The local paper for the Upper er East Side
WEEK OF NOVEMBER
12-18 2015
STELLA AT THE WHITNEY CITYARTS, P.12
PROTESTING THE LOSS OF A GROCERY STORE
Our Take A DEADLY NOVEMBER
NEWS A Food Emporium on Second Avenue is slated to be replaced with the neighborhood’s eighth pharmacy BY MADELEINE THOMPSON
Of all the Food Emporium grocery stores that are closing due to parent company A&P’s bankruptcy, only one is being replaced by something other than a grocery store. The Food Emporium at the corner of 51st Street and Second Avenue is currently slated to become a CVS, but not if the neighbors can help it. This past Saturday, community members Millie Maggiotta, Denise Hamilton and Meryl Brodsky, who is also the district leader, camped out behind a table in front of the Food Emporium to gather signatures for a petition against the new CVS. The petition asks that another bidder be chosen to replace the Food Emporium, which will close within the month, instead of what would be the eighth pharmacy in the area. “Unless they put something in here we have nothing,” Brodsky said. “We all want a Trader Joe’s, right? From my lips to God’s ears. You have to work too hard to eat. It really is an unhappy occurrence.” The petitioners, who are also part of the Turtle Bay Association, were prepared with maps of all the existing pharmacies in the area and a study about the importance of access to fresh food in preventing diabetes and obesity. Maggiotta, Hamilton and Brodsky called out spiritedly to passersby to get their attention, and many people stopped to sign the petition. “Just
Photos by Heather Clayton Colangelo
THINKING ABOUT THE FINAL CHAPTER GRAYING NEW YORK A series looking at growing older in the city
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Newscheck Crime Watch Voices Out & About
FIFTH OF SIX PARTS BY HEATHER CLAYTON COLANGELO EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS DIRECTED BY DORIAN BLOCK
The carefree days of summer have given way to a more somber fall as 85-year-old Hank Blum sits at the Gracie Mews diner on 1st Avenue and 81st Street with his wife, daughter, granddaughter and a family friend. Hank, a recently retired optometrist who is known for his upbeat
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City Arts Restaurants Business 15 Minutes
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personality and sense of humor, is more subdued than normal. It has been a hectic few weeks. Hank and his wife Patti were on their yearly trip to Ogunquit, Maine, this time to celebrate their 42nd wedding anniversary. Hank was only one lobster-meal deep when they got the news that Patti’s 74-year-old brother had fallen and broken his hip. They cut their trip short, raced back to be by his side and have been
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It was been a horrific month for pedestrian safety in the city. Since Halloween, a dozen people have died in car-related fatalities, including a 50-year-old man struck when a car ran into a sidewalk in Brooklyn, a 62-yearold in Queens who swerved into traffic to avoid an open car door, a trick-or-treater who died in the Bronx, and a grandmother on the Upper West Side killed by a taxi driver bleary-eyed after a 16-hour shift. They are all isolated, tragic stories. But they are also part of an ongoing policy quagmire in New York. Despite the high ideals, and quantifiable progress of Vision Zero, there still is not the sense of urgency, or public outrage, needed to stop the bloodshed. Groups like Families for Safe Streets and Transportation Alternatives have helped. But the broader public mandate, like the outrage mustered so effectively against drunk driving a couple of decades ago, isn’t yet there. Mayor Bill de Blasio, responding to this month’s awful numbers, insisted that “Vision Zero is working” and is “already yielding real results.” While his facts may be right, his tone is maddeningly sanguine. We all need to be outraged. We need to demand immediate change. We need to make sure a November like this doesn’t happen again. Jewish women and girls light up the world by lighting the Shabbat candles every Friday evening 18 minutes before sunset. Friday November 13 – 4:22 pm. For more information visit www.chabaduppereastside.com.
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WHAT’S MAKING NEWS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD PROPOSAL WOULD EXPAND PEDESTRIANS’ RIGHT OF WAY New legislation was to be introduced this week that could potentially ease the prosecution of motorists who hit pedestrians in a crosswalk, the Daily News reported. According to current law, the newspaper says, pedestrians do not have the right of way if they start to cross the street or continue from across from a median when the control signals are flashing red. The bill, introduced by city Public Advocate Letitia James, would strike that clause, which the paper said was written before countdown clocks on the walk signs were introduced. If passed, the legislation would give pedestrians the right of way in a crosswalk when the control signals are flashing red or a countdown clock has started. “If a pedestrian enters the crosswalk after the hand starts flashing or the countdown begins, the driver can’t be held liable,” the Daily News quoted James as saying. “It’s an outdated law.” The clause makes it difficult to charge motorist under the city’s Right of Way law, the newspaper reported. James said that the change would “reflect how all New Yorkers operate,” according to the Daily News.
BAR, RESTAURANT TO OPEN ON SITE OF FORMER KINSALE TAVERN The former Kinsale Tavern on Third Avenue is being renovated but with hopes that it can keep some of its Irish accents, its owners told
Photo: Michael Tapp, via flickr
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DNAinfo. The owners are working to open their restaurant and bar in time for Super Bowl Sunday , they told the news site. The Weir, owned by Irish born Donal Daly and his partner Martin Whelan, will feature such turn-of-the-20th-century accents as exposed brick, oak floors and a zinc bar, DNA reported. Daly said that the Kinsale spirit will still prevail. “I think it’s going to feel somewhat similar, somewhat like a family-operated business,” Daly told DNAinfo. “I think when you take a place that was an iconic Irish bar and change it, a lot of people are going to love the change and a lot of people are going to hate it forever. It’s not going to be the Kinsale but I’m from Dublin — it’s going to be an Irish-owned and run bar.”
CALL FOR AUXILIARY OFFICERS The Central Park Precinct is seeking 70 volunteers to join the auxiliary police squad, DNAinfo reports. The auxiliary’s force’s commanding, officer Roger Thomas, said the unit currently consists of 30 to 35 volunteers, with a goal of expanding the number to 100 . Selected volunteers will receive an 18week training before they become the “eyes and ears of the department,” DNAinfo quoted Thomas as saying. Applicants must be at least 17 years old to apply. “This is a great program for young kids who want to become police officers,” Thomas told DNAinfo.
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CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG
RUSH-HOUR SHOOTING NEAR PENN STATION An argument that began inside a midtown Manhattan McDonald’s restaurant erupted in gunfire at the steps of a nearby subway entrance when a gunman shot three men, one fatally, near Penn Station, authorities said. The three victims, all men in their 40s, were drinking coffee when a heavy-set man in a black hooded sweatshirt engaged them in a brief conversation, left the restaurant and then waited for them to exit, following the group into a subway station, where he fired four times, New York Police Department Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said. The McDonald’s where the victims were initially approached by the gunman has become a gathering place of sorts in recent years for former addicts and others who attend substance-abuse programs located in the surrounding area. The shooting occurred in the
entrance to the subway, not in the transit system itself, in an area where there are no security cameras, Boyce said. It occurred at about 6 a.m. just two blocks north of Penn Station, one of the nation’s busiest transit hubs, as the morning rush was getting underway. A 43-year-old man shot in the neck was pronounced dead at the scene, officials said. A 45-year-old shot in the neck and stomach and a 48-year-old man shot in the thigh were taken to Bellevue Hospital, they said. No arrests had been made and investigators were searching for the gunman and possibly two others who may have fled north on Eighth Avenue in a dark-colored car, officials said. A law enforcement official identified the man who was killed as Angel Quinones. The official identified a man who was shot in the neck and stomach as William Lamboy and the other victim as Eddy Torres. All three men had lengthy arrest records for mostly drug charges, the official said. Torres, who was speaking to detectives, provided much of the narrative to investigators,
STATS FOR THE WEEK Reported crimes from the 19th Precinct for Oct. 26 to Nov. 1 Week to Date
Year to Date
2015 2014
% Change
2015
2014
% Change
Murder
0
0
n/a
1
0
n/a
Rape
0
0
n/a
8
9
-11.1
Robbery
3
5
-40.0
88
74
18.9
front of the Soul Cycle fitness facility at 101 Maiden Lane. Remarkably, the bike had sat unmolested outside the facility during business hours for a full nine months before being stolen. The boosted bike was a blue Soul Cycle demo model valued at $3,000.
