maintains that it was “money well

spent.” Village Voice

HIT-AND-RUN DRIVER WHO FATALLY STRUCK BICYCLIST ON THE LAM At 11:20 p.m. last Wednesday, assistant neurosurgery professor Sergei Musatov was the victim of a fatal hit-and-run on E. 129th St. He was 42. According to the Daily News report, the still-unidentified driver rear-ended Musatov while he was on his bicycle. The impact sent Musatov flying off his bike and into the car’s windshield. The offending vehicle, identified as a four-door luxury Mercedes, had attracted the police’s attention earlier that night when it ran a red light in the Bronx. The driver, along with two passengers, fled the scene after a botched attempt at a getaway. Daily News

school production, “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” On April 17, Brune was called in to the office of Ellen Stein, the head of the school, and told that he would be forced to leave the school by the end of the term. Last Monday, it was decided by the National Labor Relations Board that Brune’s actions were protected under Section 7, which grants workers the right to organize. DNAinfo.com

CAMPAIGN WAGED AGAINST NEW APPLE STORE

DALTON SCHOOL THEATER TEACHER MAY GET JOB BACK After being ﬁred for an inﬂammatory email, former Dalton School theater professor David Brune may have the chance to get his job back, reports DNA Info. Months ago, Brune, 70, sent an email accusing school administrators of lying about the details of their latest

The new Apple Store planned for East 74th St. is being subjected to virulent protests, reports Eyewitness News. Retired businessman Herbert Feinberg is leading a campaign against the store, claiming that the store will clash with the character of the Upper East Side. Feinberg’s greatest concern is the inevitable increase in foot traffic along the sidewalk. “The lines will be tremendous down this street,” he told Eyewitness News. “With sleeping bags and tents...especially when the new products, and it’s two or three days.” Feinberg started a petition that has accumulated 400 signatures so far, according to attorney Norman Arnoff. 7online.com

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JUNE 11-17,2015

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CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG

POLICE NAB SUSPECT IN MUGGINGS Police say they’ve caught a suspect in a string of six muggings in Central Park, on Fifth Avenue and midtown Manhattan. The New York Police Department says officers arrested 55-year-old Cecil Richardson Friday on robbery and other charges. No telephone number could immediately be found for Richardson’s Manhattan address. It’s unclear whether he has a lawyer who can comment on the charges. Police say the muggings happened between April 10 and Wednesday. The victims handed over amounts ranging from $18 to $300. The NYPD says plainclothes officers saw Richardson accost someone outside a Fifth Avenue store and demand money Friday morning. Police say he hopped into a cab in an unsuccessful effort to elude them. They chased it on foot and caught up when it got stuck in traffic.

STEALING HIS MEDS One shoplifter can truthfully answer that yes, he took his meds. At 7 p.m. on Sunday, May 31, a man entered the Duane Reade store at 325 Columbus Avenue and removed a considerable quantity of medications from a store shelf before leaving the location without paying for the items. Video is available of the incident. The total haul amounted to $1,300.

SOMETHING FISHY Police remind the public that wallets go missing even in the nicest establishments. At 8 p.m. on Sunday, May 31, a 34-year-old woman laid her bag down on the bar in the Ocean Grill located at 384 Columbus Avenue. When she next looked, she found that her wallet was missing, containing a Metro Card, credit and debit cards, and cash in the amount of $305.

LOOTED AT BOULUD Once again, a bag hanging on the back of a chair proved an easy target for thieves. At 9 p.m. on Friday, May 29, a 38-year-old woman hung her bag on the back of her chair in the Bar Boulud restaurant at 1900 Broadway. When she reached for

her wallet later, she discovered that her bag was open and the wallet was missing, along with her driver’s license, credit cards, and cash totaling $300. $400 worth of unauthorized charges also turned up on her cards.

Reported crimes from the 19th Precinct for May 25 to May 31 Week to Date Murder

CRV=CARGO-REMOVED VEHICLE

Rape

Items get stolen from cars parked on even the most well-traveled thoroughfares. At 7 a.m. on Monday, May 25, a 67-year-old man returned to his 2014 Honda CRV parked at West 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue. He discovered that his two bicycles were missing from inside the vehicle. The bikes were valued at a total of $1,900.

Felony Assault

PRESIDENTIAL STEAL If you can afford a watch more expensive than most people’s cars, presumably you can afford to replace it when it is stolen from your car. At 1:30 p.m. on Monday, May 25, a 28-year-old man discovered that someone had stolen his Rolex watch from inside his 2014 Chrysler parked outside 104 Riverside Drive. The stolen watch was a diamondencrusted Rolex President valued at $60,000.

THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO IF YOU THINK YOU SMELL A GAS LEAK IS NOTHING. Smell gas. Act fast. Don’t assume someone else will call 911 or 1-800-75-CONED (26633). Leave the area immediately and make the call yourself. You can report a gas-related emergency anonymously, and not even be there when help arrives. For more gas safety information, visit conEd.com and take safety into your own hands.

STATS FOR THE WEEK

Robbery

Burglary Grand Larceny Grand Larceny Auto

Year to Date

2015

2014

% Change

2015

2014

% Change

0 0 1 0 2 22 2

0 1 2 0 4 20 1

n/a -100 -50 n/a -50 10 100

1 1 43 49 53 496 24

0 4 36 41 83 527 22

n/a -75 19.4 19.5 -36.1 -5.9 9.1

JUNE 11-17,2015

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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

NO ROOM AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL Overcrowding at P.S. 199 has forced parents to take action BY ZEENA SAIFI

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As the ﬁnal school bell sounds at P.S. 199 on a recent Monday, parents scatter around outside the school’s long gates on W. 70th Street, trying to gather their children, who are still shuffling around inside the playground. While these parents are trying to get their kids out of the school, getting in P.S. 199 is tougher than ever. In a West Side version of a growing citywide problem, demand for kindergarten slots at the school now far outpaces available seats, infuriating parents who live in the school’s zone, but nevertheless are being told their children likely won’t ﬁnd a slot. “Every year, the wait list keeps getting longer,” said Andrew Davis. “I don’t understand why they didn’t plan ahead for this problem.” Davis and his wife Laura Schiller have started a petition to advocate for making space for all zoned kindergarten children for the 2015-2016 school

year. Davis said 94 kids were announced on the waitlist as of April, and that he now has more than 200 signatures on the petition. The number of siblings who get automatic priority have doubled since last year, and now 57% of children who applied without siblings didn’t get a spot. “This is a crisis,” reads the petition, which is addressed to Mayor Bill de Blasio and schools Chancellor Carmen Farina. “It is devastating to a community when a school can’t accommodate this large a portion of their residents. Families can’t live in an area where they can’t plan their children’s education.” Another father, Brian Goldstein, said there a number of solutions to the problem, but that eliminating a classroom, which is what the school has done, isn’t one of them. “When your waitlist increases, removing a kindergarten class doesn’t seem to be the smartest thing to do,” he said, chuckling. “It kind of defies logic.” Similarly, Schiller said if

classes have actually reached full capacity, it is the school’s job to find an alternative space in their zone. “After we had kids five years ago, we decided to stay in the neighborhood only because of the school,” she said. “We lived in small apartments, paid high mortgages, rents, and taxes all because we thought we would have a spot. And now that we don’t, it’s very heartbreaking.” According to Goldstein, some people have been using fraudulent addresses or have been renting studios near the school just to get their kids in. And when their kids finally do get in, they either stop using the address or stop renting the studio. He said the school needed to have more comprehensive means of validating people’s addresses. “No one is asking for anything that is unreasonable,” he said. “But we feel that P.S. 199 is our school and according to the chancellor’s regulations, it is their job to accommodate the people of their zone.” Davis and Schiller both said that the success of P.S. 199 is what has created the clamor

for admission. “We know the school is special, and we don’t want to compromise the quality of the education it provides,” Schiller said. “We just want the opportunity to ﬁnd solutions.” In the petition, parents have asked that the kindergarten classroom that had been cut be reinstated, and that schools officials meet with parents to discuss some kind of solution. “The lack of transparency of this decision, and the failure of the DOE to come up with a short-term strategy has shifted the burden to families,” the petition reads. “The consequences are being placed on the shoulders of our four and ﬁve year old children.” To read the parent’s petition, go to change.org and search for PS199

