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10-16 2015
POLICE INVESTIGATING COP IMPERSONATIONS
A proposal to install bus shelters on Fifth Avenue along Central Park, such as this one on West End Avenue, has garnered praise and criticism. Photo: Richard Khavkine
Persons allegedly posing as city officers questioned tenants in their 93rd Street apartments about their residency status BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS
Police on the Upper West Side have opened an investigation into reports that individuals posing as city police officers fraudulently gained access to a building on West 93rd Street and questioned two of the tenants there about their residency status. The incident occurred on Aug. 20. According to the building manager, Porfirio Gonzalez, three men entered 50 West 93rd St. and bypassed the front desk by flashing badges and telling the doorman they were from the NYPD. “I don’t know what they came to us for,” Gonzalez said. He said two detectives from the 24th Precinct came to look at surveillance footage. “[The detectives] took some pictures of the three guys that were here, but they didn’t recognize them,” said Gonzalez, who noted the unknown men were in the building for less than 20 minutes. “They’re not from the precinct.” “They were asking the tenants how long they lived there and who lived with them,” he added. Both tenants are rent stabilized, Gonzalez said. The entire building, according to staff, is also rent stabilized. Gonzalez said the police took possession of the surveillance tapes for their investigation. A police source familiar with the incident said officials from the 24th Precinct met with building residents and staff on Aug. 25 and that an investiga-
CONTINUED ON PAGE 9
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A PLACE TO SIT ON FIFTH AVENUE NEWS A proposal for bus shelters along the thoroughfare gets an airing BY RICHARD KHAVKINE
Beauty and expediency are skirmishing along Fifth Avenue. The tussle got a public airing during a Community Board 8 committee hearing last week, following an Upper East Side resident’s suggestion that bus shelters be installed on Fifth Avenue along Central Park. Betty Cooper Wallerstein, who takes daily bus trips, said Fifth Avenue is among very few major city thoroughfares without the signature rectangular glass and steel shells. She said the shelters are a necessity, particularly since so many bus lines travel along the thoroughfare.
At present, people who travel the avenue by bus have no choice but to stand beside the road to ensure their buses stop to pick them up, she said. And on rainy or snowy days, doing so can be unpleasant at best, particularly for those going home following their workdays at any number of Upper East Side businesses and institutions. “You can wait a very long time” for buses, said Wallerstein, a former CB8 board member. “There are priorities and I think it’s very important to have the amenities.” Wallerstein’s suggestion drew opposition, some of it pronounced, from members of the Carnegie Hill Neighbors associaton, who said that the avenue’s charm would be compromised by placement of shelters onto the cobblestone sidewalks. Lo van der Valk said that although he was “sympathetic” to Waller-
stein’s suggestion, it merited careful study, not least since Fifth Avenue is inundated with bus traffic. “We have to weigh the other aspects of an initiative like this,” he said. “One of the aspects is that Central Park is a jewel and so is Fifth Avenue and what we’ve noticed is that bus shelters often carry with them a lot of lighting and advertising and that’s going to detract from our iconic Fifth Avenue.” David Stoll was more forthright, calling Wallerstein’s proposal “an awful idea.” “Aesthetics matter,” he said, calling the park side of Fifth Avenue “special.” “To clutter it with plastic and metal would be a real shame. We have enough ugliness in the city, we don’t need more,” he said.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
Our Take THE POPE’S NEW YORK MOMENT Never have the man, the message, and the moment been better aligned than in this month’s visit to New York by Pope Francis. At a time when New Yorkers, like many other Americans, are wrestling with homelessness, immigration and income inequality, along comes Francis, with pitch-perfect timing, to take them all on. The pope, who not only has never been to the Big Apple but whose aides have admitted he hasn’t had much interest, is determined not to waste the moment: his itinerary pretty much bypasses the Manhattan types who tend to swoon at big celebrity, and focuses instead on New Yorkers who have found themselves on the losing end of the city’s astonishing economic transformation. Among them: migrants from Central America and elsewhere, many of whom work in the shadows of the city for fear of deportation. Francis will give a blessing to a group of them on Sept. 25, at a Catholic school in East Harlem. You don’t have to be Catholic to be astonished, and moved, by Pope Francis. The power and timing of his message could not be more welcome, in this city, at this moment in history.
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WHAT’S MAKING NEWS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD FALLING TREE INJURES FIVE IN BRYANT PARK
It happened around 4 p.m. near an entrance to the popular Manhattan park at 40th Street and Sixth Avenue. A police spokesman says three women and two men were hospitalized with minor injuries. He says the most seriously injured
New York City fire officials say five people have been injured after a tree in Bryant Park split and part of the tree fell.
was a 23-year-old woman, who suffered a broken arm. Witness Alex Gale tells WABC-TV he heard a loud crack then saw several people on the ground. Officers have removed the fallen tree limbs from the park. The parks department says it will investigate what caused the tree to break apart. The Bryant Park Corporation, which operates the park, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. AP
“Carey is a friend to all who have the pleasure of meeting him,” Cuomo said in a statement. “I ask that New Yorkers join us by keeping him, his wife Trenelle and his family in their prayers at this time.” “This tragic shooting — this one by another seemingly random bullet — is the latest heartbreaking reminder that the crime of gun violence must stop. Enough young, innocent people have died, and it must stop now.” DNAinfo. com
CUOMO STAFFER SHOT AT WEST INDIAN PARADE
KENNEDY AIRPORT DOC ACCUSED OF PEDDLING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS
A staffer for Gov. Andrew Cuomo is in critical condition after being shot in the head near the West Indian Parade route early Monday morning, officials said. Carey Gabay, First Deputy General Counsel at Empire State Development, was hit by gunfire at about 3:40 a.m. on Bedford Avenue near Montgomery Street, according to police. The 43-year-old appeared to be an innocent bystander, police sources said. No arrests have been made. Gabay is listed in critical condition at Kings County Hospital, according to Cuomo’s office. The Harvard graduate, who Cuomo described as a “kind-hearted man,” joined the administration in 2011 and formerly served as Assistant Counsel to the governor.
A doctor who has an office at New York’s Kennedy Airport is accused of selling oxycodone prescriptions to his patients, prosecutors said in announcing his arrest. Dr. Gerald Surya, 45, was arrested Thursday morning at his Long Island home on 26 counts of criminal sale of a prescription, said Bridget Brennan, New York City’s special narcotics prosecutor. Surya has treated airline pilots, but prosecutors said none of the patients who bought the prescriptions were airline pilots. Surya was awaiting arraignment Thursday afternoon at Manhattan Criminal Court and it was unclear whether he had an attorney who could comment on his behalf. A woman who
answered the phone at the doctor’s home declined to comment on his arrest. Surya, whose office is in a medical facility at the airport, is accused of writing prescriptions for people who didn’t need them. Oxycodone is a narcotic used to treat pain. According to authorities, Surya had been charging patients $60 for each prescription when they started their probe in 2013, but raised the price to $100 after investigators raided his Kennedy Airport office in July 2014. Prosecutors said Surya, who had a second office in Valley Stream, often sold multiple prescriptions to patients for their families and friends. In some cases, a patient would leave the doctor’s office with numerous prescriptions written for other people who never saw the doctor, Brennan said. Detectives and federal agents raided Surya’s office Thursday morning and seized medical records, financial documents and computer equipment, prosecutors said. Surya is a senior aviation medical examiner, meaning he is designated by the Federal Aviation Administration to be able to perform medical examinations on pilots and issue medical certificates. A spokeswoman for the FAA did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
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SEPTEMBER 10-16,2015
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CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG
CAR CRASHES INTO TRADE CENTER SECURITY BARRIER Police say a motorist who plowed into a security barrier outside the World Trade Center has been arrested on drunken driving charges. A Port Authority of New York and New Jersey police spokesman says the barrier wasn’t damaged in the crash. It happened around 1:30 p.m. Friday at the high-security site in lower Manhattan. Police spokesman Joe Pentangelo says driver Paul Cederdahl of Red Bank, New Jersey, was swaying and speaking incoherently after crashing his Volvo, and officers found an open bottle of vodka on the passengerside floor. No one was injured. The voice mailbox for a number listed to Cederdahl wasn’t
accepting messages, and it’s unclear whether he has a lawyer who can comment on the charges.
APARTMENT DWELLER ASSAULTED At 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 23, a 43-year-old woman told police she came home to her apartment at 316 West 97th St. While entering her dwelling, she was hit over the head with an unknown object, causing her to black out. When she woke up, she found that her belt was undone and the top button of her pants was open. She told police that she may have been the victim of a sexual assault, but later withdrew that statement. Items were also taken from her house, including a case of Boost energy drink, a New York backpack valued at $30, $60 in cash, and a variety of medications, including Klonopin, Morphine, and Oxycodone.
INFINITY SETBACK A car burglar proved a pain in the neck to a visitor from Great Neck. At 9 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 29, a 54-year-old man
parked his black 2013 Infinity opposite 101 West 90th St. When he returned to check on the vehicle at 11:45 a.m., he noticed that the back passenger’s-side window was broken and property was missing from inside the car. Video may have captured the break-in. Items stolen included a headrest DVD valued at $3,800, a home inspection device tool worth $600, Maui Jim sunglasses tagged at $400, a DVD remote worth $300, miscellaneous cosmetics valued at $300, a side window priced at $300, and $100 in quarters. The total stolen came to $5,800.
WAY OF LIFE Yet another sleek motorcycle disappeared from a city street, this time during a period of just two and a half hours. At 10 p.m. on Wednesday, August 26, a 38-year-old man parked his cycle in front of 120 West 97th St. When he returned at 12:30 a.m., he found that his bike was missing. Police searched the area but could not locate the missing two-wheeler. The stolen bike was a black 2008 Suzuki 1000 with PA plates
The local paper for Downtown own
STATS FOR THE WEEK Reported crimes from the 19th Precinct for Aug. 24 to Aug. 30 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
7
6
16.7
Robbery
2
1
100.0
62
57
8.8
Felony Assault
4
4
0.0
81
70
15.7
Burglary
4
6
-33.3
107
143
-25.2
Grand Larceny
32
26
23.1
858
859
-0.1
Grand Larceny Auto
2
1
100.0
53
50
6.0
2788J, valued at $7,000.
ELDERLY WOMAN SCAM An Upper West Side senior became the latest victim of the dreaded grandchild telephone scam. At 9 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 24, an 84-year-old woman received a call from an unknown person pretending to be her granddaughter, stating that she had gotten into a vehicle accident and needed money
to fix the damage. The dutiful grandmother bought the story and wired $3,655 to one José Castillo in the Dominican Republic.
