Our Town October 22nd, 2015 by Our Town

The local paper for the Upper er East Side A PERFECT PAINTER AT THE FICK

WEEK OF OCTOBER

22-28

CITYARTS, P.12 >

2015

SLEEPLESS IN YORKVILLE

Our Take A BIG STEP FORWARD ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING

City says noisy MTS work should wrap up later this month BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS

Residents near the East 91st Street marine transfer station say they’re losing sleep due to all-night construction of the trash facility and have started a petition to revoke the contractor’s all-night work permit. “Many of the residents on the Upper East Side, particularly those of us who live in the five buildings on York Avenue, have been experiencing deafening jack-hammering starting at midnight — or earlier — and continuing through until 4 a.m.,” said Linda Garvin, who lives in the Hamilton at 1735 York Ave., which is owned by Glenwood Management. Other affected buildings, said Garvin, include The Brittany and The Barclay, which are nearby on York and also owned by Glenwood, and several residential buildings on East 90th Street. “I spoke to all the doormen, they all have the same issues,” said Garvin, who is spearheading the petition drive and has so far collected over 70 signatures from area residents. “There’s deﬁnitely a lot of interest, people are going crazy about this.” And, she said, calling 311 leads to dead end after dead end. “There have been many complaints to 311 but they get shuffled around from department to department, winding back at 311 to no avail,” Garvin said. “They tell you to call 311 who tells you to call Department of Buildings, who tells you to call 311. So basically you get nowhere.” Recent 311 data shows a sharp increase in construction noise complaints in the area near the construc-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

A DAY’S WORK SECOND OF SIX PARTS STORY AND PHOTOS BY HEATHER CLAYTON COLANGELO/EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS DIRECTED BY DORIAN BLOCK

It’s the ninth day of April, a Thursday, and after months of snow and ice, the promise of spring is just around the corner. Vibrant daffodils poke their heads out of the thawed soil and tiny leaves are appearing on trees. At 8:30 in the morning, Hank Blum, in his black MetroOptics button-down shirt and a mid-weight jacket leaves his apartment building

OurTownEastSide

O OURTOWNNY.COM @OurTownNYC

Newscheck Crime Watch Voices Out & About

on E. 79th Street and waits patiently for the M103 bus that will take him to 86th Street where he will pick up the 5 train to the Bronx. This time just a few months ago, Hank thought he’d spend an early spring day like this padding around his apartment, checking his stocks on the computer and leisurely watching Fox News. Instead he’s headed back to his former office for a full day of seeing patients. For six decades Hank worked as an optometrist on Southern Boulevard in the Bronx serving ten of thou-

2 3 8 10

City Arts Top 5 Food Business

12 13 14 16

GRAYING NEW YORK A series looking at growing older in the city sands of people. After three failed retirement attempts over the years, and as many retirement parties, he

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Finally, some welcome, undeniable good news on the housing front in our city. This week’s deal between Mayor Bill de Blasio and the Blackstone Group, one of the city’s biggest landlords, guarantees that Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village, the largest apartment complex in Manhattan, will remain a place for working-class families. The Lower East Side complex will be sold for more than $5.3 billion to Blackstone -- but only after the mayor exacted a pledge that nearly half the 11,232-units stay affordable.“We weren’t going to lose StuyTown on our watch,” de Blasio said in a statement this week. The mayor derserves the kudos, which have been a long time coming. While he has made affordable housing an important part of his progressive plank since taking office, many of us have been skeptical about the execution of his plan to roll out 200,000 affordable units. The fact that the mayor was able to cut this deal with Blackstone, a savvy Wall Street player, is an encouraging sign for future deals with developers. Maybe, just maybe, we’re ﬁnally seeing real progress in once again making this city a liveable place for everyone.

Jewish women and girls light up the world by lighting the Shabbat candles every Friday evening 18 minutes before sunset. Friday October 23 - 5:46 pm. For more information visit www.chabaduppereastside.com.

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

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

OCTOBER 22-28,2015

WHAT’S MAKING NEWS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD TOBACCO DEAL TO NET CITY $137 MILLION The city will receive about $137 million as part of an expected settlement with tobacco companies, according to the Wall Street Journal. The agreement with state authorities ends a decade-long dispute that arose

in 2003 following what was then called a breakthrough deal with tobacco companies in 1998. Arbitration followed and concluded in 2013, but just $92 million was released, the Journal said. The latest agreement, which is to be announced by Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, provides $550 million in settlement funds, with

half going to the state, a quarter to New York City and a quarter to counties outside the city, the Journal reported. The 1998 deal was intended to funnel funds for states to pay for associated costs of smoking-related health care. Mayor Bill de Blasio commended the agreement, saying “big tobacco companies have abused the legal

system to avoid giving New Yorkers the money they’re owed for the health costs resulting from cigarette smoking,” according the Journal.

LONGTIME UES BUSINESSES, RESIDENTS ‘VULNERABLE’ A report earlier this month is suggesting that longtime small businesses on the Upper East Side face extinction because of a flood of development in the neighborhood. The a planning and zoning study, by the nonprofit Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts, identified “specific development risks threatening community integrity” throughout the Lenox Hill, Yorkville, East Harlem, Carnegie Hill neighborhoods. Among the report’s conclusions are that “unmitigated change” in neighborhoods could lead to the forced exodus of “vulnerable populations,” particularly in the Yorkville, Lenox Hill and East Harlem neighborhoods, where there is a greater number of people over 60 and where the largest projects are being proposed. The report said that the Upper East Side’s character has depended on “hard-won contextual zoning regulations” that have kept large developments to down to “humanscale” and limited large developments projects to the wider streets and

avenues. “This has contributed to the preservation of the area’s affordable housing stock,” a summary of the report said. “Any zoning changes would shift this intricate balance.” It also found that less than 1 percent of the Upper East Side is made up of parks and open space.

PLAYGROUND AGAIN READY FOR KIDS A longtime favorite Central Park playground is once again welcoming kids. Workers have completed a renovation of the park’s 72nd Street playground, DNAinfo reported, having installed or built climbing apparatus, new slides, tire and strap swings a sandbox and a water fountain, the news site reported. “Most children’s ﬁrst experience in Central Park is probably at the playground,” DNA quoted Doug Blonsky, the Central Park Conservancy’s president, as saying. “Then they expand to the rock outcrops and the baseball ﬁelds and later spend their lives enjoying the park. We want to be sure every New Yorker and visitor has a safe, wonderful playground, which is instrumental to the whole New York experience.” The renovation is the latest in the Conservancy’s effort to refurbish the park’s 21 playgrounds. Another 10 or so still need to be rebuilt, DNAinfo said.

SAFETY FIRST MEANS ACTING FAST. Harlem Hebrew is a ƚƵŝƚŝŽŶͲĨƌĞĞ ĚƵĂůͲůĂŶŐƵĂŐĞ ƉƵďůŝĐ ĐŚĂƌƚĞƌ ƐĐŚŽŽů focusing on an immersion approach to Modern Israeli Hebrew and the study of Israeli culture and history. As with all public schools, we are non-sectarian and do not teach religion. All are welcome! We have two-three teachers in a classroom throughout the day and provide our students with outstanding instruction across all curriculum areas. Modeled after the Teachers College ZĞĂĚĞƌ͛Ɛ ĂŶĚ tƌŝƚĞƌ͛Ɛ Workshop, our curriculum is individualized, differentiated and designed to meet individual needs.

Tuesday tours start in mid September! Ăůů ƵƐ Ăƚ ϮϭϮͲϴϲϲͲϰϲϬϴ ƚŽ ŵĂŬĞ ĂŶ ĂƉƉŽŝŶƚŵĞŶƚ Žƌ ĨŽƌ ŵŽƌĞ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƚŝŽŶ ŽŶ ŚŽǁ ƚŽ ĂƉƉůǇ͘

WůĞĂƐĞ ǀŝƐŝƚ ŽƵƌ ǁĞďƐŝƚĞ͊ www.harlemhebrewcharter.org 147 St. Nicholas Avenue, New York, NY 10026

(212) 866-ϰϲϬϴ ͻ ŝŶĨŽΛŚĂƌůĞŵŚĞďƌĞǁĐŚĂƌƚĞƌ͘ŽƌŐ

Nothing is more important than your safety. So if you smell a gas leak, or see a downed power line or steam from a Manhattan manhole, call 911 or 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633) immediately. You can even do it anonymously. For more information, visit conEd.com.

OCTOBER 22-28,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG

YOUTH BASEBALL OFFICIAL ACCUSED OF STEALING $90K Prosecutors say the treasurer of a New York City youth baseball organization stole more than $90,000 that was supposed to be used for sports programs for teenagers. William Jacobvitz was indicted on a second-degree grand larceny charge. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. says Jacobvitz stole from New York Gothams Youth Baseball Inc. between November 2011 and April 2014. Prosecutors say Jacobvitz was the group’s treasurer during that period and made more than 50 unauthorized withdrawals from its bank accounts. They say he used the organization’s debit card to pay for personal car repairs totaling thousands of dollars. The money came from players’ fees and donations. Vance says it has not been repaid. Jacobvitz’s attorney, Stephen McCarthy, said his client pleaded not guilty.

STATS FOR THE WEEK Reported crimes from the 19th Precinct for Oct. 5 - 11 Week to Date

Year to Date

2015 2014

% Change

2015

2014

% Change

Murder

n/a

Rape

n/a

0.0

Robbery

n/a

24.6

Felony Assault

0.0

100

25.0

Burglary

-100.0

126

178

-29.2

Grand Larceny

-3.4

1,019

1,046 -2.6

Grand Larceny Auto

-50.0

SCENT AWAY Police arrested a shoplifter who was a prior offender. At 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 16, a 49-year-old man entered a store at 750 Lexington Ave. and removed six bottles of Chanel fragrance valued at $582 without paying for the items. When he tried to leave the store, he was detained, arrested and charged with burglary.