OVERCROWDING AT YOUR PUBLIC SCHOOL? We want to hear about it. Email us at news@ strausnews.com

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Photo Credit: Kate Kinder water

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paintings of celebrities, and pop culture. But actually, drawings were essential to Warhol’s creative output. This exhibit, organized by The Andy Warhol Museum, offers works, such as Mao, Have Gun Will Shoot and Mother and Child, created during one of the most proliﬁc periods of his life. Many of these drawings are on view to the public for the ﬁrst time.

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Syracuse. June 21 Watch or compete in this Ironman Race, held in Syracuse beginning in the Jamesville Reservoir. Athletes start this challenging triathlon with a 1.2 mile, single-loop swim, then proceed through the Highland Forest recreational area with a 56 mile bike course rolling through the picturesque countrysides of Onondaga, Madison and Cortland counties. Finally, the athletes ﬁnish the race with a 13.1 mile run in and out of Jamesville Beach County Park. Take the challenge or just come on out and cheer for these dynamic athletes.

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JUNE 11-17,2015

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 law went into effect, only two drivers have had their licenses suspended under Cooperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Law -- and none have been permanently revoked. Lerner said she was â&#x20AC;&#x153;horriďŹ edâ&#x20AC;? to learn that her sonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s law had only been used twice, information that came through a Freedom of Information Law request ďŹ led by this newspaper. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The point is thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too many reckless drivers out there,â&#x20AC;? said Lerner in an interview. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cooperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Law is a way for the TLC to do something about this, and clearly theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not. Things are falling through the cracks.â&#x20AC;? Helen Rosenthal, the New York city councilmember who championed Cooperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Law, was not aware that the law had been applied so infrequently, and said that, as a result, she is considering tweaks to the legislation. An analysis of the law reveals two critical weaknesses. One is that in order for it to be triggered, the driver must be issued a summons or violation at the scene of the accident, or retroactively. Out of dozens of NYPD accident reports examined by this paper that were part of the FOIL request, only two TLC licensees were issued summonses or charged with crimes. In one case the charges were dropped. In the other case, that of livery car driver Joseph Mergile, who was arrested in January for backing over a person shoveling snow on a sidewalk in Brooklyn, Cooperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Law was applied. His TLC license was suspended and an investigation is underway, in ac-

cordance with Cooperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Law, said the TLC. The victim in that case was listed as critical but not likely to die, according to police reports. Another driver had his license suspended under Cooperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Law since it was passed last September, but the details of that incident are unclear as it happened recently and fell outside of the scope of this paperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s records request. The other weakness is that Cooperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Law is only applied to accidents where someone is killed or critically injured. In March, a California woman named Rosemarie Mifsud was pinned between two cabs in Times Square, completely dislocating her right knee and shattering her left leg. But because medical professionals at the scene deemed her injuries non-life-threatening and said she was likely to live, Cooperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Law did not apply. According to Mifsud, driver Mohamed Gendia initially claimed he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see her, and then later said the accident occurred due to icy conditions at the time. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At ďŹ rst he said he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see me, that was his ďŹ rst defense,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? Mifsud said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So that leads me to believe that he was distracted because how could he not see me? I was loading my luggage into the cab and next think I know I was pinned.â&#x20AC;? Records indicate Gendiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s TLC license is current. A month and a half after hitting Mifsud, records also show he was hit with a TLC summons for using an electronic communication device while driving. Mifsud, who has been out of work since March and has at least another six months of recovery, said she has night-

mares about the accident every night and said it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem right that Gendia is back behind the wheel catching fares, especially given Cooperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Law. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Absolutely, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel that he should be driving. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want anyone to go through what I went through,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If I was holding a childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hand that child would have died immediately because of the way I was hit.â&#x20AC;? Several incidents examined closely from last September to this April, where it seems Cooperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Law should have come into play but did not, include cases like the fatal accident of famed CBS correspondent Bob Simon. According to police and news reports, livery car driver Abdul Rashad Fedahi accelerated into a Mercedes that was waiting at a red light in Chelsea, careened into a metal stanchion in the intersection, and killed Simon, who was a passenger in Fedahiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s car. The Manhattan DAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office declined to comment on whether charges have been brought against Fedahi, but said the case remains open. News reports at the time said Simon was not wearing his seatbelt at the time of the accident. In April a delivery truck driver for the Daily News named Jonathan Long was killed in Brooklyn when his vehicle was clipped by a green cab whose driver, according to police reports, disobeyed a steady red signal. Police reports indicate driver Tazul Islam was not charged at the scene and the Brooklyn District Attorneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office said they do not have him listed as a defendant in their system. The TLC licenses of both Fedahi and Islam were suspended

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Dana Lerner, mother of Cooper Stock, embraces her sonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s former classmates at the Cooper Stock Way street renaming. Photo by Daniel Fitzsimmons.

JUNE 11-17,2015

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Calhoun School students march in memory of former classmate Cooper Stock, who was killed by a reckless cab driver last January. Photo by Daniel Fitzsimmons. in the wake of the accidents that killed Simon and Long, but because Cooper’s Law does not appear to have come into play, could be reinstated. According to several news reports, Fedahi’s license was suspended at least six times before the crash that killed Simon. The apparent reticence on behalf of law enforcement to issue summonses or make arrests in accidents that cause critical injuries or fatalities exploits a weakness in the law, said Rosenthal. “I always felt that the crux of the problem was that Cooper’s Law is dependent on the driver getting a summons, that’s my concern,” said Rosenthal, who expressed a desire that police issue more tickets and arrests at the scene of serious accidents. “That’s the weakness of the law that I would like to see ﬁxed.” Lerner said it’s fine to tout Cooper’s Law as another tool to keep pedestrians safe, “but what is happening to these drivers? Where are they now? People aren’t even given tickets until afterwards.” In Cooper’s case, Komlani wasn’t charged with a failure to exercise due caution violation until eight months after the crash and after considerable pressure from pedestrian advocates. Under Cooper’s Law, Lerner wonders, who is following up on whether TLC drivers are charged with trafﬁc violations in these accidents and initiating investigations? “The question is, shouldn’t Cooper’s Law mean that these drivers are no longer allowed to drive in a cab the minute they’re charged?” she said.