THREE LARGE TOGO When someone asks you to wire money for a New York City apartment to a foreign country, you may be getting scammed. At 8:50 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 27, a 22-year-old woman went to see an apartment for rent at
1747 Thompson St. She had made arrangements online with a Joe Bridges and had made three Western Union payments totaling $3,100. When she actually arrived to see the apartment, Mr. Bridges did not respond or show up. She told police that she only interacted with the suspect online or over the phone and that all her wire transactions had been sent to Lomé, Togo in West Africa.
4
SEPTEMBER 10-16,2015
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Useful Contacts
45 Years and Counting
POLICE NYPD 19th Precinct
153 E. 67th St.
212-452-0600
159 E. 85th St.
311
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
FIRE FDNY 22 Ladder Co 13
FIRST AVENUE PIZZA, BY WAY OF GREECE
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
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At Sutton Pizza, little has changed except the prices BY MICKEY KRAMER
Our Town is celebrating 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 Hanging in the front window of Sutton Pizza is a framed paper menu from 1969. A large cheese pizza cost $2. Eggplant a la Parmigiana set you back $1.80. Meatball hero: 75 cents and half-a-buck for beer. The prices, but little else, have changed for the neighborhood pizza joint established in 1967 on First Avenue between 62nd and 63rd streets. The eatery was opened by Nick God (full Greek name kept a family secret), and is now run by his three sons, Pete, Greg, and Jim. Greg, 63, has been behind the counter tossing the dough and cooking for about 45 years and considers his bestmade dish the baked ziti. “I won’t share the recipe, but you can’t get this just any-
where,” Greg says, while adding that he still does about 90% of the cooking. One major change to the “pizza” place occurred in the mid-1990s when they added a few Greek specialties such as gyro, souvlaki, and a Greek salad. Samanda Perez has lived around the corner for five years and dines at Sutton often. Late on a recent Saturday night, she recommended the Greek salad, but raves about the pizza, calling it “very delicious and the best in the neighborhood.” Perez makes a special point to add that the crust is “done perfectly.” Originally from South America, Perez often takes visiting friends to this, her favorite neighborhood pizza joint. Rapheal Rodriguez has taken his postwork meals at Sutton for about seven years, and while munching on a beef patty topped with melted mozzarella, echoes Perez’ opinion that Sutton’s pizza is the best in the area. Jim, 58, began working as a delivery boy when he was only 13 and now mostly comes in to fill-in as needed. On a recent Wednesday evening, Jim was working be-
hind the counter, covering for his concertbound nephew. The upbeat Jim calls the current business, “beautiful… never been better.” While business has been fairly steady over the years, the mid-1980s was problematic as stores in the area shuttered and there was talk of closing. But, in an unusual twist, the landlord offered the longstanding tenants six months of free rent until they got back on their feet. Jim calls the then-landlord, known simply as Tony G., “the best man on earth.” Sutton’s lease is up at the end of the year, and the brothers now negotiate with Tony G’s daughter. “If the rent is good, than yes, we’ll sign on,” says Greg, who is hoping to sign a five-year lease. What is it like working with your family for so long? “It means a lot. We all get along… That’s why I’m still here,” Greg says. The brothers, who all live in Queens, love the Upper East Side neighborhood they’ve served for over four decades, and Jim concludes, “Hey, we must be doing something right.”
SEPTEMBER 10-16,2015
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POPE TO FOCUS ON IMMIGRANTS IN NEW YORK VISIT NEWS Planned stops for pontiff include a Catholic school in East Harlem BY VERENA DOBNIK
Pope Francis will offer a special blessing to a group of immigrants and refugees in New York, including those who are undocumented, highlighting two contentious issues in American politics. The Sept. 25 encounter with about 150 mostly Spanishspeaking New Yorkers â&#x20AC;&#x153;is about the values and the message that he has articulated as pope,â&#x20AC;? the head of New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Catholic Charities, Monsignor Kevin Sullivan, told a news conference at a church in Harlem. Francis has made helping immigrants a top priority of his pontiďŹ cate, decrying what he called the â&#x20AC;&#x153;globalization of indifferenceâ&#x20AC;? toward migrants and refugees. The pope will
address a joint meeting of Congress on Sept. 24, where he is expected to press lawmakers for generous and welcoming policies toward immigrants. His efforts come as questions intensify about inaction over Syriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s civil war and Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s migrant crisis. By contrast, Donald Trump, currently the leading Republican presidential candidate, says he would deport millions of undocumented immigrants. Among those the pope will bless at Our Lady Queen of Angels School in East Harlem are youngsters from violence-torn Central American countries who crossed the border alone, refugees who ďŹ&#x201A;ed persecution and are seeking asylum, struggling American-born minorities and disabled immigrants. Francis will also meet a group of Catholic schoolchildren. Manhattan resident Yvette Suazo, her 14-year-old daughter, Chelsea, and 4-year-old
son Kingson hitchhiked from Honduras to the U.S. about two years ago. Life at home had become precarious, with her daughter in danger of being raped each time she left the house, the mother said after the news conference. Asked whether she had documents allowing her to live in New York legally, Suazo said, in Spanish, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nadaâ&#x20AC;? -- nothing. As a result, she cannot look for a job and depends on her sister while her status is clariďŹ ed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But I hope the opportunity to be here legally will open for us,â&#x20AC;? she said in Spanish. The insecurity did not deter those who were introduced at the church from giving their names and describing their plight. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I left because of the crime and so many people on drugs,â&#x20AC;? said Cristhian Contreras, who was 14 when he and a few friends ďŹ&#x201A;ed from Honduras by foot across the U.S. border. Now 16, he lives in the Bronx, attends high school and is a member of a soccer team with fellow immigrants. His mother works as a housekeeper, but fears deportation. He never knew his father. Cristhian is counting on the popeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blessing, he said as smile ďŹ lled his face. He added, this time in Spanish, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m one of the few people invited to be with the pope. And if I have the chance, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll ask him to pray for us and our countries.â&#x20AC;?
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SEPTEMBER 10-16,2015 A proposal to install bus shelters on Fifth Avenue along Central Park has generated praise and criticism. Photo: Richard Khavkine
NEWLY CONSTRUCTED APARTMENTS FOR SALE 110 Mad Dev LLC is pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for 18 affordable housing cooperative apartments now under construction at 110 Madison Ave in East Midtown, Manhattan. This building is being constructed through the Inclusionary Housing Program (IHP) of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development. All units are wired for cable and high speed internet and have microwaves. Laundry and bike storage are in the cellar. Two common terraces are available for shareholders use. The size and targeted income distribution for the 18 apartments are: * Subject to occupancy criteria # Apts. Available
4 1
Apartment Size
Estimated Sale Price
Household Size*
Minimum Annual Income
Maximum Annual Income
(526-553 sf)
Studio
$181,619185,693
1
$39,840
$48,350
1BR (900 sf)
$163,503
1
$45,532
$48,350
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$55,250 $62,150
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$204 293 206,136
4
$59,178
$69,050
5
$59,178 $59,178
$74,600
13
6
$80,100
A PLACE TO SIT Non-mandatory Informational session will be held on: September 9 and September 11 at Church of the Transfiguration 1 E29th (bet Madison & 5th) at 6PM To request an application: x By mail, write to: Application for 110 Madison and address it to UHAB 120 Wall St 20 th Fl NYC, NY 10005. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope x Online: http://www.uhab.org/APPLICATION_Madison_110
sufficient protection from the elements, making the shelters mostly unnecessary. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have too many special places in New York that arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t being overrun with development,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I just donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see how this makes any
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Stoll, who lives on Fifth Avenue in the 90s and takes the bus to work, said trees along the sidewalk usually provide
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sense.â&#x20AC;? Board members who spoke up appeared split on the idea. One who said she was opposed, Michele Birnbaum, said installation of the shelters would irretrivably compromise the distinctive sidewalks. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theres a design to it, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a uniformity to it, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a history to it,â&#x20AC;? she said of the walkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s motifs. She also said the shelters would be redundant given the abundance of benches along Central Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s outer wall. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You can be seated at that bench and see a coming bus from blocks away,â&#x20AC;? she said. A. Scott Falk, though, said that the wide sidewalks â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 30 feet â&#x20AC;&#x201D; can make it difficult to get from the benches to curbside once a bus comes into view since bus drivers do not typically stop for people seated at the benches. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Part of better bus service is also better amenities for bus riders,â&#x20AC;? he said. Hedi White said the proposal was at the very least worth exploring. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a little conflicted when I hear strictly aesthetics superseding the needs of public citizens ... especially those that canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t jump or donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t jump in a cab all the time and have to wait for the bus,â&#x20AC;? she said. Without taking official action, committee members collectively agreed to further explore Wallersteinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suggestion and to seek input and opinion from relevant organizations and agencies. One that is likely to have significant input is the Central Park Conservancy, which is tasked for maintaining the parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perimeter. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It has not been brought to us,â&#x20AC;? said Elizabeth Kaledin, a conservancy spokeswoman. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not the decider,â&#x20AC;? she said, but â&#x20AC;&#x153;we will be asked our opinion.â&#x20AC;?
SEPTEMBER 10-16,2015
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AMERICAN GOLD CUP North Salem. September 9-13
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Saratoga. September 11-13 Lovers of vintage wine and vintage cars can savor both— along with gourmet food—at this famous weekend event that indulges all the senses. Sample premier wines, spirits and delicious cuisine from the finest restaurants in New York State while enjoying a display of luxury vehicles by collectors from around the country. Chat with wine connoisseurs, celebrity chefs Josh Capon, Ellie Krieger, Ric Orlando, Zak Palaccio and Josh Wesson and automotive experts...and get a taste of the finer things in life.
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HUDSON VALLEY WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL
Rhinebeck. September 12-13 Whet your appetite for all things delicious at this annual mecca for gourmands and foodies alike. Sample delights from the finest restaurants on the east coast or enjoy an alfresco lunch from the fun “corral” of food trucks, while also sampling—and purchasing—the best vintages from New York State’s award-winning wineries.
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Rochester. September 12-13 Art lovers will not be hung out to dry at this very popular annual arts festival, one of the oldest and largest in New York State. Now featuring the Centennial Sculpture Park, this event takes place on the 14-acre campus of the Memorial Art Gallery and is distinctive for exclusively featuring—and supporting—artists local to central or western New York State.
