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What a Year This Has Been! October marks our one-year anniversary of The Boulevard as a glossy magazine. My personal quest to publish an entertaining and exciting lifestyle magazine started more than three years ago and it certainly took a village to bring it to our Long Island readers. I am fortunate to have a dedicated and loyal staff at The Boulevard and Anton Community Newspapers and I applaud the contributions and efforts of all for the knowledge, experience, passion, creativity and dedication they have demonstrated. To the hardworking and talented women and men at The Boulevard, I say thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am also blessed after all these years in the community newspaper business to have you, our loyal readers, as my audience. In one year, The Boulevard has presented remarkable articles, features and covers honoring such well-known celebrities as Joan Jett, Laura Bell Bundy, Susan Lucci and Clinton Kelly. Inside our covers, we have featured insightful and timely interviews with entrepreneurs and celebrities in the worlds of finance, business, the arts and sports such as Steve Forbes, Ashleigh Banfield, Uma Pemmanjaru, Carol Higgins Clark, Dennis Riese, Bobby Nystrom, Chaka Khan, and musicians Lourds Lane (of the band LOURDS) and LifeHouse. We have taken you around the world, walking along every fabulous boulevard and byway in the most exotic and interesting travel destinations, as well as reviewing the world’s most elite hotels and cruises. Closer to our home base, we have taken you to The 21 Club in New York City and Annona, one of the Hampton’s finest restaurants. The Boulevard has been expanded to include the most exciting interior design ideas, photographs and layouts, as well as articles and features on the fashion world from Oleg Cassini, Tiffany and the Americana. Our October Issue features Steve Van Zandt on our cover, along with an article and pictorial on this brilliant musician and actor. October will also feature: Good Morning America’s Ron Claiborne, actress Marsha Mason, actress Linda Dano and actress and fitness instructor Sheila Kelly. We also highlight the culinary genius of David Burke and his award-winning davidburke & donatella restaurant in New York City. There are also reviews on two stunning and fabulous new restaurants which recently opened on Long Island: Toku, an exquisite oriental-themed restaurant from the Poll Brothers and Brivo, a lavish and outstanding Italian continental restaurant. These articles and so many more make for a spectacular one-year celebration issue. As our magazine continues to grow, we remain committed to giving charities and non-profit organizations the opportunity to promote their worthy causes and events on the pages of The Boulevard. I salute the wonderful people who work tirelessly for such associations to help those less fortunate. They make this world a better place for all of us. The best way to travel from Montauk to New York City remains The Boulevard. It was a very good year! Love, health, happiness and joy…
PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Angela Susan Anton GENERAL MANAGER William M. Delventhal, Jr. EDITOR IN CHIEF/ASSISTANT TO PUBLISHER Jason Feinberg SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR Tomas Baade SENIOR EDITOR Dagmar Fors Karppi EXECUTIVE EDITOR Carla Santella EDITOR Ilena Ryan ART DIRECTOR Paul Scheuer CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND DESIGNER Damien Monaco ASSISTANT PAGE DESIGNER Lucia D’Onofrio PHOTO EDITOR/PHOTOGRAPHER Tina Guiomar CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Barry Kay TRAVEL AND FEATURES EDITOR Christina D. Morris PROFILES AND MUSIC EDITOR Tim Sullivan WINE & DINE EDITOR Heather Muhleman HEALTH EDITOR Dr. Barbara Capozzi, D.O., CNS, CHT CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tom Albright Mike Barry Lauriana Capone Jennifer Dunlop Barberi Paull Feit Dr. Stephen T. Greenberg Andrew A. Jacono, MD, FACS H. Kelly Keaton Lauren Lawrence John Lomitola Dr. John Loret Kathryn Moschella Heidi Muhleman J. Anthony Parise Venus Quintana Robert Rizzuto Harry Rocker Bob Ronzoni Michael Russo Maria Saperstein Dr. Deborah Sarnoff Dr. Robert A. Scott Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum Maria Strong David Tabbert Maria Vaiano Courtney Wells Sara Duncan Widness Dr. Michael A. Yorio
132 E. 2nd Street, Mineola, N.Y. 11501
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Courtney Davidson Paula Kaminsky Davis Jason Feinberg Dagmar Fors Karppi Tina Guiomar Gene Lesserson Bob Lew John Lomitola M. Cyril Morris Stan Phaneuf Pat Dillon Photography Joe Schildhorn Kathleen Wickham Austin Young
Supplement to Anton Community Newspapers
CELEBRITY PHOTOGRAPHER Patrick McMullan
Angela Anton
The Boulevard offices are located at:
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TRUE RELIGION DSQUARED THOMAS WYLDE HELMUT LANG PHILIPP PLEIN CITIZENS OF HUMANITY SEVEN FOR ALL MANKIND ROCK & REPUBLIC CHRISTIAN AUDIGIER NILI LOTAN JEAN PAUL GAULTIER VIVIENNE WESTWOOD LA ROK ROBINS JEANS THE GREAT CHINA WALL NOTIFY PRPS PEDRO GARCIA DIESEL Y3 YOHJI YAMAMOTO MONCLER AND MORE! FOR A FULL DESIGNER LIST VISIT AMERICANAMANHASSET.COM
AMERICANA MANHASSET 516.627.3460
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DESIGN
Adding Space and Elegance To a
Contemporary Ranch
By Christina D. Morris Interior and Architectural Design: Ellen Baron Goldstein Baron-Goldstein Design Associates, Ltd. Architect: Brian Shore Photographer: Bill Rothchild
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October – November 2007
The richness of the Honduras mahogany flooring contrasts beautifully with the subtle monochromatic fabrics, with innocent splashes of blue of the peacock feathers atop the commode.
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The enlarged living room exudes elegance along with functionality. The half Doric columns define where the addition with the dramatic curved wall of windows starts. The designer’s admiration of the Bauhaus school of design, characterized by functional design in architecture and applied arts, is evident in this magnificent makeover.
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he rolling hills of this North Shore community developed a quarter-century ago are endowed with mature trees, a natural pond and wellmanicured lawns. Traditional Georgians face off sprawling ranches with contemporary flair on lush acreage. Meeting with Ellen Baron-Goldstein at her client’s home, our interest was piqued having already noticed the interesting architectural details of this former traditional ranch. We started in the kitchen as the housekeeper proceeded to put the family dog in what appeared to be a cupboard under the expansive granite-topped center isle. It turned out to be a spacious dog cage, custom built into the kitchen’s overall design. Goldstein mentioned that the cat also frequents this delightful and functional addition to the home, Goldstein’s solution to the owner wishing the dog cage to be inconspicuous. The kitchen and dining area were extended 10 feet and the dining area was given a cathedral ceiling. A pair of skylights and four floor-to-ceiling windows set in a wide bay flood the area with light. Stuccoed walls feature a large fresco with smaller designs showing up here and there. A genuine Tuscany feeling prevails. Where the former kitchen ended, a half Doric column provides a
traditional European accent. Tiled flooring with mosaic inlay anchors a custom-made round table with mosaic inlay surrounded with tapestry upholstered period chairs. The warmth and charm of distant places and perhaps another time is reflected in this room. Immersed in this European decor are state-of-the-art amenities suitable for a family where both husband and wife enjoy cooking. The renovation included the addition of a 20 by 15 foot dining room. The contours of the barrel ceiling complement the interesting window system that dominates one wall. Billowing white sheer drapes add softness to an otherwise streamlined room. The mahogany floors with inlayed ebony and pear wood, an elegant inset mahogany buffet along with a shimmering mahogany oblong, expandable dining table and sleek stylish dining chairs spell out “dinner invitation!” A pair of contrasting dining room chairs with arms features a tapestry fabric with peacock blue accents. This ensemble denotes the moderne genre, a touch of art deco and the traditional with the lower walls enhanced by molding and a chair rail. Double French doors lead to the foyer and a pocket door leads to the kitchen. It’s a handsome room that makes a bold and compelling statement. www.boulevardli.com
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DESIGN
The 20 x 15 addition of a dining room that flows directly from the marble-floored foyer is a masterpiece.
The entrance to the home is sophisticated with what appears to be a modern facsimile of an arbor above a blue stone walkway and steps. The entrance was given a wider and more elegant doorway with side windows. There’s an illusion of spaciousness in the foyer resulting from a few strategic design elements. Adding height at an angle to the ceiling and a skylight worked wonders. A five-foot entrance to the living room off the foyer was widened and now accommodates a pair of Doric columns with capitals in a faux alabaster treatment. A pair of custom-designed railings defines the space where a door to the basement was removed, exposing the stairs to the lower level and creating a more appealing entrance to the family room. The attractive powder room and the foyer gained two additional feet. The mahogany vanity in the powder room is art deco. The spacious entrance to the living room instills an aura of expectation. Two steps down from the foyer the Honduras mahogany floor strikes a contrast with the monochromatic ensemble of fabrics. To the right, a spacious extension designed with a curved wall of five floor-to-ceiling windows establishes this space as 8
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separate, yet belonging to the original confines of the living room. The addition is further defined by a pair of half Doric columns on platforms that create alcoves on each side of the room. Here the designer’s decorative flair captures the eye. Set in the alcoves are identical commodes influenced by Biedermeier. These are topped with replicas of tall amber glass and gilt urns filled with willowy, colorful, peacock feathers. The ceiling in the addition and original space are coffered with recessed lights. A pair of woven chenille lounges fits perfectly in the curve of the windows. Adding whimsy to the scene are iridescent striped silk chiffon balloon drapes. A pair of flowing side drapes on striking ornate gold-leaf curtain rods shimmer from the sun’s reflection, revealing a blue stripe among the subtle shades of white and beige. Goldstein explains the original living room space was designed to be very functional and not just a showplace, hence, the handsome sofa and matching chairs in a synthetic broadloom can actually be washed! The French needlework Aubusson area rug inspired the color scheme. Taupes, cafe au lait and creams, all subtle, soft and inviting welcome spare splashes of
October – November 2007
blue. A replica of a Louis XVI armoire in white with gilt distress makes a bold statement. Goldstein explained her passion for art deco when we first met and a custom designed wet bar entertainment unit reflects this influence. Her background training was influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright, Biedermeier and Bauhaus, who emphasized functional design, which she believes is apparent in her work. A pair of French doors, at an angle, opens to the kitchen and adjacent family room through pocket doors. For entertaining, these rooms offer an ideal flow of space. The family room remained the same size but again, skillful decorative applications brought to life an illusion of more space and light. Raffia walls added both light and warmth. A ver y modern wall unit and fireplace was given a more traditional appearance with the addition of molding and capitals. The faux painting worked magic on the unit. Other interesting items in the room reflected on the owner’s taste for adventurous travel. An Asian chest, safari photographs and leopard patterned wall-to-wall carpeting set the stage for the bold leather sofa and chair. The copper coffee table (acid washed to create patterns) completed what is probably the most popular room in the house. French doors with wood Venetian blinds open onto the patio, garden and pool. When the family needed more room, the option to move was never considered, as the beauty of their proper ty demanded they stay. Goldstein explained that was the reason for this large project. Logistically it involved the entire first floor. For her, a friendship with the owner developed, and her concepts and ideas were readily embraced. This was beneficial since the project took a few years.
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The enlarged foyer makes a bold statement with shimmering marble flooring, Doric columns and a huge skylight.