Rosenthal requested her own data from the TLC after she was reached for comment on this story, and said that since the law went into effect, TLC licensees have been involved in 34 accidents where a person was killed or critically injured. Of those, two had their licenses suspended as a result of Cooper’s Law, while another six lost their TLC licenses as a result of other laws. A TLC spokesperson said the two investigations have been initiated under the law since it was put into effect, but “thus far, circumstances have not called for any revocations pursuant to Cooper’s Law.” Rosenthal said she doesn’t know if Cooper’s Law isn’t being applied in enough cases, but agreed that the critical injury stipulation was another weakness. “You’re piquing my interest in thinking about a tweak to the law, but Cooper’s Law only takes into account critical injury or death,” said Rosenthal, who noted her office would be looking into reexamining portions of the law given recent

BARRY LIEBMAN,

ﬁndings. While Lerner doesn’t fault Rosenthal for the way the law is written, she said revelations about its use are evidence of systemic dysfunction in enforcement. “You’ve got all these different agencies, and one of them is assuming the other one is supposed to do something, and no one’s doing it,” said Lerner. “I don’t have a bone to pick with Helen [Rosenthal] about this. I think her heart was in the right place, all of our hearts were in the right place. I think you can’t for one minute believe that the system is going to take care of the victims, and that’s my whole point.” But the limitations of Cooper’s Law had no effect on his friends and supporters, who marched last week with homemade signs and fond memories to the street corner now bearing his name. “Goodbye, my friend,” said one classmate, as 10 blue and orange balloons ﬂoated on the air above West End Avenue, one for every year of Cooper’s life, if he were still alive.

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BE THE NEW YORKER WHO REALLY DOES KNOW IT ALL. AGING IN PLACE: A LECTURE PRESENTED BY RUSK REHABILITATION AT NYU LANGONE MEDICAL CENTER. Join us for a discussion on how to remain in your home safely and independently as you grow older. Our expert will share tips on home products and designs that promote independence, and discuss the beneﬁts of “Aging in Place.” Date: Thursday, June 18, 5 : 30pm – 6 : 45pm. Presenter: Megan Rochford, Occupational Therapist. Location: Ambulatory Care Center. 240 East 38th Street. 11th Floor Conference Room.

Info: This lecture is free and open to the public, but you must RSVP. To attend, call 212.263.6952 or email ruskrsvp@nyumc.org. View past NYU Langone lectures at youtube.com /nyulmc.

JUNE 11-17,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

Voices

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

Poetry

TURNING LEMONS INTO LATTE

$12.50 AN HOUR if you were to ask me straight out i’d tell you the time i’m most haply contented is when alone amidst the souls of Nature adrift on the lake in July surrounded by enclosed within structures spanning the trials of time each with their own persona;

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION BY MARY ZHUO KE

adrift letting the ripples carry the row at the lake’s own pace floating, flowing uptown past the gazebos guided by the funneled breeze until the vessel finds its own niche, a cove mouth of a downhill stream Mother Nature’s own womb-tomb, a microcosm of our own life processes: the flies hum-buzz for fish freshly, fleshly preyed upon; anchored ashore i wonder to what relation these beasts of burden and beasts of prey have to this Sunday sprint, sitting along side the New York Times bare chested … enchanted; the bullfrog is my witness for he now and then has seen it all and croaks and croons to the break of day: “Blue bird, Blue bird, since I am a friend to thee change thou the wind for me” the hour draws to a close, “Hurry up please, it’s time” i row back still flavoring, favoring that isolated moment losing my way a bit at the bend but alas, dock and feed upon a vendor’s fresh lemonade. Russell Aaronson

I want to address multiple points today, but I will start with one, and then we can continue onwards to form a line, since a line is essentially just a string of points. First and foremost, I would like to thank my best friend for being with me for all these years. Four years ago, I remember being apprehensive, but at the same time wanting to know what being another step closer to adulthood was like. These years just passed by so quickly, and we were just bombarded with so many events. But together with my best friend, I learned to have confidence and to not be afraid to show it. Together with her, I learned to be a more affectionate person, and learned to be an open-minded, objective individual. And together with her, I learned how to be a woman, and how to help others to as well. Now who is this best friend? Well of course, my best friend is Cathedral High School. Words cannot express how grateful I am to my best friend. She is caring like Sr. Patricia and Sr. Eileen. She is intelligent and knowledgeable, like my teachers. She can be straightforward and unintentionally funny sometimes, like Ms. Lawlor. She is trendy, like Ms. Spagnuolo and her fashionistas. She even has more flexibility than I can muster, like Mr. Cartolano, who can definitely drop it low. And most importantly, she is my beloved sister, like

the graduating class of 2015 sitting before me. All that Cathedral has to offer reminds me of a basket of lemons. And what do you do with a basket of lemons? You order a venti three-pump, skim milk, light water, no foam, extra hot chai tea latte with a twist of lemon at Starbucks...OF COURSE. It is sad to have to leave you all, but you are approaching something new. At some point in your lives, you might come across failure, family concerns, heartaches, or mental and physical pain. Whenever I experience hardship, I like to think about how my situation could have been worse. So if you ever ﬁnd yourself struggling, know that there is someone else in this world who is probably struggling with you. Nevertheless, look forward to what is to come. When you need guidance, seek it, because you are not meant to live alone in this world. Never forget to show appreciation where it is due, because in this fastpaced world today, genuine gratitude can go a long way. I could not have come this far without God, my family and friends, Sr. Deborah, and Sr. Alice, just to name a few people who are sitting with us on this very day to offer even more support. They

SEND US YOUR GRADUATION SPEECHES Graduation season is here, and we’d love to run your school’s speeches. Send them to us at news@ strausnews.com.

constantly remind me that we are all called to service. We are called to make this world better, using whichever talents we discover within ourselves, just like our predecessors have, and we are called to do so with the virtues of integrity, humility, and generosity. You all will meet incredible

people, in mind and spirit, of all cultures, faiths, and personalities. But embrace this, since this world is similar to a basket of oranges, ﬁlled with dietary ﬁber, potassium, calcium, vitamin C, and an abundance of other ingredients. What do you do with a basket of oranges? You make delicious orange

juice. Thank you. Mary Zhuo Ke is this year’s valedictorian at Cathedral High School in Manhattan. This is an edited version of the speech she delivered at the June 3 ceremony at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

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JUNE 11-17,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

45 Years and Counting

THE WOODWORKERS OF FIRST AVENUE Little Wolf Cabinets has a lineage that goes back to the 1800s BY PANYIN CONDUAH

Every week for the rest of the year, Our Town will celebrate our 45th anniversary by proﬁling a neighborhood business that has been around longer than we have. Know of a local business that should be on our list? Email us at news@strausnews.com Little Wolf Cabinet Shop is an institution on First Avenue, specializing in ﬁne wood work since 1956. But the craftsmanship started way before then, in a town near Munich, Germany. John Wolf Sr. immigrated from there to America, where he would pass on the family trade that had begun in the early 1800s. His grandson, John Wolf Jr., has now taken up the mantle, and tools. Wolf recalls being a child and stepping over the wood pieces in the shop his father ran. “I always knew since

the day I was born that I would be here,” said Wolf. A typical day at the shop starts early, with Wolf assigning his crew of 20 the latest projects, which then get built from top to bottom. Slabs of mahogany, oak, cherry and the most popular, poplar, are transformed into unique pieces – libraries, cabinets, vanities, entertainment centers and desks, among them. The shop, at 12,000 square feet, is bigger than it was decades ago, and now houses late-model saws, lathes and sanders complemented by hand tools. All the work is done in the shop, near 82nd Street. Wolf and his colleagues work closely with their clientele to design the pieces. He describes his customers as “tough clients” but he gives them what they want. When a customer’s suggestion appears prosaic to his staff, they attempt to advance the initial vision into something distinc-

Illustration by John S. Winkleman tive. Wolf said he and his craftsmen pride themselves on unique works. This intimacy is what Wolf enjoys

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ETHEL AND FRIENDS â&#x2013;˛ The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue 5:00â&#x20AC;&#x201C;8:00 p.m., Free with Museum admission ETHEL is one of the most acclaimed string quartets in the contemporary classical ďŹ eld. With an eye on tradition and an ear to the future, ETHEL is a leading force in concert musicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reengagement with musical vernaculars, fusing diverse traditions into a vibrant sound. Expect familiar classical tunes mixed with a fair share of the groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signature, cutting-edge repertoire. Guest artists and collaborators will also make periodic appearances. Relax and enjoy cocktails and appetizers while looking out over the majestic Great Hall. 212-535-7710 http://www.metmuseum.org/ events/programs/concerts-andperformances/