Felony Assault
2
0
n/a
107
83
28.9
TEEN TAKES CELINE
Burglary
3
3
0.0
135
189
-28.6
Grand Larceny
21
31
-32.3
1,115
1,150
-3.0
Grand Larceny Auto
2
2
0.0
64
69
-7.2
A teenage girl was arrested for shoplifting. At 3:45 p.m. on Monday, November 2, a 16-year-old girl entered the Saint Laurent Paris store at 80 Greene Street with five men and two other women, and took various items of merchandise before running out of the store without paying. The stolen items were three Celine handbags totaling $6,970. Police apprehended the teen later that day and charged her with grand larceny.
Boyce said. The other victim, Lamboy, was transported to the hospital in critical condition, officials said. Two men who attend a nearby methadone program at the West Midtown Medical Group, about a half-block from the where the shooting took place, said they knew two of the victims, Quinones and Lamboy. They said both men came to the clinic for years.
RED BULL RUN A case of energy drink didn’t help a robber avoid arrest. Late Sunday morning, a 49-year-old man tried to take a case of Red
Bull from the CVS store at 129 Fulton St. When a 24-yearold male store employee tried to stop the thief, the latter pulled out a metal object and said, “I will f*ckin stab you!” before attempting to slash the employee with the object. police soon caught up with the suspect, Patrick Hale, and arrested him on robbery charges.
SOUL SACRIFICE A gym’s demo bike recently became the target of thieves. At 10:15 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 29, two men removed a demonstration bike from in
UNBALANCED Thieves can’t seem to resist the new self-balancing electric scooters. At 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 29, a 46-year-old man put his Iohawk hoverboard down on the southwest corner of West and Murray streets during his
son’s soccer game. When he went back to retrieve it, the compact two-wheeler, valued at $1,775, was gone.
GRABBY CABBIE At 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oc. 20, a 41-year-old man got out of a cab in front of 167 Duane St. and realized that he had left a bag in the cab, when the vehicle drove off. The man contacted the driver, who refused to come back. Some 45 minutes later, the passenger noticed that three unauthorized charges totaling $180 had appeared on his credit card in Queens. He then contacted his other credit card companies and canceled his cards. Items in the bag left in the cab included $1,200 in cash, sunglasses valued at $750, a Swiss ID and passport, a green card, a global entry card, a Swiss driver’s license, an Italian ID and password, and 20 credit cards.
For more East Side crime news, go to www. ourtownny.com and click on News, then Crime Watch
HELP THOSE IN NEED At our 99 Park Avenue branch, we are accepting non-perishable food item donations benefiting Food Bank For New York City.
CARE NEW BRANCH NOW OPEN AT 99 PARK AVENUE @ 40TH STREET.
HELP THE ENVIRONMENT Donate a non-perishable food item and you will receive an eco-friendly, reusable tote bag.
$ OUR CONTRIBUTION
*New checking account with new money only must be opened at the 99 Park Avenue branch. Existing checking account customers are not eligible. An existing checking customer is defined as anyone who currently has or has had a Flushing Bank checking account within the last 24 months. Flushing Bank is a registered trademark
For every new checking account* opened with $500 or more from September 28 to December 31, Flushing Bank will donate $50 (up to $25,000) to benefit Food Bank For New York City.
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Kataoka Sensei of Kendo NYC, left, with Gerard Shaw and Brittany Sova on Sunday at the open house held at Jan Hus Presbyterian Church & Neighborhood House on East 74th Street. In the far background, Travis Sullivan plays piano and Kyle Kaminski plays the acoustic bass. Photo: Jordan Tarwater
Useful Contacts POLICE NYPD 19th Precinct
153 E. 67th St.
212-452-0600
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311
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CITY COUNCIL Councilmember Daniel Garodnick
211 E. 43rd St. #1205
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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
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HOSPITALS Lenox Hill NY-Presbyterian / Weill Cornell
525 E. 68th St.
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E. 99th St. & Madison Ave.
212-241-6500
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CHURCH’S OPEN HOUSE ANIMATES EAST SIDE Jan Hus, on East 74th Street, provides services to those who need it year around BY MICKEY KRAMER
The marionette performance stole the show at Jan Hus Presbyterian Church and Neighborhood House Sunday afternoon. The piano and acoustic bass were pretty good too. “Even as it is our 100th year celebrating the Neighborhood House, this was our first open house,” the East 74th Street church’s pastor, the Rev. Beverly Dempsey, said. “It offered an opportunity for our partners and all of our community guests to get to know each
other and begin conversations that will further strengthen the neighborhood.” “We provide a vital service and have a strong commitment to the seniors we serve,” program director Abigail Unger said. The Carter Burden Center Luncheon Club and Senior Program, for example, has met in the church basement for 17 years. Meals are served at noon Monday through Friday. Within the Neighborhood House, the Luncheon Club and Senior Center also hosts bingo games, classes such as Tai Chi and beading, and also provides a “Meals on Heels” service, de-
livering food to the neighborhood’s homebound. Others beside the Carter Burden Luncheon Club who partner with Jan Hus and the Neighborhood House are Stoneledge Farms, which has a community supported agriculture weekly pickup in the church’s sanctuary from June through November; the IKEN Science Academy; and Chicago City Limits, which puts on shows each Saturday. Noboru Kataoka, 66, has held thrice weekly classes for his NYC Kendo Club at Jan Hus for 34 years. “When I first found this space, the pastor was very kind ... and every pastor since
has been equally kind,” Kataoka said. The centerpiece for the afternoon was the performance of “Fairy Tales with Strings” by Czech puppeteer, writer, and director, Vit Hořejš. “The puppet show was, as promised, charming. I was captivated, having never seen a marionette performance before,” Dempsey said. The church also hosts several dozen 12-Step support groups a week, offers shower facilities, food, a mailing address, job support and clothing for those who need the services. “We are creating an environment for the neighborhood to thrive,” said Dempsey, who was installed as pastor in September 2014. “The Neighborhood House, then, becomes a space for the widest range of the economic spectrum to share just community,” she said. “The result is thousands of people each week who live in our neighborhood feeling stronger and healthier in every dimension.”
NOVEMBER 12-18,2015
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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
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THINKING ABOUT THE FINAL CHAPTER I’ve done it all. All I want to do is sit. I don’t mind living in Connecticut. The less I do the better. Connecticut. It’s such a different way of living. The hustle and bustle is over. Give me a brook, give me a book. It’s what I want now. -- Hank Blum
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 caring for him ever since. This week, the week before school starts, Hank and Patti have been babysitting Leah, their almost-seven-yearold granddaughter, for two full days. “I’m exhausted, totally unequivocally exhausted,” says Patti of their packed weekend. Yesterday Hank spent the day with his brother-in-law while Patti took Leah out to breakfast. Patti took Leah with her to the dentist and then they went to the Nike store on 57th Street to get Leah a pair of new shoes for the school year. Leah choose black sneakers, a sign that she is growing out of what was a long pink phase. “Grammy Santa,” Leah calls her
grandmother. Today Hank and Patti brought Leah to Victorian Gardens, the amusement park in Central Park that takes over Wollman Rink in the summers. “Camp Grammy and Papa,” she calls it. But “camp” is over—Leah starts second grade in two days—and Hank and Patti meet Leah’s mom (their daughter Randi) at the diner for dinner and the handoff. Although they are exhausted, they are sad to say goodbye, and light up anytime Leah says something; it’s the same way with all of their grandchildren. “I have been told that I’ve been trumped by my own children. That’s okay, you’re going to be trumped,” Randi laughs. Along with Randi, Hank and Patti have their son Marc and Hank’s two children from a previous marriage,
Barry and Bonnie. Between them all, there are five grandchildren: Eric, Laura, Leah, Sabrina and Dylan. Patti calls them the “loves of their lives.” The waiter comes by to collect the family’s orders. Hank orders soup— extra hot, as usual. The hot broth helps his ease his breathing. In addition to atrial fibrillation (AFib), Hank suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Hank visits his pulmonologist, Dr. David Posner, regularly and credits him with helping him though his disease. Dr. Posner credits Hank’s sense of humor and his “indomitable spirit” with why he has done so well. “I have not let this get the best of me. I still don’t feel sorry for myself…[but] I have a condition that deteriorates.” This year his condition progressed from Stage 2 to Stage 3. On a recent visit, Dr. Posner explains that they can continue to adjust his medication (six pills and two or three inhalers a day), but there is not much else they can do. “It’s not a good disease. It’s progressive,” says Dr. Posner. “His lungs aren’t great.” *** By October, Hank is in better spirits. His brother-in-law is on the mend and life is back to normal. Hank is now more than six months into retirement, and although it took him five attempts over 15 years, he shows no signs of going back to work this time. Yesterday, he stopped by the office. He says some former patients saw him and were begging him to