The family room was given the illusion of being more spacious with raffia wall covering, and warmth was added by giving a modern wall unit faux traditional accents.
www.boulevardli.com
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DESIGN
Choosing Your Architect By William S. Novak hoosing the right architect is the most important aspect for the success of your residential or commercial project. First, you should begin the process by seeking out recommendations from colleagues, friends and family who have had a positive experience with their architects, whom you should meet with an interview. Since most projects are for the long term, hiring an architect should be like a marriage. There has to be compatibility and your personalities must click. A great way to find an architect is to contact your local building department as they would know which architects have stellar reputations in the industry. Sometimes just driving around your town is a great way to see the completed homes or buildings that you admire. Find out who that architect was! An important thing to keep in mind is that your architect must be licensed. A licensed registered architect is the only one who can obtain the necessar y permits to
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build. An architectural designer is not the same thing as a licensed registered architect. Additionally, all licensed architects should carry Error and Omissions Insurance, which is the equivalent of malpractice insurance. If your architect does not have this coverage, it is a red flag for problems down the road with no recourse. Architectural fees and your budget should be discussed during the first meeting. These fees vary on the size and complexity of the project. The architect will usually send a fee proposal or AIA document for you to review and sign before beginning the project. Your architectural contract will also spell out the fee schedule for payment over the course of the project, with a retainer usually given. Most seasoned architects will not charge for a consultation. Some architects can be hired on a consulting basis with an hourly rate, flat fee or even per diem. The current trend leans toward architects that are also construction managers. For the client this is a great way to ensure that your project is built as per the plans. The continuation from architect to construction manager is usually a smooth transition with the client having more control over the budget. Typically your architect will charge a fee and handle the paper work with the subcontractors, as well as the payments. The obvious advantage is that a licensed professional will assure that this job is done correctly. Your architect will only hire those subcontractors that have an equally good reputation and the proper liability insurance as well.
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Many people have a collection of ideas or photos from magazines. A good idea is to have a list of questions prepared for that initial consultation with your architect to get everything out on the table. Interview several architects before you make your decision. Many architects will also tell you that they are as selective as the perspective client, knowing that good collaboration between architect and client will result in a successful outcome of the project. Lastly, all architects know that the recommendation is paramount to the success of the firm and you are only as good as your last project. William S. Novak is a licensed, registered architect with an office in Locust Valley, NY.
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This holiday season, let us cater to your business with affordable party packages in one of three elegant settings. Whether your guests dine in the lovely ballroom at The Hamlet Golf and Country Club, take in views from our hilltop hideaway at the Hamlet Wind Watch Golf & Country Club or dance the night away in the magnificent Lakeside Ballroom at the Hamlet Willow Creek Golf & Country Club, they are sure to experience exquisite cuisine and exceptional service. Book now and save. Call today for a tour and price quote. THE HAMLET GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB, COMMACK 631.499.5200 THE HAMLET WIND WATCH GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB, HAUPPAUGE 631.232.9850 THE HAMLET WILLOW CREEK GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB, MT. SINAI 631.474.9200 CALL NOW! Book your holiday party at any of our three locations before November 21 and receive a complimentary champagne toast at your event!
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FASHION
Oleg Cassini Couture At Lord & Taylor
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Veronese Green, a rare and unusual color in a fabulous silk and wool luxury fabric that shimmers with the light and depth of Jackie’s favorite color. The chic, shaped jacket features a flattering notched collar accented with three glittering crystal buttons in the shape of flowers. The chic jacket is worn with its own narrowed pencil skirt.
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Sapphire blue silk and wool is the luxe fabric for the signature look of this Oleg Cassini Couture Suit. The jacket is shaped with a modified portrait collar, with three crystal button closing. Worn with a matching pencil skirt.
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Oleg Cassini Evening At Lord & Taylor
Sapphire blue, the color of the fall season, here in a fabulous silk Chiffon with halter sweetheart neckline above a lavishly beaded midriff. The floor length skirt is softly gathered at the waist and has a voluminous skirt for evening drama.
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Silver gray lamĂŠ is the fabric for the ultra glamorous evening collection for Fall 2007. The deep V bodice is tucked, gathered and caught with two round circles of stones at each strap for shaping and evening drama. The Empire waist is circled with embroidered silver. Perfect for dancing.
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Sparkling gunmetal and jet beading in circlets and linear banding of jet sequins stitched on silk charmeuse is the fabric for this dramatic evening dress. The squared neckline, sleeves, and hem all edged in the sequin trim and the ž sleeves are designer signature looks of Oleg Cassini.
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A love affair that never ends.
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FASHION
Loris Diran Spring/Summer 2008
Runway Show
Black chiffon/cream charmeuse banded bubble dress Silver stiletto sandal 18
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October – November 2007
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FASHION
Think Blonde…
Intercoiffure America/Canada Forecasts Deceptively Simple Elegance for Fall
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ellow…it’s the brightest color of the spectrum. It’s confident but emotional, creative yet cautious. Blonde pushes us to the outer limits, yet has the power to ground us. Blondes are irrational, extroverted, and optimistic. They bring adventure and creativity to your look. The new collection from Intercoiffure America/Canada, Think Blonde, combines elegant yet street-friendly cuts with rich color and makeup, exemplifying Intercoiffure’s vision of today’s beauty and fashion trends. Presiding over the design team is Richard Calcasola, second vice president of Intercoiffure America/Canada and North American creative director of parent organization Intercoiffure Mondial. “Today’s look, which we have expressed in this collection, is all about refinement. Long gone are styles that shout ‘look at me,’” said Calcasola. “It takes a moment to recognize the complexity behind the apparent simplicity of this collection.” “We chose blonde because it so often is used to express luxe in the beauty industry. So much consumer attention today focuses on luxury services — luxury products, luxury travel, luxury lifestyle,” Calcasola continued. “Blonde is expensive, both in dollars and time. Women who choose blonde know that their hair will require scheduled salon maintenance, personalized cleansers, conditioners and treatments. Looking expensive doesn’t simply mean the client must spend a lot of money. What it really means is choosing a salon that can achieve the nonverbal look of luxury without the distraction of avant-garde cuts or color.” The new focus on refinement requires a greater sophistication from the professional, who must be better informed, very familiar with healthy, quality hair care products, and know the difference between style and Think Blonde Credits: North American Creative Director: Richard Calcasola for Maximus Spa/Salons Photography: Luis Alvarez for Aquage Hair Color: Gina Khan for Gina Khan Salons Hair Styling: William Sasek for Maximus Spa/Salons Makeup Design: Lori Neapolitan and Mary Miller Assistants: Sucely Giron, Glendy Aguilar-Rubio
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fashion. The professional must also know how to personalize all phases of their work to meet the client’s needs. Color for the Think Blonde collection is the work of quintessential colorist Gina Khan, creative director of Intercoiffure’s new Haircolor Council. “My vision for this collection expresses complex glamour,” said Khan. “The blondes are very soft shades, with subtle infusions of color such as gold, strawberry and platinum. The dimension is not defined lines, but rather very diffused color for a very soft, sexy yet wearable blonde.” “What sets the makeup apart in this collection is the mixture of textures and the use of cool and warm colors,” said Lori Neapolitan, who co-chairs Intercoiffure’s Makeup Council with Mary Miller. “Our color designs are reminiscent of makeup from past eras, from the classic 20s style to the wild colors of the 80s, but kept current by the choice of color balance and by creating a flawless, almost naked skin.” Think Blonde is the annual beauty and fashion trend collection from Intercoiffure America/Canada. Intercoiffure is a forum for the beauty industry’s elite — more than 250 salon owners representing more than 2,200 salons, and employing more than 27,500 professionals. The average annual sales volume for an Intercoiffure member ranges from $1.5 million to $85 million. In addition to their economic clout, Intercoiffure members set the creative and quality standards for the industry. For more information, contact Richard Calcasola at 516333-3511 or rcalcasola@aol.com.
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Ron Rizzo Jewelry Presents‌
Diamonds in Matched Pairs
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here is a definite art to matching diamonds in pairs, especially when they are to accent a center diamond, colored gemstone or pearl. First you have to consider the pair itself. Just matching up two similarly sized diamonds is not enough to make them sparkle in harmony. Of the facet, arrangement and proportion, the cut is probably the most noticeable feature when pairing diamonds. The speed at which diamonds sparkle is called scintillation, and the eye gets confused when two diamonds that look alike have different scintillation rates. Special attention to these nuances results in a “Wow!� when someone admires your jewelry. The skill of selecting a matched pair of diamonds to a center is the balance achieved when all three come together. Sometimes bigger is not better. A creatively chosen pair of diamonds can enhance a piece so that the center will actually seem bigger to the eye. Conversely, an inappropriate selection will drive the eye more to the side than the center. For 10 days, Ron Rizzo Jewelry in East Hills will display for sale a vast selection of matched diamonds in all shapes and sizes. Also featured will be many one-of-a-kind items and natural fancy colored diamonds. Experts will be on hand and consultations are free. A cocktail party will take place on Thursday, Oct. 18 from 6 to 8 p.m. The event will continue through Saturday, Oct. 27. Call 484-0030 for an appointment or stop by the store at 62 Glen Cove Road in East Hills. Visit www.ronrizzo.com for more details.
www.boulevardli.com
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t’s finally autumn. Kids are back to school and adults have more meetings and longer hours at work. The leaves turn their golden brown, so why can’t we keep our color that way, too? There is a way. The Boulevard tested a new line of self-tanning products by Shiseido and Clarins that will keep our golden, sun-kissed skin glowing throughout the year, without making it look too orange, or streaky like a zebra. Here’s how to take the right steps:
Prep Time: Make sure to exfoliate and moisturize skin a few days prior to applications. This creates a clean, smooth, fresh canvas on which to apply the
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self-tanner. Smooth, renewed skin takes in the application more easily and you get better streak-free results.
Application: Consider using either gloves or applying with a sponge applicator to avoid tan hands. Start with legs, arms, and body, and finish with face and neck. Make sure to apply in a circular motion to avoid streaking. Apply an ordinary moisturizer over knees, feet, elbows, underarms and hands to create a more gradual streak-free tan.
What to Avoid: If you get streaks around your feet, knees, elbows, and hands (like we all do every now and then), I’ve learned
Shiseido Brilliant Bronze Tinted Self Tanning Gel The skin color that developed was natural, with very few areas of mistakes or streaks. Applies like a gel but has a pearlized bronzer tint for easier application. Nice fragrance.
Clarins Intense Bronze Self Tanning Tint It gave a tropical, ‘I just got back from a Caribbean vacation’ tan. The tanner is tinted, which enabled me to see where I was applying the product. It was as easy as a paint-by-number kit; you apply with a sponge onto the skin. In the beginning, I had a problem with streaks around feet. Great color and no harsh self-tanning smell; rather, it has a water lily, jasmine, and violet fragrance. Keeps the skin moisturized with aloe vera and vitamin E. Retail: $28.50.
a home remedy to try: rubbing the darkened areas with half a lemon and letting the juice soak in for three minutes or rinsing with lemon juice or hydrogen peroxide on a cotton ball. The acid breaks down the DHA ingredient in the self-tanners.
Post Time: Make sure to wear loose clothing and avoid any activity that will have you sweating for three hours following application. To maintain and prolong color, moisturize skin daily (I like Jergens or Curel). Supple skin minimizes flakiness. Exfoliate once a week and reapply self tanner every three days to continue that summer glow.
Clarins Radiance Plus Self-Tanning Body Lotion Applies like a moisturizer but there’s a plus: tiny mother of pearl particles that add an iridescence to your skin … très chic! It’s a lightweight, cream gel texture that quickly absorbs into skin. They added kiwi extract, pro vitamin B5, vitamin A, and vitamin E to improve and moisturize skin’s texture. Retail: $39.
Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel My favorite of all the products we tested. Applied quite easily, glided on like a regular moisturizer and created a perfect natural glow with quick results and very little drying time. Great for sensitive and oily skin, moisturizes and softens and is hypoallergenic. It also contains larrea divaricata extract, which helps prolong your tan by stabilizing your body’s natural shedding of skin cells. Retail: $29.50.