ILLICIT SOLICITING Police arrested two teens for making fraudulent solicitations on behalf of a charity. At 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 13, a

-7.7

group of teenagers were aggressively accosting pedestrians at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 63rd Street. They claimed to be representing the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and were selling candy to raise funds for the organization. A police officer called the Boys and Girls Clubs to check the teenagers’ claim and found out that they did not in fact work for that group. Police arrested two of the teens and charged them with fraudulent accosting.

TAX ATTACK Police are again reminding people to

Jason Kuffer, via Flickr

beware of a scam during which a caller purporting to be a representative of the Internal Revenue Service demands immediate payment by Money Gram. At 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 14, a 49-year-old male Upper East Side resident received a phone call from someone claiming to be an IRS representative, who said that the man owed $5,000 in taxes and needed to pay up at once. The man replied that he could only afford to pay $800 right away, which he wired by Money Gram. Police are continuing to investigate this latest phone scam.

APPAREL APPETITE One shoplifter apparently has a thing for cashmere. At 4:46 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15, a man entered a high-end retailer at 878 Madison Ave. and made off with $1,230 worth of merchandise, including cashmere cardigans, leggings and other items of luxury apparel. Police are attempting to identify the perpetrator from store surveillance video. For more East Side crime news, go to www.ourtownny.com, click on News, then Crime Watch

M ARBLE C OLLEGIATE C HURCH

INVISALIGN

SPECIAL! Receive a full invisalign treatment, including a consultation, orthodontic x-rays and records and full treatment for only

$3,995. Book Today Through ZocDoc at www.stevendavidowitz.com

Ken Cowan One of North America’s ﬁnest concert organists.

DR. STEVEN DAVIDOWITZ 328 East 75th Street www.LuxuryDentistryNYC.com

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 7:30PM $20 at the door and $15 for students and seniors

or call 212.759.7535 We work to make your smile dreams come true.

1 West 29th Street / New York, New York 10001 / 212 686 2770 / MarbleChurch.org

OCTOBER 22-28,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

Useful Contacts 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

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

HOW TO REACH US:

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

212-868-0190 nyoffice@strausnews.com ourtownny.com

Include your full name, address and day and evening telephone numbers for veriﬁcation. Letters that cannot be veriﬁed will not be published. We reserve the right to edit or condense letters for libel, good taste, grammar and punctuation. Submit your letter at ourtownny.com and click submit at the bottom of the page or email it to nyoffice@strausnews.com.

TO SUBSCRIBE: Our Town is available for free on the east side in select buildings, retail locations and news boxes. To get a copy of east side neighborhood news mailed to you weekly, you may subscribe to Our Town Eastsider for just $49 per year. Call 212868-0190 or go online to StrausNews. com and click on the photo of the paper or mail a check to Straus Media, 20 West Ave., Chester, NY 10918.

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

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

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

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

CALENDAR ITEMS:

ABOUT US

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

Our Town is published weekly by Straus Media-Manhattan, LLC. Please send inquiries to 20 West Ave., Chester, NY 10918.

RAT SIGHTINGS ON THE RISE NEWS Comptroller is critical of city’s response BY MICHAEL BALSAMO

To many in New York City, the rats are winning. The city’s complaint hotline is on pace for a record year of rat calls, exceeding the more than 24,000 over each of the last two years. Blistering audits have faulted efforts to fight what one official called a “rat crisis.” And even jaded New Yorkers were both disgusted and a little impressed by “Pizza Rat,” the plucky rodent in a recent viral YouTube clip seen dragging a large cheese slice down a subway stairwell. Nora Prentice, who lives on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, has repeatedly complained to the city about a colony of about 200 rats in a neighborhood park. “It’s like the Burning Man of rats,” she said. “They’re just sitting there in a lawn chair waiting for you. I don’t know what the city can do about this rat condominium. It’s really gross.” Prentice said that she avoids the area because of the rats and that complaints she filed with the city were closed after officials told her they were “working on the problem.” “It means you can’t lay down and relax in that park,” she said. “What kind of an answer is this?” Such gripes have found an advocate in Comptroller Scott Stringer, the city’s top financial officer, who has taken on the self-appointed role of rat czar. In separate audits over the past two years, he has criticized the city’s health department for not responding quickly enough to rat complaints, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which runs the subways, for not cleaning stations more regularly. Such breakdowns, he says, have allowed rats to thrive. “I’ve seen rats walking upright, saying, `Good morning, Mr. Comptroller,’” he said. “It’s unsightly to see rats running through neighborhoods like they actually bought a co-op somewhere.” New York officials who have been fighting the battle for decades say rising complaint numbers don’t mean there are

more rats, and they argue the rat population has actually been holding steady the past few years. A Columbia University doctoral student using statistical analysis last year estimated the number of rats in the city at 2 million, claiming to debunk a popular theory that there is one rat for each of the city’s 8.4 million people. But scientists and city officials say it’s impossible to accurately estimate the number. “There’s no way to do that,” said Caroline Bragdon, a city’s health department scientist and resident rat expert. Scientists can estimate the number of rats in a fixed area, like a park, by counting burrows and multiplying it by 10, but larger estimates are just not accurate, she said. The spike in complaints of rat sightings and conditions attracting rodents is probably because garbage was left festering on sidewalks during last winter’s large snowfalls, and registering complaints is easier now with the city’s 311 complaint line smartphone app, Bragdon said. Bragdon’s team responds to such complaints, compiles a citywide “rat index” and in-

spects dozens of buildings each month. What started as a team of less than a dozen has now expanded to nearly 50 people, working with a nearly $3 million annual budget to implement the latest push to control rodents. Mayor Bill de Blasio’s new “rat reservoir” plan targets communities with the highest number of rat complaints and seeks to dismantle habitats and food sources. That effort includes setting traps, installing rodent-resistant trash cans and working on legislation that would require restaurants to hose away sludge from dripping garbage. Every little bit helps, Bragdon said. Unlike the voracious Pizza Rat, she says, most rats need only an about an ounce of food and water daily to survive. “It’s an apple core, it’s a piece of a hotdog, a couple of chips. It’s the crumbs,” she said. “You’d much rather prevent rats from being here than treat them with poison after they’re here.” But not all new techniques have worked out. State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli released an audit ﬁnding little tangible success from a pilot program by the MTA to rid

the subways of rats by removing trash cans from some stations, forcing riders to go above ground to throw away their garbage. The audit said the MTA had mostly selected stations with low rodent sightings to begin with, so it was hard to gauge any reduction. “There are a lot of rats, especially at night,” subway rider Yessenia Alvarez said as she waited on a platform in Harlem. “When they come out, it’s like they’re everywhere.” City health inspectors regularly scour the city, poking into sewer grates and crawling under park foliage, searching for the signs many would never notice: tiny mounds of dirt that lead to an underground rat burrow, streaks in walls about an inch off the ground left by greasy fur, or tiny holes the critters can crawl through. “Here’s a big burrow, and it’s fresh,” Bragdon said during a recent inspection of a small park in Manhattan’s Chinatown neighborhood, notorious for its rat problem. As she pointed to the hole, a furry little head popped out, revealing one of the newest generation of New York City rats. Bragdon greeted it: “Hi, mister.”

OCTOBER 22-28,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

AMAZING IS WAKING UP. “It was like a flashbulb went off in my eyes.” That’s the last thing Nancy Jarecki remembers before a blood vessel in her brain exploded. Forty percent of people who suffer brain aneurysms like Nancy’s don’t survive. And of those who do, many have severely impaired brain function. But the skilled neurosurgery team at NewYork-Presbyterian helped Nancy beat the odds. When she opened her eyes in the recovery room, she wasn’t just awake—she was, to her own amazement, very much herself.

nyp.org/amazingthings

A DAY’S WORK CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 was sure that the close of 2014 would mean putting away his phoropter for good. While he loved the work, the rigors of the job and commute were finally catching up to his aging body. He was managing Stage

OCTOBER 22-28,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com 2 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) which constricts his breathing on a daily basis and Atrial Fibrillation (AFib). He handed over his client files, said he goodbyes, and closed the book on that stage of his life. Just weeks into his retirement, his former boss, John, call him up, saying he had an

emergency. They were shorthanded and could Dr. Blum, possibly come in a couple of Saturdays in February to help?“I like the idea. I don’t like the idea. I told myself I was going to retire, but for two days I can manage it,” he told himself. A couple days turned into a few - Hank admits to having a hard time saying no - and Hank

has now spent a few Saturdays and the occasional weekday working. “He needs me more than I need him,” laughs Hank, yet he seems pleased to be back at work part-time. “I feel like I’ve accomplished something. I enjoy myself,” he says. He enjoys seeing the patients he thought he’d left behind for

good - many were his regular clients for years - but working a full day is more difficult than is used to be. “I enjoy it up to 3:30 p.m.,” he says. “At the end of the day I’m 85 years old. I’m not a baby anymore. It catches up to you.” Even through he’s not in regularly, Hank’s had to make adjustments to his daily schedule. Other employees take a 45-minute lunch break but Hank needs a full hour in order to recharge for the second half of his shift. He also has to be careful about overbooking his schedule. “If I don’t eat by 1 my blood sugar drops and I get a headache,” he says. Hank is planning on telling John that he has to cut the day short and at least end at 5 p.m., but he’s not sure if it will be enough to stave off the fatigue. ***

Photos by Heather Clayton Colangelo

It’s been a busy morning and Hank sits down in his office for a rest between patients. He’s doing paperwork by hand as he always has. The other doctor completes his on a computer but Hank ﬁnds using the computer too time consuming. Soon he hears the sounds of activity outside and his name being called. He steps outside to meet a walk-in patient. She’s never been to Metro Optics before but had heard good things about Dr. Blum. She fidgets with her glasses as she sits down in the examination chair for her yearly eye checkup and a contact lens ﬁtting. Hank puts her at ease with a joke. Soon they’re talking about the best places to get pizza in New York. He quickly and efficiently runs through the routine of typical tests, while devoting a full half an hour to her and her eye care. He asks if she has any questions, as he sits back down in his chair. She asks about Lasik eye surgery and if she’d qualify as a candidate. Hank says yes, and explains what an eye surgeon would do. He swivels around to his desk and writes down the name of a local eye surgeon he recommends, Dr. Eric Mandel on 70th Street. “Only go to him,” he says. “He’s the best.” The appointment over, Hank walks down the hallway and hands over the contact lenses and glasses prescriptions to his colleague, Lucy. She mentions to Hank that she’s found something of his and takes out an old photo of a barely 15-yearold Hank that’s she found scattered around the office. He stares back at it, marveling how young he looks.