come back, but he resisted. “I said no. I will not go back,” he says. Hank still frequents his usual hangouts like 40 Carrots in Bloomingdale’s and he’s still ordering his usual—coffee frozen yogurt with a dollop of chocolate on top. Hank and Patti have also been spending time with their children and grandkids. They recently went to Westchester to visit son Marc— “he makes the best filet mignon on the grill”— and enjoyed hosting their five-year-old granddaughter, Sabrina in the city. “I love having sleepovers with her. She’s so talkative and bright,” says Patti. Patti signed up for the New York Sports Club on 3rd Ave and 92nd St last week. With Hank now home for good, she has been wanting to explore new things for them to do. Hank signed up as well, although either has yet to go. “Patti will go,” he says. “She loves to swim.” But doubts he will himself. *** On a November day, Hank decides to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It’s been more than a year since he’s been, despite its close proximity to his apartment. Recently, Hank and Patti signed up for ID cards at the New York Public Library in midtown. The new identification cards available to city residents, including undocumented immigrants, give all cardholders perks like discounts on Broadway shows and eligibility to one-year free member-
NOVEMBER 12-18,2015 ships at various museums, gardens, zoos and theaters. Hank and Patti recently used their cards on a trip to the Museum of Modern Art. Today Patti is visiting her brother, who is back at home and doing much better, while Hank visits the museum. They leave their apartment together. In the lobby, they run into a neighbor, Iris. They talk about the city. “New York is the best city in the world. Everything’s here,” says Iris. Patti agrees: “It’s the best.” “[In NYC] you’re alone but never alone,” says Iris as she walks outside. Patti says goodbye to Hank and follows her out the door. Hank waits for the M79 bus, which arrives within minutes, and takes it to 5th Avenue. He walks in the ground-level side entrance of the Met at 81st Street, searching for the membership desk and avoids having to walk up the iconic museum steps. Hank flashes his IDNYC card at the membership desk and a women gives him a free one-year museum pass within minutes. “That was painless [and] not a penny!” he says. “Maybe she’ll put a bedroom in here for me,” he jokes. Hank takes the elevator up to the 2nd floor and walks into the room housing Greek and Roman Art. He takes in a 5th Century B.C. sculpture for a few minutes. “Look at the workmanship. Look at the face,” he says as he stares at the limestone bust. “Some of this stuff is so old. I guess that’s why it’s here,” he jokes before turning serious. “I can’t believe I’m going to be 86. 86,” he says. “I’m the last one standing. All my friends are gone…I feel like I’m in a waiting room for something.” Hank is at peace with dying. He’s already made detailed end of life plans. He finds graves “barbaric” and wants to be cremated. “I don’t want my kids on Father’s Day to schlep out to see my grave. Take my ashes and sprinkle them in Central Park—but not where the dogs pee and shit,” he laughs. Instead of a somber funeral, he’s told his oldest daughter Bonnie that she’s in charge of making sure they have a big party. “I had a great life. What I had, you celebrate it. I want everyone to get drunk.” But as he creeps closer to his next birthday, he has been re-evaluating his lifestyle. His children have been urging Patti and him to move to Connecticut for a while but they have always resisted. They loved the energy of NYC and besides, one of the biggest barriers was the worry that Patti, a non-driver, would feel isolated and dependent on others to get around. On a recent visit to Randi’s house in Fairfield, Conn., Hank sat outside near a brook in her backyard. He felt a great sense of peace wash over him. Even Ethel the dog seemed to love the new environment. “My breathing was easy. I was so
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relaxed. The world was my oyster,” he says. A couple of weeks ago they discovered an over-55 retirement community in Fairfield, Conn., that intrigued them. They took a tour and liked it. While they haven’t committed yet— the unit they were shown had too many stairs—they are seriously considering it. Hank feels like this could be an ideal set up. Patti—who is 18 years younger—will enjoy being in the same town as daughter Randi and granddaughters Leah and Dylan, who live in Fairfield, and close to son Marc and granddaughter Sabrina who live in Rye Brook. To make up for the lack of public transportation, he’ll buy a car. No longer up for driving long distances, Hank feels comfortable driving locally, and he wouldn’t mind play chauffer. When Hank eventually passes, Patti’s brother could move in with her, and have the car. (That would ease another worry they had. “A lot of things are scary. I’ve never lived alone. I went from my parents’ house to being married,” she says.) The train station to NYC is close; she could be in the city visiting her girlfriends in an hour and 10 minutes. Hank says he isn’t nervous about leaving the neighborhood he’s lived in for decades and “starting from square one again.” He says they make friends wherever they go and he’s confident Patti will make new girlfriends in the
community setting easily. Financially it could make sense as well. Hank figures if he sells his onebed room apartment on 79th street he could make a profit, even after buying housing in the retirement community. It gives him peace of mind to think that Patti could live comfortably with the leftover money. Hank thinks he will still go into the city periodically to see a Broadway play, visit a museum or for a doctors appointment (he says there is no way he would switch pulmonologists from Dr. Posner) but says he would be content with a change of pace. “I’ve done it all. All I want to do is sit,” he says. “I don’t mind living in Connecticut. The less I do the better ... It’s such a different way of living. The hustle and bustle is over. Give me a brook, give me a book. It’s what I want now.” He says the decision is ultimately Patti’s; he learned a long time ago that it’s best to do what she wants. “If it happens, I’m happy. If it doesn’t, I’m happy.” Hank walks through the photography exhibit. He once spent his free time shooting all over the city before being “done” with hobbies. He isn’t impressed so he leaves. He walks by a group of students sitting around a giant stork sculpture, sketching. “Why would they draw that? It’s ugly,” Hank laughs. He walks by a gigantic black and white mural (Sol LeWitt: Wall Draw-
ing #370) consisting of geometric shapes with parallel bands of lines spanning the length of the entire wall. It looks like it could have been part of an eye test. “I should have had my patients look at this,” says Hank. Hank continues onto the Modern and Contemporary Art Wing, one of his favorites. As he looks at the paintings his thoughts turn to Thanksgiving, just a couple of weeks away. It is Hank’s very favorite holiday. There are no presents to distract, just good food and even better company. It’s the one time each year he has his whole family there. Bonnie will cook the turkey and host at her house in Long Island. Barry will fly in from Florida. Marc will come from Westchester. Randi will bring the pies and cakes. Hank will make his mother’s secret recipe cranberry sauce. He can’t wait to see all five of his grandchildren there, sitting around the table. “It gives me a chance to sit back and look around me and see my legacy,” he says. “To know you have such great kids…I’m the nucleus. I look at this and this would not be there without me.” “And Patti,” he quickly adds. Two days after Thanksgiving Hank and Patti will be on a plane enroute to Jamaica. He thought their big family vacation there this past June might be his last international trip, but he felt great there and couldn’t pass up the deal he found online. This time it will be just Patti and him relaxing by the
pool. With such a busy year, they are looking forward to “doing nothing.” They may make it back up to Ogunquit, Maine for some more lobsters. Grandson Eric, an actor, will be in rehearsals for a play there. Hank stops and sits down on a bench in front of a vibrant room-sized mural (Thomas Hart Benton’s “America Today”). He’s getting tired and he needs his energy. This weekend he and Patti are watching Sabrina and taking her to an art class. He can’t wait. It’s time to leave. Time to leave the museum and possibly New York City some time soon. He never thought he’d say that. 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 MORE IN THE SERIES Our Town will spend 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
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NOVEMBER 12-18,2015
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.
Letter SOME SENIOR HAIKUS A reader, Ellen Diamond, sent us these haikus after reading our “Graying New York” series about senior New Yorkers: Impatient girl-child if you‘d waited one more breath I’d have stepped aside How can I resist leafy paths on autumn days? O, my ancient feet! Seasons of her age rest upon her wrinkled arm; in his hand, her pulse.
Photo Scrapbook
SENIOR LIVING
THE CLOSING OF A DOOR BY MARCIA EPSTEIN
BEAUTIFUL BOW BRIDGE Reader Ann Byers sent in this autumn photo of Central Park’s Bow Bridge. Do you have a snapshot that captures your favorite corner of the city? Send it to us at news@strausnews.com or go to www.westsidespirit.com and click Submit Stuff.