SAMUEL H. KRESS LECTURE IN MUSEUM EDUCATION â&#x20AC;&#x153;AVANTGARDE MUSEUM EDUCATION: THIS TOO SHALL BE A MANIFESTO,â&#x20AC;? Frick Museum, 1 East 70th Street 6 p.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7 p.m., Free, reservations required Innovative and provocative, irreverent yet rigorous, adventurous but ďŹ rmly rooted in reďŹ&#x201A;ective practice, propositions put forth in this lecture place

67th street library, 328 East 67th Street 11 a.m., Free Talk with native speakers and other language learners about current events, New York City, family life, holidays, and much more. For adults 16 years old or older. This program is provided in partnership with New York Cares, a leading volunteer organization that helps people ďŹ nd easy ways to make meaningful, contemporary museum rewarding contributions to education at the forefront and intersection of critical theory and their communities. Led by New York Cares volunteers, this pedagogy, social and cultural program provides an opportunity design, creative and artistic practice, and the reimagining of for intermediate level ESOL speakers to practice speaking a relevant post-museum. English and improve their 212-288-0700 http://www.frick.org/calendar conversational skills. 212-734-1717 ?trumbaEmbed=date%3D2010 http://www.nypl.org/events/ 612#/?i=1 programs/2015/06/07/englishconversation-group

Sat

13 Sun 14

SATURDAY NIGHT SWING DANCE â&#x2013;ź

92nd street Y, 1395 Lexington Avenue 8 p.m., $14 Join us for a fun-ďŹ lled night with Myrna Caceres featuring: *Two Dances In One Special Night!* In our Ballroom: DJ Swing Dance! In our Lounge: DJ Dance Party Mix (Hustle & Latin Dance)! 212-415-5500 http://www.92y.org/Uptown/ Event/Saturday-Night-SwingDance

BRUSH MARKS The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue 11:00 a.m.â&#x20AC;&#x201C;12:00 p.m., free with Museum admission What makes a painting? Look closely at three works in the Modern and Contemporary Art galleries to explore how paint quality and its application contribute to their meaning and effect. 212-535-7710 http://www.metmuseum.org/ events/programs/talks/gallerytalks/brush-marks

WENDY WHELAN & EDWARD WATSON Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Avenue 3 p.m., $40 general, $35 members New York City Center artistic associate Wendy Whelan and The Royal Ballet principal dancer Edward Watson come together for an exciting project featuring new works by Annie-B Parson, Arthur Pita, and DaniĂ¨le Desnoyers. Whelan and

JUNE 11-17,2015

Watson will perform excerpts and participate in a discussion with New York City Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vice president of programming, Stanford Makishi. Coproduced by The Royal Ballet and New York City Center 212â&#x20AC;&#x201C;423â&#x20AC;&#x201C;3575 http://www.guggenheim. org/new-york/calendar-andevents/2015/06/14/wendywhelan-a-edward-watson/

Mon

and Austrian ďŹ lmmakers who helped shape the industry. Many of them emigrated to escape the specter of the Third Reich, others came to take advantage of Hollywoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s offers. This 8-week series presents a sampling of their memorable ďŹ lms. 212-415-5500 http://www.92y.org/Event/ Great-German-AustrianJewish-Filmmakers

SUMMER READS: DEBUT FICTION

Yorkville Library, 222 East 79th Street 1 p.m., Free In 2015, Melville House, an independent publisher based in 96th Street Library, 112 East Brooklyn, will publish exciting 96th Street new novels and literary ďŹ ction. 4 p.m., free Come learn about titles like A Summer Reading KickThe Ghost Network by Catie Off Celebration. With Merlinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guidance young Arthur discovers Disabato, The Deep Sea Diverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Syndrome by Serge Brussolo, that he is the only person who The Happy Marriage by Tahar can pull an embedded sword from itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s massive stone pedestal. Ben Jelloun, Good on Paper by Rachel Cantor, Not on Fire, Recommended for children but Burning by Gregory Hrbek, ages 5 and older. Presented by and Sophia by Michael Bible. the Traveling Lantern Theatre Decide which one youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to Company. read on your beach vacation this 212-289-0908 http://www.nypl.org/events/ summer! 212-744-5824 programs/2015/06/15/swordhttp://www.nypl.org/events/ stone programs/2015/06/06/ summer-reads-debut-ďŹ ction ADULT TECH LAB

THE SWORD IN THE STONE

67th street library, 328 East 67th Street 11 a.m. - 12 p.m., Free Free computer time for the duration of the program!Practice your skills from a previous class or learn how to use the mouse and keyboard if you are new to computers. Feel free to ask brief questions! 212-734-1717 http://www.nypl.org/events/ programs/2015/06/08/adulttech-lab

Tue

GREAT GERMAN AND AUSTRIAN JEWISH FILMMAKERS OF HOLLYWOODâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GOLDEN AGE: SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950, DIR. BILLY WILDER) â&#x2013;ş 92nd street Y, 1395 Lexington Avenue 2 p.m., $30 Throughout Hollywoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Golden Age (1927-1964), some of the greatest artistic inďŹ&#x201A;uence came from the German

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

Wed

GAME ON @ WEBSTER Webster Library, 1465 York Avenue 4 p.m., Free Got the gaming moves? Show off your skills with the controller and challenge your friends to a game in the library. Take part in our tournaments! Or just check out a laptop and browse the Internet.

212-288-5049 http://www.nypl.org/events/ programs/2015/06/03/gamewebster

COMMUNITY BOARD 8 FULL BOARD MEETING New York Blood Center, 310 East 67th Street (First-Second), Auditorium 6:30 p.m., Free Community Board will hold a full board meeting to discuss neighborhood issues. Public Session â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Those who wish to speak during the Public Session must register to do so by 6:45 pm 212-758-4340 http://cb8m.com/events/fullboard-meeting-42

Thu

FILM -- JUAREZ (1939) 96th Street Library, 112 East 96th Street 2 p.m., Free JUAREZ, 1939, 125 min. Directed by WILLIAM DIETERLE. Starring PAUL MUNI, BETTE DAVIS, Brian Aherne, Claude Rains, John GarďŹ eld, Donald Crisp, Joseph Calleia. A revolutionary leader causes the downfall of Emperor Maximilian of Mexico. 212-289-0908 http://www.nypl.org/events/ programs/2015/06/18/ďŹ lmjuarez-1939

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A SUMMER STAPLE TURNS 30 A look back at the origin of the annual music festival SummerStage BY WILLIAM ENGEL