“I was a handsome devil, wasn’t I?” he says. “Where the hell did the time go?” The spell is broken by the sound of steps behind him. Snapping back to the present, Hank explains to the patient who has followed him out of the examination room that she’ll come back to see another doctor for her eyeglass adjustment in a few days. “It won’t be you?” she asks with hesitation. “No, I’m only here sometimes,” says Hank but he assures her that she will be in good hands. They say goodbye and and Hank hurries back to his office to get his jacket. It’s past 1 p.m. and Hank is getting hungry and tired. With a quick wave he exists the ofﬁce and heads directly over to his favorite Mexican restaurant where he’ll get his usual order of “chicken in a pot.” He says it’s the best chicken soup in the world, but more importantly is eases the difficulty he has breathing from his COPD. “You don’t have to say make it hot. The steam is in your face,” he says. He eats soup for this reason, practically daily. “I’m getting older quicker,” he says. A few weeks ago, he noticed that his hands have begun to shake. He recently babysat his young granddaughter and the shaking made him afraid to pick her up. His thumbs have been stiffer than normal, as has his neck. The prospect of not being able to play with his grandkids bothers him. At this stage of his life, as his body and career has slowed down, family is unequivocally the most important thing to him. Hank meet his wife Patti at an Upper East Side bar, Pembles, 40-something years ago and won her over with the line “You have gorgeous eyes, let’s dance.” He says he trusts her with his life. More than a decade and a half younger than Hank, they are parents to two adult children, along with Hank’s son and daughter from a previous marriage. There are five grandchildren between them. Hank adores them all. “I’m so fucking lucky.” Hank turned 85 on February 7 and has lived past life expectancy in New York City, currently 81. He’s still coming to terms with the milestone. “85 is a big number and I’m aware of it. My age never bothered me at 70, 75, 80,” he says. This is the ﬁrst time in my life I’ve thought of how long I’m going to be here.” He had plans of celebrating locally but ended up traveling to his daughter Randi’s house in Connecticut on the Sunday of his birthday weekend. He and

OCTOBER 22-28,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

A NOTE ABOUT THIS SERIES

Patti took the train in the morning. Hank doesn’t drive long distances anymore because he gets tired. He knew some family members would be there but did not expect his older kids to make the trip. When he got there he walked directly to the kitchen to get settled in. “I came in and sat down at the kitchen island. My wife called, ‘Come in for a minute.’ I walked in and saw them.” Assembled in the living room were his four children, their spouses and all ﬁve of his grandchildren. “I just looked up and my mouth dropped,” he says. He hugged them all, before settling in to a brunch of eggs, bacon, ham and potatoes. His daughter Randi made pecan pie, her specialty. Hank opened presents from his kids: train tickets for their next few trips to Connecticut from his youngest daughter, Randi; a jacket from his oldest daughter, Bonnie; reservations at a favorite restaurant from his youngest son, Marc, and a polo shirt from his oldest son, Barry. “That was a hell of a surprise,” he says. “I’ve got a hell of a family.” Hanks says the years have mellowed him. “It’s amazing - my old age and how I’ve changed. My outlook on life has changed. When

you are 45 and 85 you see things differently. I am more aware of life now because it’s coming to an end.” Just last night he left evidence of a midnight cookie binge on the piece of paper the milk rests on in his fridge. Patti was irritated when she saw the crumbles. He refused to get into an argument and asked her if it was really worth getting upset over. “Don’t stress the small stuff and you have to be able to differentiate the small stuff,” he says. Randi has noticed changes in her father as well. “There’s been a progression from who he was with my half brother and sister and who he was with me and my brother and who he is for my kids,” she says. She says he’s been an exceptional grandfather. “Nobody on this planet loves my kids even close to how much I do beside them.” In June, Hank is taking his younger kids and their children on a week-long family vacation to Jamaica. He just booked the trip. “I’m very excited. Extremely excited. On a scale of 1 to 10, I’m a 40,” he says. “I don’t have to see the Taj Mahal. I would rather sit in the pool with my grandkids,” he says. Especially because he considers it to likely be his last international trip.

FOR MORE IN THE SERIES Our Town will spend the next six weeks chronicling Hank Blum’s struggle with retirement. For more on Hank -- and for the stories of New Yorkers followed by our sister publications in other parts of Manhattan -- go to www. ourtownny.com “Next year I don’t think I’ll be as well as this year and I don’t want to be stuck in another country and be sick… at 86 I’ll be vulnerable.” He worries about something serious happening and being far away from a good hospital. Before the trip he’ll make a visit to his pulmonologist, Dr. David Posner. Before Jamaica he is considering adding another family member. In December Hank and Patti’s beloved Havanese passed away. “I’d come home. She’s jump on me. Wag her tail. Lucy was a wonderful puppy.” Patti has been inconsolable. She wants to get a new dog but Hank has been on the fence. He doesn’t really want one and besides, the average life expectancy of a Havanese is 14 years. “I don’t think I’m going to make it. I don’t think I’m going to be here in 10 years. I’ll live to 90 if I’m

lucky.” Even if he does, he’s realistic about what he body will be like at that age. When he looks at his grandkids, he’s amazed at their development. Their bodies and minds changed so rapidly within the timespan of just a few years. He says he’s much different than he was at 80 and expects things to deteriorate exponentially. “It’s reversing” he say of his body. “What am I going to look like in 5 years?” His lunch hour is up and the soup’s grown cold. It’s time for Hank to return to the office and finish his day. He is hoping he’ll have enough energy to get through it. His feet are already hurting him. He gets up with a labored push off his chair, waves goodbye to the counterman, and walks slowly but deliberately back to the office. “All my life I have not thought of my age. Right now I think of my age. It’s deﬁnitely a little scary. I still do what I have to do. I still live life.” This series is a production of the Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center at Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health. It is led by Dorian Block and Ruth Finkelstein. It is funded by the New York Community Trust. To find all of the interviews and more, go to www. exceedingexpectations.nyc

For the past 10 months, a team of reporters and photographers has been following 20 New Yorkers as they navigate their 80s. The project -- spearheaded by the Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center -- is not a research project; we did not draw a sample of people to stand for the population of all New Yorkers. Instead, we searched for – and found -- an abundance of people who are passionately engaged in living interesting lives, in neighborhoods throughout New York, from many countries and backgrounds, in a variety of living situations and family structures, of different religions and colors. And we are sharing a year in their complicated, multi-faceted lives – to demonstrate that aging is living. For the next six weeks, we’ll tell one of their stories here. The rest can be found at www.exceedingexpectations.nyc. Though the reporting will continue through January, and even into next year, some conclusions already are apparent. First, we have learned that there are as many ways to be old as there are to be young. Many people are engaged in the work or activities – or similar kinds of activities - that occupied them when they were younger. Some help in the businesses of family members. A few have found new passions. Some are struggling with retirement -- unsure how to spend their time and energy. All have dreams they want to fulﬁll. Second, people’s social networks are very different, but are crucial to their lives. Some are embedded in extended families; others in groups of friends, with some friendships spanning most of their lives. A few have social networks of their neighborhoods. All have lost many they have loved. Several are actively dating. Almost everyone takes care of someone else –a spouse, children, grandchildren, or great grandchildren. Many are, in turn, sometimes cared for by others. Some are alone. Several are separated from previous partners. Several are grieving recent loss. Health problems add up over the years, and most of the people live with multiple health issues – the chronic conditions that accumulate with age: heart issues, lung issues, diabetes, loss of hearing or sight, arthritis and other pains and problems with joints and bones, and cognitive changes and dementia. Several people had bad falls in the time we have known them. Nevertheless, we see that later life is not a steady decline. Life has gone up and down for all since we met them – with victories and joy and weeks of good health and days when going outside is too much. Those with the most severe health conditions, were often the most active on their good days. And when many seemed like they would get worse, they got better. It has been a journey. Come along with us. Ruth Finkelstein Associate Director Robert N Butler Columbia Aging Center Dorian Block Director and Editor, Exceeding Expectations Robert N Butler Columbia Aging Center