STRAUS MEDIA your neighborhood news source
Vice President/CFO Otilia Bertolotti Vice President/CRO Vincent A. Gardino advertising@strausnews.com
Fourteen years ago, my partner and I bought a summer house in the Catskills. Well okay, more a log cabin, but comfortable and welcoming. The idea of a house at that point was not on my list of things to do; it was totally his idea. I did grow up in a house (a real, large one in the suburbs), but have lived in the city since college and had no thoughts of a summer house. My partner, however, was adamant. He wanted a house, he’d always had a house (which he lost in a divorce), and while he enjoyed city living, he still wanted to own something. At the time, he was employed and able to afford the house, and I was able to help out. Times have changed, and our house has just been sold. The fact is, I haven’t been up there in years, while he still goes every other weekend during the summer. I stopped liking it. I love a day in the country, but I don’t love mice or moths or ants. I just got tired of the place. My partner knows it has to go, but he is sad. I am not a bit sad, I am thrilled.
Associate Publishers, Seth L. Miller, Ceil Ainsworth Sr. Account Executive, Tania Cade
But, along with the thrill comes another feeling. An era is over, a certain time of our lives is at an end. That makes me feel wistful. Wistful in the way I did when my daughters left for college. Though I enjoyed not waiting up at night to hear the key in the door, I knew their childhood was over and that was sad. We all want our children to grow up and move on, but let’s face it, we have mixed feelings. When my daughters got married, the joy was mixed with the knowledge of another big change. They were going to have to be shared with spouses, in-laws and other interests. Another big life change indeed. And so it is with the sale of this house. An era closed. On to new adventures, hopefully. But still, an ending to what was once a big part of my life. Onward and upward! Another topic: exercise. I hate exercise. Formal kinds of exercise, that is. I don’t like exercise classes, am indifferent to yoga and yawn with boredom at the thought of Tai Chi. However, I’ve always loved sports, and, as I mentioned before, I have rediscovered
President & Publisher, Jeanne Straus nyoffice@strausnews.com Account Executive Editor In Chief, Kyle Pope Fred Almonte, Susan Wynn editor.ot@strausnews.com Director of Partnership Development Deputy Editor, Richard Khavkine Barry Lewis editor.dt@strausnews.com
ping pong. Of course I’d prefer to still be playing tennis, but my knees and my stamina say absolutely not. Ping pong, at this point, is perfect for me. I get some stretching by reaching out for balls. I get aerobic exercise and also the fun of playing a sport. “It has to have a ball if I’m going to enjoy it,” I’ve always said. I was lucky to find ping pong through Bloomingdale Aging in Place (BAiP), which I wrote about in a previous column. Always having been competitive, I like a good hard game, and then a nice, long rest on the sofa. The resting afterwards was not part of it in my teenage years, but alas, that time is long gone. I also walk as much as I can, which of course is what makes New York great for retirees who are still able to do so. Since the buses seem to be on a permanent slow-down, and taxis are prohibitive, I’m delighted that I can still get places on my own steam. So, the moral is: do what you like, exercise wise, and it’ll be fun and not work. Happy slamming!
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
NOVEMBER 12-18,2015
9
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
Fidelis Care’s Medicare Advantage Plans for 2016
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Monthly Part B Premium (1) Flex Benefit Part B Deductible PCP Copay Specialist Copay Outpatient Surgery in a Hospital Outpatient Surgery in an Ambulatory Surgical Center Lab Tests X-rays Preventive Services MRIs, CT Scans, PET Scans Inpatient Copay
Part D Prescription Drug Coverage Preventive Dental
$104.90
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Enroll anytime at fideliscare.org The benefit information provided is a brief summary, not a complete description of benefits. For more information, contact the plan. Limitations, copayments, and restrictions may apply. Benefits, formulary, pharmacy network, premium and/or copayments/coinsurance may change on January 1 of each year. You must continue to pay your Medicare Part B premium. Fidelis Care is a Coordinated Care plan with a Medicare contract and a contract with the New York State Department of Health Medicaid program. Enrollment in Fidelis Care depends on contract renewal. Fidelis Care is an HMO plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in Fidelis Care depends on contract renewal.
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10
NOVEMBER 12-18,2015
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
Out & About More Events. Add Your Own: Go to ourtownny.com
Thu 12 NOVEMBER STEPS
Dear Parents: You are cordially invited to attend one of our OPEN HOUSES at York Preparatory School Tuesday, November 17th Tuesday, December 1st Tuesday, January 5th Tuesday, January 26th Tuesday, April 19th Tuesday, May 10th
9:10am-10:30am 9:10am-10:30am 9:10am-10:30am 9:10am-10:30am 9:10am-10:30am 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
Guggenheim Museum, Fifth Avenue at 89th Street 8 p.m. $40, $30 members, $20 students Tom Gold Dance reimagines November Steps, a 1973 ballet choreographed by Alberto Burri’s wife, Minsa Craig, to Tōru Takemitsu’s 1967 composition of the same name. In this rendition, dancer from the New York City Ballet perform on the Rotunda Floor as a projection of one of Burri’s Cretti works gradually comes into formation on the stage beneath them. 212-423-3500. www.guggenheim.org/ new-york/calendar-andevents/2015/11/12/novembersteps/5248
Mount Sinai’s outstanding doctors will lead educational seminars at Mount Sinai Health System’s annual Women’s Health Day of Learning and Luncheon. 212-843-9352. philanthropy.mountsinai.org/ womenshealth2015
Fri 13 IN OUR EXTREME PRESENT TIME WITH SHUMON BASAR
▲ MISSION CHINESE FOOD
Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Ave., at 82nd Street6-7:30 p.m. Free with museum admission, but space is limited Shumon Basar, co-author of The Age of Earthquakes: A Guide to the Extreme Present is joined by architect Keller
92nd Street Y, Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street, Warburg Lounge 7 p.m. From $32.00 Join Danny Bowien, founder and co-owner of the wildly popular restaurant Mission Chinese Food, to hear about his new book 212-415-5500. www.92y.org/ Event/Mission-Chinese-Food
Sat 14 92Y CERAMICS STUDIO ANNUAL SALE 92Y Warburg Lounge, 1395 Lexington Ave., 92nd Street 7-9 p.m. Free. Unique gifts and works of art from 32 ceramic artists. 212-699-7217. www.92y.org/ ceramics85
ISABELLA HOUSE
Independent Living for Older Adults
BROADWAY DANCE LAB
OUR AMENITIES INCLUDE: , Spacious studios and one-bedroom apartments starting at $2,400.00 per month , Complimentary Lunch and Dinner served buffet style , Basic Cable TV , All utilities included , 24-Hour Security , Weekly linen service , Visitor parking , Pastoral services , A wealth of programs, activities and trips , Conveniently located near medical, physical therapy, occupational therapy and psychiatric services , On-site beauty salon, library, gift shop, laundry, checkcashing facilities and visitor parking , Moderately priced lodging for overnight guests
▲ MOUNT SINAI PRESENTS THE WOMEN’S HEALTH DAY OF LEARNING AND LUNCHEON
We’ve thought of everything to enrich and enhance your life. For more information and to schedule a private tour, please call: 212-342-9539 525 Audubon Ave. at 191st Street. New York, NY
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The Plaza Hotel, 768 Fifth Ave. 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. $200. Stacy London and eight of
Easterling and writer Kari Rittenbach. 212-535-7710. www. metmuseum.org/events/findevents?ed=20151113T23595 9&sd=20151113&st=Date&rpp =100&pg=1
Guggenheim Museum, via the ramp at 88th St and Fifth Ave. 7 p.m. $40, $35 members, Friends of Works & Process Broadway choreographer and Broadway Dance Lab (BDL) founder Josh Prince shares the culmination of BDL’s most recent eight-week session. Prince and choreographer Marcelo Gomes discuss their creative process with moderator Robert LaFosse and BDL’s 10 dancers perform new works by Prince, Gomes, Camille A. Brown and others. 212-423-3500. www.guggenheim.org/ new-york/calendar-andevents/2015/11/14/broadwaydance-lab/5176
NOVEMBER 12-18,2015