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BINGHAMTON BREWFEST Binghamton. September 12
Get your cold ones here! If you’re a true “beer nut,” this one’s for you. Proud to be the only large scale, locallyowned brew festival in Broome County, this extremely popular event offers enthusiasts samples from more than 100 selections of fine brews. Just assign your designated driver now.
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For more great New York State events and must-see attractions, visit iloveny.com/fall15
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SEPTEMBER 10-16,2015
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Voices ATTENTION MUST BE PAID
Write to us: To share your thoughts and comments go to ourtownny.com and click on submit a letter to the editor.
Letters
MY STORY BY BETTE DEWING
A candlelight vigil was held last week to protest Mayor de Blasio’s failure to ban horse-drawn carriages. Photo: Mary Culpepper
CARRIAGE HORSES ARE CARED FOR People who have actually visited the stables and know horse behavior and horse body language have repeatedly said the carriage horses are well-fed, well-cared for and not stressed. As to the 60-70 horses that drop off the Department of Health rolls each year, not every horse is suited to working as a NYC carriage horse. They are an elite group. Some wash out and go on to other jobs elsewhere. No secrecy there. Just facts. In summary, the protestors have zero equine knowledge but they insist the horses are “sad,” a human emotion, and “stressed” despite the scientific findings. Susan Samtak
As a horse owner for over 50 years I can attest to the fact that the carriage horses are very well cared for and life in the city is not stressful for them. Horses that cannot tolerate the hustle and bustle simply are not used. Those that are working are doing a job and horses love having a job. Doing away with the carriages means most of the horses will wind up being euthanized or sent to the slaughterhouse; they are simply too large to feed and care for if not working. The people who claim to have places that will provide a home are misinformed. The owners love their horses and it would be terrible to take them away from them. Gaye Collins
Beautiful iconic horse and carriage, from a bygone era. How fortunate people are, to be able, for a short period of time be able to relive that era. Horses in great shape with lovely carriages driven by capable drivers. I’m amazed anyone could object to something like that, but I guess to the uninformed anything is possible. Please leave these people to do their chosen job. They take great care of their gorgeous horses and equipment. Tell the protestors to go find some wild horses that are currently starving to death with no one to speak for them. Anja Heibloem Stroud.
STRAUS MEDIA your neighborhood news source
Vice President/CFO Otilia Bertolotti Vice President/CRO Vincent A. Gardino advertising@strausnews.com
Well, infinitely less attention for Donald Trump, please. And infinitely more about slain security guard, Idrissa Camara. Also, infinitely more about President Obama’s high praise for the way New Orleans citizenry helped one another in Hurricane Katrina, a most continuing need. And this relates to some Eastsiders’ first-time activism to protect their two buildings from government’s flawed-vision plan. Stay tuned for coverage. But first, thoughts about some very special days which bring all backgrounds together - September 11th, and the need for more small informal neighborhood memorial gatherings like the one, thanks to Judith Cutler, which meets around 8:30 a.m. every 9/11 at a designated tree located between East End and York. One woman who may attend lost her son on 9/11 and then a few weeks later, her husband died, “perhaps of a broken heart.” Ah, is she remembered enough, and on Grandparents Day, which is Sunday the 13th? Great grandparents, the “Greatest Generation,” may well need the most remembering, not to mention inclusion. And many Catholics in late age especially, need their accessible parish church reopened, which they hope will concern Pope Francis on his city visit this month. And Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, the 13th and 14th, couldn’t be a more welcome time for this Protestant Christian because it makes the city more of a community place, where smiles are exchanged on the streets and generations are out there walking together and in their Sabbath best. Hey, sins are even admitted and repented! The city is calmer, almost reverent, and don’t we need that. All that. And how we need citizens bringing their often government-wrought woes to civic meetings, such as the recent community Board 8 meeting where some Upper East Siders keep trying to preserve safe passage in their 81st
Associate Publishers, Seth L. Miller, Ceil Ainsworth Sr. Account Executive, Tania Cade
and East End cul de sac. Their buildings’ front and service entranceways in the river walkway project, already under construction, are at risk from the proposed long winding ramp. Less invasive and less costly options exist to connect East End Avenue to the river walkway but these carefully thought out plans were ignored in a previous meeting with the city Design Commission. And the engineer in charge of this huge two-year, megabucks project wouldn’t really discuss them at the recent Community Board 8 meeting. Residential, not industrial lighting for the area is also a must. So is media coverage. And how civic involvement/neighbors helping one another, needs to be stressed, yes, as much as physical fitness. If only we were, so many intractable social problems and ills would be prevented, yes even sometimes reducing irrational anger behind the murder of innocent victims, and those gunned down protecting the public. Those protectors whose murders get too little media attention, like Idrissa Camara, the 53 year-old security guard on duty at a Varick Street federal building, when a complete stranger, a former disgruntled government employee, barged into the building, and before killing himself, shot the first person he met - Camara. We need to hear more about this husband and father of four children. (Likely there are other close kindred who need to be noted.) Infinitely more needs to be said about this “exceptionally dedicated and thoughtful employee” who had volunteered to work overtime the night he was so tragically, mercilessly gunned down.
President & Publisher, Jeanne Straus nyoffice@strausnews.com Account Executive Editor In Chief, Kyle Pope Fred Almonte, Susan Wynn editor.ot@strausnews.com Director of Partnership Development Deputy Editor, Richard Khavkine Barry Lewis editor.dt@strausnews.com
Thankfully, Denis Hamill’s Daily News 8/30 column “In Harm’s Way” did tell how Mr. Camara’s awful shooting death should make us realize how guards are always in danger, and also how little they are paid to protect us. The Wall Street Journal’s Thomas Macmillan’s 8/29-30 story thankfully covered the funeral where family, friends and co-workers described Mr. Camara as “a gentle man, devoted to his family and his mosque.” His cousin said he was “such a kind man, a community man and a hero.” And, how we need these qualities in a time ever more secular, individualistic, selfiedirected, not to mention, “un-gentle.” This good man’s body in a plain wood casket will be sent back to his native Ivory Coast for burial. The security company will pay that expense but what about continued financial support for Mr. Camara’s widow and four fatherless children? And let there be at least a commemorative plaque in that place he gave his life to protect, reminding us, said his cousin, “how security guards are often the first responders in emergencies, the first line of defense in terrorist attacks” And, said the 32BJ Service Employees International Union president: “They put their lives on the line everyday, and Mr. Camara’s loss is an opportunity for all to appreciate the work that all security officers do.” It is the work all apartment house doormen also do. And we must not forget. Or forget to help one another, and to become, and to stay involved, civically, and wherever else it is needed. Amen. dewingbetter@aol.com
Staff Reporters, Gabrielle Alfiero, Daniel Fitzsimmons
Block Mayors, Ann Morris, Upper West Side Jennifer Peterson, Upper East Side Gail Dubov, Upper West Side Edith Marks, Upper West Side
SEPTEMBER 10-16,2015
GET OUTDOORS THE REST HAPPENS NATURALLY
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 tion was opened the next day. “It is still a possibility that they belong to another city agency but the investigation would prove [or] disprove that theory,” the police source said. According to a press release issued by Councilmember Helen Rosenthal after the incident, however, police will only knock on a resident’s door if
they are investigating a crime and always wear a suit. None of the men pictured in the surveillance images seen by the Spirit are wearing suits, and their badges appeared to be hanging on chains around their neck. “Sheriff’s marshals wear their shields on a chain, but they will only come if you have already been notified that you are being evicted and have been to housing court,” according to communication from Rosenthal’s office. “They will also have paperwork with them.” Rosenthal’s announcement
also directed tenants to not open their doors if a person is vague about their intent, “For example,” the announcement reads, “they may ask: ‘Who lives here?’ or “Who else is at home now? or ‘Who are you?’ or ‘Do you sublet?’ These are open-ended questions and would not be asked by a police officer.” A spokesperson for Rosenthal said her office is unable to comment on the ongoing police investigation.
BE THE SOMEONE
WHO HELPS A KID BE THE FIRST IN HER FAMILY TO GO TO COLLEGE.
newyorkcares.org 50 West 93rd St., where three unknown men suspected of impersonating police officers questioned tenants about their residency status last month. Photo by Daniel Fitzsimmons.
Stroll along the High Line. View the Bronx from the 145th St. Bridge. Take a trip back to the 1964 World’s Fair. Or marvel at the vast difference between the Hudson River and the city skyline. Appalachian Mountain Club invites you to discover another side of our great city. Find us online at outdoors.org/nyc.
Surveillance images obtained by the Spirit show three unknown men suspected of impersonating police officers in an elevator at 50 West 93rd St.