OCTOBER 22-28,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

Voices

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

My Story

Traffic, Traffic, Traffic BY BETTE DEWING “You’ve got to bring it to the papers, especially your community paper!” And this anxious talker must at least say this at every civic meeting so the problems so desperately aired there to electeds and other policymakers will get some more action. East 79th St. Neighborhood Association President Betty Cooper Wallerstein agrees that the group leader must stress this, and will also always distribute media and elected official contact information handouts. And indeed, this powerhouse community leader should keep telling these policy makers how she almost didn’t make the October meeting due to a red light-running food delivery biker nearly mowing her down as she crossed 2nd Avenue and 79th – of course, with her light. And say, this is the usual near-miss threat, not the exception, and the usual fear raised at meetings for decades. Related was the East Sixties Neighborhood Association’s annual meeting’s “panel of experts addressing pressing neighborhood problems - traffic and public safety.” Ah, and here’s to this group’s president and community board eight member, Barry Schneider, often recalling how he was a victim of a motorist’s failure to yield - the most dangerous crime of traffic. And, it was good for me to again experience the horrendous traffic volume coming off the Queensboro Bridge with really scary pedestrian crossings about which inﬁnitely more needs to be said. Subsequent traffic tie-ups have drivers blasting their horns at all hours and affected neighbors shouting “Shuddup!” out their windows. Fortunately, these honking laments aired at the meeting were picked up by a DNAinfo reporter whose piece also sparked Fox News and CBS TV coverage. And how these threats to public safety and health need to get and stay out there! “So bring it to Our Town, especially,” I said, and hopefully this group, formed in 1991 will do just that. But there’s so much traffic in general, and on the sidewalks now, a California-based New Yorker said after the E. 79th group meeting. This very able-bodied person is shocked by the increase seen on his trimonthly visits. The reasons? “Well, bike

and bus lanes surely, but mainly it’s construction, construction, construction,” he said. Zoning has long been an E. 79th Street Neighborhood Assn. active concern to protect the side streets but also against “unlimited growth” on the avenues. But when there’s no major ongoing protest, we will keep losing the small businesses that meet everyday needs – and affordable homes which make for neighborly and livable communities. Among Councilmember Ban Kallos’s efforts brought to the E. 79th group meeting is his war against the superscraper building plan in his E. 60s district. He also asked for building names which deserve landmark status, and yes, why not even call about the now-sold stately 1906 vintage 40 East End Avenue with its invaluable Gristedes market and East End Kitchen restaurant? Someone at the meeting feared the 81st and York building housing Gracie’s Café had been sold. Although this paper lists Ben Kallos’s number, it’s 212-860-1950. And if all concerned would just call, well, at least we’ve tried. Above all, the big picture has got to get out there – the environmental impact of overbuilding. including medical, educational and museum buildings’ expansions, which also rob park space. And what about the literally years of noise pollution exacted by each demolition and high rise construction? Incidentally, the one thing needing a bit of sound is the city bicycle! So you concerned multitudes, above all, “bring it to the paper.” And, yes. civic grouips need your help, and on the way there or anywhere, do blow the whistle, literally, at traffic law-breakers. And here’s to more able bodied members helping those unable to travel alone get to the meetings. Indeed, this group often has considerable time to contact media and the electeds about all the above. There’s also a great will to preserve a livable city for any adult children and grandchildren. And so the truly amazin’ ones are all those who keep trying. They deserve a little recognition on All Saints Day Sunday, too, especially those still trying to reopen the churches the city-at-large can not afford to lose. dewingbetter@aol.com

OF CINDY ADAMS, THE UN AND THE POPE EAST SIDE ENCOUNTERS BY ARLENE KAYATT

Cindy Says: In its early days Cindy Adams, yes, THE Cindy Adams, wrote a gossip column for Our Town titled “Cindy Says.” It was sassy and fun and the talk of the town. My ex-husband and I were best buddies with Cindy and her husband THE Joey Adams. There came a time, in about 1979, when THE New York Post wanted Cindy to write her column for the Post. How could she not? Five dollars a week at Our Town. A local paper. Of course she would write for the Post but had one request. She wanted to continue writing her column for her friend Ed Kayatt’s Our Town. Then Post publisher Roger Wood said, or least suggested, “Huh?,” but after much musing agreed. When Cindy told Ed, I was elated. Ed would have none of it: “You’re ﬁred, Cindy. Either you write for Our Town or the Post. Not both.” The rest is history. Good lord: Lovely early Tues afternoon at 79th and 5th bus stop. Terrible traffic. Pope Francis and the UN Assembly were in town. No takers for the offer from well-coiffed, smartly tailored lady to share a taxi. It would take forever and cost a fortune. She did not want to be late for her duties at the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church’s weekly luncheon where she has been a volunteer hostess for the last several years so she took the taxi herself to 55th and 5th where the church is located. Not only did the church luncheon volunteer bear the cost of the cab, but she had to pay $15 for lunch at the luncheon. Not very laudable. Neighborhood markers: Not too long ago it seemed like almost every neighborhood had a Gap store. Maybe a CVS or

Duane Reade. Deﬁnitely a Starbucks or two or three. Nowadays it’s a Whole Foods, a Fairway, a Fika, a Panera, a Blue Mercury, a TD Bank, a Santander bank. The latest trend in commercial tenancies in residential neighborhoods is street level urgent care walk-ins such as City MD, Pro-Health, and Urgent Care, which provide medical services during the day and evening and on weekends, but not 24/7. They do not replace primary care doctors. They are for emergencies or when a primary care physician is on vacation or unavailable. There is a City MD on 86th between 1st and 2nd. A Pro Health is coming to 90th and 3rd in Ruppert Towers in the corner space previously occupied by Lisa’s Hallmark. Another is coming to 3rd Ave between 22nd and 23rd Sts. An interesting evolution at this location. In the late 1970’s Pastrami & Things delicatessen was located in the same spot. The previous owner, Leo Steiner, became a partner in the Carnegie Deli. All these years later one hopes that the strains of pickling spices and smells of pastrami are long gone. Deﬁnitely not a prescription for a clogged artery or an emergency walk-in. They have my number: After more than 30 years, Verizon has taken my valued 212 phone number from me and won’t give it back. All I wanted was to switch from Verizon to Time Warner Cable for different services. In refusing to let me keep my cherished 212 number, Verizon claims I abandoned the number when Time Warner failed to make the service call to my home to port the 212 number over to Verizon. So much for Time Warner Cable’s TV ads promising on time, good service. Now where does one go to get her/his 212 number back? It’s a reputation

thing. Pop up for blood: Not only are restaurants and galleries taking advantage of valued, empty real estate storefronts - so is the New York Blood Center. One day in early October they set up shop where the old Sam Flax store used to be on 55th and 3rd. A big sign beckoned donors. The office building at 900 3rd, where Sam Flax was, had a sign-in sheet at the concierge desk for those wanting to donate blood. One of the staffers at the blood drive told me that the CitiCorp Donor Center has a year-round location on the lower level of the Citicorp Building on 53rd and Lex. Give if you can. Winning Judge: Manhattan’s Democratic District Leaders nominated Ta-Tanisha James to ﬁll the countywide seat being vacated by Civil Court Judge Tanya Kennedy who has been nominated for Supreme Court. The other candidates for the Civil Court seat were Housing Court Judge Sabrina Kraus and court attorney Richard Tsai. Both will be among the contenders for next year’s openings. Let the judging begin. Feedback: After my first column about Fairway 86th Street’s so-called “Café,” Yorkville Resident posted online that the building management would not allow a restaurant. My point was that Fairway should not call its take-out shop a cafe. Arlene Kayatt’s East Side Encounters will run bi-weekly in Our Town. The column marks a return to Our Town for Kayatt, who has lived on the Upper East Side for more than 40 years. She worked for the paper from 1973 to 1986, as a reporter and as managing editor. Know of something she should include in the column? Email her at news@strausnews. com

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

Associate Publishers, Seth L. Miller, Ceil Ainsworth

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

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

Staff Reporters, Gabrielle Alfiero, Daniel Fitzsimmons

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

OCTOBER 22-28,2015

Central Park

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HAPPENING IN THE PARK Halloween Parade And Pumpkin Flotilla: Join the Central Park Conservancyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual Halloween Parade and Pumpkin Flotilla on Sunday, Oct. 26, at the Harlem Meer. Enjoy live music, spooky stories, pumpkin carving demonstrations and the signature pumpkin ďŹ&#x201A;otilla, which sets sail across the Harlem Meer at twilight! While the event is open for all to view, registration is required. Visit centralpark.com/events For more information. Fit Tours NYC: Central Park 5K Fun Run: Join in on this casual 5K run (9:30-/10-minute per mile pace) and go on a historical journey through many of Central Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most iconic locations, including Bethesda Fountain, The Mall, the Imagine Circle (John Lennonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s memorial in Strawberry Fields), the Great Lawn and others. More information at centralpark.com/events

COMING UP THIS WEEK Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre: Hansel And Gretelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Halloween Adventure Just in time for Halloween and appropriate for kids of all ages. Location: The Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre, 79th Street and West Drive in Central Park When: Everyday but

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

Monday. Please visit centralpark.com/events for costs, tickets and times: NYRR â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 5K Dash To The Finish Line: Be a part of the worldfamous TCS New York City Marathon excitement, run through the streets of Manhattan, and ďŹ nish at the famed Marathon ďŹ nish line

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

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

IN OUR HANDS RESCUE & NORTH SHORE ANIMAL LEAGUE AMERICA

in Central Park â&#x20AC;&#x201D; without running 26.2 miles! When: Oct. 31, 8:30 AM 10:30 AM Visit centralpark.com/ events for more information.

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

$ 25

WHERE IN CENTRAL PARK? Do you know where in Central Park this photo was taken? To submit your answer, visit: www.centralpark.com/ where-in-central-park. The answers and names of the people who are right will appear in the paper and online in two weeks. Congratulations to Ravi Rozdon, Henry Bottjer, Joe Ornstein, Bob Levy and Gregory Holman for answering the last question correctly.

ANSWER FROM TWO WEEKS AGO West 75th Street Boat Landing: When the park was originally designed, the area now known as The Lake was set up to be ďŹ&#x201A;ooded in the winter and used for ice skating. Boating in this area was an afterthought. Originally there were 12 passenger call boats that would stop at six different boat landings, so that passengers could get out and explore different areas of the park. The boat landing pictured is located near the Ladies Pavillon. All of the landings are being renovated and restored to their original beauty.