experience the joy of dancing in a class that combines ballet and exercise specifically for older adults. Instructor: Jennifer Grambs, trained in both ballet and exercise for older adults. Wear comfortable clothes. 212-734-1717. www.nypl.org/ events/programs/2015/11/03/ ballet-exercise-class-adults
CELEBRATING ALVIN AILEY ▼
Sun 15 Mon 16 ▲ JUILLIARD DANCE: NEW DANCES
Guggenheim Museum, Fifth Avenue and 88th Street 7 p.m. $40; $35 members and Friends of Works & Process Juilliard Dance students perform excerpts from new works by four innovative choreographers prior to their premiere. 212-423-3500. www.guggenheim.org/ new-york/calendar-andevents/2015/11/15/juilliarddance-new-dances/5183
GABOR CSALOG: BEETHOVEN TO BARTÓK, LISZT TO LIGETI
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Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
CABARET Neue Galerie New York, 1048 Fifth Ave. 4 p.m. Free A showing of the 1972 film directed by Bob Fosse and starring Liza Minnelli and Michael York. 212-628-6200
MY SEX LIFE ... OR HOW I GET INTO AN ARGUMENT FIAF, Florence Gould Hall, 55 East 59th St. 4 & 8 p.m. Non-Members, $14; students, $7. Members $3 in advance, free day of the show. Mathieu Amalric plays Paul Dedalus, a neurotic, Joycean 29-year-old grad student who can neither finish his thesis, nor commit to a girlfriend. 212-3550-6100. www.fiaf. org/events/fall2015/2015-1117-cs-sexlife.shtml
Leonard Nimoy Thalia at Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway. 8 p.m. Free. Gabor Csalog, former student of Gyorgy Kurtag, Zoltan Kocsis, and Andras Schiff, has long been reputed to be one of the best interpreters of contemporary classical music for the piano. 212-864-5400. www. symphonyspace.org/event/9110/ BALLET EXERCISE Music/gabor-csalog-beethovenCLASS FOR ADULTS to-bartok-liszt-to-ligeti 67th Street Library, 328 East 67th St. 2 p.m. Free Learn basic ballet steps and
Tue 17
92nd Street Y, Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street, Buttenwieser Hall 8:15 p.m. From $32 Robert Battle, Judith Jamison, Matthew Rushing, and Rachael McLaren with Budd Mishkin discuss how Alvin Ailey forever changed the perception of American dance when he launched his groundbreaking dance company at 92Y with a performance of his ballet Blues Suite. 212-415-5500. www.92y. org/Event/Celebrating-AlvinAiley
Wed 18
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MILTON GLASER 92nd Street Y, Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street, Buttenwieser Hall 7:30 p.m. From $32 Glaser, known for iconic work including the “I Love New York” logo and co-founding New York magazine, talks with New York design editor Wendy Goodman. 212-415-5500. www.92y. org/Event/Milton-Glaser.aspx
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12
NOVEMBER 12-18,2015
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
SIX DECADES OF STELLA The Whitney’s career retrospective, the museum’s first for a living artist since its move downtown, comprises nearly 100 works BY VAL CASTRONOVO
Frank Stella, The Whiteness of the Whale (IRS-1, 2X), 1987. Paint on aluminum. 149 x 121 3/4 x 45 1/4 in. (378.5 x 309.2 x 114.9 cm). Private collection. © 2015 Frank Stella/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photograph by Steven Sloman.
Frank Stella, Empress of India, 1965. Metallic powder in polymer emulsion on canvas. 77 x 224 in. (195.6 x 569 cm). The Museum of Modern Art, New York; gift of S. I. Newhouse, Jr. © 2015 Frank Stella/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Digital Image © The Museum of Modern Art/ Licensed by SCALA / Art Resource, NY.
Frank Stella has never been easy to pin down. He has no signature style, but rather a running series of styles that build on each other or reach for something entirely new. The 79-year-old abstract artist, now the subject of a career retrospective at the Whitney’s new downtown digs, was restless and always pushing the boundaries of painting — moving from the rigid geometry of his famous minimalist “Black Paintings” of the late 1950s to the colorful, raucous, bursting-at-the-seams relief paintings and sculptures of more recent decades. It has been a wild ride for sure, and Whitney Director Adam Weinberg and Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth Chief Curator Michael Auping have succeeded brilliantly in taming the beast and presenting a roughly chronological survey of one of America’s greatest living artists. Nearly 100 paintings, prints, drawings, sculptures, reliefs and maquettes comprise the museum’s sprawling exhibition, p g special p which spans six decades decade and the length of the fifth floor. The uninitiated will marvel at tthe radical simplicity and symmetry of the symme mid-century linear paintings and the off-the-wall (literally), super-charged, in-your-face in complexity and as asymmetry of the end-of-century end-of-centu painting-sculpture hybrids. hybrid You half expect the latter, in all la their brassiness, to bras get up and walk. a Or lumber across lum the floor, given their thei colossal dimensions di and all the th jangly parts. parts Or swim. swim After all, a one series, “Moby-Dick,” is a response to the 135 chapter titles of Melville’s
classic tale. The extravagant reliefs from the series on display here (e.g., “The Whiteness of the Whale,” 1987) evoke crashing waves and fins while remaining absolutely true to the artist’s abstract roots. Stella was famous for his terse declaration, “What you see is what you see.” What we see is an artist hell-bent on experimentation, reinvention and the process of making a painting — always adding to, subtracting from or tearing apart and starting over. He was forever itching to expand pictorial space, deriving inspiration from baroque painter Caravaggio, who radically pushed his forms up against the picture plane — moving outward from the canvas, versus receding inward, to create the illusion of depth and three-dimensionality. Stella responded with “St. Michael’s Counterguard” (1984) and “Gobba, zoppa e collotorto” (1985) — both on exhibit here — works that literally project outward into the viewer’s space. As his exploration of abstraction evolved, he moved away from systematic depictions of geometric shapes and patterns—his trademark stripes, triangles and concentric diamonds — to paintings less reductive, incorporating decorative and representational elements that add energy, verve, volume and narrative (think “Moby-Dick” but also the “Polish Village” series, the latter with simulated planks that allude to wooden synagogues that were destroyed by the Nazis during World War II). As Weinberg quoted Stella at a recent preview: “I feel responsible to push abstraction beyond what anyone could imagine.” The show is a gorgeous sampling from the artist’s vast oeuvre, which includes more than 50 series and thousands of individual works. Here we see selections from the “Aluminum and Copper” series, the “Concentric Square” series, the “Protractor” series, the “Exotic Bird” series and the “Irregular Polygon” series — for starters. Stella innovated and shaped canvases to accommodate
his designs — the elegant “Empress of India” (1965) is a prime example — and famously riffed Jasper Johns’ American flags with those stripes. Born in Malden, Massachusetts, in 1936, Stella attended Phillips Academy, Andover, where he became a wrestler and devoted student of abstract art. He graduated from Princeton University in 1958 and immediately moved to New York, where he became famous almost overnight when his “Black Paintings” were included in a show at the Museum of Modern Art, “Sixteen Americans,” the next year. He subsequently enjoyed two retrospectives of his work at MoMA, the most recent in 1987. In an exhibit rife with largescale works, there are at least two elephants in the room. “Damascus Gate (Stretch Variation III)” (1970), a 50-foot-wide painting from the popular “Protractor” series, is situated smack in the middle of the exhibit space, while “Raft of the Medusa (Part 1)” (1990), a hulking, aluminum-andsteel sculptural work inspired by 19th century French romantic Théodore Géricault’s painting about a shipwreck, is fittingly situated in a gallery overlooking the Hudson River. Stella, who helped install the show, gave “Damascus Gate” a central location so it could act as a sort of engine, animating the space around it with its vivid bands of color. As Scott Rothkopf, the Whitney’s chief curator, noted at the preview, Stella is known for his “sense of adventure. He’s never been on autopilot.” And in his quest to push abstraction where it’s never been before, he has employed computer-aided design (CAD) software and 3-D printing to link his recent work “to its time.” In that spirit, he’s used readymade, Benjamin Moore commercial paints in the 1960s, disco-inspired colors in the late 1970s, and the language of graffiti and street art in the 1980s. “Stella World,” as Weinberg dubbed the show, is on view through February 7.