In the 1980s, independent music producer Joe Killian was working with some of the best musicians New York had to offer. Seemingly every style of music, from zydeco to salsa to flamenco to klezmer, passed through Killian’s ears. And then it hit him. Why, he wondered, shouldn’t this privilege be extended to everyone in New York, as opposed to a privileged few in the music industry? “I wanted to curate a series that represented the best of our musical communities,” he said. “I wanted to give an opportunity to these musicians who didn’t have a platform.” In 1985, Killian developed the idea for SummerStage, a free music festival in Central Park, in the hopes of exposing New Yorkers to the esoteric music he heard over the years. “It’s not that New York didn’t have free entertainment,” said Killian. “There was ‘Shakespeare in the Park’, you know. But Shakespeare is an easy draw because he’s got 500 years of being lauded as the greatest English writer.” Now, 30 years later, the festival is still brightening up Central Park and the outer boroughs, with stages in Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island, and shows no signs of

slowing down. This year’s festival, which runs through Sept. 24 at Central Park’s Rumsey Playfield and at venues in each outer borough, will feature performances from the 11-piece Tedeschi Trucks Band, British soul-funk group Jungle and numbers from musical “The Wiz,” among other performances. The festival also offers dance performances, spoken-word readings and film screenings, including a showing of “Time is Illmatic,” a documentary about the life of New York rapper Nas. Erika Elliott, artistic director for SummerStage, said that the spirit of the festival has always been about showcasing new artists, a tenet of its founder. “Conceptually, the goal has always been to use the platform of SummerStage to introduce new talent and new artists, to really celebrate the cultural diversity of the city,” she said. The first act Killian ever booked for SummerStage was an artist he’d long admired but had yet to work with, jazz band Sun Ra and the Omniverse Jet Set Orchestra. Killian had seen composer Sun Ra perform many times in the 1970s and 1980s, and was quick to confirm him as a performer for the inaugural show in 1986. As venues went, Killian saw no better locale than Central Park, which in the mid-‘80s was less scrubbed and family-friendly. “Central Park was a dangerous place,” Killian said. “People look

at that as a negative, but I saw it as an opportunity.” When SummerStage got its start, the New York City Police Department mandated that each show had to end by 6 p.m., Killian said, since the department wasn’t responsible for the park in the evening. Shows started in the afternoon, making them a draw for families. As the years went by, SummerStage began to develop a reputation among musicians. Killian remembers booking New York punk legends Sonic Youth for the 1992 festival. “They said they wanted to perform with Sun Ra,” Killian said. “They, of course, had known Sun Ra had played the ﬁrst SummerStage, which motivated them to say yes to me.” SummerStage isn’t only about giving the floor to new talent. Elliott added that she and her colleagues are always happy to book famous bands and artists. This year will feature performances from rapper Scarface and funk legend George Clinton, among others. “I absolutely want to have artists that are iconic, and the best of the best of any given genre,” Elliot said. But even established artists can sometimes surprise audiences, Killian said. When former Velvet Underground front man Lou Reed played the festival in 1991, he recited some of his spoken word poetry, instead of playing hits from his solo records. Eventually, Killian said, SummerStage was a household name, with Central Park’s stage as a sought-after venue for recording artists. “We cracked it kind of early, but it was only a few years later that it really exploded,” he said. “All of a sudden we became a standard, and artists started saying, ‘I want to play there. It’s a cool place to play.’” For Elliott, a Los Angeles native, SummerStage is a uniquely New York spectacle. “Since I came here, I’ve just been in awe of what SummerStage has to offer,” she said. “In L.A., there are some music festivals, but nothing like what I’ve seen in Central Park.”

JUNE 11-17,2015

Lou Reed reads his spoken word poetry at SummerStage in 1991. Photo by Jack Vartoogian.

“Time is Illmatic,” a documentary about rapper Nas, who performed at SummerStage in 2004, screens at this year’s festival. Photo by Lisa Andracke.

5 TOP

JUNE 11-17,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

FOR THE WEEK BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO OUR ARTS EDITOR

DANCE

KIDS DANCE AT THE JOYCE KIDS DANCE, an ensemble of 40 young dancers, performs three original works by choreographer Eliot Feld, including a premiere of his new work “A Yankee Doodle” along with “KYDZNY” and “Dotty Polkas.” The ensemble is made up of students at Ballet Tech Public School, a tuition-free, audition-based school for promising young dancers. Kids Dance at the Joyce June 11-14 Joyce Theater 175 Eighth Avenue, at 19th Street June 11-13 at 7 p.m., June 13-14 at 2 p.m. Tickets $10-$39 To purchase tickets, visit joyce.org or call 212-242-0800

IN CONVERSATION

FILM

DANCE AS EQUALIZER

“THE WOLFPACK” SNEAK PREVIEW

Dance instructor Susan Slotnick takes her teaching to unlikely locales by working with prison inmates. Slotnick discusses how dance introduces discipline and focus into the lives of inmates and young people. Onetime-incarcerated dancer André Noel performs his solo work “A Change Is Gonna Come,” and young dancers from Slotnick’s company join former inmates and professional dancers in a performance. Dance as Equalizer Friday, June 19 92nd Street Y Buttenwieser Hall Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street 8 p.m. Tickets $15 To purchase tickets, visit 92y.org or call 212415-5500

Crystal Moselle’s documentary film follows the Angulos’, a large family with seven children that live in a Lower East Side housing development and spend most of their time inside: the children were barred from leaving the apartment by their father. In a preview of the film ahead of its June 12 opening, the six Angulos boys join the director for a Q&A. June 11 Walter Reade Theater W. 65th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue 7 p.m. Tickets $18 To purchase tickets, visit filmlinc.com or call 212-875-5601

THEATER

KIDS

“ADA/AVA”

BASEBALL STORY TIME WITH SALLY COOK Sally Cook knows a thing or two about baseball. Her latest book, “How to Speak Baseball: An Illustrated Guide to Ballpark Banter,” reveals the meanings behind some of the sports odd phrases, like “up the elevator.” Her 2007 release, “Hey Batta Batta Swing!: The Wild Old Days of Baseball,” unearths some of the sport’s uncanny history. Baseball Story Time with Sally Cook Saturday, June 13 Book Culture 450 Columbus Ave., at W. 82nd Street 11 a.m. FREE For more information, visit bookculture.com or call 212-595-1962

“ADA/AVA” a multimedia theater work from Chicago’s Manual Cinema, melds puppetry, live music and theater elements into the story about Ada, a woman in her 70s who struggles after the death of her twin sister. The performance employs more than three hundred shadow puppets, overheard projection and silhouettes of live actors. “ADA/AVA” June 16-July 5 Three-Legged Dog 80 Greenwich St., between Rector and Edgar Streets Assorted show times Tickets $24 To purchase tickets, visit thetanknyc.org or call 212-563-6269 To be included in the Top 5 go to ourtownny.com and click on submit a press release or announcement.

ACTIVITIES FOR THE FERTILE MIND

thoughtgallery.org NEW YORK CITY

Making of the Mob NY: A Conversation with Chazz Palminteri, Meyer Lansky II, Sewlyn Raab and Stephen David

THURSDAY, JUNE 11TH, 8:15PM 92nd Street Y | 1395 Lexington Ave. | 212-415-5500 | 92y.org An expert panel discusses the rise of godfathers and kingpins in anticipation of AMC’s new series on New York mobsters. ($30)

Annual Sake Lecture & Tasting: Demystifying Sake

MONDAY, JUNE 15TH, 6:30PM Japan Society | 33 E. 47th St. | 212-832-1155 | japansociety.org Thirty varieties of rice wine will be on hand as expert John Gauntner guides palates through the ﬁne distinctions between ginjo and daiginjo, honjozo and junmai. ($39)

Just Announced: Penn & Teller

THURSDAY, JULY 2ND, 6:30PM The TimesCenter | 242 W. 41st St. | 888-698-1870 | timestalks.com Thirty years after their New York debut, hear from illusionists Penn Jillette and Teller as they prepare for their Broadway return. ($40)

For more information about lectures, readings and other intellectually stimulating events throughout NYC,

JUNE 11-17,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS MAY 30 - JUN 5, 2015

Vinus And Marc

1825 2 Avenue

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.