Dear Parents: You are cordially invited to attend one of our OPEN HOUSES at York Preparatory School Tuesday, October 27th 9:10am-10:30am Tuesday, November 3rd 9:10am-10:30am Tuesday, November 10th 9:10am-10:30am Tuesday, November 17th 9:10am-10:30am Tuesday, December 1st 9:10am-10:30am Tuesday, January 5th 9:10am-10:30am Tuesday, January 26th 9:10am-10:30am Tuesday, April 19th 9:10am-10:30am Tuesday, May 10th 9:10am-10:30am RSVP to the Admissions Office at: Elizabeth Norton 212-362-0400 ext. 103 - enorton@yorkprep.org Cathy Minaudo 212-362-0400 ext. 106 - cminaudo@yorkprep.org York Prep is a coeducation college preparatory school for grades 6-12

OCTOBER 22-28,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

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

FREE Electronics Recycling Safely and Properly Dispose Your eWaste

Thu 22 Fri 23

Sat 24

FREE CONCERT PRINCIPALS OF THE CLARION ORCHESTRA PERFORM CHAMBER MUSIC

HALLOWEEN MURDER MYSTERY â&#x2013;ş

St. Bartholomewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Church, Park and 50th Street. 1 p.m.-2 a.m.free. At 1:15pm, New Yorkers have the rare opportunity to hear four internationally-renowned period instrument musicians perform Bach and Haydn, for free, at St. Bartholomewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Church. 212-580-5700. clarionsociety. org

HOSPITAL FOR SPECIAL SURGERYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ANNUAL AUTUMN BENEFIT Guastavinoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, 409 East 59th St. 6:30 p.m. Hospital for Special Surgery is hosting its Annual Autumn BeneďŹ t, a gala dinner to support its award-winning medical education program. Guests will enjoy dinner, cocktails and entertainment at Guastavinoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. 917-359-3939.

Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden, 421 East 61st St. Oct. 23, 24. 6:15 and 7:30 p.m. $25, adults; $10, children under 12; $15, members In this ďŹ ctional mystery game, loosely based on an historic newspaper account, an unidentiďŹ ed skeleton has been discovered at the Mount Vernon Hotel. Explore the Museum by candlelight, and collect clues to unravel the mystery and solve the case. A perfect game for adults or families with children

Sunday, October 25th Lower East Side @L SN OL r 1@HM NQ 2GHMD Stop by with your old electronics for eco-friendly recycling. All participants will receive a coupon for up to $20 off a qualifying purchase at Tekserve.*

For more locations and details, visit tekserve.com/recycling *Coupon valid for $10 off any single purchase of $50 or more; $20 off any single purchase of $100 or more. Expires December 31, 2015.

+NVDQ $@RS 2HCD $BNKNFX "DMSDQ OQNFQ@L RONMRNQDC AX

6DRS QC 2SQDDS r r SDJRDQUD BNL

â&#x2013;˛ HACKING THE SUBJECT: BLACK FEMINISM, REFUSAL, AND THE LIMITS OF CRITIQUE

INTERNATIONAL FINE ART & ANTIQUES DEALERS SHOW

8 and up. 212-838-6878.

Barnard College James Room, 4th Floor Barnard Hall, West 117th and Broadway. 6:30 p.m. Free. The Barnard Center for Research on Women welcomes distinguished ethicist and feminist theorist Denise Ferreira da Silva for a lecture considering black feminism and feminist critical grammar. 212-854-2037. barnard.edu/

Through Oct. 29. 11 a.m-7:30 p.m., daily, closing at 6 p.m. on Oct. 25, 27, and 29. $25 More than 65 of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top dealers converge on the Armory for an event that collectors, connoisseurs, interior designers and art lovers anticipate all year long. 212642-8572. www.haughton. com/international-fairs/24/ fair_pages/the-international-

Venus, 980 Madison Ave., third ďŹ&#x201A;oor 10 a.m.â&#x20AC;&#x201C;6 p.m. Bernhardt takes everyday objects and creates art pieces out of their likeness to inspire. The show draws the attention of collectors and helps to create a cultural statement in the arts paint. venusovermanhattan.com

KATHERINE BERNHARDT, â&#x20AC;&#x153;PABLO The Park Avenue Armory, 643 AND EFRAINâ&#x20AC;? Park Ave.

OCTOBER 22-28,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

NEWYORK-PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL AND WEILL CORNELL MEDICINE FALL SEMINAR SERIES

Sun 25 ANIMAL CARE CENTERS OF NYC PET ADOPTION EVENT Petco Turtle Bay, 53rd Street and Second Avenue. 12-4 p.m. Animal Care Centers of NYCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mobile Adoption Center will be at Petco Turtle Bay with great cats and dogs looking for loving homes. 212-788-4000. nycacc.org/ Events.htm

HALLOWEEN PARADE AND PUMPKIN FLOTILLA Charles A. Dana Discovery Center 3:30 p.m.â&#x20AC;&#x201C;7 p.m. Preregistration at web address below. A Halloween and fall festival like no other, pumpkin carving, crafts, spooky stories, parade, and Flotilla. Fun for the whole family! Set pumpkins free into the Harlem Meer and watch them ďŹ&#x201A;oat free in twilight. Registration required, bring your own pumpkin. 212-860-1370. www.nycgovparks.org/ events/2015/10/25/central-parkconservacy-halloween-paradeand-pumpkin-ďŹ&#x201A;otilla

Mon 26 NEW YORK CITY AND WATER: AN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE The Graduate Center, CUNY

Elebash Recital Hall, 365 Fifth Ave. 6:30-8 p.m. Free. A panel discussion on water management issues, present and future, with Russell Shorto Gerard Koeppel, Len Tantillo and Henk Ovink. 212-817-8460. www. gothamcenter.org/

Avenue at 29th Street. 7:30 p.m.$20 ($15 for students and seniors). Ken Cowan will provide a concert to celebrate the installation in the churchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sanctuary of a spectacular new pipe organ. 212-576-2700. http://www. marblechurch.org/

BERLIN METROPOLIS

Wed 28

Neue Galerie, 1048 Fifth Ave. Thu-Mon: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. $20; students and seniors, $10 Weimar Republic (1918â&#x20AC;&#x201C;1933) created cultural epochs that involved a new and contemporary style of architecture, design, fashion, and ďŹ lm. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Berlin Metropolisâ&#x20AC;? show brings 350 pieces to light again and displays this cultural niche that was created amongst darkness. 212-628-6200. neuegalerie. org

Tue 27 ALTRUISM, ETHICS, AND THE GLOBAL ECONOMY New York Society for Ethical Culture, 2 W 64th St. 7:30-9 p.m.free. A Discussion with Matthieu Ricard and Jeffrey Sachs. 212-874-5210. http://www. nysec.org/calendar-date_nysec/ month/2015-10

ORGAN CONCERT FT. KEN COWAN, ONE OF NORTH AMERICAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GREATEST ORGANISTS Marble Collegiate Church, Fifth

EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT ETHICAL CULTURE New York Society for Ethical Culture, 2 West 64th St. 6:30-8 p.m. Free An introduction for newcomers and refresher for members of the foundations of Ethical Culture and Humanist philosophy. 212-874-5210. www.nysec. org/calendar-date_nysec/ month/2015-10

â&#x20AC;&#x153;IF YOU LEAVE ME CAN I COME TOO?â&#x20AC;? Hunter College East Harlem Gallery, 2180 Third Ave. at 119th St. Daily (except Mon & Sun) beginning Oct. 20 Noon-5 p.m. Free. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If You Leave Me Can I Come Too?â&#x20AC;? an examination of the way death is acknowledged by the living, showcases the artwork of 12 international contemporary artists. 212-843-9308. www.hunter. cuny.edu/eastharlem-artgallery/ visit

O C T O B E R

Get Your ZZZâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s: Tips on a Good Nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sleep for Optimal Health Daniel A. Barone, M.D.

NOVEMBER

Food Allergies and Nutrition: Was it Something I Ate? Amina H. Abdeldaim, M.D., M.P.H. Alexandra L. Weinstein, R.D., C.D.N.

Time: All seminars will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Place: All seminars held at Uris Auditorium Weill Cornell Medicine 1300 York Avenue (at 69th St.) For more information: If you require a disability-related accommodation, or for weather-related cancellations, please call 212-821-0888 and leave a message on the recording. Or visit our website at: www.weill.cornell.edu/seminars All seminars are FREE and open to the public. Seating is available for SHRSOH RQ D ÂżUVW FRPH ÂżUVW VHUYHG EDVLV

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

A PERFECT PAINTER AT THE FRICK The museum celebrates the art of a tailor’s son BY VAL CASTRONOVO

Andrea d’Agnolo (1486-1530), better known as Andrea del Sarto because he was the son of a tailor (sarto), ran the largest and most productive workshop in Florence in the early 1500s. In his lifetime, he was a star, patronized by the Medicis and ranked with the likes of Michelangelo. But that changed after he died of plague at 43 and became the subject of a poisonous account in former pupil Giorgio Vasari’s famous “Lives of the Artists,” published in 1550. Vasari conceded in his long biographical sketch that del Sarto painted perfectly, “senza errori” — without errors. But he dubbed him “timid” and suggested he lacked ambition and an innovative style. And he criticized his excessive devotion to his wife, Lucrezia, the model for almost all his Madonnas. As Aimee Ng, associate curator at the Frick, summarized Vasari’s written portrait of the artist at a recent preview of the show: “He could have been a better artist if not for his wife. He used her face too often.” The zingers stuck and del Sarto’s reputation faded for centuries until recent scholarship showed that Vasari’s account was not true, the curator said. Now the Frick, in collaboration with The J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, is staging a gorgeous exhibit of his drawings and paintings in an attempt to give the master his due. “He deserves more recognition,” Ian Wardropper, the Frick’s director, remarked at the preview.