NOVEMBER 12-18,2015
13
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com Artist Mary Hrbacek and her painting, “Seizing Venus� from her “World Trees� collection. Photo: Faye Nwafor
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AN ECO-ARTIST GROWS IN MANHATTAN “Quiet Activist� Mary Hrbacek explores environmental issues in her art BY FAYE NWAFOR
On a rainy Thursday afternoon, artist and art critic Mary Hrbacek sat window side at Upper West Side restaurant 107 West. Petite and fair, with delicate features, her silverygray curls sprang free from her ponytail, framing her face as she smiled. Hrbacek has reason to beam through the mist. Her collection of anthropomorphic tree paintings, titled “World Trees,� is on view at 107 West. The space, with modern decor, soothing waterfall wall, and glowing amber spotlights, lends a pleasant atmosphere for her art. The series of paintings are displayed in a way that offers a gradual reveal. The installation of 24 works, on view through January, is an interplay of art and Hrbacek’s “quiet� environmental activism. Her imagery, figurative representations of trees blown bare to their bark to reveal human features and forms, is a nod to the role art can play in informing ecological discussions. “I describe my work as nature-inspired pop,� said Hrbacek, in a soft-spoken yet deliberate tone. “I am a quiet activist in the sense that I draw attention in my art to the mysterious and beautiful, evoca-
tive and metaphoric details of trees whose limbs and features mirror our own human anatomy.â€? Standing with her pieces, Hrbacek describes the work with eager eloquence and punctuates her descriptions with hand gestures for emphasis. It is a teacher-like quality and perhaps a call back to her days as a special education teacher in her home state of Virginia. The trees in the paintings were inspired by actual trees in Riverside Park and Central Park, and other locations throughout the world. Hrbacek lives on W. 98th Street near Riverside Park, a location she cherishes because of the green space close by. “This one represents the eternal connection of the sexes,â€? she said, pointing to a painting on her left. The piece, “Seizing Venus,â€? dominates the canvas with a boldly illustrated hybrid of a tree trunk with representational imagery of a man pursuing a freedom-seeking woman, replete with movement, tentacles and a play on tones and camouflage set against a flat blue background. The artist’s deep appreciation for trees and the environment started around age 10, when she moved with her family to Stockholm, where they lived in an American embassy community. “I went to Swedish school and was one of two Americans. I didn’t ďŹ t in,â€? she said, though she embraced life in the city
known as the Venice of the North. “Europe was ahead of the United States in that there was skiing, horseback riding, boating. We would ice-skate and ski on the Baltic Sea,� she recalled. The city provided Hrbacek with an appreciation of solitude in nature and a respect for the environment. “The city is zoned-it’s planned. There was no trash. You’re out on these islands alone,� said Hrbacek, who has shown her work at the National Academy Museum, the Tenri Cultural Institute on W. 13th Street, and internationally. Writer Jonathan Goodman, in his review of Hrbacek’s recent solo show at Creon Gallery for Dart International Magazine, remarked on the challenges of showcasing nature-inspired art in New York. “As strong as these paintings are, Hrbacek’s endeavors exist in a contemporary art world that takes little interest in nature,� he wrote. Goodman noted the important role artists such as Hrbacek play in maintaining a vision of nature that can be preserved. Ultimately, it is Hrbacek’s vision of the interwoven status of humans and the environment that lends her work its social vision. “I hope that vision unites [people] more to create bonds with nature and be more aware of the nature that they see every day,� she said.
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NOVEMBER 12-18,2015
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS OCT 14 - NOV 6, 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.
Treat House
1566 2Nd Ave
Not Graded Yet (38) Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations. No facilities available to wash, rinse and sanitize utensils and/or equipment.
Suhsi Suki
1577 York Ave
Not Graded Yet (34) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food worker does not use proper utensil to eliminate bare hand contact with food that will not receive adequate additional heat treatment. Evidence of rats or live rats present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
Roma Pizza
1568 3 Avenue
Grade Pending (24) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
Maroo
1640 3Rd Ave
A
Crumbs Bake Shop
1418 Lexington Ave
A
Empire Corner II
1415 5 Avenue
A
Belaire Cafe
525 East 71 Street
A
Nocciola Pizzeria
123 E 110Th St
Not Graded Yet (2)
Bella Blu
967 Lexington Avenue A
Judy’s Spanish Restaurant
1505 Lexington Ave
Starbucks Coffee
345 East 69 Street
A
Tang’s Garden
1328 3Rd Ave
A
Shanghai Chinese Restaurant
1388 2 Avenue
A
Marymount College Nugents Cafe
221 East 71St Street
A
Szechuan Gourmet
1395 2Nd Ave
Grade Pending (18) 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.
Grade Pending (36) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. 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. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
5 Napkin
1325 2Nd Ave
Not Graded Yet (2)
Mcdonald’s
1871 2 Avenue
A
Tanoshi Sushi Saki Bar
1372 York Avenue
A
Bosie Bakery
2132 2Nd Ave
A
Mel’s Burger
1450 2Nd Ave
A
Roast
1569 Lexington Ave
Garden Court Cafe (Asia Society)
725 Park Ave
A
Bayads Ale House
1589 1St Ave
Not Graded Yet (2)
Amura Japanese Restaurant
1567 2Nd Ave
B
Not Graded Yet (25) Evidence of rats or live rats present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
The Lexington Social
A
Le Pain Quotidien
1592 1St Ave
A
1634 Lexington Avenue
Harley’s Smoke Shack
355 East 116 Street
A
Trinity Pub
229 East 84 Street
A Grace Wok Chinese
2014 2Nd Avenue
A
Flex Mussels
174 East 82 Street
Grade Pending (23) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. 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. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
Q Marqet
38 E 98Th St
Grade Pending (34) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours. 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.
3 Guys
1381 Madison Avenue Grade Pending (21) Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours. Food 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.
Bar Prima
331 E 81St St
A
Chipotle Mexican Grill
1497 3 Avenue
Grade Pending (20) Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewageassociated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
NOVEMBER 12-18,2015
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T H ROW BAC K
Thanksgiving T H U R S D AY This year’s awardees with Straus News President Jeanne Straus, center, and Hector Figueroa
HONORING BUILDING WORKERS Building workers from across the city were honored last week, in a ceremony at 32BJ SEIU held in conjunction with Straus News. The Building Service Workers Awardees included doormen, supers, window washers, cleaners and others. This year’s ceremony included a tribute to Idrissa Camara, a security officer killed while on duty in lower Manhattan.
Do you have an old photo from a Thanksgiving gone by? Share it with us and we may publish it in an upcoming edition of Our Town.
City Councilmember Margaret Chin
Emcee Vivian Lee of NY1 with 32BJ President Hector Figueroa. Photos by George Cade
Go to OurTownNY.com, click Fun & Games, then Thanksgiving to submit and vote! OR
Tweet your photo instead! @OurTownNYC #throwbackthanksgiving Don’t use a computer? Don’t worry! Call us and we can arrange to scan it for you. 212.868.0190 The family of Idrissa Camara, who was honored with a posthumous Life Saver Award
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In Brief BID PROPOSED FOR 86TH STREET A major push for a Business Improvement District on East 86th Street and the surrounding areas launched this week, with a “District Needs Survey” sent to local property owners and residents. The BID comes in response to heavy concern from the community over the state of the neighborhood’s central commerce corridor, and would provide funds to supplement services based on the results of the survey. Such services could include sidewalk sweeping, trash pickup, Big Belly solar compactor maintenance, rodent control, public safety and small business support. The District Needs Survey, which can be completed at BenKallos.com/BIDSurvey and was mailed this week to businesses, property owners, and residents, is the first announcement to the neighborhood of this effort. Community stakeholders have a voice through the survey to identify the area’s needs and issues they would like to see addressed. The BID would require final approval from the City Council, and both local council members, Ben Kallos and Dan Garodnick, are actively supporting the plan. Susan Gottridge, vice president for streetscape of the East 86th Street Association, currently serves as the interim chair of the BID Steering Committee. “The East 86th Street area is rife with overflowing trash cans, street vendors ignoring the rules and other quality of life issues,” said Gottridge. “BIDs have solved these same issues in other areas of The City – the time is right for our area to create a BID.” The BID also has the support of local property owners, the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, Carnegie Hill Neighbors, State Senator Liz Krueger, and Assembly Members Rebecca Seawright and Dan Quart. There are currently 72 Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) throughout New York City, from Flushing to Times Square.