All products are available at fine department stores and Sephora.com. Happy safe tanning! www.boulevardli.com
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FASHION irons. Have your professional give you a lesson on how to use the right tools. Whether you wear your hair long, medium or short, wavy, curly or straight, red, blonde or brunette, it’s all good. To By Richard Calcasola be in step with fashion, it’s all in your attitude. Have fun and remember what ichard Calcasola, owner and founder of Maximus mom says: “Walk straight, and wear the look with confidence.” Spa/Salon in Westbury and Merrick, has some great Sexy hair needs to be touchable. Too much hair spray, gel or hair tips for you. The single mistake woman in their 40s mousse won’t allow someone to run their fingers through your make is holding on to the exact same hairstyle that hair. That tip is for the guys, too. served them well in college. Only Liza Minnelli can wear the Beware of the “kitchen beautician.” Having your hair done in same hair for 50 years! someone’s den, kitchen or basement is very risky. There is no If you’re young, be daring. Change it up in small ways; new board of health regulation, no insurance, no mandatory licenshair color, new lipstick, layers or a fringe. Change will keep you ing, and no one to complain to when a bad hair experience young and in step with fashion’s quick-changing rhythms. takes place. Often, bootleg or counterfeit products are used. Trying a new salon? Use pictures to communicate, not dupliThe biggest trap could be that the person providing the service cate or imitate. As simple as short, medium or long is different isn’t as up to date as he or she should be. Sometimes it’s cheapfor many people; beware of the “hairdresser’s inch.” er, but is it worth the risk? Believe me, there are other profesMost bad hair experiences are the result of poor communication sionals that can do your hair just as well if not better, in a between the client and the professional. Listen carefully and repeat professional environment. what you agree to, as in, “So the hair will touch my shoulders?” If your stylist isn’t suggesting change from season to season, Here’s a style choice tip…if you can say “I used to wear my hair maybe its time to change your stylist. Change is good; like that,” don’t try it again; it will make you look as if you’re locked sometimes a fresh point of view is a blessing. Don’t let your in a time zone. Let the young gals go retro; think Gwen Stefani. stylist be lulled into complacency. Minimize bad hair days; get an expert haircut, great color, Sometimes a new hairstyle “feels” great the minute you look in maintain the quality of your hair whenever using chemicals or the mirror. More often, it may take a few days to adjust to heating tools excessively - curling irons, blow dryers or flat yourself when looking in the mirror. After a new cut that hasn’t met your expectations, lock yourself in your bathroom and work your hair until you own it. Your touch will personalize the look. Be careful not to get too trendy. Knowing the difference between fashion and style is key. Fashion is a short term, public idea; style is long term and personal. Find your personal uniqueness and allow it to influence your style. If you have gorgeous red hair, flaunt it. If you have curls that defy control, set them free. If your hair is pin straight, you need an exquisite haircut. Make sure your hair, makeup and color fit into your lifestyle. Your stylist must be able to understand your lifestyle in order to make the right suggestions. Are you bohemian or eco-friendly? Are you a fashionista? Are you classic or contemporary? High fashion styling won’t work on a woman with classic taste. Once again, communicate; let your stylist know as much about you as possible. One word of caution: some information should be kept private. Sexy hair comes in all types and colors, just like people. First and foremost, sex appeal is an attitude. Your hair and makeup should be an extension of who you are, not an example of your hairstylist’s skills. I prefer when the stylist’s signature is quiet, and the client’s presence does the talking. Among some professionals, it’s all about their work and not enough about you. Find the right pro. Once you’ve had a consultation and have decided to go for the new look; trust your decision and the stylist doing the work. Don’t look at the hair that falls to the floor; rather, look at what’s left and how exciting the “new you” is.
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October – November 2007
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hen I was a kid there was a table in the lunchroom where the cool kids sat. I wasn’t at it. There was no particular reason, just a sense I didn’t belong. A sense of isolation. A feeling of alienation. I was a young boy who felt as if he were looking at life from the margins. The only thing that seemed to transcend that emptiness was my love of music – specifically loud guitars. And so my world back then – and still very much now – is comprised of recognizing fellow loners who had an interest in music at the level that I did. It wasn’t something we merely listened to or saw as a hobby. It was our self-defining characteristic. We were too young to drive; we lived in the suburbs. All we thought about was music and on nights and weekends we practiced in our garages. Generations of disenfranchised adolescents played to the same spiders, spare tires and tool carts that lined the walls of the makeshift practice studios. It was in those sonic sanctuaries where we felt at ease, like we belonged. The resulting music was genuine, authentic and profound. It was also sloppy, dissonant and arrogant. But it was in those garages that more than 30 years of the planets’ best and most important music originated. Until now, this movement lacked formal study and definition. So when Stevie Van Zandt, the creator of the wildly popular Sirius radio show Little Steven’s Underground Garage, extended an invitation to welcome all freaks, misfits and outcasts to the subjective dysfunctional family of garage – I felt I was somehow included. The Boulevard recently spent a day at the actual Underground Garage – one of the dozen pristine glass-enclosed studios at Sirius Satellite Radio in Manhattan. It was there that we found ourselves on a musical retreat as professor Van Zandt took us through a daylong historical arc of the history of the rock ‘n’ roll renaissance and Patrick McMullan deftly captured our October cover in all his hope and optimism through his photography. This issue marks exactly one year that The Boulevard is in publication, bringing New York readers the most exciting and in-depth perspective on pop culture personalities and living – who better to lead this issue than one of the most significant shepherds of our musical heritage and biggest proponent of rock and roll sustainability? As editor Jason Feinberg said at dinner after the shoot, it was very clear we were in the company of greatness. He then commissioned me to take you, the reader, there with us. So here we go… The world knows Steven Van Zandt by his nickname – Little Steven. He is anything but little – in both physical stature and conviction, Stevie is more of a giant. The story of his musical career and legacy will be discussed in detail later in the article. What The Boulevard hopes to explain is 28
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how Stevie Van Zandt – with the help of Sirius Radio as the venue – defined a genre of music that spans three decades and recognizes the true nature at the center of rock music’s artistic core. Stevie and Sirius have crystallized the “it” factor under the loud guitars and long hair simply called GARAGE. After some friendly and fan-like introductions, The Boulevard team sat down in a quiet space and I opened with a question that got right to the guts of why we were all there. I asked him simply, what is garage music? “The best way to describe it is that there is a certain reverence for the ‘50s and ‘60s that is evident in the band’s music. It could be in the look, it could be in the attitude but generally speaking you can hear it. It’s as simple as that,” he explained. “Obviously that definition isn’t applicable to the ‘60s groups because they were still there. Under the umbrella of our garage includes all the genres that make up traditional rock and roll – the rockabilly pioneers and the R&B pioneers. R&B was a euphemism for black and rockabilly was a euphemism for white. It was those two things coming together that created rock and roll.” What Stevie was describing was essentially a chronicle of the music of the second half of the 20th century. It’s laid out beautifully on his website http://www.littlesteven.com, but let’s go through some of it here. In the 1950s the sounds and tempo of rock and roll spilled over the airwaves by early pioneers - Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bo Diddley, Eddie Cochran, Chuck Berry and Dion. This set the stage for the frat rock groups of the early ‘60s and pivotal moment when garage started – in the aftermath of the British Invasion. “The British Invasion saw the birth of the band. It was the musical big bang. The whole world changed on Feb. 9, 1964 when the Beatles did the Ed Sullivan Show. Almost immediately by 1965 you see the birth of garage. You see the birth of one-hit wonders. It is best chronicled by a record called Nuggets in 1972 which Lenny Kaye compiled for Elektra records,” explained Stevie. “All these bands were influenced by the British Invasion bands – Beatles, Rolling Stones, Yardbirds, The Who and The Kinks. This was the beginning of that third generation that became true garage. That definition is really the only thing you can generalize about it other than the negatives – such as no synthesizers other than small Farfisa keyboards or piano.” And here I ask for clarity, because without synthesizers we essentially lose all of the ‘70s progressive rock bands – no Pink Floyd, no Genesis, Rush or ELP. As any teen loner will tell you, Pink Floyd is dogma and The Wall is scripture – so I desperately sought Stevie’s homily on how and why the paths diverged.
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“Art rock is absolutely the antiChrist. That was the beginning of the fragmentation.” He laughs but then gets serious. “There is something about the combination of art and commerce that is still an important par t of the ar t form. There is something about working harder to have a hit. The best music ever made was ‘60s pop music. Louie Louie is far harder to write than Pink Floyd’s The Wall because of its simplicity and effectiveness. That doesn’t negate The Wall. The nice thing about having a distance from all this stuff in time is that we can now include both – we treat it all like pop.” In the 1970s a group called the Ramones took a hard look at other loud, raw-sounding bands like the MC5 and the New York Dolls and started the punk rock era. The Sex Pistols, the Clash, Blondie and the Dead Boys all typified punk in its purest form. Punk was the maturation of garage mentality: It was angry, it was sloppy, it was gritty and there was nothing polished about it. This musical evolution continued until1994, when Nirvana’s lead singer Kurt Cobain killed himself. According to Stevie, rock music - after 30 years - died along with him: “I can place the exact start in 1965 in June with Mr. Tambourine Man (The Byrds) or Like a Rolling Stone (Bob Dylan) in July. I clock it until Kurt Cobain’s death in 1994 - almost 30 years exactly. Something ended there. The rock era just kinda stopped there and now we are back in a pop era with the worst music ever made as opposed to the best and it’s depressing.” But Little Steven’s Underground Garage is far from depressing. His show is broadcast over 200 terrestrial channels in the U.S. and in five European/Asian countries. The Sirius Satellite phenomenon has brought it to millions of listeners. Stevie, along
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with Sirius, is literally writing the sixth generation of garage music now. As Stevie proudly explained, they are feverishly trying to put together an infrastructure that will support new bands. The Underground Garage introduced more than 170 new bands in the last four years, of which about 20 have been signed to major labels. They were the first to play The Hives three labels ago. They played the White Stripes when they were a tiny band on a tiny label and no one thought they would have mass appeal. The list goes on with sixth
generation garage bands that are exploding like meteors – The Woggles, the Chesterfield Kings, the Vacancies and The Rattlers. They broke them all and continue to support them but ironically, the other 150 are working during the week at various jobs. “What we are hoping to accomplish here is creating an infrastructure so that these other bands can make a living playing rock and roll because the old system that we grew up in doesn’t exist,” he says of their mission. www.boulevardli.com
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If there is any person that has the credentials and entitlement to chart such a bold course, it’s Van Zandt. He isn’t just a musician; he IS music. He grew up in Middletown, New Jersey, a flagship Jersey Shore town that was a fertile crescent of emerging musical importance in the early ‘70s. Stevie was working steadily fronting his own bands or playing in others most nights of the week. He was working in a band called the Dovells as well as frequently opening for, or working with, the most widely recognized and popular bands on the circuit. Another staple at clubs such as the Stone Pony was Bruce Springsteen. Everyone knew each other and Stevie and Bruce were good friends. “On Feb. 8, 1964 there wasn’t a single band in America and the Beatles played Ed Sullivan on Feb. 9. On Feb. 10 everybody had a band. In the suburbs you practiced in your garage. The eight or 10 bands that actually got gigs in our local circuit knew each other and Bruce and I 30
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became friends. If you were in a band you were friends, if you had long hair you were friends and if you had long hair and were in a band you were best friends.” The young music chums would hang out and take buses from Middletown, NJ to Greenwich Village. Even though it was an hour and 15 minutes away, it may as well have been a thousand. They watched what was happening as the Village scene changed the world. Hendrix, Dylan, the Velvet Underground – these tidal waves were all the leading edge of the music and pop culture curve. Young Bruce and Stevie absorbed the scene like sponges and took back the smorgasbord of sonic treasury to incorporate into their own playing and songwriting. Sometimes moments of genius are of the most random and unanticipated nature that they can only be explained as fate. An apple fell on Newton’s head and gravity was discovered. Bread mold flew in a window and landed in a petri dish and Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin. One of these happy accidents occurred in 1975 when a 24year-old Bruce Springsteen was recording Born to Run. He asked his friend Stevie to stop by and listen to how the recording was progressing. Stevie was hardly a music industry insider at the time but had plenty of experience working with horn sections in his various shore club bands. He wasn’t even an official member of the E Street Band at the time and he had never actually recorded. Oblivious to the cosmic importance of his actions, Stevie wound up arranging the brass on the song Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out. During our discussion I asked him to describe that moment as well as his reflection 30 years later, wondering if he was aware of its musical significance at the time. As with everything we discussed, he remembers that fateful afternoon with his trademark understated humility: “We had the biggest guys in New York – the Brecker Brothers and James Sanborne. I didn’t know anybody, I wasn’t in the business, I was just visiting my friend’s sessions and grooving on this new recording thing. I didn’t know enough to be diplomatic and at one point he (Bruce) asked me what I thought and I was honest and I said it sucked. He said go in and fix it and I did. It was as simple as that.” In 1975 the E Street Band headlined for two weeks in a historic series of club dates at the Bottom Line. It was arguably the most important musical showcase since the Beatles played the Cavern Club. Every DJ and music writer in New York stood spellbound by the 24-year-old lead singer and his incredible backing band. A seismic shift in music took place. Bruce was now the Boss. Stevie was his Chief Operating Officer.