The exhibit is being billed as the first major monographic exhibit of this eclipsed artist’s works in the U.S. Fresh from a summer run at the Getty, the three paintings and 45 drawings (all loans) are presented in the Oval Room and lower-level galleries, with the latter the starting point. Descend the winding staircase and what follows is a dizzying succession of figure studies, head studies and rare compositional studies, more than half in red chalk, a favored medium for its tonal range. The drawings, some highly finished but many rough sketches, are walkups to the paintings and a window on the creative process. “The road to Andrea’s faultless paintings was paved with drawings,” Ng said during a lively tour of the works on paper, virtually all executed with an eye to fulfilling his workshop’s numerous commissions for portrait paintings, frescoes and altarpieces. Del Sarto drew from life, using his wife and studio assistants in abundance, but he also drew from art — marble sculptures were a key source of inspiration. But regardless of the source, the works come alive and convey a sense of drama, emotion and psychological intensity. Because practice makes perfect, this faultless painter was constantly revising and reworking the drawings. As Ng said standing before a wall with six chalk studies for the altarpiece “Madonna of the Steps”: “He draws and re-draws to get the parts perfect.” And because it was expedient, he reused drawings, too. The Getty’s Julian Brooks, the exhibit’s chief curator, later told a packed au-

ditorium at the museum that del Sarto “was absolutely as famous as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, [but] none of those masters drew like this,” a reference to his shorthand strokes and abstracted way of rendering the human figure in a drawing of Evangelists. He produced sculptural effects via his “emphasis on outline as he sort of carves the figures from the paper.” This tailor’s son was raised in a tailor’s shop and was “looking at fabrics constantly,” Brooks said, hence the preoccupation with the colors of garments and “the observation of how they fall.” Pieces like the head of Julius Caesar have the look of “a finished painting,” Ng observed, noting its extreme refinement. The same could be said for “Study for the Head of Saint John the Baptist” (ca. 1523), a black chalk portrait of an adolescent boy that graces the Oval Room and accompanies the show’s painting of Florence’s patron saint. Another standout: “Study of the Head of a Young Woman” (ca. 1523), a delicate, red chalk drawing of Mary Magdalene, the repentant prostitute who dried Jesus’ feet with her hair after bathing them with her tears. Her head is bowed, and strands of hair frame her face in an allusion to this act of devotion. But “Portrait of a Young Man” (ca. 1517-18), a dark, secular painting in the Oval Room, is surely the show’s most enigmatic piece. The work may or may not be a self-portrait, with the object the subject holds, a key to his identity, in dispute (a marble block, a brick, a book?). What is certain is the identity of the painter—see the monogram, two interlocking “A”s on the upper left, for Andrea d’Agnolo—and the brilliant play of light. Our tour guide giddily acknowledged the “Andrea del Sarto mania” gripping the city this fall: The Metropolitan Museum is hosting a complementary exhibit focused on two related paintings—“Borgherini Holy Family” (ca. 1528) and “Charity” (before 1530). Catch the spirit.

OCTOBER 22-28,2015

Andrea del Sarto (1486–1530), Portrait of a Young Man, ca. 1517–18 Oil on canvas, 28 1/2 x 22 1/2 inches National Gallery, London © The National Gallery, London

IF YOU GO WHAT: “Andrea del Sarto: The Renaissance Workshop in Action” WHERE: The Frick Collection, 1 East 70th St. WHEN: through Jan. 10. www.frick.org

Andrea del Sarto (Italian, 1486 - 1530), Study of the Head of a Young Woman, about 1523 Red chalk, 21.7 x 17 cm (8 9/16 x 6 11/16 in.) Framed: 52.5 x 39.5 x 3 cm (20 11/16 x 15 9/16 x 1 3/16 in.) Istituti museale della Soprintendenza Speciale per Il Polo Museale Fiorentino

OCTOBER 22-28,2015

TOP MUSEUMS

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

FOR THE WEEK BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO OUR ARTS EDITOR

ALBERTO BURRI: THE TRAUMA OF PAINTING Alberto Burri’s unconventional approach to his materials, most famously seen in a series of ripped and stitched burlap sacks that appear wounded, recurs throughout this retrospective of more than 100 pieces. The exhibition features many works never seen beyond the artist’s native Italy, and includes a newly-commissioned ﬁlm by Petra Noordkamp that chronicles the creation of Burri’s “Grande Cretto,” a 20-acre cement memorial in a town in Sicily that was hit by an earthquake in 1968. Alberto Burri: The Trauma of Painting Through Jan. 6 Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum 1071 Fifth Ave., between E. 88th and E. 89th Streets Museum hours: Sunday-Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m.-5:45 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-7:45 p.m.; closed Thursday Admission $25 For more information, visit guggenheim.org or call 212-423-3500

DANCE

MUSIC

BALLETNEXT AT NEW YORK LIVE ARTS

MOON HOOCH Brooklyn jazz trio Moon Hooch busked in subway stations, earning audiences for its rhythmic and energetic approach. The percussion and dual saxophone group also aspires to smart eating: the band maintains a food blog that explores healthy eating while on tour. Ahead of the performance, drummer James Muschler leads a cooking lesson. Friday, Oct. 23 Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine 1047 Amsterdam Ave., at 112th Street 7:30 p.m. cooking demonstration, followed by performance Tickets $20 To purchase, visit stjohndivine.org or purchase at the venue

American Ballet Theatre alum Michele Wiles premieres “Apogee in 3” with her company BalletNext during its two-week stint at New York Live Arts. Danced by six dancers to live music performed by jazz outﬁt the Tom Harrell Quintet, the three-part piece includes a section where Wiles improvises to trumpeter Harrell’s instrumental improvisation. Wiles also performs “Don’t Blink,” a duet with ﬂex dancer Jay Donn. BalletNext at New York Live Arts Oct. 27-Nov. 7 New York Live Arts 219 W. 19th St., between Seventh and Eighth Avenues Assorted show times Tickets $15-$40 For tickets, visit balletnext.com or call 212924-0077

THEATER

COYOTE DANCERS

“SONGBIRD”

Choreographer Maher Benham premieres her new work “A Song for Dudley” with her company Coyote Dancers. A tribute to Benham’s mentor, Dudley Williams, a dancer with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater who performed with the company for 40 years and passed away earlier this year, the piece features live accompaniment, including spirituals sung by Henry Holmes. The program also includes repertory pieces, including Benham’s tribute to Martha Graham. Coyote Dancers Oct. 23-25 Martha Graham Studio Theatre 55 Bethune St., 11th ﬂoor, at Washington Street 8 p.m. Tickets $25 To purchase, visit managearts.com/coyote

A country singer who’s seen her popularity wane returns home to Nashville where she hopes to help the child she left behind start his own music career. Written by Michael Kimmel and based on Anton Chekov’s “The Seagull,” “Songbird” includes music and lyrics by Lauren Pritchard, who was inspired by her own time in Tennessee. Oct. 24-Nov. 29 59E59 Street Theaters 59 E. 59th St., between Park and Madison Avenues Tickets $70 To purchase tickets, visit 59e59.org or call 212-279-4200 To be included in the Top 5 go to ourtownny.com and click on submit a press release or announcement.

ACTIVITIES FOR THE FERTILE MIND

thoughtgallery.org NEW YORK CITY

Inside the Cell: The Dark Side of Forensic DNA

MONDAY, OCTOBER 26TH, 6:30PM Mid-Manhattan Library | 455 Fifth Ave. | 212-340-0863 | nypl.org NYU School of Law professor Erin E. Murphy talks about the perils of unsupervised crime labs, overly aggressive prosecutors and racially biased DNA databases. (Free)

Theater of War at the Guggenheim

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27TH, 6:30PM Guggenheim Museum | 1071 Fifth Ave. | 212-423-3500 | guggenheim.org Umbrian-born artist Alberto Burri learned to paint during World War II in a POW camp in Texas. As part of its Burri exhibition, the Guggenheim brings in Zach Grenier, Amy Ryan, and John Turturro to read with Outside the Wire’s ongoing wartime public health project, Theater of War. (Free)

Just Announced | House of SpeakEasy: Happy Now?

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11TH, 8PM City Winery | 155 Varick St. | 212-608-0555 | citywinery.com Catch a night of literary cabaret with a novelist, a physicist, a humorist, a poet and more, as the House of SpeakEasy returns to question what it means to be happy. ($10-$40)

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

OCTOBER 22-28,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

More than 800 people attended the event, which featured 27 chefs.

THE ART OF FOOD, IN PHOTOS Hosts Nicole Miller and Michael White

At Sotheby’s on October 13th, Our Town hosted The Art of Food, a ﬁrst-time event during which over 25 culinary titans of the Upper East Side joined forces to create dishes inspired by artwork from Sotheby’s. More than 800 people at-

From left, Straus News President Jeanne Straus, Nicole Miller, Michael White, Tim Zagat, Nina Zagat, David Feinberg of NewYork-Presbyterian, and Straus Vice President Vincent A. Gardino

Honorees Tim and Nina Zagat

tended the event, which was hosted by chef Michael White and designer Nicole Miller, and which honored Tim and Nina Zagat. For more photos, go to www.ourtownny.com

OCTOBER 22-28,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS OCT 7 - 16, 2015 The following listings were collected from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s website and include the most recent inspection and grade reports listed. We have included every restaurant listed during this time within the zip codes of our neighborhoods. Some reports list numbers with their explanations; these are the number of violation points a restaurant has received. To see more information on restaurant grades, visit www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/services/restaurant-inspection.shtml. Subway

1613 2Nd Ave

The Daisy

1641 2Nd Ave

Not Graded Yet (12) Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided.

Heidelberg Restaurant

1648 2 Avenue

Dulce Vida Cafe

1219 Lexington Avenue

The Louise/Saloon

1584 York Avenue

Aki Sushi

1531 York Ave

Metropolitan Museum Of Art

1000 5 Avenue

Bayards Alehouse

1589 1St Ave

Not Graded Yet (2)

Amura Japanese Restaurant

1567 2Nd Ave

Grade Pending (19) Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or nonfood areas. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Le Pain Quotidien

1592 1St Ave

Fika

1331 Lexington Ave

Le Paris Bistrot Francais

1312 Madison Avenue

Pye Boat Noodle

1711 2 Avenue

Uskudar Restaurant

1405 Second Avenue

Little Vincent’s Pizza

1399 2Nd Ave

Grade Pending (21) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked ﬁsh and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.

Ko Sushi

1329 2 Avenue

Dunkin Donuts

411 East 70 Street

Grade Pending (20) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.