NOVEMBER 12-18,2015
Business
AN URBAN PLANNER IN HIS ELEMENT WALKING AND TALKING Covering Ground with Alex Garvin BY DAVID WILLIAMS
A widely respected authority on urban planning and architecture, Alex Garvin is President and CEO of AGA Public Realm Strategists, a planning and design firm in NYC. As adjunct professor of urban planning and management at Yale, he teaches a wide range of subjects including “Introduction to the Study of the City,” which for more than 48 years has remained one of the college’s most popular courses. Mileage covered: 1.71 miles Sunny, 62 degrees At 1 p.m., on the dot, Alex Garvin meets me in the lobby of his high-rise apartment building, zip code 10028. Yorkville. Always dependably natty, in suit, white shirt and bowtie, Alex is joining me to walk and talk. And do his rounds: he is hosting a lunch the next day for the winning team in a competition he has held in one of the graduate courses he teaches at Yale. He has groceries to buy. “I teach with games. And the first game is a housing one where the 20 teams of three people each bid for a property in New Haven. They have to design an apartment building and figure out how to finance it. And the prize for the winning team is to come to dinner at my home in New York.” The other guests will be five teaching assistants in the course, plus a developer-architect who was once one of Alex’s students. As we cross Third Avenue and head to the first stop on Alex’s rounds, I am thinking that I could not have a better, more urbane -- and urban -- fellow stroller than one of the country’s most learned and respected city planners, teachers and writers. First stop: Andre’s, Second Avenue just down from 85th Street. “We are going to order dessert. Two apple strudels that will be freshly baked for me tomorrow. Andre’s is one of the many newer stores in my neighborhood but there are only three that I can identify that were here when I was a boy. This is not one of them but it’s been here for eleven years.” Alex is a local lad, born and raised in two UES zip codes, 10028 and 10128. “I was born in Doctors Hospital. (Since replaced by the luxury high-
Photo by David Williams rise 170 East End). I grew up first on 74th Street . When I turned eight years old we moved to 82nd Street where we lived until I was 14. Then 92nd street where I stayed until I was 22. And then we moved to 90th street and then on to 86 Street in 1969. I lived there for seven years until I moved to where I live now where I have been since 1977.” Next stop in Alex’s rounds is a Yorkville mainstay, Schaller & Webber. One of those three neighborhood stores he recalls from his youth. “I’m very lucky to live near three of these old stores. I’m going to get sultze, head cheese. I’ll cut it up into cubes which will be served along with champagne for starters,” he says. Told the store no longer offers sulze, he takes the next best, a wurst head cheese. Commenting on how welldressed this customer is, the man behind the counter addresses him as “doctor,” which Alex corrects. “I’m a professor. And a writer.” Classic New York, Schaller and Weber never seems to lack for loyal clientele. And that is the case today as we head out for our next culinary station, Fairway. Along the way we cannot avoid the elephant in the zip code, the Second Avenue subway construction. We share our comments on the gradual recalibration of the construction ob-
struction, noting that whole swathes of the avenue have recently been opened up, only to have the other side of the avenue dug up for more infrastructure. I mention the Yorkville Clock, an avenue away on Third in front of the McDonalds. Featured in a famous scene in “Lost Weekend,” as Ray Milland leans against it, having tried to find an open pawnbroker on Yom Kippur where he can swap for money for booze. “I was here when there was an elevated subway on Third Avenue,” seen in that shot from the film. New York is always changing, we agree. “I remember when Gimbels opened on the corner of 86th and Lex. People were very concerned because of the multiplex theater bringing people from out of the neighborhood. And as I write in “The American City: What Works and What Doesn’t” there was pressure because all these small stores were allegedly being pushed out by fast food places.” We head into Fairway, destination: produce. “And the pressure was to do something about it. So the city planning commission approved a change in the zoning that required retailers be no more than 25 feet wide. What we got was a 25-foot wide Burger King. It didn’t work. The only special zoning
district that was eliminated from the zoning ordinance.” Once his basket has been filled with broccoli, dill and onions (the endiveshaped radicchio will have to be foraged someplace else) his larder is pretty much complete for the awards luncheon: · Cauliflower soup · Smoked turkey (flown in from North Carolina) · Cranberry Orange Relish · Broccoli And that strudel, yet to bake, accompanied with a moscato d’asti, a sparkling Italian dessert wine. As we share in the cartage, I suggest a cortado at Jax, a fairly recent additon to the area’s growing coffee options. “Great, a place in my neighborhood that is new to me!” I note that he was able to pick up pretty much everything he needed, and all within a few blocks of his home. “I live a very busy life. I have a consulting business and I am going to Florida on a job in two weeks. I go to New Haven once a week. And I’m finishing a new book,” he tells me. “The time issue you raise is essential. My brother would tell you that time is the leitmotif of my life. And living in this neighborhood means I don’t have to waste any time.” Sitting out back, in the coffee house’s tiny garden, located off the downstairs space that looks like a university library peopled with students intent on their laptops and Ipads, I tell Alex that we just raised the median age of the place. Sitting down, we talked about walking, the public realm, his new book (“What Makes a Great City”). And the private support of city parks. “I’m a great supporter of these things, these conservancies. If the government is going to cut money that is being spent to maintain public parks I don’t care how that money is being replaced. I grew up when Central Park was filled with children. I watched it deteriorate and I believe Betsy Barlow Rogers did an extraordinary job replacing it. And I think Doug Blonsky (president of the Central Park Conservancy) is terrific.” We polished off our coffee and walked back out onto 84th Street, he heading west to get back to do whatever a protean city planner does in his home office. No doubt taking note of a few more changes in the cityscape along the way.
NOVEMBER 12-18,2015
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NOVEMBER 12-18,2015
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IN OUR HANDS RESCUE, K9 KASTLE, LINDA’S CAT ASSISTANCE & NORTH SHORE ANIMAL LEAGUE AMERICA
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BE THE NEW YORKER WHO REALLY DOES KNOW IT ALL. A FUNCTIONAL APPROACH TO PAIN MANAGEMENT: A LECTURE PRESENTED BY RUSK REHABILITATION AT NYU LANGONE MEDICAL CENTER. Join our experts for an evening of discussion on how to better treat and manage your pain. Topics will include common misconceptions and functional interventions, as well as understanding the mind-body connection of pain. Date: Thursday, November 19, 5:30pm – 7:00pm. Presenters: Charles Kim, pain management physician; John Corcoran, physical therapist.
Location: Ambulatory Care Center. 240 East 38th Street. 11th Floor Conference Room. Info: This lecture is free and open to the public, but you must RSVP. To attend, call 212.263.6952 or email ruskrsvp@nyumc.org. View past NYU Langone lectures at youtube.com/nyulmc.
Photo by Madeleine Thompson
PROTESTING THE LOSS OF A GROCERY STORE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 think about when it snows and rains and you’ve got to go to the supermarket,” Hamilton said. “You’ve got to walk 10 blocks.” The passing shoppers, once made aware of the issue, were generally also against another pharmacy moving into the area. Several people were already aware of it and said they were opposed to another CVS. “How many times can I sign?” one resident asked. Julio Gonell, a manager of the Food Emporium, also ex-
pressed his sincere hope that another grocery store would be able to move in instead of a CVS because otherwise all of the Food Emporium’s employees will lose their jobs. “A lot of contracts are being broken,” said Gonell, who has been with the company for 17 years. “As you see, the community doesn’t want this. We have tons of customers. Do we need another pharmacist? No. It doesn’t make any sense.” Gonell indicated several buildings nearby that are under construction, pointing out that when they are finished their tenants will need a place to shop. “In the next six months to a year there are going to be at least 700 families extra,” he said. The Turtle Bay Associa-
tion’s press release mentioned this as well. “A sizeable number of seniors and young families live in the neighborhood, whose overall population is growing due to aggressive development and a beneficial cost-to-value real estate market,” it reads. Maggiotta said she has notified several local and state politicians of her concerns, and will be keeping them informed of the petition’s progress. Brodsky hopes that the public officials will “ask the management or whoever to change their minds — to revise their plan.” She didn’t know of a certain number of signatures that would accomplish this goal, but said she planned to get as many as possible.
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NOVEMBER 12-18,2015
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Neighborhood Scrapbook CARTER BURDEN’S ANNUAL FASHION SHOW
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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.
ACTIVITIES FOR THE FERTILE MIND
thoughtgallery.org NEW YORK CITY
The People vs. Moses
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH, 4PM Temple Emanu-El | 1 E. 65th St. | 888-718-4253 | emanuelnyc.org
The Carter Burden Center for the Aging’s Luncheon Club held its annual fashion show on October 15. Emceed by William Dionne, the Carter Burden Center’s executive director, the senior models wore their own formal wear and hand-knit fashions. Professional hair and make-up were provided by volunteers. The Carter Burden Center’s Luncheon Club provides hot meals, served restaurant-style, to hundreds of older people daily. The Club serves as a community beacon for seniors to gather, socialize and enjoy educational and recreational programs.