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And the rest, as they say, is history. Born to Run remains away republic and starting a revolution. He wrangled an one of the top-selling albums of all time. The impact that unprecedented number of superstars with a very pointed album had on the music industry and the world necessitates call to arms. Live Aid/ We Are the World was a universally its own feature length analysis. Bruce Springsteen was acceptable way for the industry to raise awareness – who featured on the cover of Time magazine as well as Newsweek. would argue against a hunger campaign? But Stevie’s Van Zandt was now chief musical arranger and lead guitar movement had teeth. He was dangerous. He named player for the most important musician in the United States. names. He took no prisoners. He raised the bar in social The friends who met at the Jersey Shore less than 10 years accountability and music was his weapon. And he paid. before were now selling out arenas all over North America The 1980s saw Van Zandt release four solo records. All and Europe. The audience had responded to the authenticiwere political in nature and were a platform for his personty in Springsteen’s raw sound and the honesty of the cultural al views regarding the Reagan administration’s foreign observations threaded throughout his lyrics. Bruce was the policy. By the 1990s he was viewed largely as a troublepoet and Stevie was the maker and it was difficult minstrel. for him to land a record “There’s got to be a few social misfits Stevie went on to contract. He produced produce the biggest albums various bands until an with mothers yelling at them to of Springsteen’s career: overall disillusionment with ‘turn that damn noise down, the Darkness on the Edge of the record industry set in. In neighbors are complaining’ in some Town, The River and Born in yet another twist of fate, the the USA. As Bruce was rising entertainment gods called garage somewhere dying to get out. to become one of the most upon Stevie to be pop And if just one of them makes it, popular and important culture’s starting pitcher somebody’s world will change.” musicians and pop culture once again as HBO was figure of a generation, laying the foundation of yet - Steven Van Zandt Stevie Van Zandt was acuteanother social institution. ly aware of the awesome “ The music thing was privilege and responsibility that came with such jawkinda over for me. After being so political no record dropping celebrity. In 1985 he left the E Street Band to form company would sign me. I thought I would produce Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul and released the records and the music was changing to the point where landmark Sun City record. The song I Ain’t Gonna Play Sun instead of 10 great songs the business was concerned with City was the anthem for Artists United Against Apartheid – a only one or two on a record. As I walked away, David Chase social effort in response to South African apartheid and to called out of the blue and asked if I wanted to be in his TV the imprisonment of Nelson Mandela. When I asked Stevie show and I said not really,” Stevie says with huge laughter. to recall the most memorable concert he ever played, the “He sent me the script which was remarkably good. I hadn’t historic epic-length show at Wembley Stadium in London in discovered the contemporary garage rock scene yet and I 1985 is what he mentioned. figured, why not? Almost immediately Bruce put the band “When me, Peter Gabriel and Simple Minds organized back together and I discovered garage rock – I heard the the first concert to get Nelson Mandela out of jail in Chesterfield Kings and the Woggles and The Hives and London at Wembley Stadium. That was the first time I White Stripes. The first season of The Sopranos, Bruce’s first played Wembley Stadium. It’s very big. You weren’t used to comeback tour with the E Street band and the launch of seeing 100,000 hands go up. It made the 50,000 seat gigs I the Garage all hit at the same time, as luck would have it.” had played with Bruce look like clubs,” he says and laughs Silvio Dante was Tony Soprano’s lead capo on likely the uproariously. most popular show ever on cable television. So much has The effort paved the way for current stars like Angelina been written about the seven-year epic that The Boulevard Jolie and Bono to be the icons of social activism and for it would have to spend an entire week with the cast and to be chic. While George Harrison had a successful one-off devote another cover to catch it all. (As it turns out, Jason with the Concert for Bangledesh and the No Nukes Feinberg and I had to settle for dinner with Tony and the Concert in Central Park was a marquee spectacle event – crew back in June, which is where we met up with Stevie Stevie took on the world as if he were forming a breakfor the first time.) I simply wasn’t going to bore Stevie or www.boulevardli.com
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“The Kingsmen invented the archetypal garage song with ‘Louie Louie.’ Three chords kinda weird and sloppy. The drummer is doing his own things. If you had to pick one band it would have to be the Stones. They were white kids trying to sound black and failing gloriously. That’s how we define it. They couldn’t quite sound as good. They would have been impersonators if they could but they just couldn’t and created this whole other genre.” the readers about Sopranos details or with questions about whether Tony actually got shot at the end - that is about as unique as declaring “It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity!” on a hot day. But I did need to know something – what was his take on the fact that Silvio Dante is one of the more likeable guys in Tony’s crew – a leader, charismatic, and a family man. But like the rest of the gang he is a notorious cold-blooded murderer. Who could forget how he chased down a pleading Drea DeMatteo and mercilessly filled her with bullets in Harriman State Park? What was up with the dichotomy? “You can’t help but relate to some extent to these not very nice people. We were not in any way interested in romanticizing or glamorizing them or making them the nice guys next door. I think we made it very clear that it’s a very stupid job being a gangster and that it’s kinda over. The good days if they ever existed - are long gone. It’s like trying to make a living as a blacksmith or a Viking – that’s the level of being a gangster today,” he explains. “The genius was taking the very mundane existence and making it compelling.” But back to the Underground Garage, which is why we are here. In 2004 satellite radio burst into our lives and changed the way we hear music. Overnight, thousands of bands had airplay and dozens of musical genres suddenly had support the entertainment world couldn’t provide. Sirius gave music its Braveheart on radio and Stevie is its William Wallace. What this meant for garage music was earthshaking: the sixth phase, the part that is unwritten and happening now, is unfolding in real time down in the Underground Garage.
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“The industry as we once knew it is no longer there and it can be done away with right now and no one would miss it because there is no development of artists. Someone in my office did a study that every single big band broke big on their fourth album. These days you don’t get a second record so that model is gone. On the other hand, certain rules don’t change – My Space cannot replace radio because you have the uniqueness of the shared mass experience with radio. The marketing rules don’t change, because you need to know where to go and how to find something.” And it’s important to note that the Underground Garage has a major presence on terrestrial radio. In New York, Q104.3 airs Stevie every Sunday night from 10 p.m. to midnight. Other DJs on the Sirius channel include Joan Jett (see Boulevard Icon Issue, March 2007), Kim Fowley, Ko Melina, Dick Manitoba, Mighty Manfred, Kid Leo, Andrew Loog Oldham, Genya Ravan and Bill Kelly. “What we are going to see over the next 10 years is a sort of editing process that says you don’t have time to listen to 5,000 new records so in my opinion here are the 10 you should be listening to. That is what I am trying to do with the Underground Garage. If you agree with me, great, then we have a show. If we don’t, then we have a problem.” He laughs. Believe me – there is no problem! The sixth phase of garage – now spanning three generations and 30 years – is the story of our present reality. As rock music has changed people’s lives in those decades by giving social misfits and loners like this reporter a safe place to direct their angst and a refuge from alienation, it shall continue on Stevie’s watch. To sum up the theme of its social importance, we look to the manifesto on the website: “People need artists and performers to do the job they are paying them to do. To be in touch with some part of themselves that the average person can’t easily access. That access allows the artist and performer to communicate, motivate, inspire, make some sense out of life, or at least help one make it through it. That gift is most effectively communicated by a look and attitude that an audience member may aspire to, or may be satisfied to live vicariously through, but for whatever reason cannot achieve on their own. If they could, what do they need you for?” But as The Boulevard learned in Sirius’ studios, it wasn’t just us humble staffers that needed Stevie’s Underground Garage – it is the whole world. It is music itself to which he has provided a place to park. Away from poor weather, away from the elements and most importantly, away from the unscrupulous industry gatekeepers that squelch all that is good in the name of commercialism. Rock on, Van Zandt…!
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Behind the Scenes Photographer: Patrick McMullan Photo Assistant: Joe Schildhorn Make-up: Aaron Mitchell Production: Sam Bolton, Joe Villela The Boulevard: Angela Anton, Jason Feinberg, Kristen Lovero, Ilena Ryan, Tom Albright, Wanda Green Sirius Radio: Neel Khairzada, Patrick Reilly Renegade Nation: Nicole Barsalona Location: Sirius Radio, Rockefeller Center, NY NY
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October – November 2007
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THE SALON AT BERGDORF GOODMAN
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ou need something a little different on a Saturday morning. Rapid-fire hardcore news is fine for the weekdays as you rush out the door to go work. But on Saturdays and Sundays, you need an anchor who understands you have more time to think, more time to absorb the stories of the day or the week. To put it simply, you and the reporter have the time to “dive in.” The Boulevard recently spent a Saturday morning in Times Square at ABC News Studios on the set of Good Morning America to sit in on the weekend broadcast and chat with Ron Claiborne, one of the anchors. It’s a continuation in our effort to cover those broadcasters that bring you the world on television, find out what makes them tick and pick their brains regarding their sense of mission. Editor-in-chief Jason Feinberg, photographer Tina Guiomar and I drove the empty streets of Manhattan at 5:45 a.m. – we hadn’t seen the streets of New York City this empty since the 2003 blackout. Despite the ungodly hour of the morning, we were in great spirits because we were about to spend a day in the nerve center of the second most popular morning show in the country. We took our seats in the dark control room and watched the technical production team swing into the morning’s program. After watching from all angles – including on the actual set for some of the show – I sat down with Ron at the anchor desk. I wanted to discuss his career in reporting, his sense of mission in being a journalist and, as threaded through all of The Boulevard’s broadcaster profiles, his take on some of the biggest stories of our time, like the Iraq war. Born in San Francisco, Claiborne moved around quite a bit as a kid and was mostly raised in Los Angeles; he calls the City of Angels his home. He started working as a print reporter in the late 1970s for the wire service United Press International (UPI) in New York City and then for the New York Daily News.
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Claiborne dreamt of being a foreign correspondent at a newspaper as a young man. As fate would have it, after several jobs as a print reporter, a particular agent in NYC was connecting daily newspaper reporters with on-air gigs. Claiborne was intrigued and figured he would “give it a try.” The “try” worked out. He started on television for WNEW (Channel 5) in the early 1980s. He began at ABC in 1986 and has worked in the Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami and Boston markets. It was in Boston where Claiborne was drafted as a network anchor for the Good Morning America weekend addition, which saw its third anniversary on the air this September. Claiborne reported on both Persian Gulf wars. In the recent Iraq war, Claiborne was embedded on the USS Abraham Lincoln in 2003 as the invasion unfolded. It was this topic I found most intriguing – both in fascination of the sheer responsibility that accompanies war reporting and the perspective of the men and women broadcasters who live through the epic to provide America with information. “It was pretty exciting. What struck me was how detached from the war it was on the carrier, with the exception of the pilots. I was in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait for the first Gulf War and the media got very angry that there were restrictions placed on us. There was no such thing as embedding,” he recalled. And with that, we began to discuss a lot about the concept and realities of embedded reporting. The Boulevard has discussed this new and unique reporting circumstance with prior featured broadcasters. The truth is that history will be the judge of whether measures imposed by the Pentagon in the name of safety were beneficial or harmful to journalistic integrity. Like most reporters we have spoken to, Claiborne sees there are many points made for both sides of the argument. www.boulevardli.com
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PROFILES
“Embedding was invented as a way to provide access and retain control. It can have the other effect of being controlling in that when you are with someone in those types of circumstances of life and death and you are under fire, you tend to form a bond and the coverage as a human instinct becomes more supportive…we are in this together and they are shooting us and you are now my comrade,” he explains. “I think the coverage was sympathetic towards our guys. I don’t think you should have the perspective that the U.S. troops are the enemy, but there is a risk that you lose the objectivity we aspire to when you are embedded with someone.” But embedded or not, the overall undercurrent in reporting on the war has changed drastically since the March 2003 invasion. While much of this may be due to the deteriorating situation with respect to the insurgency, I suspected some of it may largely be due to a sense of betrayal shared by the media as a whole. I asked Ron if he had any observations on the overall shifting weather 38
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patterns in war reporting and he conceded that there certainly were changing tides. “I think there was a feeling shared by a lot of people in the media. [There were] those that bought into a lot of the premises and justifications that were given without verifying it and then the pendulum swung the other way and [coverage] became much more critical,” he observes. “I was in Iraq in January 2004 and in retrospect, those were the good old days and since then it has gotten a lot worse,” he recalled. “In February through May of 2004 it became apparent there was a strong violent insurgency and [our military/political leaders] didn’t foresee it. The sea change was probably a combination of things. It was ‘mission accomplished’ in May 2003 and that contrasting with what happened afterwards. In effect, the president saying we won and it’s over, but then the violence got worse and worse and worse. Ironically, the carrier I was on was the one that hung the banner ‘Mission Accomplished’ that President Bush landed on.”