Korali Estiatorio

1662 3Rd Ave

Not Yet Graded (19) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked ﬁsh and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Three Decker Restaurant

1746 2 Avenue

Inﬁrmary

1720 2 Avenue

Grade Pending (18) Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Hot Jalapeno Restaurant

219 East 116 Street

Superior Cafe

1490 Madison Ave

Not Yet Graded (26) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Food worker does not use proper utensil to eliminate bare hand contact with food that will not receive adequate additional heat treatment. Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewageassociated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.

New Fa Shing Chinese Restaurant

2107 3Rd Ave

Not Yet Graded (30) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/ sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. Food 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.

Cafe Ruquetta

419 East 70 Street

Grade Pending (27) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours. Food Protection Certiﬁcate not held by supervisor of food operations.

Oita Sushi

1317A 2nd Ave

Tatany

1400 2nd Ave

Grade Pending (19) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Shabu-Shabu 70 Restaurant

314 East 70 Street

Dallas Bbq

1265 3 Avenue

New Beijing Wok

1324 2 Avenue

Grade Pending (20) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Trend Diner

1382 2 Avenue

Creative Juice

203 East 85 Street

The Gilroy

1561 2nd Ave

Va Bene

1589 Second Avenue

Giovanni 25

25 East 83 Street

Subway

1885 3 Avenue

Subway

1661 1 Avenue

Wimpys Restaurant

23 East 109 Street

Taco Today

1659 1 Avenue

La Corsa

123 East 110 Street

Sushi Suki Yorker

1577 York Avenue

Midnight Express

1715 2 Avenue

Grade Pending (26) Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or nonfood areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored. Wiping cloths soiled or not stored in sanitizing solution.

Grade Pending (19) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked ﬁsh and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food Protection Certiﬁcate not held by supervisor of food operations.

The Guthrie Inn

1259 Park Avenue

Grade Pending (20) Evidence of rats or live rats present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. 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.

Hale And Hearty

1562 3Rd Ave

Grade Pending (22) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Food Passion Park Ave

1080 Park Avenue

Grade Pending (17) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked ﬁsh and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Sfoglia Restaurant

135 East 92 Street

Wine Bar & Ristorante

1742 2 Avenue

Saba’s Pizza

1376 Lexington Avenue

Grade Pending (22) 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. Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.

Pip’s Place

1729-31 1 Avenue

Grade Pending (22) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked ﬁsh and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

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

Email us at news@strausnews.com

JUNE 11-17,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

In Brief

Business

TENANT NOTIFICATION BILL NOW LAW Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer and Councilmember Rosie Mendez recently passed legislation requiring landlords to provide tenants with advance notice for non-emergency repair work that will result in disruptions to building services. The new law establishes a general baseline of 24 hours’ advance notice for most work. For work affecting elevators, the bill requires 10 business days’ notice for major alteration work and 24 hours’ notice for any other work that will suspend all elevator service for more than two hours. Mendez and Brewer said the legislation closes a gaping hole in the city’s tenant-protection laws, which previously did not provide any advance-notice requirements. “Before this law, a wheelchair-bound tenant could leave for work in the morning and return in the evening to ﬁnd the elevator offline for hours, having never heard a whisper about it. Now tenants will have a right to fair warning and an opportunity to plan around disruptive maintenance work,” said Brewer. “It’s also no secret that no-notice quality-of-life disruptions labeled as ‘maintenance work’ are a frequent harassment tactic to push tenants out of rent-stabilized apartments. The new notice requirements in this law will be easy for honest, everyday landlords and building managers to respect, but they will take another harassment tool away from abusive landlords.”

DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES NEW LABOR AGREEMENT Mayor Bill de Blasio and other officials recently announced a deal on several new labor agreements with the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York that the administration says will cover an estimated $8 billion of construction projects and will save the city over $347 million. This amount includes an estimated savings of over $70 million related to citywide renovation work, over $84 million related to Department of Environmental Protection renovation work, and over $195 million related to School Construction Authority work, according to City Hall. The Health and Hospitals Corporation is also analyzing whether to enter into a PLA that will yield additional savings. In negotiating the current citywide renovation and labor agreements, the city said it focused on methods to increase opportunities for Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises, and created notable exemptions within the agreement to improve M/WBE participation in city construction work. The city and the BCTC also entered into a Memorandum of Understanding focusing on increasing opportunities for women, new high school graduates of the city’s public schools, returning veterans and employees of certified M/WBEs by providing them with expanded career paths to good-paying construction jobs through apprenticeships. “We are using every tool we have to reduce inequality in this city, and today’s agreement will ensure that the city will create good-paying jobs while managing our city projects in a cost-effective and fiscally responsible manner,” said de Blasio. “And for the first time ever, the city has negotiated provisions to open doors of economic opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses and create new pathways to good jobs for New Yorkers.” Maya Wiley, counsel to the mayor and M/WBE Director, said the agreements will insure that city investments will create a pathway to prosperity for a diverse group of workers and business owners who help build our city. “Everybody wins,” said Wiley. “M/WBEs, veterans, women of all races and workers from traditionally disadvantaged backgrounds. Together we will turn the tide on inequality and build one city, rising together.”

SEEING SECOND AVENUE THROUGH AN APP NEWS Reaching out to businesses hurt by subway construction BY PANYIN CONDUAH

Businesses on Second avenue have a new way of reaching out to their customers: there’s an app for that. Nancy Ploeger, president of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, along with Councilmembers Ben Kallos and David Garodnick, announced the launch of the Second Ave. app last month. The app is designed to help businesses that have been hurt by the ongoing construction of

the Second Ave. subway. The app gives users easy access to the 457 businesses along the avenue. “We have a lot of young people around Second Avenue and of course everyone using apps today,” said Ploeger. Kallos and Garodnick helped ﬁnd money for the project, allocating $10,000 to bring the idea to life. According to Kallos, public-private partnership was an essential model for supporting the small businesses that suffer because of necessary infrastructure improvements. Out of the seven software companies that applied, Liquid Talent was chosen to design the application. Nine months after the contract was signed, the applica-

tion came to existence. Throughout the process, the businesses gave their feedback after participating in beta testing. Web portals for people who are less tech savvy are also available online to post offerings for the phone app. Ploeger sees the app helpging businesses such as restaurants and retailers who are constantly changing their menus and promoting specials. She also hopes businesses like beauty salons can make use of the technology to create an online presence. Since this app is meant to continue past the completion of the subway line, Ploeger plans on working with owners to make the most use of it. “It enables them to have a free

way to market themselves,” she said. Aside from the app, the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce is hoping to promote business the old school way, launching “Mondays on Second.” Every Monday for the entire summer, a business on Second Avenue will be profiled and then promoted via social media platforms. Dave Goodside, owner of the Beach Cafe, is hoping the app brings in business. “It’s a great way for consumers that either are philanthropic at heart and want to keep these Second Avenue stores going or people who just like a good value,” he said. The 2nd Avenue app is now available for both iPhones and Androids.