World Cup Cafe

956 Lexington Avenue Grade Pending (31) Food from unapproved or unknown source or home canned. Reduced oxygen packaged (ROP) ﬁsh not frozen before processing; or ROP foods prepared on premises transported to another site. Food Protection Certiﬁcate not held by supervisor of food operations. Evidence of rats or live rats present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.

Eats

1055 Lexington Avenue

Grade Pending (27) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, crosscontaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewageassociated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.

4Th Floor Cafe

221 East 71St Street

OUR BUS IS YOUR BEST BET. 35

Round Trip Bus Fare

$40 BONUS PACKAGE VALUE! $15 Meal/Retail Coupon Two $10 Free Bets & One $5 Free Bet

Why Drive? For Information Call: Academy 1.800.442.7272 ext. 2353 www.academybus.com

Day Service on Thursday Friday & Saturday from Manhattan

Port Authority 201.420.7000 ext. 2353

85th Street Candy 212.288.7690

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

OCTOBER 22-28,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

Business

In Brief

45 Years and Counting

AN OMBUDSMAN FOR HPD? The city council recently introduced legislation that seeks to increase transparency and accountability in the city’s Dept. of Housing Preservation and Development. If passed, this legislation will create an “ombudsman” position within HPD that is responsible for tracking issues with contractors related to wage theft, labor violations, or shoddy construction, according to Councilmember Helen Rosenthal, a sponsor. “The bill would also reﬁne the language used to describe a responsible contractor to ensure the city does not continue to work with contractors that do not have respect for the law or workers’ rights,” said Rosenthal in a press release. New York City labor unions and housing advocates praised the Rosenthal and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, also a sponsor, for their efforts to reform HPD. “Today Speaker Mark-Viverito has once again shown that she, as well as Councilmember Rosenthal, are among the staunchest advocates for the working men and women of New York City,” said Mike Prohaska, Business Manager, Construction & General Building Laborer’s Local 79.

JAIL POPULATION TRANSPARENCY BILL TO BE SIGNED INTO LAW Mayor Bill de Blasio recently signed into law Councilmember Helen Rosenthal’s bill requiring the city to post comprehensive, quarterly reports online on all individuals held in city jails, including bail amounts and length of stay. The bill belongs to a package of eight bills on Department of Corrections reforms, all of which were recently signed into law. Nearly 40 percent of the NYC jail population is in jail because they cannot afford bail, according to Rosenthal’s office. Most are accused of nonviolent crimes, such as possession of marijuana or jumping a subway turnstile, and 20 percent of non-felony defendants will ultimately not be convicted. “[This law] allows all of us to get answers to crucial questions that we cannot answer today: of the over 10,000 inmates in city jails right now, what charges are they facing, how long have they been locked up, and for what bail amounts?” said Rosenthal. “In other words, we’re spending over $2.2 billion on this system, and this bill tries to answer the question, ‘Why?’”

DISABILITY ADVOCATES COME OUT AGAINST UBER In a letter today to the city council’s Manhattan delegation chairs Margaret Chin and Corey Johnson, United Spinal Association President and CEO James Weisman called for legislative action to address Uber’s “failure to support the expansion of wheelchair-accessible transportation in New York City.” United Spinal claims Uber’s business model takes more than $80,000 per day away from transit and wheelchairaccessibility funding efforts. Unlike yellow and green cabs, Uber does not pay a 50-cent surcharge to support the MTA, and it also does not pay a 30-cent improvement surcharge to reimburse purchasers of wheelchair accessible taxis for capital and operating expenses associated with accessibility equipment. Weisman claims Uber has expanded 15 percent in New York City over the past four months, at a cost of millions in potential funding, further stiﬂing the effort to put more wheelchair-accessible cars on the road. Drivers of wheelchair accessible cabs are required to respond to calls for service if they’re the closest accessible cab.

Illustration by John S. Winkleman

ON THE CORNER, AMONG THE GOLIATHS Goldberger’s Pharmacy has prospered on First Avenue since the last Gilded Age BY MICKEY KRAMER

Our Town is celebrate its 45th anniversary by profiling a neighborhood business that has been around longer than we have. Know of a local business that should be on our list? Email us at news@ strausnews.com. The retro signage spells an invitation to old-school, personalized service. It’s also a neon-lit reminder that drugstore chains didn’t always rule just about every city block. But you’ll ﬁnd the same staples at Goldberger’s Pharmacy, on the southeast corner of First Avenue and 65th Street since 1898, as you would at the Duane Reades, Rite Aids and CVS’s. Sunscreen, mouthwash, baby powder, shampoo, razors, Q-tips and,

yes, condoms fill the pharmacy’s storefront window displays. Three generations of Goldbergers owned and ran the pharmacy until the family sold it 101 years after it put down roots in a then-budding neighborhood of German, German-Jewish or Irish families. Samuel Hanna, 35, a pharmacist at nearby New York-Presbyterian Hospital, took ownership in 2011. He found the corner store a good fit. “Although I had to get used to being a retail pharmacist, it was a smooth transition, since we are such an established place,” he said. Fou nd in g pha r macist Abraham Goldberger’s license, dated “May 25, 1921,” hangs on a back wall. A small tower of greeting cards stands near rows of stomachupset aids. Bottles of shampoo share space with insoles. A basket of canes resides on

the ﬂoor towards the back. On a recent Friday afternoon, a child took one of the walking sticks and galloped around the narrow aisles, to the delight of store manager Bobby Kilbrew. Killbrew, 52, has worked at Goldberger’s for 33 years and has been the manager for 20. He takes pride in the store’s accurate deliveries, custom orders and selection. “For a small store, we try to keep a lot of items,” he said. John Travers, 62, has been shopping and filling prescriptions at Goldberger’s for about 15 years, his wife for 25. “The personal attention by Bobby and the staff makes you feel special and the pharmacist is extremely helpful offering advice ... extra value you don’t get in the chain pharmacies,” he said. Marcy Adelman has been filling scripts at Goldberg-

er’s on and off for 27 years; she also ﬁnds it a place to socialize. “Everyone from the neighborhood comes here. It’s funny, but I run into people here, more so than I do on the streets,” she said. While pleased with Goldberger’s success, Killbrew laments the closing of other local businesses. He mentions a couple of beloved local spots that have disappeared from the neighborhood, such as ice cream shop Peppermint Park, which was replaced by a coffee chain about ﬁve years ago. He also recalls Maxwell Plum — the flashy restaurant and bar a block south that closed a generation ago. Hanna enjoys the face-toface interactions with customers, which differs from his work at the hospital. He says he’s charged a fair rent, and hopes to continue cultivating neighborhood customers. Kilbrew lives in Brooklyn, but after more than three decades has great affinity for the Upper East Side. “The people in the neighborhood depend on us and I love to help them,” he said, noting that he’s seen customers’ children become parents themselves. “We treat them like family.”

OCTOBER 22-28,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

SLEEPLESS IN YORKVILLE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 tion site. From May 1 to the end of August, there were 123 complaints to 311 on York Avenue from 88th Street to 92nd Street. From Sept. 1 to Oct. 15, there were 185 complaints. According to the 311 map, the

complaints were either sent onto the Department of Environmental Protection for review or were found by the DEP to not warrant an inspection or investigation. The cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contractor, Skanska USA, has an after-hours work variance that allows them to start work at midnight. Garvin questioned whether the company violates the terms of the permit as jack-hammering

often begins around 11 p.m. Skanska referred comment to the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Department of Design and Construction. Shavone Williams, a spokesperson for the DDC, told Our Town that Skanskaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s permit allows work around the clock. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The permit allows the project to work from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. on the days listed,â&#x20AC;? Williams said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Work prior to midnight is not a violation of

Going to the Airport?

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

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

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

Toll Free 1-800-9-Carmel Artwork: SOGNO Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;AMORE (LOVE DREAM), signed J. Dazzi / P. Barzantu & Gallery / Florence Gallery: F & P Associated, Gallery 39, phone: (212) 644-5885

OCTOBER 22-28,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

www.CarmelLimo.com

our permit since the afterhours permit covers a full 24-hour period.â&#x20AC;? Williams said the night work is being done over FDR Drive, and must be performed at that time due to restrictions on when the city can close lanes on the thoroughfare. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We expect to complete the current part of this noise generating work this month, though other night work will occur in the future,â&#x20AC;? she said. The DDC, she said, strives to be a good neighbor to the residents and businesses near their construction projects. â&#x20AC;&#x153;While performing night work, our contractor has lower noise limitations than during daytime operations,â&#x20AC;? Williams said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are continuously monitoring noise throughout the work period and have stayed within our contractual limits during the night hours.â&#x20AC;? But those lower noise limitations arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t helping Garvin or her neighbors. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been horrible because you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sleep at night itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so loud,â&#x20AC;? said Garvin. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It echoes up because the [Asphalt Green athletic] ďŹ eld is right next to it and theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re jack-hammering and cement scraping. All you hear all night is the beeping of the trucks backing up.â&#x20AC;? Garvin said if sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d known

311 map showing construction noise complaints around the marine transfer station at East 91st Street. about how loud the construction would be when she moved into the Hamilton in June she probably wouldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve looked elsewhere for an apartment. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I knew there was a project there but I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really pay attention,â&#x20AC;? she said, noting that construction wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going on when she moved in. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a quality of life issue if you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get to bed until 5 a.m. and you have to

work at 9 a.m. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a native New Yorker from way, way back and this is more than I can bear.â&#x20AC;? Williams said her department is working as fast as it can. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I can assure you that we will continue to vigorously monitor the noise our project generates and attempt to work as efficiently as possible to complete our night operations as expeditiously as possible,â&#x20AC;? she said.