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Claiborne was part of the team that won a 2000 Emmy for coverage of the Elian Gonzales stor y that unfolded in Miami on his watch, as he was in that market. It was the longest stor y he ever covered, continuing longer than eight months. With all these achievements marking a stellar career by any traditional measure, I steered our discussion to a topic that I discuss with all veteran newshounds – the rapid changes that have made modern day journalism almost unrecognizable to those of us that left school more than 15 years ago with the hopes of finding and communicating elusive truths. Today, as I discussed with Ron, with the Internet, broadband cable, blogs, youtube and ever-present paparazzi, there has been a dilution in the quality of reporting. Players like Claiborne are in competition with amateurs lacking degrees, experience and ethics but possessing huge modems. I asked his take on news life as we know it and the changes. “I caught the tail end of the golden era of network news. We got out in the field a lot more. Times change. Ideally, in any medium you want to get as close to the story as possible and see it for yourself,” he said. But Claiborne also developed a series of broadcasts on his father which aired on Father’s Day 2007. It’s an introspective look at the person he says holds the most influence on his character. I asked him to describe why he felt so motivated to tell the story of his relationship with his dad: “My dad died 12 years ago and I think about him every day and these aphorisms that he used to say when I was kid come back to me all the time. It was like he planted this time capsule of wisdom that would help me for years to come. As a kid, they
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didn’t make any sense to me, but 20 years later it will pop into my head and I will understand exactly what he meant,” he recalls fondly. “We try to do personal stories now – we did them on our hometowns and our favorite places. Mine was Lake Tahoe.” Before we ended our stint on the set, I asked him what story he was most excited about covering and what news he was looking forward to “diving into.” We talked about China for a moment and its impact on the world, in particular Africa and other emerging superpowers such as India. He is hungry for all of it. No shock. It’s why we both got into reporting in the first place. Reporters want to know what is going to happen next. They also have an uncanny desire to examine what is right in front of them and make sense out of it. It’s that intangible quality that makes a
veteran newscaster like Ron so recognizable. It’s also what makes him great at his job. But China, while important, wasn’t top of the list. Racial relations in America were: “Public schools are re-segregating 50 years after Brown vs. the Board of Ed. I am getting very excited about doing more repor ting on race relations,” he says. “Race is something that people often don’t like to think about in this country but need to because it’s part of the fabric of this country and it is still a problem.” And with that, we let Ron get back on the air to finish the last hour of Good Morning America’s weekend edition. As I stated before, people need something a little different on a Saturday. They need the news put to them a different way because they have more time to think. They need Ron Claiborne. www.boulevardli.com
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page 040-041 PROFILES marsha mason:Pages 001-004
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hen you hear the name Marsha Mason, you immediately think of great films such as The Goodbye Girl and Cinderella Liberty, which earned her Academy Award nominations and a Golden Globe, impeccable onstage performances or television appearances. Typically, a résumé of someone so involved in film, stage and television does not include activities such as racecar driver, farmer or board member of the Organic Commodity Commission of New Mexico. Marsha Mason is not just an actor, but rather a multitalented woman whose dedication to her career extends to many other aspects of life. Immediately upon meeting Marsha, I could sense a warmth and sensitivity that is special to find in a seasoned actress. She is a woman who is dedicated to her craft, viewing it as a valuable creative process. Her career has led her to her latest play, titled A Feminine Ending. She was very eager to talk about this play, and is extremely excited about the subject matter, as well as working with a female director, Blaire Brown. What fascinated her about this particular play was the dilemma a woman in her 20s is experiencing: “Women in that age group are struggling with the whole issue of having a first-rate education and the idea of a career and feeling that they saw the earlier generation hit the glass ceiling and opting out of not pursuing their careers and dreams.” Mason will be playing the mother figure, whose daughter’s dilemma is reflected in her, and becomes her own, given a difference in opinions between the two women. The struggle to find balance in life, and the revelations that these women come to, were what made Marsha jump at the role. This “generational” play, as Marsha refers to it, will draw audiences because of the contemporary struggles of the daughter, and the reflection of her struggles in the older generation of her mother. The daughter is dealing with love, with whom she should be, and how to pursue a career in an environment in which she feels very little support in the professional world. “I think all of those things speak to a lot of different people; it’s wry, it’s funny, it’s touching, and it’s edgy,” Marsha says. A Feminine Ending will be at the Playwright Horizons on 42nd Street, and opens in October. The actress seems to seek out roles that have meaning and significance, which is probably why her résumé includes such a range of roles, from drama, to horror, to Shakespeare. When asked how she picks and chooses her roles, Marsha says she gets hooked “if the script interests me or the character interests me.” She looks for roles with substance and meaning that offer her new experiences that she wouldn’t have otherwise. When she
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recently appeared in Stephen King’s Nightmares and Dreamscapes, she saw the show as an opportunity to learn more about the horror genre, as well as how suspense is created: “I was curious how you build suspense in a story, that’s what intrigues me the most...the whole idea of horror and how that is created. I think it’s still a bit of a mystery…to see how directors will approach horror or suspense…a lot of it had to do with it the way the shots were set up and how long the shots stayed the way they are … and the music is a key element.” Everything Marsha Mason does is a learning experience for her. Mason recognizes the difficulties of being in the acting world. She is humbled by it, and is fully cognizant of the reality of the business: “It’s hard, the rejection issue is very difficult, I never recommend anybody going into it…it’s really hard for young people today, especially in film, you don’t have an opportunity to grow-where do you grow and gain your experience? If your pictures don’t do well, you end up not working. You’re only as good as your last picture. It’s hard to break people’s preconceptions of you, too; more and more they want to categorize you.” However, Marsha has maintained the quality to move and change with the business, and, for now, has found her niche in the theater realm. The theater provides more opportunities for women her age to play roles with depth, that are both interesting and fulfilling. Though she was involved with film in the ‘70s and ‘80s, she has watched the industry change drastically. The theater seems to be a consistent place for her to continue to foster her creativity. “I just really love the theater because it’s immediate and you have so much more control over the experience. You’re in this dance with the audience every night that’s different, whether its comedy and you get that crack of laughter, or drama, when you can hear the audience not breathing, it is the biggest high in the world and you’re fully in this other place. Once in a great while, you have this experience of being transported, where you’re just a vessel for another kind of energy. It doesn’t happen all the time, but the few times it does happen, you go out there every night hoping it might happen again.” Despite her involvement with theater, Marsha Mason has quite a film legacy as well, starring in major pictures such as The Goodbye Girl and Cinderella Liberty. The Goodbye Girl was an immense hit, and earned her an Academy Award nomination. To this day, Marsha is still referred to as The Goodbye Girl by fans as well as press. When asked about the staying power of the film, she smiles and says, “It was magical to do, we had a spectacular time together…Richard [Dreyfuss] and I had that immediate chemistry from the get-go…
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we didn’t know what was going to happen with the film, people didn’t have a romantic comedy to take their kids to, and that chemistry, just everything worked really well together…it reverberated, it touched a pulse… in older, classic movies, you had your ingénue leading lady/man/character actor, always a mixture of different types…you had people who were really good at what they did, and now they don’t even have those parts anymore.” What seems most important to Mason is her audience’s response to her performances, be it onstage or on screen. Before every stage performance, she stands behind the set or curtain to gain a sense of the type of energy in the audience. However, according to Mason, this same energy has the ability to translate into a movie theater in a different way. Sitting in the back of a darkened house allows Marsha to experience the dramatic and comedic moments in film that she never experienced in the filming process. She truly values the reactions of the people watching her work and finds it fascinating. Marsha has a radiance about her that directly reflects upon usage of her own products, from her Resting in the River line. The product line was the result of a long period of experimenting with a farm she purchased in New Mexico. It seems unlikely that someone whose job description reads “actress” would also read “farmer,” but Mason admits she “fell into it. I never planned on being a farmer, I actually made the move out there ’cause I didn’t like living in LA anymore. Shirley MacLaine called me and told me about property in New Mexico…I took a look at it, said ‘this is great’ and that was it.” The property she purchased was a 250-acre farm. Everything she currently grows there is 100 percent organically grown, which ultimately led to the production of her Resting in the River line as well as her position on the Organic Commodity Commission of New Mexico, where she serves as chairperson: “It’s been very rewarding, we have more and more processors and producers of various products starting to transition. We’re like the little engine that could.” Her product line originated from Marsha’s own personal needs, and the farm provided a means to create the products. Working in the fields with all of the dirt and clay was damaging to Marsha’s hands, which inspired her to go to an herbalist,
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who was also one of her clients. Together, they designed a product to maintain her skin’s health, which led to developing more products for the Resting in the River line. She has attended soil fertility conferences, learned about biodynamic farming, and continues to research farming to further her knowledge and benefit her property. A woman who once knew very little about farming now maintains a 250-acre farm, proof of her determination, intelligence, and desire to learn. Marsha Mason is fully aware of her goals and always finds a way to make her dreams into realities. This determination and ability to succeed may have been what attracted her to the world of racing in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Yes, folks, this woman is also a race car driver. While she seems to fortuitously stumble upon projects, she approaches them with the same dedication that she would an acting role, and racing was no exception. “In high school, my girlfriend’s father bought a track, we’d go out there… I was always intrigued with these strange guys with their funny cars…it was a completely foreign and exotic experience. I was on a flight from New York to Los Angeles and Paul Newman was on the flight … he said he was going to race, and invited me to come… I followed them around for about a year, I went to school for it…I bought a little Mazda RX 7 and that’s where I met Mike Lewis, who was a champion driver,
who came to me and asked me if I wanted to race. He said ‘I’ll prepare the car and you show up and can race it,’ and Mike and I started racing together. I made the national runoff four times...I loved it, I had a really good time. It has its own discipline…I got to do something I never would have normally had an opportunity to do.” With an amazing list of accomplishments and such a diverse life, another step for Mason would be to put her creativity to paper. She published a book in 2000, Journey: A Personal Odyssey. While lunching in New York, she was introduced to an editor who told her if she ever decided to write, to give her a call. Eventually, Marsha made that call, and was told to write 30 pages. However, new to the world of writing, she felt somewhat lost: “I didn’t know where to start. I was doing The Pursuit of Happiness and I would come home high with excitement from doing the play and just start to write. I took 30 pages to the agent, and she called me, and said ‘this is really good, you have a voice, but we’ll move it around’…I forgot about it, and three or four months later she called me and said I sold your book to Simon and Schuster…so I just nursed my way through and wrote it all by myself.” Though it seems she’s dabbled in just about everything, and succeeded in doing so, there are still more roles she’d love to play. “ I want to play Gertrude in Hamlet, and I would love to play Virginia Woolf one day. I love comedy, I like a lot of different things, that’s why I like going to regional theatre.” Whatever the role, Marsha will approach it with the same degree of excellence and professionalism she applies to everything else that she does. I left the interview in absolute astonishment from hearing the list of accomplishments one woman has done. While juggling a successful acting career, Marsha Mason manages to run her farm in New Mexico and her product line, Resting in the River, as well as undertaking other projects along the way such as racing and writing. No matter what this woman does, she is always successful at it, which is why her career has flourished and evolved since her beginnings with film. There is no doubt that her upcoming role in A Feminine Ending will have as much meaning to the audience as it does to Marsha Mason, who truly values the importance of depth and significance in everything she does. www.boulevardli.com
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page 042-043 PROFILES nelson demille:Pages 001-004
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H