Share your news and what’s going on in your life. Go to ourtownny.com and click on submit a press release or announcement.
A rabbi, a federal judge, and two legal celebrities (Alan Dershowitz and Dan Abrams) come together for combination of Biblical scholarship and courtroom drama. The audience will become the jury in passing judgment on Moses on the charge of murder. ($35)
Milton Glaser in Conversation with Wendy Goodman
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18TH, 7:30PM 92nd Street Y | 1395 Lexington Ave. | 212-415-5500 | 92y.org Hear from graphic designer Milton Glaser, of “I Love New York� logo fame, in conversation with Wendy Goodman, the design editor of New York (a magazine Glaser co-founded in 1968). ($32)
Just Announced: Mike Daisey & Mark Thomas Post-Performance Discussion
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18TH, 7:15PM 59E59 Theaters | 59 E. 59th St. | 212-753-5959 | 59e59.org Monologist Mike Daisey joins comedian Mark Thomas to talk comedy and activism following a performance of Cuckooed, Thomas’ comedic tale of betrayal. ($35)
For more information about lectures, readings and other intellectually stimulating events throughout NYC,
sign up for the weekly Thought Gallery newsletter at thoughtgallery.org.
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NOVEMBER 12-18,2015
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TOW N H A LL
M AKING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS MORE LIVABLE Come hear about the problems faced by New Yorkers in an increasingly unaffordable city, and explore exclusive new AARP data on neighborhoods that are getting it right.
GALE BREWER
RUTH FINKELSTEIN
KYLE POPE
Manhattan Borough President
Associate Director Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center
Editor in Chief
SANDY ROBBINS
Founder, The Shadow Box Theater
JANET LYNOTT Senior Strategic Policy Advisor A AR P Public Policy Institute
Monday, November 23 2-4pm The Society for Ethical Culture 2 West 64th St.
The event is FREE but space is limited RSVP today at rsvp@strausnews.com or call Molly Colgan at 212-868-0190 Seating is first come first served. The local paper for the Upper East Side
The local paper for Downtown
NOVEMBER 12-18,2015
To read about other people who have had their “15 Minutes” go to ourtownny.com/15 minutes
YOUR 15 MINUTES
BOUNCING AROUND THE CITY Gymnastics coach Rudy Van Daele on the benefits of play BY ANGELA BARBUTI
“I cannot imagine that I wouldn’t be jumping on a trampoline,” Rudy Van Daele replied when asked what his future plans are. As a gymnastics coach, he has made a lifelong commitment to providing children with the opportunity to play, which he feels is a crucial part of their development. The Queens native remembers always being outside as a youngster and wants the same experience for the youth of today. “That’s what the gym is about, because it changed so rapidly,” he said. “The gym is about restoring those opportunities.” The gym Van Daele started in 1984, LifeSport, came about after changes were made to the gymnastics program at the Walden School, where he was coaching at the time. The parents there actually found him a location at West 83rd Street and Central Park West at Temple Rodeph Sholom. “We started with 125 kids who I had been working with, and by the end of the year we had 250 and by the fourth year, we were up to about 500,” he explained. As the years went on, the gym was housed in different places, mainly on the Upper West Side. The Church for All Nations on West 57th Street was their last location, until the church closed. While he searches for a new home for LifeSport, Van Daele is giving classes on Sundays at The ROC Network for Learning on East Second Street.
Know somebody who deserves their 15 Minutes of fame? Go to ourtownny.com and click on submit a press release or announcement.
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What got you into the coaching profession? That’s a good question because it very much tells the story of what the gym’s about. It starts with really good parenting. I had very good parents and lots of affection and attention. Given those circumstances, I had a lot of time to play and know myself very well. And I know when I’m being supported. And those are the two most important things in developing, and I had that from the beginning of my life. I just loved climbing trees, swinging on branches, jumping over mailboxes and swinging around poles. This was a very common thing when I was growing up. This is what kids did. You wrestled each other; you rolled down hills. We had a lot of time outside. The most common expression you would hear when I was growing up was, ‘Get out of the house; go out and play.’ The gym is about creating an environment where that will be stimulated. To play with absolute freedom. To be free of distraction and desire. To be so free you don’t have to think anymore. And that condition is a human condition. It’s the most natural thing we do.
Before you started LifeSport, you were teaching gymnastics at the Walden School’s afterschool program. I was at the Walden School, and at that time, gymnastics was taught as a theater program for higher levels of competition. You get the kids in, you warm them up, you take them through a course of different exercises, you cool them down, you send them home. Coming from my background, and I was only hired as a substitute so I had a lot of freedom, I started to pay attention to the kids not for their athletic abilities, but for who they were. And once you do that, you develop a completely different relationship.
And then the kids start to do things on their own. And if there’s time to do that, I realized that a child who’s doing something on their own will continue to explore it outside the gym. The kids in my class were developing skills more rapidly than the kids in the other classes, except for competition. And those kids would bring their parents into the gym. And then it’s just like family and you and the parent are marveling over what their child can do. When a parent says, ‘You’re a really good coach,’ I flip it and say, ‘Well, you must be a really good parent because your child is happy and focused and brings you into the gym. You must be doing something really great at home.’
You consider the trampoline to be very beneficial. What are its benefits? The trampoline is grossly misunderstood. It’s a marvelous device. People think that you can fall off it and hurt yourself. But if you think about it, it’s a surface that bounces. And you decide how much it’s going to bounce. So that’s why it’s so safe for very young children. Little ones, like a year or two years old, you supervise them because they might run off the end. The trampoline brings you back to giving attention to yourself. My role as a coach is to assist you in doing that. Anyone I bring on the trampoline, first I tell them they can jump a little or a lot, and then I tell them when they get a good feeling, to stay with that, and everything else will happen automatically. Once you relax and feel it, you will feel a little bit lighter. If an adult comes on a trampoline, I’ll stand on with them. We’re looking at each other face to face. I put my hands out; you rest your hands on my palms. And I’ll move the trampoline very gently and watch
your face. And when you smile, I’ll move it a little bit more. And if I don’t get the smile, I’ll move it a little bit less. The trampoline is restorative; it’s good for rehabilitation. It puts gravity on all the cells of your body. It’s a total workout.
I read that some of your staff consists of your former students. William Maldonado started at the gym at 5 years old. He came to the gym and started running all over the room. He still does that to this day. He’s now 25 and he’ll come in the gym the same way. When I see him walk into the gym it’s like the biggest party that’s ever happened. All the kids get really excited like the circus came to town. Then he’ll get up on the trampoline and start throwing beautifully executed tricks.
What are your future plans? The first thing is to find a location on the Upper West Side and continue working with the kids and families that I’ve been working with. The future plan, beyond that, would be to spread the basic idea of the program, of creating a situation where a child can give themselves a lot of attention and then you could know the child through that attention they give to themselves and see what you could use from that. To get that idea out in as many forms as possible, like documentaries, books, workshops. To get the message out that every one of us has to maintain the integrity of selflearning and playing. We all have to play. It’s for our mental health. It’s for our development. It’s for the health of our society. To learn more, visit www.lifesportgym.com
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NOVEMBER 12-18,2015
27th Annual
COAT
DRIVE
November 17th - December 31st
Keep a New Yorker warm this winter. Start your own coat drive among friends, family, or colleagues. Sign up at newyorkcares.org
#CoatDrive Or text COAT to 41444 to donate and keep a fellow New Yorker warm this winter.*
The Coat Drive is a program of New York Cares, New York City’s leading volunteer organization.
Photo: Craig Cutler © 2015 New York Cares, Inc. *Messaging & data rates may apply. Text STOP to 41444 to stop; Text HELP to 41444 for help.
NOVEMBER 12-18,2015
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462 Broadway MFG No Retail/Food +/- 9,000 sf Ground Floor - $90 psf +/- 16,000 sf Cellar - $75 psf Call Farrell @ Meringoff Properties 646.306.0299
24
NOVEMBER 12-18,2015
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
COME HOME TO GLENWOOD
MANHATTANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FINEST LUXURY RENTALS
453*,*/(-: *.13&44*7& ".&/*5*&4 "/% 4&37*$&4
INCLUDING FULL SIZE WASHER/DRYER IN SOME RESIDENCES UPPER EAST SIDE
1 BR FROM $2,995, 2 BRS FROM $4,795, 3 BRS/2 BATHS FROM $6,195
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.