70 OVER GALLERIES

Fine Art | Antiques | Decoration

1050 2nd Avenue, New York, NY 10022 212-355-4400

www.the-maac.com

OCTOBER 22-28,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

WHY SECOND LANGUAGE IS OUR FIRST PRIORITY. There are two reasons. First, Avenues’ mission statement charges us to create truly global citizens—nothing can be more critical to that goal than proﬁciency in at least one additional language. Second, research demonstrates that second language acquisition accelerates development of brain function and cognitive skills in general. As a result, Avenues has created a language immersion

program in which students from nursery through grade four spend 50% of their time learning in English and 50% in either Spanish or Chinese. Students in grades 5–12 receive intensive instruction according to their levels. Visit our video library site, and you’ll see second graders chatting away in Chinese. If you’re choosing a school for your child, these are important conversations to hear.

www.avenues.org/watch

To register for a parent information event on November 12 or December 3, please visit avenues.org/watch or call 646.664.0800.

OCTOBER 22-28,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

WHOOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Sports FLAG FOOTBALL PEP RALLY

THE CUTEST?

costume

showcase

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that time of year to break out those pirate, witch, princess, and superhero costumes for your kids! Show us your kidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best costume and vote for your favorites! Go to ourtownny.com to upload your photos & then vote!

Asphalt Green held its 2nd Annual Flag Football Pep Rally on October 17, sponsored by Pepsi Co. Thirteen ďŹ&#x201A;ag football teams and their families showed up to celebrate the hard work of the Community Sports Leagues. Spectators were given noise makers, pompoms, and signs to cheer on their teams. More than 150 attendees received free refreshments.

Huge Selection of Bibles Fiction/Non-Fiction Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Books Greeting Cards .VTJD t (JGUT Original Art Events and More! Hours: M-F 10am-9pm 4BU BN QN t 4VO QN QN

Tag & Follow us on Twitter:

:PSL "WF #UXO SE UI 4U t www.logosbookstorenyc.com

@OurTownNYC

Your neighborhood news source

OurTownNY.com

OCTOBER 22-28,2015

YOUR 15 MINUTES

BURLESQUE — ON POINTE Dancer Aurora Black combines ballet with pastiche BY ANGELA BARBUTI

Aurora Black calls the burlesque world in New York “a small, but powerful community.” After moving here in 2007, she was quickly recognized for her talents and started performing at iconic venues throughout the city. She began her training as a ballerina in her native Chicago and continued honing her craft in college. As her career blossomed, she felt compelled to share the art of classical ballet in nightlife and cabaret settings. It was when she took a class at the New York School of Burlesque and was discovered at one of their student showcases that her dream became a reality. Named the “Prima Ballerina of Burlesque” by Art Review, Black combines classical ballet with burlesque moves to create a truly unique experience for the audience. Her entire solo acts are done on pointe and inspired by choreography from ballets like “Firebird” and “Giselle.” “Informing bur-

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

lesque and variety audiences about classical ballet is really special for me because it’s something they’re not expecting to see, and in a lot of cases, they may not even go to the ballet,” she said. “It’s really fun to be able to expose them to that.”

Did you always know you wanted to be a professional dancer? I grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago and definitely always knew that I wanted to be an entertainer. I really loved performing live and tried my hand at a lot of different areas of live performance, but always come back to dance as my first love. I trained at the Ruth Page Conservatory and the Lou Conte Dance Studio, which is part of Hubbard Street in downtown Chicago, all through high school. I went to Smith College, so studied at the Five College Dance consortium there, which means that all the five colleges in that area share their dance department. I always loved ballet, but, in high school, was a little bit discouraged from focusing on it because I started training sort of late. In college, I actually focused a little bit

more on modern techniques. I did a lot of choreography. My choreography was in a lot of the student shows. I performed in a lot of the faculty and MFA student shows, so I really grew as an artist there. Right after I graduated from Smith, I moved to New York to start auditioning full time.

How did you get started in burlesque? I was really interested in performing classical ballet in a nightlife setting, and I had already choreographed a few group ballet pieces to pop music that got some attention. I was very intrigued by burlesque as an art form as well after seeing a few shows, and thought it was something I wanted to try. So I enrolled in a class at the New York School of Burlesque. I took spellbinding burlesque with Veronica Varlow, and then performed in a few student showcases at the Parkside Lounge and the Bowery Poetry Club. My first act was a burlesque version of “Arabian Coffee” from “The Nutcracker.” A few producers approached me about being

in their shows after seeing me in the school showcases, and eventually I started getting my name out there as a new performer and picking up more bookings. The first producers to book me were Calamity Chang and Runaround Sue, both super amazing women and performers. After doing a few shows with them, everything just grew from there.

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

dancers in the world – I am the only one that does exclusively all her acts on pointe. I do try to blend or do a nod to classical ballet while still incorporating some classic burlesque moves. I’ve learned a lot from other burlesque performers because as a dancer, you sometimes feel that to be entertaining, you have to be constantly moving. From burlesque I really learned the power of stillness when you’re on stage and how an audience can react to that. And different ways that you can draw people’s attention to what you’re doing. It’s really an art form that’s about physical acting and physical communicating with the audience.

Did the blend of ballet and burlesque already exist or did you create that?

How do you describe your style of dance?

I deﬁnitely don’t think I’m the ﬁrst person to blend ballet and burlesque. There are a lot of burlesque performers who are really amazing dancers. One of the things I really love about burlesque is the fact that all the performers do come from such varied backgrounds. There are amazing contortionists, aerialists and jugglers, you name it, that manage to work their special skill into their burlesque act. I’ve definitely seen performers that do burlesque on pointe and ballet-inspired burlesque, but I think that currently – I could be wrong because there are a lot of burlesque

My particular style of burlesque is inspired by a lot of classical ballet roles and performances. For instance, I have an act where I perform the entire “Firebird” variation. I always try and incorporate classical ballet routines or roles that people might recognize along with traditional burlesque moves. And sometimes I do try and take classical ballet choreography and turn it on its head and make it funny and entertaining. Like for instance, for Halloween I have a zombie act where I perform a lot of the choreography from “Giselle,” but as a zombie.

What is the New York Burlesque Festival? Explain the Golden Pastie Award you won there. It’s an annual festival that happens every September. It’s over four days and they book performers from New York, the entire US and around the world. So it’s really an opportunity to see acts that you wouldn’t normally see in New York. The Golden Pastie Awards are fun and silly awards that are given out every year at the festival. And the festival participants actually come up with the categories. For instance, this year, one of the awards was Claw Queen, for the performer with the best nails. There was the Smooth Criminal award for the performer you’d most likely commit a crime with. I won the Flash Dancer award last year for the dancer with the fanciest footwork. The awards are lighthearted, but it’s really nice to be recognized by the community for my work. To learn more about Aurora, visit www.aurora-black.com

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

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

“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.

OCTOBER 22-28,2015

CLASSIFIEDS

ACCOUNTING/FINANCIAL SERVICES

ANIMALS & PETS

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

ENTERTAINMENT

HELP WANTED

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

POLICY NOTICE: We make every eďŹ&#x20AC;ort to avoid mistakes in your classiďŹ ed ads. Check your ad the ďŹ rst week it runs. The publication will only accept responsibility for the ďŹ rst incorrect insertion. The publication assumes no ďŹ nancial responsibility for errors or omissions. We reserve the right to edit, reject, or re-classify any ad. Contact your sales rep directly for any copy changes. All classiďŹ ed ads are pre-paid.

SERVICES OFFERED

WANTED TO BUY

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

HEALTH SERVICES

ANTIQUES/COLLECTIBLES

AUCTIONS

Directory of Business & Services

LOST & FOUND

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

MASSAGE

Antique, Flea & Farmers Market

CAMPS/SCHOOLS

SINCE 1979

East 67th Street Market

HELP WANTED

(between First & York Avenues) Open EVERY Saturday 6am-5pm Rain or Shine

MERCHANDISE FOR SALE TUTOR

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

ANTIQUES WANTED

TOP PRICES PAID

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

800.530.0006

Tri-State-Chess

CARS & TRUCKS & RVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S REAL ESTATE - RENT

VACATIONS

VISIT OUR STORE ON THE EAST SIDE TO SEE ALL THE MERCHANDISE (DVW WK 6WUHHW Â&#x2021; 1HZ <RUN &LW\ Â&#x2021; ,QIR#7UL6WDWH&KHVV FRP Â&#x2021; 7UL6WDWH&KHVV FRP $IWHU 6FKRRO 3URJUDPV Â&#x2021; &KHVV 3LHFHV DQG %RDUGV %RRNV Â&#x2021; 6HWV Â&#x2021; &ORFNV 6RIWZDUH Â&#x2021; 3ULYDWH /HVVRQV 7RXUQDPHQWV

(212) 289-5997

ENTERTAINMENT REAL ESTATE - SALE

0DMHVWLF7URSKLHV FRP ,QIR#0DMHVWLF7URSKLHV FRP

WANTED TO BUY

Remember to: Recycle and Reuse

AWARDS FOR ALL SPORTS 7URSKLHV Â&#x2021; 3ODTXHV Â&#x2021; 0HGDOV 0HQWLRQ WKLV DG DQG JHW RII DOO PHUFKDQGLVH

SOHO LT MFG

462 Broadway MFG No Retail/Food SERVICES OFFERED

+/- 9,000 sf Ground Floor - $90 psf +/- 16,000 sf Cellar - $75 psf Call Farrell @ Meringoff Properties 646.306.0299

OCTOBER 22-28,2015

Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com

COME HOME TO GLENWOOD

MANHATTANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FINEST LUXURY RENTALS

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

INCLUDING FULL SIZE WASHER/DRYER IN SOME RESIDENCES UPPER EAST SIDE

1 BR FROM $2,995, 2 BRS FROM $4,995, 3 BRS/2 BATHS FROM $6,395

MIDTOWN & UPPER WEST SIDE #3 '30. t #34 #"5)4 X 8"4)&3 %3:&3 '30. t #34 #"5)4 '30.

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

GLENWOODNYC.COM

Builder | Owner | Manager

Equal Housing Opportunity.