COP IMPERSONATIONS
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SEPTEMBER 10-16,2015
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Out & About More Events. Add Your Own: Go to ourtownny.com
Established 1957 Fighting for progressive policies for the Upper East Side and Roosevelt Island
Remember to VOTE in the 76th Assembly District Democratic Primary on THURSDAY September 10, 2015 Contests for Democratic Party Positions: Assembly District Leader (Male) 76th Assembly District (Part A ONLY)
Re-Elect John Halebian, District Leader Endorsed by Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney, State Senator Liz Krueger, former Assembly Member Pete Grannis, New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer, New York City Council Member Dan Garodnick, New York County Democratic Party Leader Keith L. T. Wright Assembly District Leader (Female) 76th Assembly District (Part A ONLY)
Elect Jill Eisner, Community Leader Delegate to Judicial Convention 76th Assembly District (Parts A & B) VOTE FOR ALL SEVEN Ruth C. Halberg Sheila Fine Ellen Ravenel Irma Godlin Jill Eisner John Halebian Jonathan Piel Alternate Delegate to the Judicial Convention 76th Assembly District (Parts A & B) VOTE FOR ALL SEVEN Marilyn Diamond Madelaine D. Piel Patricia Carlin Lisa K. Pass Deborah Mallow Amber J. Ravenel Brian Chenensky Please clip and take to your polling place on THURSDAY, September 10. More about LHDC: http://lenoxhilldems.org
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FILM: THIS GUN FOR HIRE▲
TODDLER STORYTIME IN NOLEN LIBRARY
VEINS AND SINEWS IN GREEK ART
96th Street Library, 112 East 96th St. 2 p.m. Free. A hired killer is paid off by his traitorous employee, who is secretly working with foreign spies. 212-289-0908. www.nypl.org/ events/programs/2015/09/10/filmgun-hire-1942
Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Ave. 10:30-11 a.m. Free. A picture book reading for the little ones. No admission is required, but space is limited and granted on a first-come, first-served basis. 212-535-7710. www.metmuseum. org/events/programs/met-tours/ storytime-in-nolen-library/toddler-
Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Ave. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Free with admission. Explore the glorification of the human figure in Ancient Greek art. 212-535-7710. www.metmuseum. org/events/programs/met-tours/ gallery-talks/veins-and-sinews
DRUNK STONED BRILLIANT DEAD: THE NATIONAL LAMPOON IN NYC 1970-1988 92nd Street Y, Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street 8:15 p.m. $32. A documentary about one of America’s oldest and most iconic humor magazines, National Lampoon. www.92y.org/Event/The-National-Lampoon-in-NY
SHABABA BAKERY AT THE 92ND STREET Y 92nd Street Y, Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street 10:15-11 a.m. $15 per child (no charge for adults). A kids’ baking event, where guests can roll, shape and bake their own challah bread to take home. nyceast.macaronikid.com/calendar/event/
BAGEL BARK Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, .Inside the Park at 110th Street between Fifth and Lenox Avenues 7:30 a.m.- 9:30 a.m. Woof! Bring your furry friend to Central Park and socialize with other dog owners around NYC. 212-776-1067. www.centralparknyc.org/events/individualevents/bagel-bark_9-12-15.html
SEPTEMBER 10-16,2015
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DISCOVERIES: TALES FROM THE RIVER Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Ave. 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Free. A workshop for adults with developmental and/or learning disabilities. This event is 18 and over. Reservations are required. 212-650-2010. www.metmuseum.org/events/programs/ met-creates/visitors-disabilities/ discoveries/tales-from-theriver?eid=A001_%7b88266C26BD94-4082-BC14-18
OPEN STUDIO FOR FAMILIES Guggenheim, 1071 Fifth Ave. 1-4 p.m. Free with admission. A drop-in art making program for families with children aged five and up. www.guggenheim.org/new-york/ calendar-and-events/2015/09/13/ open-studio-for-families-4/5075
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Mon
MYSTERY MONDAYS: MYSTERY LOVERS MONTHLY BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP
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67th Street Library, 328 East 67th St. 4 p.m. Free. A book club for mystery lovers. This week, they’ll be discussing “The House of Special Purpose” by John Boyne. 212-734-1717. www.nypl.org/ events/programs/2015/09/14/ mystery-mondays-mystery-loversmonthly-book-discussion-group
FIRST DAY OF ROSH HASHANAH FAMILY SERVICES 92nd Street Y, Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. $50. A vibrant interactive Rosh Hashanah service, with food, music and a friendly atmosphere. www.92y.org/Uptown/Event/ FamilyServices-RoshHashanah-1
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THE NEW GIRLFRIEND▲ FIAF, 22 East 60th St. 7:30 p.m. $14 public, free for members. A sneak preview of “The New Girlfriend,” a psychological drama about a widower who becomes attached to his dead wife’s best friend. 212-355-6100. fiaf.org/events/ fall2015/2015-09-15-cs-girlfriend. shtml
FIAF OPEN HOUSE FIAF, 22 East 60th St. 6-8 p.m. Free. An evening of film, wine and socializing, courtesy of the Upper East Side’s French Institute. 212-355-6100. fiaf.org/events/ fall2015/2015-09-15-openhouse. shtml
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AUDRA MCDONALD IN CONCERT: GO BACK HOME 67th Street Library, 328 East 67th St. 4-5 p.m. Free. A free screening of five-time Tony winner Audra McDonald in concert. 212-734-1717. www.nypl.org/ events/programs/2015/09/16/67thstreet-presents-lincoln-centerlocal-free-screenings-audra-mcdonald
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DIY CANDLE HOLDERS ▼ Yorkville Library, 222 East 79th St. 4 p.m. Free. Want to learn how to make your own candle holders? Of course you do! This workshop will take you through the process, step-by-step. 212-744-5824. www.nypl.org/ events/programs/2015/08/26/diycandle-holders
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SEPTEMBER 10-16,2015
City FILM DOCUMENTS TRIBE’S STRUGGLE FOR RECOGNITION ‘American Native’ to show in the city
Oritt described as “all bark and no bite.” BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO “The first thing he said to me was, When Autumn Wind Scott, chair- ‘Why are you here?’” Oritt rememwoman of the New Jersey Commission bers. After revealing extensive reon American Indian Affairs, received search and some of the experts a phone call from two young filmmak- in Native American affairs he and Chief Dwaine Perry in Steven Oritt’s new documentary film American Native. Photo credit: Steven Oritt ers interested in shooting a documen- producer Corey Bobker lined up tary about the Ramapough Lenape for the film, Perry softened. “These stories are very pervasive.” “In doing my research and getting to ous hurdles of the federal recognition meeting in person. Nation, she was wary. WeirdNJ.com recounts the local lore “What they were going through was “They weren’t the first to come and know him and the rest of the tribe it process, in which cultural identity and show interest,” said Scott, a mem- made a lot of sense, because they’ve heritage must be proven on paper. Per- real,” Oritt said. “While I had read a lot of a “motley group of social outcasts.” ber of the Ramapough and a self- been so burned by so many outside ry, who appears throughout the film, about the marginalization, I hadn’t ex- A 2010 New Yorker story “Strangers on the Mountain,” which Oritt rememdescribed “gatekeeper” for the tribe media and individuals who have come sometimes riding his motorcycle, perienced it first hand.” The filmmakers came to the story af- bers as mostly interested in the “saof about 3,800, with many residing in and said they want to tell their sto- fears that without federal recognition and its protections, their land, in an ter hearing local lore about the people lacious” elements as opposed to the just 30 miles outside of Manhattan, ry,” said Oritt. The film “American Native,” which ever-developing section of the state, who lived in the mountains of New very real, immediate issues of land in Mahwah and Ringwood, N.J. and Jersey. Bobker, a New Jersey native, use and federal recognition, showed neighboring Hillburn, N.Y. “There screens on Sept. 12 as part of the Har- will remain in jeopardy. Conflicts bubble up throughout the introduced Oritt to a college friend him just how much of the tribe’s story have been many to come before them lem International Film Festival and remained untold. to use the tribe to further their own on Sept. 15 at Regal Cinemas in Union film. Kerry Holton, presi“Dominant society likes careers or to gain some type of cre- Square, chronicles the Ramapough’s dent of the federally recogto paint the Native Ameridential in academia. They took but ongoing quest for federal recognition. nized Delaware Nation in can experience with a very they left nothing for the tribe and in That status, established by an office Anadarko, Okla., opposes IF YOU GO broad stroke brush,” said the majority of cases it was to the det- within the Department of the Interior the Ramapough’s bid for Oritt. “I was interested and currently held by more than 560 recognition. Ramapough riment of the tribe,” she said. What: American Native, a film about the Ramapough in the nuance in Native Director Steven Oritt, 40, one of the tribes, provides certain benefits, in- also bump up against memLenape Nation and its efforts to achieve federal American culture and Nafilmmakers who reached out to Scott, cluding health care and educational bers of a private residential recognition tive American rights that recalled the vetting process, which services, economic development pro- community in Mahwah, When: Sat., Sept. 12 at the Harlem International Film aren’t in the forefront.” where the Ramapough included a two-hour meeting with the grams and the right to self-govern. Festival, 4:40 p.m. and Tuesday, Sept. 15 at Regal Scott, a former fashion The 89-minute film reveals the vari- have 13 acres of land. Meantribe’s leader, Chief Dwaine Perry, who Union Square Stadium 14 at 7:30 p.m. model with a deep, raspy while, lawmakers fear that, Where: Mist Harlem, 16 W. 116th St., between Fifth voice, lives in Toms River, if granted federally recogAvenue and Malcolm X Boulevard, and Regal Union N.J., about an hour and nized status, the RamaSquare Stadium 14, 850 Broadway, between East 13th a half south of Mahwah, pough will open a casino. and East 14th Streets where much of the film “(Gaming is) the very least Tickets must be purchased online in advance; For Sept. unfolds. A mother and a of what federal recognition 12, visit www.mistharlem.com/events/2015/9/12/thegrandmother who raises is about,” said Scott. “For 10th-annual-harlem-international-film-festival-worldher five-year-old grandthe people, it’s really about premiere-american-native; For Sept. 15, visit gathr.us/ daughter, Scott strives to recognition of who they screening/reserve/12774 provide her family with a actually are ... and a lot of More information is at americannative-themovie.com/ sense of their history. She people don’t get the psymade genealogy books chological effects of being with names dating back denied your race, your anfrom the area, who asked if he ever to the late 1500s for each of her three cestry and your history.” Oritt remembers filming a scene at heard about an isolated community in children. “I wanted them to know how deeply a planning board meeting in Pough- the mountains, not far from the island rooted we are,” she said. Now retired keepsie, N.Y., where Perry hoped to of Manhattan. A Google search led Oritt to depic- from modeling, she sells handmade discuss the repatriation of the recently discovered remains of a Native tions of a group of people that sounded textiles, jewelry, dolls and other crafts. “That they’re here on the backs American person. A federally recog- like the “bogeyman,” he said. “Me not growing up in that area, I of people who have had it rough and nized tribe in Wisconsin participated Autumn Wind Scott in Steven Oritt’s new documentary film “American Native.” Photo via conference call, even though didn’t take it seriously,” said Oritt, still do, and it’s a privilege.” credit: Steven Oritt Ramapough members attended the who grew up in Washington, D.C.
SEPTEMBER 10-16,2015
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Two weeks of amazing deals on the best Off-Broadway shows in the City!