e is no ordinary, run-of-the-mill author. He no longer feels the need to write under such pseudonyms as Jack Cannon, Kurt Lardner and Brad Matthews. Sales from his 14 mystery, thriller and action-adventure novels exceed 50 million. He is read worldwide, having been translated into 28 languages. And he is no stranger to the Long Island scene. He is New York Times best selling author, Nelson Richard DeMille. Born to Huron and Antonia DeMille on August 23, 1943, DeMille has been a Long Island resident since the age of 4 when his family moved to Elmont from New York City. He currently resides in Garden City with his wife, Sandy, and their infant son, James Nelson. His other two children, Lauren and Alex, from a previous marriage, are both writers and in DeMille’s estimation, quite good at what they do. DeMille attended Elmont Memorial High School, where he played football and ran track. He began his studies at Hofstra University and upon returning from a three year tour of duty in Vietnam as a 2nd Lieutenant Infantry Platoon leader, he received his degree in political science. He was awarded the Bronze Star, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry and the Air Medal. He is a member of American Mensa and recently was elected president of the Mystery Writers of America. The Boulevard had the opportunity to interview DeMille on a late summer day in August at his offices in Garden City. He and his staff were gracious and accommodating. After the preliminary pleasantries - congratulations on his marriage, the completion of his new home (which he and Sandy helped design), the birth of his son, and a belated happy birthday - we spoke of things both personal and professional. Although DeMille is not as prolific as some of his contemporaries, he turns out a book every 18 months to two years. He admits to not “digging in every day,” but rather opting to write three days a week, often from 10 in the morning to 10 in the evening. He writes in his office, away from the distractions of home in a “secret” room one floor above his office. It is sparsely decorated with two desks, few, if any books on the shelves and little or no wall décor, but it is brightly painted and sunlit. For me, and obviously millions of others, DeMille’s works are very readable. One can pick up a novel of his and be immersed in it for the entire day. When I asked why he thinks his work is so accessible, he avers, without blowing his own horn, “The writing is good.” People like to read language and most American authors don’t “play with the language” but rather concentrate only on plot. “Plots are a dime a dozen,” he says. “You have to start with the characters and the ambience.” Although his works
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are commercial, there is no reason why the writing cannot be good as well. “People can entertain themselves in so many other ways nowadays. If the writing is not good they can watch TV or go to the movies. You have to be a good storyteller.” DeMille edits his own work, which perhaps keeps the writing tight and therefore, moves his works rapidly and entertainingly along. Authors like Ernest Hemingway, whose adventuresome and romantic characters, short sentences and muscular vocabulary influenced DeMille’s style. Like Tom Wolfe, a wry, comic satire pervades many of his works. Besides Hemingway and Wolfe, he admires Steinbeck and British authors like Graham Greene. Ironically, though a novelist himself, he prefers to read nonfiction because he doesn’t so much want to be entertained, which good nonfiction can do, but he also wants to learn, a desire which reading nonfiction satisfies. The process of writing for DeMille is somewhat unique in this age of technology. He eschews the computer and opts instead for pencil and yellow legal pad. His reason? Other than not being able to type, he claims the machine comes between him and the message and the writing is better when done by hand. Writing longhand also enables him to make marginal notes and self-edit as he goes along without impeding the flow of ideas. Initially, he did not write from an outline but found that his work tended to ramble, necessitating more editing. While he does use an outline now, he is not a slave to it. His works evolve organically as he writes and as he does his research both before and during the writing process, he gets ideas for the plot. When asked what advice he would give to budding, young authors, he responded without hesitation, “Read. Read. Read. Go back 50 or 60 years. Pick up a Conan Doyle book and then move through the decades, reading chronologically. Read the popular authors of the day, the ones that are still read today and remember what worked for you as a reader and synthesize it.” He also advises, “Write in longhand and get away from the typewriter … and drink plenty of caffeine—caffeine stimulates the imagination. Caffeine, yellow pads, pencils, a quiet room and your imagination and your background in English language literature.” In DeMille’s novels there is an unsettling, eerie connection between the plots and real world happenings. There are undeniable similarities between Mayday. published in 1979, and TWA Flight 800, on which DeMille bases Night Fall. The opening chapters of The Lion’s Game are frighteningly similar to the events of 9/11 a year later. Even the recent controversy over building a Bio Safety Level 4 facility on Plum Island returns that novel to the forefront. DeMille’s political science and history
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background certainly give him more insight into world events and give him prescience. But the question arises: do authors have a responsibility in this regard? After all, we can Google the recipe for a homemade bomb. Is not the writing of these novels feeding radical groups, like the fictional Custer Hill Club in Wildfire, with more than just food for thought? DeMille contends not. Terrorists already have the ideas, he believes. “These are cautionary novels. When a journalist does it, he’s doing a public service; when an author does it, people feel he is feeding ideas to the enemy. Think the unthinkable, put it down in pencil and paper and hopefully, it will never happen.” Where he does see author responsibility is in the writing of a piece of fiction based on a real event, such as Night Fall. How much literary license can be taken? Where is the line drawn when weaving fact and fiction together? This was the challenge inherent in writing Night Fall. As a writer dealing with a sensitive subject, DeMille says, “You want to be able to have asterisks to say to the reader ‘this is true, and this is fiction.’” DeMille personally came close to experiencing the tragedy, however. His daughter, Lauren, was on that same flight four days before Flight 800 went down and terrorist bombs were detonated in the Metro stop outside her dormitory in Paris a week later. Of great personal interest to me is the character of John Corey, protagonist of four DeMille novels – Plum Island, The Lion’s Game, Night Fall and Wildfire. Unlike the more conventional and straitlaced Paul Bratter of The General’s Daughter and Up Country, Corey is irreverent. He neither plays by the rules nor goes by the book. He is the quintessential anti-hero for the 21st century. I asked where Corey came from. “During the beginning of this whole ‘politically correct’ thing, when it was making the cover of Time people were struggling with the new way of speaking. I decided to create a character who was not PC. I didn’t know what he was going to be or what he was going to do, but he would be someone whom a lot of people could relate to.” Corey is a cop who was shot in the line of duty and who is convalescing on the East End of Long Island when he gets called onto a case for his expertise. His persona, that of a wisecracking cop, allows him to say things most readers themselves want to say. He is a man’s man; however, he appeals to women on a lot of different levels as well. He is a man who takes care of business, who doesn’t so much respect women as much as he knows they can be his equals and is ready to accept that when he has to. He bucks authority, but unlike many who do so, he is brilliant and he knows he is brilliant, often commenting to the reader on just how bright he is. He solves cases because he is smart, not because he got lucky. John Corey has firmly entrenched himself in DeMille’s literary litany and his return in a sequel to The Lion’s Game is greatly anticipated. The Gold Coast, DeMille’s second largest selling paperback after The Charm School, has been both an artistic and commercial success with sales in the millions. I asked DeMille to what he attributes its longevity? “It is a book of social manners, morals and mores. It has sex, betrayal, adultery and inheritance – old fashioned, universal and timeless themes.” It chronologizes an old world and a way of life that is fading away in much the same way Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby does, but with a twist – sort of “Gatsby meets the Godfather.” In DeMille’s words, “It can be read 70 years from now and it will be as understandable then as the 70-year-old Gatsby is today.” It is a love story that becomes
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enmeshed in a battle of good and evil — themes we never tire of. Assuredly, the worldwide popularity of The Gold Coast was one reason he chose to write its sequel, another, the overwhelming e-fanmail asking what happened to John and Susan Sutter, the novel’s protagonists and lastly, it is DeMille’s personal favorite. It begins in June of 2002, 10 years after the original ends. Through a confluence of events, both John, who has been in London working as an American tax advisor, and Susan, whose husband, an old friend of her fathers, has conveniently died, find themselves back on the north shore of Nassau County hoping to resolve some real estate issues. In the beginning of The Gold Coast DeMille cites Thomas Mann. “A man lives not only his personal life as an individual, but also, consciously or unconsciously, the life of his epoch and his contemporaries.” Writing thrillers in a post 9/11 world is difficult at best. We have seen and felt so much. The media brought the tragedy into our homes as it was happening, exposing us to everything and leaving nothing to our imagination. To write without being exploitative and to elevate the level of one’s writing to be commensurate with the scope of a tragedy is not only challenging, but mandatory. In the sequel to The Gold Coast, John Sutter returns to a world where the political climate in the country has changed. Indeed the whole country itself has changed in its near fanatical display of patriotism. The true talent of an author is in the blending of all the elements of good storytelling with interesting characters, an engaging plot, a vivid setting and the ability to lace it all with a contemporary flavor. Few can do this as artfully and entertainingly as DeMille. The sequel is due for release sometime late in 2008. Coincidentally, Castle Rock Studios, along with producer Michael Bregman, has optioned the original Gold Coast and filming is due to begin this spring. The upcoming year 2008 holds much for DeMille and his readers to look forward to. Unfortunately, my time with DeMille drew to a close, and like reading the last 75 pages of one of his books I wanted time to slow down, to stand still even, so the pleasure of the experience would linger and perhaps never come to an end. www.boulevardli.com
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page 044 PROFILES barbara tober:Pages 001-004
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tepping into Barbara Tober ’s magnificent apartment containing her vast collection of artwork, I was extremely excited to speak with her and learn more about her current project, the new building that will house The Museum of Arts and Design. Mrs. Tober has served as chairman of the museum for almost 13 years and has been involved with the museum itself since the ‘80s. Her home reflects her passion for works of craftsmanship, with range of artwork from a handcrafted toy soldier to an exquisite Chihuly glass vase. Tober sees art in everything, her lifestyle directly reflecting her view that “everything is about art…I love an artistic environment.” After being given a tour of her home and the art within it, I found her home inspiring, directly reflecting her incredible presence and knowledge of the art world. Tober describes herself as a businesswoman. Prior to her work at the museum, she served as editor in chief of Brides magazine for nearly 30 years. She categorizes all aspects of her different careers as the business of “selling space;” her strong business intuition reflects her magazine career, as well as her current project with the new location of the Museum of Arts and Design. Her acute interest in the art world began when she was only 6 years old at the Red and Gold Giftshop, watching a glassblower create tiny figures with his own hands. Seeing ar t being handcrafted fascinated her – she felt compelled to use her allowance to buy the glass figurine, and continued to make these purchases until she had developed a fine collection for a young girl. Though she admits that these little glass figures are far from what she collects now, her interest in collecting things that have
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been created and crafted by hand has remained the same throughout the years, and is reflected in the Museum of Arts and Design. When asked about the museum, currently located at 40 West 53rd Street in Manhattan, Tober lights up with enthusiasm. The museum shows work created by living artists, featuring contemporary decorative arts and design post-WWII. The museum looks for one-of-a-kind items that exude mastery in craftsmanship and design. Mrs. Tober and her colleagues look for “things made by hand … that’s value … I venerate these people [artists]- they are fabulous keepers of the flame,” the flame being the brilliant artistry they grace our society with as well as the value found in craftsmanship. The museum, formerly called the American Craft Museum, underwent a name change because it was truly an international museum, containing artwork from all over. The museum is a culmination of artistry, and Mrs. Tober emphasizes the importance of displaying such craftsmanship: “We [at the museum] are the focal point for people enriching our lives.” She
October – November 2007
not only believes in the significance of keeping art in her own life, but in everyone else’s as well. The new site of the museum is Two Columbus Circle and will open in 2008. In the new location, art will be ubiquitous, not just seen in the exhibits themselves, but in all elements of the museum’s construction. Ever y aspect of the museum is meticulously planned out. From the nacreous, glazed terracotta and fritted glass on the outside, to the Steelcase office furnishings, to the Oldcastle glass windows, all emulate the museum’s goal of creating a work of art on the outside as well as the inside. The new building is a much more alive space of 60,000-square feet and will provide a significantly better home for the handcrafted pieces of art that have been carefully collected. The museum is always looking for donations and is eager for people to step forward and offer artwork to enhance the space. The museum is also seeking additional donations involving the naming of rooms in the actual building, and most impor tantly, naming the museum itself. This is a fabulous opportunity for art enthusiasts to share their love for art in a location that shows what the world of design is all about. Mrs. Tober suggests that we all “be surrounded by art … it’s important for us to live that way.” For Barbara Tober, art is a lifestyle, and we should all consider incorporating the world of art into our own lives. The Museum of Arts and Design will host a cocktail and dinner party on Wednesday Nov. 14 in Chelsea Piers at Pier 60, NYC. For ticket pricing and further information, contact Stephanie Lang at the Museum of Arts and Design at 212-956-3535 x129.