JUNE 11-17,2015

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DRAGGING MEN TO THE DOCTOR’S OFFICE HEALTH June is men’s health awareness month Despite having higher rates of death and lower life expectancy than women, men are half as likely to visit a doctor for an annual physical as women. Men should see a doctor at least once a year for a physical exam. Keeping track of changes in one’s health and body is the best way to detect problems early, before they become serious. Here are a few important numbers which are checked during a physical: • PSA level: Prostate-speciﬁc antigen is a substance produced by the prostate. High PSA levels may indicate prostate cancer, an enlarged prostate, an infection (prostatitis), or another issue or condition. • Cholesterol: High cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, two of the top ﬁve leading causes of death for men in the United States. • Weight: Being overweight or obese can cause or contribute to a host of medical problems, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, joint problems and osteoarthritis, sleep apnea and gallstones. • Liver Enzyme Levels: Checked as part of a routine blood test, the presence of elevated numbers of certain liver enzymes can be an early indicator of liver damage or disease. “We want to change the way men look at annual doctor visits, and give them better reasons to go more often,” said Ash Tewari, professor and chair of the Department of Urology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Mount Sinai Health System. “Men need

to be aware of the importance of regular medical care, from their general physical and mental health to issues and conditions specific to men.” • Women are 100 percent more likely to visit the doctor for annual examinations and preventive services than men. • Men die at higher rates than women from the top 10 causes of death. • Although 115 males are conceived for every 100 females, women outnumber men eight to one by age 100. • 1 in 7 men will develop prostate cancer • Family history is a significant predictor for prostate cancer. A man with a father or brother who has had prostate cancer is twice as likely to develop it himself. Jeffrey Markowitz, an attorney and administrative judge, went for a routine blood test in 2014 and learned that he had an elevated PSA, a sign of prostate cancer. Even at the relatively young age of 43, he had known he was at a high risk of the disease. As an African American, his race, combined with a family history, meant he had to be careful. African Americans are more than two times as likely to die from prostate cancer as Caucasians. His doctor referred him to Tewari, who confirmed the diagnosis of prostate cancer. After eight months of active surveillance, a second biopsy showed the cancer had progressed. Tewari used robotic surgery to remove Markowitz’s prostate on April 7, 2015. Almost two months postsurgery, he is feeling great. “I want to help ease the stress of the unknown, the details, like what happens when the catheter is removed. I was terrified

of what I assumed would be painful, but the support of my family and care team helped carry me through,” he said. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men, and it can be very treatable when detected early. The stage of prostate cancer at diagnosis is the best indicator of survival, which emphasizes the importance of regular health screenings. By understanding the risks and warning signs, men who develop prostate cancer can improve their outcomes. New advances in treatment include: • Active Surveillance and Anxiety: A prostate cancer diagnosis does not necessarily call for immediate intervention. In some cases, actively monitoring and keeping an eye on tumors on the prostate is preferable to surgery. However, in many cases, patients who are prescribed an active surveillance regimen develop anxiety because of the disease and opt for surgery. • Fusion Biopsy and Focal Therapy: Fusion-guided biopsy is an imaging technique which combines MRI and ultrasound imaging to better visualize the prostate during procedures. The ability to utilize fusion-guided biopsy will allow doctors to use focal therapy, a method of treating only the cancerous areas of the prostate, leaving the rest of the gland unaffected. This precise treatment technique presents a contrast to traditional approaches, where removing the entire prostate leaves patients safe from cancer, but facing profound sexual and urinary side effects.

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Dining Information, plus crime news, real estate prices - all about your part of town

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JUNE 11-17,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

Real Estate Sales Neighborhd

Address

Price

Beekman

415 E 52 St.

Beekman

Bed Bath Agent

Sutton Place

424 E 57 St.

2250000

1485000

Sutton Place

424 E 57 St.

322500

415 E 52 St.

692500

Sutton Place

333 E 53 St.

475000

Carnegie Hill

25 E 86 St.

2907000

Sotheby’s International Realty

Sutton Place

400 E 59 St.

520000

Keller Williams Nyc

Carnegie Hill

45 E 89 St.

2195000

Nestseekers

Sutton Place

36 Sutton Place South

1550000

Brown Harris Stevens

Carnegie Hill

1150 Park Ave.

1700000

Warburg

Sutton Place

430 E 57 St.

1110000

Corcoran

865512

Douglas Elliman

Carnegie Hill

162 E 91 St.

410000

Triplemint

Sutton Place

411 E 53 St.

Carnegie Hill

15 E 91 St.

3800000

Nestseekers

Turtle Bay

309 E 49 St.

1350000

Lenox Hill

160 E 65 St.

1150000

Judy Rubin Re

Turtle Bay

45 Tudor City Place

800000

Lenox Hill

200 E 66Th St.

3044567

Turtle Bay

150 E 49 St.

775000

Turtle Bay

223 E 50 St.

495000

Lenox Hill

737 Park Ave.

32658763

Lenox Hill

435 E 65 St.

514000

Turtle Bay

251 E 51 St.

605000

Douglas Elliman

Lenox Hill

301 E 64 St.

395000

Turtle Bay

255 E 49 St.

1575000

Corcoran

Lenox Hill

420 E 72 St.

744186

Turtle Bay

310 E 46 St.

630000

Space Marketing Shop

Town Residential

Keller Williams Nyc

Sotheby’s International Realty

Corcoran

Douglas Elliman

Lenox Hill

1175 York Ave.

799000

Turtle Bay

845 United Nations Plaza

2700000

Lenox Hill

220 E 67 St.

1250000

Turtle Bay

301 E 48 St.

945000

Lenox Hill

233 E 69 St.

1585000

Turtle Bay

235 E 49 St.

580000

Lenox Hill

149 E 62 St.

300000

Upper E Side

404 E 79 St.

3972500

Lenox Hill

147 E 63 St.

10500000

Upper E Side

303 E 77Th St.

2400000

Lenox Hill

315 E 70 St.

1070000

Rp Miller Realty Group

Upper E Side

1035 5 Ave.

10350000

Lenox Hill

300 E 71 St.

825000

Corcoran

Upper E Side

930 Park Ave.

5700000

Lenox Hill

425 E 63 St.

765000

Upper E Side

1036 Park Ave.

400000

Lenox Hill

118 E 60 St.

850000

Sotheby’s International Realty

Upper E Side

404 E 79 St.

1407500

Lenox Hill

605 Park Ave.

1650000

Stribling

Upper E Side

151 E 85 St.

3700000

Corcoran

Lenox Hill

116 E 68 St.

8700000

Brown Harris Stevens

Upper E Side

343 E 74 St.

1500000

Warburg

Lenox Hill

860 5 Ave.

4750000

Corcoran

Upper E Side

179 E 79 St.

709500

Douglas Elliman

Upper E Side

305 E 72 St.

326000

Citi Habitats

Upper E Side

106 E 85 St.

2650000

Corcoran

Upper E Side

1438 3 Ave.

2770000

Upper E Side

120 E 75 St.

1600000 650000

Douglas Elliman

Corcoran

Rich Associates Real Estate Llc

Lenox Hill

30 E 65 St.

1900000

Lenox Hill

150 E 72Nd St.

8750000

Lenox Hill

200 E 66Th St.

2851100

Lenox Hill

44 E 67 St.

Midtown E

325 Lexington Ave.

1191352

Upper E Side

1474 3 Ave.

Midtown E

325 Lexington Ave.

1069162

Corcoran

Yorkville

48 E End Ave.

405000

Midtown E

225 E 57 St.

495000

Ian K. Katz Residential

Yorkville

1725 York Ave.

740000

Midtown E

245 E 54 St.

639000

Yorkville

444 E 84 St.

390000

Midtown E

140 E 56 St.

790000

Yorkville

444 E 86 St.

595000

Midtown E

325 Lexington Ave.

2464165

Yorkville

205 E 85 St.

4492000

Midtown South

244 Madison Ave.

550000

Yorkville

515 E 85 St.

635503

Midtown South

220 Madison Ave.

1300000

Yorkville

444 E 86 St.

641000

Yorkville

235 E 87 St.

367500

Yorkville

340 E 93 St.

475000

Yorkville

1623 3 Ave.