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Don DeLillo at 2011 benefit. Photo: adm, via Flickr
DELILLO RECOGNIZED FOR LIFETIME ACHIVEMENT Novelist praised for books, ‘enormous influence’ BY HILLEL ITALIE
Don DeLillo is pleased to receive an honorary National Book Award medal for lifetime achievement, but a “little intimidated” by the citation for “Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.” “The kid from the Bronx is still crouching in a corner of my mind,” the author of “White Noise,” “Underworld” and other novels told The Associated Press, responding to questions via fax. The 78-year-old New York City native was praised last week by the National Book Foundation, which presents the awards, for “a diverse body of work that examines the mores of contemporary modern American culture and brilliantly embeds the rhythms of everyday speech within a beautifully composed, contoured narrative.” The foundation told the AP that Pulitzer Prize winner Jennifer Egan will introduce DeLillo at the 66th annual Na-
tional Book Awards ceremony, which takes place Nov. 18 in Manhattan. Previous honorary winners include Toni Morrison, Philip Roth and Norman Mailer. “Don DeLillo is unquestionably one of the greatest novelists of his generation,” Harold Augenbraum, the foundation’s executive director, said in a statement. “He has had an enormous influence on the two generations of writers that followed, and his work will continue to resonate for generations to come.” DeLillo has long been praised for his uncanny insights on technology, alienation and terrorism, even setting a Grief Management Council in the World Trade Center in his novel “Players,” which came out more than 20 years before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. He told the AP that when he looks back on his work he thinks of it “as one writer’s shifting response to the challenges and public upheavals of the last 60 or 70 years.” “The moments, hours, days
and years of Sept. 11 were the terrible reality that shaped one of my novels ‘Falling Man,’ but I don’t think of myself as a writer whose earlier work embodied that event,” he said. “I’m reluctant to invoke another act of violence but it’s possible that the assassination of President (John F.) Kennedy began to shape me as a writer even before I began work on my first novel.” DeLillo’s other books include “Running Dog,” “The Names” and “Point Omega.” Asked to name some young writers he feels an affinity for, he joked that at his age “they’re all younger.” “Lists are a form of cultural hysteria so let’s just say that the strong work keeps coming and that the novel as a form continues to provoke innovation on the part of younger writers,” he said. “It’s true that some of us become better writers by living long enough. But this is also how we become worse writers. The trick is to die in between.”
Certain terms and conditions may apply. Tickets are limited in quantities and are subject to availability.
ACTIVITIES FOR THE FERTILE MIND
thoughtgallery.org NEW YORK CITY
Nature-to-Medicine: In Search of Lifesaving Animals
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH, 7PM The Explorers Club | 6 E. 70th St. | 212-628-8383 | explorers.org Animals like snakes and scorpions kill tens of thousands of people a year, but they also serve as major lifesavers. Hear from a wildlife photographer as he presents an illustrated lecture on exotic tribes, last frontiers and what it’s like to track down the deadliest animals on Earth. ($20)
Panel Discussion | Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH, 6:30PM Society of Illustrators | 128 E. 63rd St. | 212-838-2560 | societyillustrators.org Laugh out loud during this discussion among ex-staffers of the National Lampoon, along with a preview of a new documentary on the legendary humor magazine. ($15)
Just Announced: A Dangerous Woman | The Life, Loves, and Scandals of Adah Isaacs Menken, America’s Original Superstar
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13TH, 6:30PM Gotham Center NY History | 365 Fifth Ave. | 212-817-7000 | gothamcenter.org Hear from the first biographers of Menken (1835-1868), whose short life traced a Zelig-like path through Walt Whitman’s circle, Reform Judaism and Confederate spycraft. (Free)
For more information about lectures, readings and other intellectually stimulating events throughout NYC,
sign up for the weekly Thought Gallery newsletter at thoughtgallery.org.
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Food & Drink
< MIGHTY QUINN’S HEADS TO UES Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque will soon open on the Upper East Side, Eater reported. Run by pitmaster Hugh Mangum, the outpost at 1492 Second Ave marks the seventh location of the barbeque restaurant that got its start at a booth at the Smorgasburg food market. The menu at the new spot will echo those at its other locations, which includes a Greenwich Avenue restaurant as well as a spot in Battery Park’s Brookfield Place food court. The brisket,
Photo: T.Tseng, via Flickr
In Brief
pulled pork, ribs and other meats will be smoked off-site and then delivered to the Second Avenue restaurant.
SADELLE’S NOW SERVING IN SOHO Major Food Group’s latest venture, bakery and appetizing shop Sadelle’s at 463 West Broadway, opened its doors on Thursday, Sept. 3. Baker Melissa Weller, formerly of Roberta’s and Per Se, once sold her bagels at
Smorgasburg, Grub Street reported, and is now serving an array of baked goods, including babka, from the Soho bakery. The location, which is operated by the team behind Parm, Carbone, Dirty French and a growing roster of popular Manhattan eateries, will also serve a bistro menu in its dining room, which is set to open sometime this week, according to Eater. Though newly opened, orders of bagels, breads, fish and salads are already being accepted for the upcoming high holidays, according to the bakery’s website.
SLOW ROASTED COMFORT
SUMMER SALAD DAYS
Alice Waters’ latest cookbook walks you through the basics
Greens can make for the ideal topping to sauteed meats
BY J.M. HIRSCH
BY SARA MOULTON
When it comes to aspirational cooking, it’s tough to top Martha Stewart and Alice Waters. But while you may never master Stewart’s frustratingly perfect souffles and multi-tiered cakes, most of Waters’ recipes fall on a more manageable spectrum (though you may falter at replicating the aspirationally high earnestness with which she presents them). And therein lies the difference: Stewart’s bar is based on perfection, Waters’ is keyed to finding simple comforts in each season. And that is a pleasant notion to pursue. Waters, the driving force behind Berkeley, California’s iconic Chez Panisse restaurant and author of numerous cookbooks, deftly imbues her often basic and nearly always seasonal recipes with feelings you want to evoke. And you can come away feeling better for having chased the comfort found in her recipes. All of this comes to play in her latest cookbook, a diminutive volume titled simply, “My Pantry.” In it, Waters walks you through not the basics you should buy, but those you should consider making. Things like tahini and chocolate nut bark, zucchini pickles and gravlax, fresh ricotta and vanilla extract. You won’t make them all. Even Waters acknowledges this isn’t a to-do list of must-have items. They are basic, comforting foods you may want depending on your time and place and mood. And she’s happy to show you how. ___ SLOW-ROASTED NUTS WITH SAGE LEAVES “Roasting a mixture of nuts at a low temperature is a wonderful method,”
This recipe is a template for topping sauteed steaks or chops of most any kind with a wilted salad, a splendid dish for a late summer dinner. Mostly, I’m taking my cues here from the Italians. In Florence, they like to pep up their grilled steaks with a drizzle of olive and a spritz of lemon, which cuts through the meat’s fattiness. Then there’s veal Milanese, a breaded chop with a salad on top. But the latter dish doesn’t marry the salad dressing to the chops, as I do here, and my chop isn’t breaded. Also, Caesar dressing is rooted in Mexico, not Italy. All of which is to say I guess my inspirations were pretty diverse. How to marry the meat to the salad? By taking advantage of the concentrated bits of reduced meat juices at the bottom of the pan, as well as the juices from the resting chops after they have been cooked. It’s then that the salad’s flavors — anchovies, garlic and shallots — are added to the skillet, followed by chicken broth, lemon juice and olive oil. As noted, these are basically the ingredients for a Caesar dressing with a little chicken broth added. (The broth amps up the meat flavor while cutting down on the need for more olive oil.) If the very thought of anchovies sends you screaming for the exit, steel yourself and add them to the recipe as called for. Try it that way just once. You assume that the little devils are going to overwhelm the dish, adding nothing but fishiness. Not true. In this context, the anchovies are surprisingly modest; they provide salt and depth of flavor, but no obvious fishiness. As for the greens, feel free to ex-
Photo: Denise Krebs, via Flickr Alice Waters writes in “My Pantry.” “At high temperatures, some kinds of nuts in the mixture may burn, but they won’t if roasted with the others at a low temperature. The delightfully crisped sage leaves are as satisfying as the roasted nuts themselves.” Start to finish: 40 minutes (10 minutes active) Makes about 3 1/2 cups 1 cup walnuts 1 cup almonds 1 cup pecans 1 1/2 cups loosely packed sage leaves 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon salt Heat the oven to 275 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with kitchen parchment. In a medium bowl, mix together the nuts and sage leaves. Add the oil and salt and toss gently until the nuts and sage are evenly coated. Spread the nuts and sage on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Stir the nuts and return them to the oven for 10 more minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and break a few nuts open. If their centers are golden brown they are done; if the nuts still need more time, stir them and return them to the oven, checking every 5 minutes or so. You want them to roast fully, not burn. I usually find 35 minutes is about right. (Recipe adapted from Alice Water’s “My Pantry,” Crown Publishing Group, 2015)
Photo: I Believe I Can Fry, via Flickr periment. If you prefer them to be more crispy and less wilted, don’t add them to the pan; just toss them with the warm dressing. Finally, I have called for lamb shoulder chops because they’re more affordable than rib or loin chops. They’re every bit as tasty as the pricier chops, even if they’re also marginally chewier. Of course, if you feel like splurging, reach for the more expensive cuts. And know that this recipe works just as well with steak, pork chops and chicken on the bone as it does with lamb chops. ___ LAMB CHOPS WITH WARM CAESAR SALAD Start to finish: 35 minutes (15 minutes active) Servings: 4 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided Four 1/2-inch-thick lamb shoulder or round bone chops Kosher salt and ground black pepper 4 anchovy fillets, chopped 2 tablespoons minced shallots 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth 2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 cups chopped escarole, dandelion greens (tough stems removed) or romaine 1 ounce shaved Parmesan cheese In a large skillet over mediumhigh, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Reduce the heat to medium and add 2 of the lamb chops, sprinkled with salt and pepper. Cook until lightly browned on both sides, 5 to 6 minutes total for medium-rare. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil. Repeat with the remaining 2 chops in the oil remaining in the pan. Return the skillet to the heat and reduce to medium-low. Add 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil, the anchovies, shallots and garlic, then cook, stirring, for 1 1/2 minutes. Add the broth and lemon juice and cook, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom, for 1 minute. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, the greens, and a hefty pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring until the greens are slightly wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the juices from the resting lamb and remove from the heat. To serve, transfer the chops to each of 4 plates and top each chop with a quarter of the dressed wilted greens and the cheese. Sara Moulton was executive chef at Gourmet magazine for nearly 25 years. She has written three cookbooks, including “Sara Moulton’s Everyday Family Dinners.”
SEPTEMBER 10-16,2015
AUGUST JOSH EDEN What made you go into the restaurant business? My Mom told me to get a job when I was 15. Took A job as a dish washer and never looked back.
What inspires you? People who work hard and farmers that love what they grow.
BKB RESTAURANT
Is there a food or a dish you would eat every day if you could get away with it? Chinese
What’s your favorite food spot on the Upper East Side? The Milton
What’s the current dining trend or fad you wish would go away?
Top Chefs of the East Side will come together to offer up creations inspired by art from Sotheby’s at The Art of Food, Tuesday October 13. Here are just a few of the chefs who will be creating work at this special event at Sotheby’s, hosted by Michael White and Nicole Miller and honoring Tim and Nina Zagat. VIP Admission is at 7p.m. and is $200, General Admission is at 7:30p.m. and is $135. A portion of the proceeds will go to CityMeals-on-Wheels. For tickets and more information, including a list of all top tier restaurants participating, go to artoffoodny.com.