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Celebrity Dreams By Lauren Lawrence
Julie Delpy “My dream seemed something out of Dadaism. I dreamt I was in a subway, and the subway stopped, and this little girl opened the door and she went under the rail. There were kittens under there, and she gave me one. I went home to my parents and I started to harm the kitten…It was not neglect, but that I didn’t know it required so much care. I put it in my mouth. I dropped it in my teacup, and when I took it out it was all flat and dead. My parents said, “Why did you kill the kitten?” Then I went to go and save the kitten. I was in a limo and we were at a checkpoint and I noticed that there were men wearing Nazi uniforms.” Delpy’s dream would make a Dadaist smile – particularly Marcel Duchamp, who hung teabags from the ceiling in
one exhibition. The Dadaists knew that by placing an object in an unusual context, the mind would be free to create its own symbolic associations – just like it does when we are dreaming. Delpy is the little girl who steps out of the subway and travels through the underground tunnel of unconsciousness. She must find the kitten hidden underneath the rail, the same kitten she later drops in her teacup. Both the kitten and the little girl represent the dreamer in her past and express her wish to reconnect with and reclaim her primal or elemental persona. The kitten is placed in her mouth as a symbolic attempt to feed off it and digest it; it is dropped into her teacup to seep and drain its essence. In a symbol of transformation, the kitten emerges flat and dead. This transforming event brings the realization
Julie Delpy
Photo by Patrick McMullan
that life is in the essence of the thing itself and not in the shape or form it assumes, because the dreamer knows the kitten can be saved! The kitten can be brought back to life just as the dreamer’s youth may be imaginatively invoked. A creative mind views everything as possible and can never be stopped in its tracks—not even by uniformed men (representing the evils of conformity) at the checkpoint, who are noticed but not feared.
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inda Dano’s enthusiasm for life is incomparable. As a woman who has faced many highs throughout her career, as well as heartbreaking lows in her personal life, she is the portrait of resilience and strength. After a successful career in the world of soap operas, Linda Dano has moved on to a fierce involvement in causes concerning depression, such as the Support Partners Program, which shows people with depression and those who love them how to work together to get better, and Canine Companions. Dano is extremely devoted to both causes. She is also beginning to delve into the world of film, and will be appearing in Reservation Road, coming out in October. Linda Dano never had any intention to be an actress; she got her start in the business entirely by accident when she accompanied a friend to an audition with the Nina Blanchard Modeling Agency. Though the agent was not particularly interested in booking her friend, Linda made an impression. Despite the rejection, her friend encouraged her to go back in and discuss working with the agent, who had wanted her to take some photographs and bring them in. Coming from very humble beginnings, Linda borrowed a camera and took some photographs, and despite the poor quality, she was signed, due to how photogenic she was. She was 20 at the time and she began working right away. On the set of a job, Linda was approached by someone from 20th Century Fox Studios and was encouraged to come in for a meeting. She went, took her portfolio, and ended up signing a contract in the new talent department, which was very much old Hollywood: the studio trained young actors in dance, acting and vocals. Linda was there for three-and-a-half years before the program ended and her friend Maria O’Brien introduced her to her famous father, Edmond O’Brien, who encouraged her to go to an agent in New York. She was signed
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immediately, and began working in primetime. However, it wasn’t until she began working daytime television that her career began to flourish. Daytime enabled Linda to truly hone her craft. “I was so bad when I first started. When I first began in the business, I was in California and did primetime shows. I worked all the time and didn’t have a clue what I was doing. When I went to daytime, I moved to New York to marry my husband, Frank, and I got a job on One Life to Live three months after I arrived…I would watch myself to see if you could tell how terrified I was…the speed of it was insane…it’s so much material. In daytime, you do an entire script in a day, you can imagine how prepared you have to be and how fast it moves.” Though beginning as a self-admittedly bad actor, Dano found that daytime television gave her the opportunity to perfect her acting skills. She admits that while she tried some very unsuccessful techniques, she could easily just correct them the next day. She learned through this process of trial and error which techniques translated well to the small screen and which ones did not. Her husband, Frank, served as her mentor, and advised her that more people would love Linda Dano than any role she would ever play. She adopted this advice, and over time, acting became easier, and more importantly, fun. After working on the set of OLTL for two-and-a-half years, Linda began acting on the soap Another World. She stayed on the show for 17 years until the cast got the devastating news that the show would be ending. The tight knit family of actors was lost; many of them had spent more time with each other than their own families. Their audience had come to know and love them, watching their stories unfold each day and bonding with their characters. To this day, Linda has still not watched the final episode. Eventually, she says, she will. www.boulevardli.com
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PROFILES
Aside from years spent on Another World, Dano appeared on other soaps as well. Her character of Rae Cummings from when she first joined the set of One Life translated to four other daytime soaps that were involved with the ABC network: “I was so thrilled, I left Another World the last day that it shot and appeared in OLTL on Monday.” Dano is grateful for every opportunity she has been given throughout her career. Admitting she comes from humble beginnings, she has learned to never take anything for granted, and has reached an admirable point of self-acceptance about her career. This kind of unselfishness and gratitude is rare to find in such a successful woman, but Linda Dano seems to play this unaffected part perfectly. Though she has loved all aspects of her career, there is one moment she immediately responds with when asked what her greatest career moment was: “The night I won the Emmy; that for most people is a highlight of their career, but there was a cherry on top that meant more to me than the award. It was the response of the audience when my name was said…everyone leaped to their feet 48
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… the cheering and screaming. It was the way Peter Bergman and Melody Thomas Scott said my name, it was what happened when I was carrying the statue off the stage and Erica Slezak practically back-dipped me and kissed me, there was an excitement and electricity in that crowd that I will remember for all times. I can’t tell you how great that was. There have been many great moments, but for career moments, that was it.” Among all of the joys of her fantastic career, three years ago, Linda suffered the greatest loss of all when Frank, the love of her life, passed away. For months, she was in the throes of deep depression and could no longer feel joy. Each and every day became a struggle. However, through overcoming her depression, she learned to slow down her fast-paced life and take time to enjoy everything she experiences. She was catapulted to a new place where the workaholic she’d always been slowly subsided. Linda felt compelled to begin the Suppor t Partners Program in 2005 with Eli Lilly and Company and the National Women’s Health Resource Center to reach out and help others deal with what she went through herself. Recently the program created a new component, Canine Companions. “My dogs really were part of that team for me. They kept me company; when I cried they would sit right with me…with Support Partners, if you create your own network of friends, family, doctor, pets, whatever it takes to build a support team, they help you through the various stages of getting well…you need to talk, you need to not hold it all inside. I still have some depression, but I’m so much better, and that’s the important part of what everyone needs to know…I have lived through it, I am managing it now. My whole campaign is about letting people know they can reclaim their lives … The first step for me, and for millions, is to say it, to say it out loud. That’s the hard part. Once you say it, you own it.” I was truly amazed at how candid Linda Dano is. In a world where illnesses such as depression are kept quiet, it’s truly refreshing to hear someone so passionate about a cause that she is willing to share her painful struggle with the public. Her openness is accredited to her family, whose love and devotion to her has been appreciated throughout her life. She admits she’s always cared for others and has always been aware of her beginnings: “I’ve never lost sight of where I come from and how difficult life can be for everyone; everyone has tragedy and illness and it spares no one. Money is just a sort of convenience, but if you let it drive and change you, you forget to love others and be kind to others. I believe most strongly in kindness - kindness to others and to yourself. If everyone else was so understanding and giving, what a different world we’d be living in.”
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As an actor and woman with a cause, you’d think Linda Dano would have her hands full. However, she’s also started her own styling business called Strictly Personal. The company offers personal styling, as well as interior decorating. This business ultimately led to her authoring a book, titled Looking Great: It Doesn’t Have to Hurt. With the book ’s popularity, she followed up with a styling book for homes. Her success in the styling world led to the debut of her first collection of home accessories on Sept. 26 on QVC, and they will again be selling her products on the network at the end of January. Despite her seemingly busy life, Dano emphasizes that she does have downtime: “I have slowed down since Frank has died. When something that enormous happens to you, it’s so lifechanging, you think about things much differently … I take my time to work in my garden … I’m just not rushing … I think when the worst thing that could ever happen to you happens, the rest of it suddenly stops being scary. Gardening is an outlet, it’s sort of mindless … everything gets shut off when you garden. Things you would normally be worried sick about in the house, when you’re in the dirt, you don’t think about them … something to do with dirt under the nails and on the face and watching something grow … it’s spiritual for me. I love it, I absolutely love it.” Her ‘take it as it comes’ attitude is what brought her to audition for Reservation Road. Linda plays the grandmother in a heart-wrenching tale of tragedy. The all-star cast includes Joaquin Phoenix, Jennifer Connelly, Mark Ruffalo and Mira Sorvino. The Boulevard had the chance to attend the screening, and we were all impressed at its emotional impact and intensity. The story involves a hit and run, the death of a
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young boy, and how the lives of the family of the child and the killer are interwined. “I look awful in this film, “ Dano jokes, “like a real mother/grandmother from the middle of the county, and I like that … I always played more glamorous roles and it was fun not to. I prepared the way I do every role that I play; to go from inside out, I needed to understand who the character is and what she’s about and how she feels … this is of course a death of a grandson and the love of a daughter and her husband and a granddaughter; this was not a stretch for me because of the loss of my husband. I have enough life experiences to know tragedy and to be able to call on that.” As for what’s next for this amazing woman? “I’d like to do more films, but you k now what? I’m not planning it - it’s kind of fun to just
wait to see what happens, if something happens, and if it doesn’t, that’s okay, too. I’ve had a career that most people could never have, so I can never complain about what I’ve already experienced and the gifts that I’ve been given. If there is something next, how exciting! But if there isn’t, I’ll continue to garden,” she laughs. After the interview, I couldn’t help but marvel at the incredible spirit of this woman who has endured both amazing success and heartbreaking tragedy. Her selflessness and devotion to others is inspiring and uplifting, while her vigor reminds us all that difficult times will always get better. Reflecting on her career, it seems as though Linda Dano cannot avoid success, and it is inevitable that we will be seeing many more outstanding things from her in the future.
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PHOTO GALLERY PATRICK MCMULLAN Billy Joel Hampton Social Photos by Patrick McMullan PatrickMcMullan.com
Billy Joel Performance
Katie Lee Joel
Danielle DeMarne, Randi Udell
Billy Joel Performance
Gina Glickman
Christie Brinkley, Alexa Ray Joel
Billy Joel Performance
Atmosphere Stage
Katie Lee Joel www.boulevardli.com
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PHOTO GALLERY PATRICK MCMULLAN
Susan Lucci The Boulevard Magazine Party W Hotels Hamptons Hideaway, Sag Harbor Sponsored by Pink Elephant, Fiji Water, Vincent Jelani
Photos by Patrick McMullan PatrickMcMullan.com
Susan Lucci with Boulevard cover
Vincent Jelani, Susan Lucci, Angela Susan Anton, Jason Feinberg, Tina Guiomar
Vincent Jelani, Angela Anton, Patrick McMullan, Susan Lucci, Andreas Huber
Angela Anton, Uma Pemmaraju DJ Clockwork, Andrew Merlino
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The Boulevard • October – November 2007
Dr. Bilha Fish, Dr. Barbara Capozzi, Stanley Kreitman, CB White
IIena Ryan, Adam Weis
Nancy Rocker, Jim Parise
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Angela Anton, Ron Claiborne, Linda Perotti
Gina Glickman, Angela Anton, Jill Maniot
Malinda Carlton, Lee Kalt, Mina Otsuka, Sir Ivan “Mr. Mitzvah” Wilzig, Miny Kim
Glenn Sullivan Stock Car
Paul Balmer, Dan Entwistle
Bobby Montwaid, Susan Lucci
Rita & Barry Kay
NYIT Catering Appetizers www.boulevardli.com
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PHOTO GALLERY PATRICK MCMULLAN
T Mobile Polo Match At the Mercedes-Benz Bridgehampton Polo Challenge Hosted by Donald Trump Photos by Patrick McMullan PatrickMcMullan.com
Donald Trump
Melania Trump
Michaelangelo L’Acqua
Gina Bush, Rebecca Holiday
Lauren Paige
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The Boulevard • October – November 2007
Emanuel Sylvano
Star Jones
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ˆ $ 952-!.