1270000

Yorkville

301 E 79 St.

860000

444 E 87 St.

282000

Owner

Town Residential

Murray Hill

320 E 42 St.

395000

Murray Hill

300 E 40 St.

1795000

Murray Hill

211 Madison Ave.

1100000

Murray Hill

7 Park Ave.

560000

Charles Rutenberg

Elegran

Murray Hill

305 E 40 St.

395000

Voda Bauer Real Estate

Yorkville

Murray Hill

144 E 36 St.

1180000

Brown Harris Stevens

Yorkville

401 E 86 St.

1287500

Murray Hill

225 E 34 St.

750000

Douglas Elliman

Yorkville

10 Gracie Square

3550000

Murray Hill

35 Park Ave.

500000

0.5 1

Douglas Elliman

Yorkville

505 E 82 St.

390000

Murray Hill

235 E 40 St.

1286000

Halstead Property

Murray Hill

25 Tudor City Place

276900

Neighborhood

Address

Sale Price

Baths Source Label

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

JUNE 11-17,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

SUMMER CAMP WHERE KIDS GO TO GROW Summer is growing season at YMCA Camp. Kids develop core values, learn new skills, make new friends, and have loads of fun in the process. Register for Vanderbilt Y Day Camp today. It’s where kids grow as much on the inside as they’re growing on the outside. We offer a variety of day camp programs for youth. Programs are offered at the Vanderbilt Y, located at 224 E. 47th Street, New York; and the Julia Richman Complex located at 317 E. 67th Street, New York.

Questions? Racquel Arjun | rarjun@ymcanyc.org | 212.912.2516 Lisa Garcia | lgarcia@ymcanyc.org | 212.912.2520

CAMPS OFFERED KINDER CAMP (Entering kindergarten September 2015) TRADITIONAL DAY CAMP (Ages 5-12) SPORTS CAMP (Ages 5-12) DANCE CAMP (Ages 6-9) THEATER CAMP (Ages 9-12) SWIM CAMP (Ages 6-12) MIDDIE CAMP (Ages 12-14) TEEN CAMP (Ages 14-17) For dates, rates and full descriptions of our camps, please view our Day Camp Guide. LEARN MORE ymcanyc.org/vanderbilt/pages/day-camp

JUNE 11-17,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

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JUNE 11-17,2015

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YOUR 15 MINUTES

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

STAYING HOME AND HAVING FUN Emily Skeggs auditioned for a lead part in the hit Broadway musical Fun Home on a Monday and was on stage two days later

entertaining shows. There are times we need to just laugh and enjoy ourselves and have something make us feel happy. However, there’s also room in this world for shows that make you think a little bit differently about the world around you. Fun Home is a real story, it’s someone’s life brought alive on stage and is something you’ve never seen before on Broadway.

BY RACHEL SOKOL

Broadway’s newest hit musical Fun Home — based on the graphic novel Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel — officially opened to rave reviews this season. Currently, Emily Skeggs plays teenage Alison (called Medium Alison) in the production, which explores the confusing, strained relationship between a father — a veteran, English teacher and funeral home director who struggles with his sexuality — and his daughter (Alison, portrayed by three different actresses, including Skeggs) a lesbian and professional artist who takes theater-goers on a complex and emotional journey through her childhood memories. In her debut role, Skeggs, a New York City native, was Tony-nominated for Best Featured Actress in a Musical (though the award went to an actress from “The King and I.”) As she prepped for the big night, (“I’ve actually never been to Radio City Music Hall — crazy, right?” she exclaimed) Skeggs talked about the musical and the city she calls her home.

“Fun Home” sounds like this jubilant, upbeat show, but it’s much deeper than that. The story is about truth and honesty and being true to ourselves and what happens when you don’t allow The cast of Fun Home. Photo: Joan Marcus yourself to be who you are — and who can’t relate to over the city and is incredibly diverse. that? Hopefully, after the show, peoYou get a cross-section of interests ple walk away having learned someand everyone has a passion for something about the world and themselves. thing. The school keeps you focused It’s socially and politically changing during a time in your life when it can the face of commercial Broadway be hard to live in New York City while theatre right now, and it’s exciting to ﬁguring out who you are as a teenager, meet people who feel changed in a way and what you want to do. LaGuardia they wouldn’t necessarily feel if they can help you with that; it’s a really cool saw something else. place. OK, native New Yorker — tell us about

your favorite hangouts in the city. Where were you when you found out you were nominated for a Tony? Smushed into a Subaru! I’m part of a group called The Shakespearean Jazz Show; we mold the rhythm of Shakespeare with New Orleans jazz. I sing and dance in the band, which we formed at Emerson College. I was traveling with my bandmates on the way to a middle school assembly and we live-streamed the nominations on my friend’s iPhone and just started screaming when my name was announced. I didn’t think I’d be nominated! I’ve lived on the Upper West Side my whole life, except for college, and people who watched me grow up in the neighborhood have been congratulating me, which is so nice.

You graduated from LaGuardia High School. What did you love about it? Emily Skeggs in Fun Home, at the Circle in the Square Theatre. Photo: Joan Marcus

LaGuardia attracts students from all

When Fun Home ﬁrst ran off-Broadway at The Public Theatre, you replaced the original Medium Alison. How was the audition process? I already knew about the show; the Public Theater just knows how to nurture young, new shows that just need love — they give them a platform to do what they need to do. When I had the chance to audition, I was in a good, confident place in my life and I was ready to go. I auditioned on a Monday and went on stage that Wednesday. I took over role halfway through the run and I haven’t stopped working since. It’s been a whirlwind. Fun Home came along at a time when I was just ready.

What do you want people to know about Fun Home, if they haven’t seen it yet? I think that there is a huge place in this world for big, glitzy, glamorous,

I get my morning coffee at Plowshares Coffee Roasters and sometimes stop by this great bar called the Dive Bar. It used to be the epitome of a dive bar, but now it has all this fancy artwork on the walls for sale. The Upper West Side is constantly changing, which has been exciting to see over the years. I also love walking around Riverside Park where I spent lots of time as a kid. Fun Home is playing at Circle in the Square Theatre. To learn more about Emily Skeggs, visit: www.emilyskeggs.com

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HEALTH SERVICES

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Notice is hereby given that LJ202 LLC has applied for a Sidewalk Café Permit to serve food at 1496 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10075. Request for copies of the proposed revocable consent agreement may be addressed to: Department of Consumer Affairs, Attn: FOIL Ofﬁcer, 42 Broadway, New York, NY 10004.

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(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

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Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

One block north. That’s where we want Mayor de Blasio to move a ramp planned to carry 150 garbage trucks a day through the heart of our 91st Street campus, which provides community sports and ﬁtness for 1 million visits annually — including 400,000 kids.

We’re grateful to those who’ve joined us: Comptroller Scott Stringer Public Advocate Letitia James Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney State Senator Liz Krueger Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer Council Member Ben Kallos Council Member Margaret Chin Council Member Costa Constantinides

Council Member Rafael Espinal, Jr. Council Member Daniel Garodnick Council Member Vanessa Gibson Council Member Corey Johnson Council Member Stephen Levin Council Member Mark Levine Council Member Rosie Mendez Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez Council Member Deborah Rose

Council Member Helen Rosenthal Council Member Ritchie Torres Council Member Mark Treyger Manhattan Community Board 8 CIVITAS Residents for Sane Trash Solutions And more than 10,000 New Yorkers

Now, we just need one more name. Mayor de Blasio, please join us. Together we can work toward a safer Asphalt Green, a safer Community and a safer New York City.

movetheramp.org Asphalt Green is a nonproﬁt organization dedicated to assisting individuals of all ages and backgrounds achieve health through a lifetime of sports and ﬁtness. We deliver free and lowcost community programs to over 31,000 children annually in schoolyards, gymnasiums and pools across New York City.