The term comfort food.
MAGNOLIA BAKERY What made you go into the restaurant business?
What made you go into the restaurant business? My love of fine dining and restaurants and i wanted to have one of my own.
What inspires you? The ability to get fresh farm/sea to table items that are now available in
Is there a food or a dish you would eat every day if you could get away with it? A Cheeseburger
What’s your favorite food spot on the Upper East Side? Citarella
What’s the current dining trend or fad you wish would go away? Chemically enhanced cuisine.
JJ JOHNSON What made you go into the restaurant business?
I started my love affair with food at a very young age, being inspired by the bounty of my mother’s and grandmother’s baking. I’ve always enjoyed witnessing the joy that food brings to people’s lives and knew that my path would lead straight to the kitchen.
What inspires you?
Is there a food or a dish you would eat every day if you could get away with it?
ERIC MILLER
the markets.
THE CECIL & MINTON’S
BOBBIE LLOYD
Most of my inspiration comes from what I see in cookbooks, magazines and at other restaurants. I have a huge collection of old cookbooks, the kind you get from little town fairs and flea markets - they offer wonderful, classic recipes that I’m often inspired by.
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Man or woman especially this woman! - cannot live without ice cream. The world is a happier place because of it.
What’s your favorite food spot on the Upper East Side? Elio’s - always comfortable, always consistent, always good food.
What’s the current dining trend or fad you wish would go away? The use of too many ingredients in one dish. Why do I need a honey lavender cherry pistachio black pepper biscuit? A perfectly made plain biscuit straight from the oven with a little butter and honey is pure heaven.
Cooking is in my DNA - I grew up helping in my Puertan Rican grandmother’s kitchen. My earliest memories are standing on a stool next to her, learning how to peel and chop onions, and stirring her mirepoix while listening to loud salsa music. In her kitchen, I fell in love cooking and started to understand the basics and techniques that I still use to this day.
What inspires you? At The Cecil, we’re cooking Afro-Asian cuisine. I like to stay under that umbrella, but I tap into seasonality to bring in new ingredients and techniques. I like to go to markets for inspiration -- like Little Senegal
in Harlem, which has authentic West African shops. Every time I go, I find a new ingredient and it presents a challenge to me.
What’s your favorite food spot on the Upper East Side?
Is there a food or a dish you would eat every day if you could get away with it?
What’s the current dining trend or fad you wish would go away?
Lobster. Or pizza
Seamstress is amazing. I went there the other night and had a great time.
The many “interpretations” of ramen. Just keep it simple!
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SEPTEMBER 10-16,2015
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
restaurants & chefs LE CIRQUE
Join Michael White & Nicole Miller & Top Tier Eastside Chefs
Matteo Boglione
CAFÉ BOULUD
at
Daniel Boulud/Aaron Bludorn
JOJO
Jean Georges/Ron Gallo
TUESDAY, OC TOBER 13, 2015
VAUCLUSE
7 - V I P Admission $20 0 7: 3 0 - G e n e r a l A d m i s s i o n $1 3 5
Michael White
ATLANTIC GRILL Roman Ortega
AU G U S T Josh Eden
Michael White
Nicole Miller
BKB RESTAURANT Eric Miller
C A N D L E79 Angel Ramos
THE CECIL JJ Johnson
Plus honorees Tim and Nina
C R AV E F I S H B A R
Zagat, and ar t ins pired by
Todd Mitgang
Sotheby’s upcoming auctions
THE EAST POLE K I TC H E N & B A R Joseph Capozzi
ETHOS GALLERY 51ST FRED’S AT BARNEYS NEW YORK Mark Strausman
MAGNOLIA BAKERY Bobbie Lloyd
MAYA
David Gonzalez
MEATBALL SHOP Daniel Holzman
PA R L O R S T E A K & F I S H Carlos Manansala
s
’
THE PENROSE Shaun Vanalphen
Art
presented by
of
Food
PHILIPPE Steve Boxer
PIZZA BEACH Eric Klienman
SHAKE SHACK dͳ Z ^d < Θ >KhE'
Buy Tickets Now @
A R TO FF O O D N Y.C O M
Ben Zwicker
A por tion of the proceeds will be donated to Cit y Meals On Wheels
THE WRITING ROOM
Sponsored by
Lucas Billheimer
E t zK Z <ͳ W Z ^ z d Z / E Senior Executive Chef Ross Posmentier
PLATINUM
GOLD
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SEPTEMBER 10-16,2015
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Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
The famed Hotel Chelsea on West 23rd Street between 7th and 8th avenues. Photo: Raanan Geberer
DOWN BY THE OLD HOTEL The Chelsea, a landmark home of the arts, now in flux BY RAANAN GEBERER
“I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel,” begins the famous song “Chelsea Hotel Number 2” by Leonard Cohen, about a sexual encounter with the late Janis Joplin. In its heyday, which lasted almost a century, the hotel was famous as a home for writers, musicians and artists, many of whose names are on plaques that grace the outside of the elaborate red-brick structure on 23rd Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues. Today, the hotel is in a state of flux. Signs in the lobby announce that the hotel is now closed and forbid people from taking photographs. A look from across the street into the windows reveals that construction work is under way. Even the sign hanging from one of the rooms that you saw a few years ago that bore the legend “Bring Back the Bards” (longtime managers of the hotel) is gone now. The colorful artwork that once adorned the lobby is also gone, although the restaurant El Quixote, a mainstay of the hotel since 1930, remains. To understand the Chelsea Hotel (formally known as the Hotel Chelsea), you need to go back to the beginning. The landmarked structure was built in the mid-1880s as an
early housing co-op, and was then the tallest building in the city. At that time, 23rd Street was the center of the city’s theater district. However, the coop went bankrupt in 1905, and the Chelsea soon reopened as a hotel. Even in the early days, it attracted people in the arts as guests: Mark Twain, shortstory writer O. Henry, and poet Edgar Lee Masters, best known for his “Spoon River Anthology” about the lives and deaths of the residents of a small Midwestern town. The greatest fame of the Chelsea as an artistic mecca, however, came at mid-century. Among those who stayed or ivied there were Arthur Miller, who moved there after his divorce from Marilyn Monroe and wrote “After the Fall” at the Chelsea; Brendan Behan, the Irish poet and dramatist who not only lived but died at the Chelsea and who bragged about drinking 18 straight glasses of whiskey the day before his demise; Thomas Wolfe, who wrote “The Web and the Rock” and “Look Homeward Angel” there; Jack Kerouac, who wrote “On the Road” at the Chelsea; painter Larry Rivers, composer Larry Rivers and others. Starting in the md-1960s, a new type of artist began showing up at the Chelsea — rock stars. In addition to Leonard Cohen and Janis Joplin, you had Bob Dylan (who wrote
“Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands” for his wife Sara in one of the rooms), Patti Smith, Jim Carroll, Dee Dee Ramone, who memorialized the hotel in his novel “Chelsea Horror Hotel”; and Sid Vicious, who stabbed his girlfriend Nancy Spungen to death there. Closely allied to the rock world was Andy Warhol, who shot his underground film “Chelsea Girls” about the lives of his female stars (most of whom didn’t live at the hotel) there. Much of this artistic activity wouldn’t have been possible without the efforts of manager Stanley Bard, who befriended the artists, sometimes accepted works of art in lieu of rent, displayed their works, and in general served as a kind of cheerleader. However, in 2007, the hotel’s board of directors, perhaps looking to take advantage of the decade’s short-lived real estate boom, fired Bard. Since then, the hotel has gone through several ownership changes. Despite fears that the hotel will be made into condos, the current owner, Chelsea Hotels Inc. (formerly King and Grove), has reassured people that it plans to keep it as a hotel. When emailed, a spokeswoman for the group answered that they expect the hotel to reopen in 2017. In the meantime, people can follow the story on the Chelsea Hotel Blog.
MARBLE’S JAZZ INSPIRED WORSHIP
EVERY SUNDAY
NEW TIME 5:00PM The Marble Loft (274 5th Ave)
Great Music. Great Spirit. A perfect blend of jazz and the Word.
1 West 29th Street / New York, New York 10001 / 212 686 2770 / MarbleChurch.org
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SEPTEMBER 10-16,2015
Business
CITY PUTTING LIMITS ON PAYING TENANTS TO MOVE OUT NEWS Measure bars repeated buyout offers within six months BY JENNIFER PELTZ
Landlords hoping to pay tenants to move out of the city’s 1.3 million rentregulated apartments will face new limitations on extending offers under measures designed to rein in a practice that has come under scrutiny in a roaring real-estate market. Mayor Bill de Blasio signed legislation barring repeated buyout offers within six months if tenants don’t want them. Other provisions require reminders that tenants can refuse or
consult lawyers. “There are too many cases in this city of landlords using cash offers to get tenants to move so they can increase the rents,” de Blasio said at a news conference. “This will end now. Those days are over.” He and other proponents say the measures will help keep residents from being browbeaten out of their homes by landlords and professional “tenant relocators” eager to charge more. But some real estate industry experts say the restrictions unduly curb communications with tenants. Under state laws, vacant rent-stabilized apartments often can be renovated, deregulated and re-rented at triple the price or more -- $5,200 a
month instead of $1,700 for a Manhattan two-bedroom, for example. Citywide, about 266,000 apartments have been deregulated since 1994. Tenant harassment complaints in city Housing Court have nearly doubled since 2011, officials have said. At a City Council hearing this spring, tenants and their advocates described residents getting knocks on their doors, fielding multiple calls per week and being accosted on the street with unwanted buyout offers. Some said that they’d been threatened with lawsuits or jail if they refused and that relocation specialists had approached tenants’ children. “Rent-regulated tenants routinely face harassment,” and it’s especially
troubling when the city is striving to preserve affordable housing, said Brandon Kielbasa of the Cooper Square Committee, a tenant advocacy group. He sees the new measures as needed protection. But real estate interests have noted that buyout offers -- often totaling five or more figures -- can be welcome. Some tenants solicit them. Others who initially decline reconsider as their circumstances change or the offer increases, says landlords’ lawyer Sherwin Belkin. He says he won’t force the issue if a tenant says no, but he inquires again in a few months or weeks if he believes they may entertain different terms. He also might send a note inviting them to call if they
change their minds. The six-month blackout on re-approaching uninterested tenants “prohibits what can be purely benign, nonthreatening, non-intimidating --what should be protected free speech,” Belkin said, noting that existing laws already prohibited tenant harassment. A 2014 law doubled the maximum penalty to $10,000. Meanwhile, a new city and state antitenant-harassment task force logged its first criminal case in June, when a Brooklyn landlord was accused of destroying walls and illegally turning off heat to try to make tenants miserable enough to move. The new measures are set to take effect in three months.
SEPTEMBER 10-16,2015
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SEPTEMBER 10-16,2015
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NextAct Fall 2015 Semester Explore the catalog and register today: www.jasa.org/community/nextact What is NextAct? JASA's NextAct programs are designed for adults 55+ who want to explore interesting topics, meet peers, become activists and make an impact in their communities:
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Sundays at JASA courses at John Jay College Advocacy training through the Institute for Senior Action (IFSA) Lectures and courses through the Ellie and Martin Lifton Institute of Judaic Studies Volunteer opportunities
We create the adventure and all you need to do is show up! Want to learn more? Attend the Sundays at JASA Open House Sunday, September 20 Â&#x2021; DP â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2:00 pm John Jay College, North Hall, 445 West 59th Street, New York City Fall Semester Dates: Sundays, September 27 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; December 20 Â&#x2021; QH[WDFW#MDVD RUJ Learn - Then Act! Join IFSA 0 weeks of hands on training in advocacy and social DFWLRQ Learn from highly acclaimed government, non-profit, and community lHDGHUV Thursdays, September â&#x20AC;&#x201C; November Â&#x2021; DP â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2:00 pm JASA, 247 West 7th Street, New York City Â&#x2021; ifsD#MDVD RUJ FRXQGHG LQ -$6$ LV RQH RI 1HZ <RUNÂśV ODUJHVW DQG PRVW WUXVWHG agencies serving older adults in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, DQG /RQJ ,VODQG -$6$ V PLVVLRQ LV WR VXVWDLQ DQG HQULFK WKH lives of the aging in the New York metropolitan area so that they can remain in the community with dignity DQG DXWRQRP\
CLINICâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CLOSURE CALLED SHORT-SIGHTED Activists say city efforts donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t meet demand, need for services BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS
Activists in Chelsea have declared their own health emergency, an outcome, they say, of the inadequacy of city-sanctioned efforts to ease the fallout from the March closure of an STD clinic that served many in the neighborhoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s LGBT community. The AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power and the Treatment Action Group, two prominent AIDS and health advocacy groups, held an emergency town hall meeting on Sept. 2 to draw attention to what they say is a steep dropoff in testing and treatment for AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. According to the coalition, visits to STD clinics are down 18 percent citywide since a planned twoto three-year closure of the Chelsea clinic at Ninth Avenue and 28th Street. The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said the clinic would be closed for renovations. In the meantime theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re directing patients 70 blocks north to the Riverside Health Clinic on West 100th Street. Other mitigation efforts include parking a mobile rapid testing van for syphilis and HIV outside the closed clinic and the introduction of three sexual behavior health sites at nearby health centers. But activists said the city failed to give any advance warning and their temporary mitigation efforts are unequal to the task. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We found out essentially that there had been no publicizing of the closing of the clinic,â&#x20AC;? said Jeremiah Johnson, a research and policy coordinator with TAG. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think after [we] protested, they did try to put together some Band-Aid responses, basically putting a couple vans on the street next to the clinic, but of course a couple vans are not a replacement for the clinic. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not very digniďŹ ed and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not very private feeling, and it cannot serve the same capacity as the Chelsea STD clinic.â&#x20AC;? Plans to close the clinic go
back to 2007. Originally a portion of the clinic was to remain open, but officials said they didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t realize the extent of the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s asbestos problem. After workers ďŹ led a grievance with their union over conditions the city decided to fully close it during the renovation work. Activists are now calling for a temporary clinic facility built on site. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for some sort of more fixed site location, something more approximating a clinic,â&#x20AC;? said Johnson. A report by the coalition found that between 2010 and 2014, annual cases of gonorrhea diagnosed in men citywide increased by 40 percent, and the number of new cases of Chlamydia diagnosed in men increased by 15 percent. The report also said cases of primary and secondary syphilis diagnosed in men increased by 33 percent. Those numbers, coupled with the claim that visits to clinics have decreased drastically since the Chelsea clinicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s closure, have the coalition pressing the city and Mayor Bill de Blasio to do more to prevent and treat the spread of STDs. But city officials have since cast doubt on the coalitionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ďŹ ndings. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Those numbers are misleading,â&#x20AC;? said a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mayor de Blasio has added $1.1 million a year for STD clinics to enhance services for men who have sex with men. There was also nearly $4 million in the budget, thanks to the city council, to end the epidemic.â&#x20AC;? The agency, citing its own study, found that between 2007 and 2012 the estimated proportion of city residents being tested for HIV had increased 56 percent to nearly 63 percent. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Chelsea clinic is only one component of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s extensive services for people at risk for STDs and HIV,â&#x20AC;? said a department spokesperson, adding that in 2014, about 95 percent of all STD diagnoses in New York City were made at a clinic other than the Chelsea clinic and that more than 80 percent of Chelsea residents
with an STD were diagnosed at another clinic. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Chelsea clinic is important, but a temporary closure to support renovation, combined with extensive auxiliary services during the renovation, will not hinder the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to end the AIDS epidemic.â&#x20AC;? The agency added that gonorrhea and syphilis rates have been rising since 2000 in every major city in the United States, Canada and Western Europe, and that increases have occurred in places with universal healthcare systems and extensive STD services, as well as places with neither of those. An agency spokesperson also said the vast majority of people with STDs in New York City are diagnosed outside of Health Departmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clinics, â&#x20AC;&#x153;which was true before there was any reduction in services.â&#x20AC;? Despite that rebuttal, the coalitionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s findings are gaining traction in some quarters of city government. Public Advocate Letitia James added her voice to the call for funding for a new center in Chelsea at the emergency town hall on Sept. 2. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These rates should be going down, not up,â&#x20AC;? said James. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We need the mayor and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to make public health in Chelsea a priority. This is a community that grapples with some of the highest rates of HIV and AIDS in the nation.â&#x20AC;? Johnson said the Chelsea clinic was also indispensable in providing services for traditionally marginalized populations like undocumented immigrants and transgender and transexual men and women. The clinic was attractive, he said, because testing and treatment was free and required no identiďŹ cation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is an incredibly important clinic,â&#x20AC;? said Johnson. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And we heard anecdotally about a number of people from the Bronx and Brooklyn coming to this speciďŹ c clinic, presumably because people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to receive services in their neighborhood because of the stigmatizing nature of these diseases.â&#x20AC;?
SEPTEMBER 10-16,2015
APARTMENT WINDOWS, AC SEALED BY CONSTRUCTION Façade work at UWS residential building causes concern during a heat wave BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS
Tenants in a newly privatized residential building on the Upper West Side said they’re suffering through the late-summer heat due to façade work that began early this month. Their windows, balcony doors and air conditioning units, tenants said, are covered in plastic sheeting and no fresh or conditioned air can get into individual apartments. “I never thought they could seal us in like this, in the dog days of summer,” said resident Gabriel Wimberly, president of the tenants association at 175 West 95th St. “The windows are sealed shut, they’ve got to be breaking someone’s law.” The building is a 28-story, 270-unit residential building at Amsterdam Avenue and 95th Street that privatized earlier this year after several decades in the Mitchell-Lama affordable housing program. Some residents took buyouts, said Wimberly, but the majority opted to remain in their units and maintain their protected rent status. In addition, he said, all but a handful of the apartments have balconies and are affected by the work. The building’s owner, Starrett Corp., told tenants the work is being done in compliance with Local Law 11, which requires physical inspection of a building’s façade via scaffolding — and maintenance if necessary – every five years. But in addition to the façade work, balconies are being resurfaced and new railing hardware is being installed. Wimberly suspects the owners are seeking to make the newly privatized building more attractive to prospective buyers by upgrading the balconies under the guise of Local Law 11. “No question about it that the work is being done to make the units look like luxury apartments,” said Wimberly, who provided a letter from the landlord showing the façade was last inspected in 2012. “They said it was for Local Law 11 but that’s not true.” On a recent visit to Wimberly’s apartment the air was hot and stuffy. A tower fan pointed
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at the couch labored mightily to circulate the fug around the living room. The balcony door, which is glass, was covered with heavy plastic sheeting and blue tape, as were the windows and his AC grill. The temperature outside was 93 degrees. Wimberly said the plastic sheeting went up on Friday, Aug. 28. According to AccuWeather.com, the temperature that day was 82 degrees. It climbed steadily over that weekend and into the following week, peaking at 93 degrees on Aug. 3. And there are other issues to contend with in addition to the soaring temperatures. For instance, tenants were told to remove all furniture and belongings from their balconies but were not told for how long. For Stephanie Ferguson, that means dealing with patio furniture that’s now piled up in her living room. “I don’t know how long the work is going to last or whether I should put this stuff in storage,” said Ferguson. “And who’s going to pay for that?” Ferguson also has pets, which she said are suffering due to the heat inside her apartment. A letter from Starrett on Aug. 31 instructs tenants to keep items off the balcony “until further notice.” Wimberly also criticized Starrett for not breaking the work into sections so only a certain number of tenants would be affected at one time. He said it’s frustrating for tenants to have their apartments sealed up while no work is being done. Tenant Manuel Casanova said residents were given no advance notice that their apartments would be sealed in plastic. Letters provided by Wimberly show that Starrett first notified tenants of the façade work in mid-July and instructed them to remove belongings from the balcony. Three other notices were sent in August, none of which mention that apartments would be sealed from the outside in plastic sheeting. “There was no way for people to fully understand what was going on,” Casanova said. “The apt is very hot and at the same time very claustrophobic.” Casanova said in his opin-
ion the façade work has been completely mismanaged, and echoed Wimberly’s objection that the work was not completed in individual sections. “They’re spreading out the pain for everybody for a very long time,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s all about communication.” After much protest from tenants and a letter expressing “grave concern” from Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal, Starrett sent a statement to tenants last week agreeing to remove the plastic sheeting from the air-conditioning vents on Sept. 3, but said the plastic would be put back in place the morning of Sept. 8. “This will enable residents to use their air conditioners starting at 6 p.m. Thursday through Monday, Sept. 7,” said Starrett spokesperson Zach Young, reading off the company’s statement to tenants. “This should alleviate the expected heat wave over the weekend.” Young said the work is set to continue throughout the winter. A worker in the building told a reporter it would be at least another year. “Management takes all residents’ concerns seriously, and we’re working on other alternatives to accommodate everyone during this heat wave,” said Starrett’s statement, which noted that after Aug. 8 tenants should await further instruction on the use of AC units. The company also offered tenants an air-conditioned community center as relief from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at a property they own on Columbus and 96th Street. In her letter dated Aug. 31, Rosenthal said apartments at the building were dangerously hot due to a recent heat wave and that the elderly and infirmed were at great risk. “There are several concerns that must be addressed and I ask that you take action immediately to rectify the un-acceptable conditions” residents now find themselves in, she said. Rosenthal also said she’s working with the Department of Buildings to increase enforcement efforts on the tenant protection plan at 175 West 95th St., which must be filed by a building owner with the agency for any work that would have an affect on tenants.
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If things are a bit tense in your doctor’s office come Oct. 1, some behind-the-scenes red tape could be to blame. That’s the day when the nation’s physicians and hospitals must start using a massive new coding system to describe your visit on insurance claims so they get paid. Today, U.S. health providers use a system of roughly 14,000 codes to designate a diagnosis, for reimbursement purposes and in medical databases. To get more precise, the updated system has about 68,000 codes, essentially an expanded dictionary to capture more of the details from a patient’s chart. How precise? Get nipped feeding a bird, and the codes can distinguish if it was a goose or a parrot. Have a bike accident with one of those horsedrawn tourist carriages? Yep, there’s a code for that, too. Unusual accidents aside, the government says the longawaited change should help health officials better track quality of care, spot early warning signs of a brewing outbreak or look for illness or injury trends. Under ICD-10 -- the 10th edition of the International Classification of Diseases -- there are codes that flag novel strains of flu, for example, and even Ebola and its cousins. With increasing focus on sports concussions, the codes can reflect how long patients lost consciousness and if they needed repeat care. “ICD-10 has the potential to create many improvements in our public health system,” Andy Slavitt, acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, told health providers in a recent conference call. But with the deadline approaching fast, he urged providers to make sure their offices are ready, and that they take advantage of Medicare-offered testing that lets whoever handles their billing file practice
claims. Might patients see an uptick in insurance denials for coding errors that require the doctor’s office to refile the claims? Dr. Robert Wergin, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians, is optimistic that providers are ready enough that patients shouldn’t feel an impact. “Sitting in the room with a patient, I don’t think you’ll notice anything,” Wergin said. His 10-doctor practice in rural Milford, Nebraska, has updated the electronic medical records of patients with chronic diseases, so the next time the diabetic with early kidney disease comes in, that new code is one less thing to check. Most doctors’ offices only use several dozen codes anyway, to match each specialty’s typical diagnoses, Wergin noted. “Really, I probably live in a world of 140 codes.” Why are codes so important? It goes beyond documenting that the bill is accurate -- no reimbursement for a wrist X-ray if the diagnosis was knee pain. With medical care gone digital, more precise diagnosis codes could allow researchers, even doctors themselves, to get a closer look at trends in one office or the entire country, Wergin said. A search of an office’s data could show how, say, all pregnant women with a uri-
nary tract infection in the third trimester fared. The new codes, already used in many other countries, indicate if it’s a first visit or a repeat. A spike in repeat visits for strep throat might indicate a more worrisome strain is spreading. This kind of data also is used by insurers and other organizations to help determine quality of care. CMS can’t estimate how many health providers are ready for the switch but officials think most large practices and hospitals are, so the agency is intensifying its focus on smaller doctors’ offices, said Dr. Mandy Cohen, CMS’ chief of staff. Private insurers told Congress months ago that they were ready. They, too, are focusing on small providers. “Health plans are working aggressively to help them get over the hump,” said Justine Handelman of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, who noted that the industry has had years to prepare. The U.S. postponed the deadline twice. Still, responding to doctor concerns, CMS has promised some flexibility in the first year of assessing claims, if the coding is close. “There will be bumps and challenges,” CMS’ Slavitt said, as he appointed an ombudsman to be the contact for health providers who experience them.
SEPTEMBER 10-16,2015
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RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS
JOHN KRTIL FUNERAL HOME; YORKVILLE FUNERAL SERVICE, INC.
AUG 5 - SEP 4, 2015 The following listings were collected from the Department of Health and Mental Hygieneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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.
Dignified, Affordable and Independently Owned Since 1885 WE SERVE ALL FAITHS AND COMMUNITIES 5 )/'&1 /'+$1)-,0 $2250 -+.*'1' 5 )/'&1 2/)$*0 $2850 5 4.'/1 /' *$,,),( 3$)*$%*'
Pier 72 Restaurant
270 West 72 Street
A
Wichcraft
61 West 62 Street
A
Amc Theatres Lincoln Square
1992 Broadway
A
The Leopard At Des Artistes
1 West 67 Street
A
The Dakota Bar
53 West 72 Street
A
Vanguard Wine Bar
189 Amsterdam Ave
A
Francesco Pizzeria
186 Columbus Avenue A
Edâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chowder House
44 West 63 Street
A
A.G Kitchen
269 Columbus Avenue
A
Farinella
267 Amsterdam Ave
Not Graded Yet (7) Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
Communal Oven & Earth
141 West 72 Street
A
Cafe 11
227 W 60Th St
A
The Ellington
936 Amsterdam Avenue
Grade Pending (25) Live roaches present in facilityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s food and/or non-food areas. Filth ďŹ&#x201A;ies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) ďŹ&#x201A;ies present in facilityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s food and/or non-food areas. Filth ďŹ&#x201A;ies include house ďŹ&#x201A;ies, little house ďŹ&#x201A;ies, blow ďŹ&#x201A;ies, bottle ďŹ&#x201A;ies and ďŹ&#x201A;esh ďŹ&#x201A;ies. Food/refuse/sewageassociated ďŹ&#x201A;ies include fruit ďŹ&#x201A;ies, drain ďŹ&#x201A;ies and Phorid ďŹ&#x201A;ies. 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.
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“What will happen to us if we lose the house?” If you have mortgage problems, call 888-995-HOPE for one-on-one expert advice from this free government program.
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YOUR 15 MINUTES
To read about other people who have had their “15 Minutes” go to ourtownny.com/15 minutes
GETTING INTO NYC KINDERGARTEN Bestselling author schools parents on navigating the system BY ANGELA BARBUTI
The kindergarten admissions process can be a daunting one, but Alina Adams assuages city parents’ fears with her book, “Getting Into NYC Kindergarten.” A mother of three, she found herself regularly fielding questions about her experience with getting her children into school. This led her to start a column in the Examiner and give talks at River Park Nursery School on the Upper West Side. “There’s just so much information and after each talk, people would say, ‘I wish I had this all in one unified place.’ So that’s when I decided to write a book,” she explained. The complete resource, which is the only one of its kind, offers information and advice on everything from admission essays that require you to ‘list your child’s greatest achievements up to this point’ to how you should never refer to
your child as ‘truly advanced.’ The book is electronic, which not only allows Adams to update it with any changes the Department of Education or private schools may make, but also enables parents to click on links to pertinent articles or sections on the DOE’s website.
At the start of the book, you outline questions parents must ask themselves before starting the process. Whenever people ask me about the best school- besides the fact that I say the best school is the school that’s best for your child- it really has to do with what you consider is important about a school. For some parents I’ve worked with, it’s academics. They want a school that has the best test scores and prepares their child for a rigorous workload. For other parents, it’s completely different. They want a school where a child may discover their own particular passion, whatever that might be. Or a school that nurtures the joy
of learning or a school that’s very much into social action. So the reason that I don’t give answers to those questions is because you need to provide those answers because you know what you want.
I like your point about not focusing on college placement when your child is young. Basically, a lot of the schools, public and private that are K to 12, you come in to tour and they’ll show you the wonderful science lab or the AP classes and they’ll tell you their college placements. But the fact is, you’re not looking for college placement, you’re looking for some place that will be wonderful for your child for kindergarten, maybe first and second, maybe up to fifth grade. But children change so much. Parents knows literally month to month they change so much. You have no idea when they’re four years old, what they’re gonna need when they’re 18.
Explain what you mean by “working the waitlist.” In a public school, the way that Kindergarten Connect works, is you can put down 20 choices. And assuming you don’t get your first choice, any choice that you put ahead of the choice that you did get, you automatically get placed on the waitlist. The Department of Education makes the initial process of placing everybody in the school. But once that initial placement round is over, the waitlists go back to the school. Now, this is not something you’re going to find written formally in any DOE or school policy. But the fact is, I’ve spoken to enough people to know that they don’t follow a strict queue. A school wants families that want them, so if you can convince them that you’d be a wonderful family for their community, you’re gonna jump the queue. Also schools don’t want to spend all summer making phone calls asking, “Do you want the spot?”
What are the positives and negatives to having your child attend your local school? Your local school varies insanely. In District 3, you have
PS 199 which is the school at Lincoln Center which has wonderful test scores. And only a few blocks away, you have PS 191 which is theoretically in the same neighborhood, but this year, it was oversubscribed and the DOE wanted to send families there and people rebelled. Because even though both are local schools and theoretically follow the same general education curriculum, there’s a huge difference between them. So I can’t flat out say the benefits of going to your local school without knowing what your local school is. But the obvious benefit is you’re not putting a five-year-old on a subway and traveling for an hour-anda-half downtown. It’s much easier to have friends over for playdates. It’s much easier to have relationships with other parents, you know, somebody
can grab a kid for you if you have an emergency. That comes from being local and having a community. Location is really important when it’s February and it’s 7 am and you’ve got the kids bundled in nine layers and you’re trying to get them on the bus.
Another interesting point you make is that if you push your kid up, he or she can actually be 18 months younger than some of the other children in the class. And you may find a difference in maturity levels. Yes, that can happen, especially in a private school. Maturity is a huge difference. There are a lot of kids who have very high test scores and could go into a higher grade, but the question is, are they ready from a social and emotional level? Ever since Malcolm Gladwell
in “Outliers” analyzed all this data and showed that if you’re the oldest in a group of hockey players, you tend to do better because you’re stronger. I think ever since that study came out, a lot more parents are interested in keeping kids back than in pushing them forward. I get a lot of emails from parents of December babies asking how they can keep them back so they won’t be the youngest in the class. www.alinaadams.com. You can buy the book here: www.tinyurl.com/ NYCKBook
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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“I WISH SOMEONE WOULD HELP THAT HOMELESS MAN.”
BE THE SOMEONE. Sam New York Cares Volunteer
Every day, we think to ourselves that someone should really help make this city a better place. Visit newyorkcares.org to learn about the countless ways you can volunteer and make a difference in your community.
SEPTEMBER 10-16,2015
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