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!-%2)#!.! -!.(!33%4
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PHOTO GALLERY THE BOULEVARD
Diana Ross Concert Benefiting the Diabetes Research Institute August 25, 2007 Photos by Tina Guiomar
Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Andrea Picard, Peter & Pat Gall, Mark Picard
Laure & Owen Schwartz, Elise & Glen Tomashoff
Angela Anton, Mr. & Mrs Phil Witt
Laura Moore, Kate Sella
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Mark & Candy Udell, London Jewelers
Loren & Joshua Levin
The Boulevard • October – November 2007
Sheri & Doug Donaldson, Christy Combs, Joyce Donaldson, Peter Johnston
Ben Kovler, Amy Marsico, Molly Kovler, Michael Moyse
Martin Granowitz & Angela Anton
Melinda Lowell, Jeffrey Mehl, Diabetes NJ Chapter
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Winners of 12th Annual Stony Brook Film Festival Announced The winners of the 12th Annual Stony Brook Film Festival were announced by film critic John Anderson at the festival’s closing night awards reception at Staller Center for the Arts at Stony Brook University on Saturday, July 28. Cash prizes and gifts were donated by Teachers Federal Credit Union, Renaissance Technologies, HBO, JetBlue, Friends of Staller Center, and State Bank of Long Island. A festive closing night party was held on the Staller Center main stage with winners in attendance to receive their awards. Man in the Chair was selected as the 2007 Audience Choice Award Winner for best feature. It was written and directed by Michael Schroeder. On July 30, The Boulevard attended the Stony Brook Film Festival to view the screening of Man in the Chair. Man in the Chair is the story of a rebellious teenager and film buff Cameron Kincaid, played by Michael Angarano. The film follows the journey of pursuing his dream as a filmmaker. Upon entering a film competition, he meets a retired crewmember named Flash, played by Christopher Plummer, who worked on the set of Citizen Kane. Kincaid convinces Flash to assist him in his project. Christopher
Photos by Jason Feinberg
Director Ron Schroeder
Emmet Walsh
Plummer and M. Emmet Walsh attended the event, along with the director, producer and editor. The actors’ entertaining remarks charmed the audience at a memorable Q&A that was a festival highlight.
Left to right- Man in the Chair’s Terry Cafaro, Editor; Christopher Plummer, Actor; Sarah Schroeder, producer; M. Emmet Walsh, Actor; Michael Schroeder, writer-director www.boulevardli.com
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PHOTO GALLERY THE BOULEVARD
High Life New York Fashion Party Tavern on The Green Sept. 6, 2007
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A Must See When Planning Your Event
Be The First To Experience Our Newly Perfected Ballroom
Your guests will enjoy singular service in our newly renovated ballroom at The Hamlet Golf and Country Club. We have enhanced and refurbished even the smallest of details, from the flatware to the ceiling, to bring you the most breath-taking surroundings for your event. We’ll take care of the extraordinary cuisine, the unrivaled service, and the atmosphere of understated elegance. You, simply, enjoy your day, knowing your every need will be anticipated and luxuriously fulfilled in our beautiful private country club setting. For information and reservations, call 631.499.5200 or visit www.hamletgolfandcountryclub.com
Bring this ad in when booking your next event at The Hamlet Golf and Country Club to receive a complimentary ice sculpture at your event.
COMMACK, NEW YORK
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Planting Fields October and November Events Planting Fields presents its Dahlia Show on Saturday Oct. 6, from 1-5 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 7, from 10 a.m - 4 p.m. Annually, more than 1,000 blooms fill the Burns Conference/Horticultural Center, in addition to the Paul Callahan Dahlia Garden, which has a spectacular display of color. If you miss the festivities this year, be sure to set aside the time next year to enjoy them. Meanwhile, visit the seasonal display of chrysanthemums in and around the main greenhouse, as well as the resident collections of orchids, bromeliads, begonias, cacti and succulents, ferns and tropical plants. Then go outside for a walk in the crisp autumn air.
Lectures and Classes Upstairs/Downstairs Tour of Coe Hall: Behind the Scenes of a Gold Coast Estate Saturday, Oct. 13, 10 a.m. to noon. Explore the Coe Estate as both a workplace and unique community for the cadre of maids, footmen, groundskeepers, stable hands and chauffeurs. A discussion and booklet introduces all to the Coe family and the Planting Fields. Wear your walking shoes for this extensive tour of the mansion’s basement work areas and third-floor servants’ quarters which focuses on areas not traditionally open to the public tours. Cost is $15; Marianne Della Croce, collections manager. Coe Hall.
Create a Backyard Retreat For Year-Round Enjoyment Saturdays, Oct. 13 and 27, 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Learn tips on how to define your backyard’s character. Discover examples of ornamental elements to define your backyard’s character and enhance your garden for all four seasons. Lecture and slide presentation - two sessions. Cost of both sessions is $37.
Photography Tour Saturday, Oct. 27, 2 to 4:30 p.m. This non-technical class offers tips and tricks for taking memorable photos. The stunning fall grounds of Planting Fields will be the subject for the day. Learn composition, storytelling, natural lighting and more. Special attention will be paid to learning how to use digital cameras. Bring your own camera. One session costs $15. Materials list provided upon registration with Michelle Temares. Main greenhouse classroom. 60
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Great Scott & Zelda Sunday, Oct. 28, 4 p.m. A one-hour comedy-drama written and directed by David Houston and starring Steve Corbellini and Melanie Lipton. The Fitzgeralds return to their “nifty little Babbitt home” in Great Neck, and Zelda accuses Scott of spoiling the party. He explains that after reviewing notes on High-Bouncing Lover (soon re-titled The Great Gatsby ), his editor found it boring. “So fix it!” Zelda demands, “before we leave Long Island!” As the two open the manuscript, art imitates Scott and Zelda’s lives. In this hour with the Fitzgeralds, set in the spring of 1924, the issues, people, events and personal histories they confront are factual, with dialogue suggested by their love letters and literary correspondence, and Scott’s novels, essays and short stories. Cost is $15. No assigned seating. Great Hall / Coe Hall
Just for Kids Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Louis Ehlert - Oct. 11 Russell the Sheep by Rob Scotton - Nov. 8 Two interactive story hour programs presented by Tales and Treats from 10 to 11 a.m. on the second Thursday of October and November include a healthy snack and fun craft activity. For preschool through kindergarten children and their parents or caregivers. Cost is $10. Burns Conference/Horticultural Center.
Plants and Their Relations Thursday, Nov. 8, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Come to a fun lecture on plant names and plant families accompanied by great photography, folklore, medicinal history and humor. Did you know that dandelion translates to tooth of the lion in French? Lecture and slide presentation. Wine and cheese will be served. Cost is $10. Bill Barash. South Lounge.
Tucking Your Garden In for Winter Saturday, Nov. 17, 2 to 3:30 p.m. The bulbs are planted, the leaves are off the trees, and the vegetables have all been harvested. This lecture/tour will answer questions about what to do to prepare your garden for winter. Wear your walking shoes for a walk through the Synoptic Garden. Cost is $10. Mary-Jean Hunt. Synoptic Garden Shelter.
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Something for Everyone at Tilles Center Saturday, Oct. 13, 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 27, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
North Fork Hall Gala XXVII, honoring Joseph R. Ficalora, New York Community Bancorp, Inc. Liza Minnelli will make her only New York appearance this year. $150, $85 For $700 Benefactor seating, call 516-299-3825
Hillwood Recital Hall Family Performance for ages 5-9 as TheatreworksUSA presents Jim West in Dinosaurs Family Workshop Event $20
Sunday, Oct. 14, 3 p.m. North Fork Hall Nassau Pops presents Be My Love - The Life of Mario Lanza in Song Louis Panacciulli, conductor Gala Benefit for United Cerebral Palsy of Nassau County Produced by Sonny Grosso/Music by Phil Ramone $30
Friday, Oct. 19, 8 p.m. North Fork Hall Ballet Folklórico de Mexico de Amalia Hernández $65, $45, $30 (Seniors $62, $42, $27) Performance PLUS! Event 6:45 p.m. Hillwood Recital Hall, $5 The Dance of Hispania with Maria Loreta Celitan, Founder, Sol Y Sombra Spanish Dance Company and Tilles Center Teaching Artist.
Saturday, Oct. 20, 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Hillwood Recital Hall Andrea Marcovicci: As Time Goes By A celebration of Andrea Marcovicci’s 15 years with Tilles Center 7:30 p.m., $45; 9:30 p.m., $35
Sunday, October 21 at 7:30 p.m. North Fork Hall Long Island Philharmonic David Wiley, conductor; Zuill Bailey, cello Program: Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Sibelius, Elgar $68, $50, $38
Friday, Oct. 26, 8 p.m. North Fork Hall New York Philharmonic Christoph von Dohnányi, conductor; Nikolaj Znaider, violin $110, $82, $52 (Seniors $107, $79, $49) Performance PLUS! Event 6:45 p.m., Hillwood Recital Hall, $5 An Adventure in Listening with Dr. Genevieve Chinn, Professor of Music and Director of Music History, C.W. Post Campus, Long Island University
Sunday, Oct. 28 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. North Fork Hall Gypsy $65, $54, $42 (Seniors $62, $51, $39) Performance PLUS! Event 5:45 pm, Hillwood Recital Hall, $5 The Legacy of Gypsy; Lesley Alexander, entertainment journalist
Friday, Nov. 2 at 8 p.m. North Fork Hall Teatro Lirico D’Europa presents The Barber of Seville $75, $50, $35 ($72, $47, $32) Performance PLUS! Event 6:45 p.m., Hillwood Recital Hall, $5 The Barber of Seville: A Human Comedy by Marc Courtade, Artistic Director, Performance PLUS!
Saturday, Nov. 3, 8 p.m. North Fork Hall St. Petersburg Philharmonic Yuri Temirkanov, conductor; Julia Fischer, violin Program Mozart, Beethoven, Prokofiev $110, $82, $52 (Seniors $107, $79, $49) Performance PLUS! Event 6:45 p.m., Hillwood Recital Hall, $5 Music for Heroes with Dr. Harlow Robinson, Matthews distinguished university professor, Northeastern University
Friday, November 9, 8 p.m. North Fork Hall Bergen Philharmonic Andrew Litton, conductor; André Watts, piano Program: Saeverud, Grieg, Tchaikovsky $90, $70, $50 (Seniors $87, $67, $47) Performance PLUS! Event 7 p.m., Hillwood Recital Hall, $5 An interview with Andrew Litton and André Watts with Dr. Paul Kim, professor of music history and piano studies, C.W. Post Campus, Long Island University
Tickets are available in person at Tilles Center’s box office, Monday-Saturday, 1-6 p.m., on the Internet at Ticketmaster.com or tillescenter.com, or by telephone at 516299-3100 or 212-307-4100. There is a service charge for telephone and Internet orders. There are no refunds or exchanges on single ticket sales. For additional information, call 516- 299-3100 or visit tillescenter.org. Discounted Create Your Own ticket packages for three or more events are available through October 31 at Tilles Center’s box office or tillescenter.org. Programs at Tilles Center are supported in part by the New York State Council on the Arts. Long Island University’s Tilles Center for the Performing Arts is located on the C.W. Post Campus, Route 25A in Brookville.
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At Old Westbury Gardens
In Autumn
Agility Dog Trials Oct. 6 and 7 Sponsored by the Ladies Kennel Association of America, dogs compete over a series of ramps, jumps and obstacles.
Tree Day Oct. 7 Tree planting, tai chi for children, tree walk, birdhouse and nest-making, and other kids’ crafts.
Dog Festival Oct. 20 and 21 Meet with veterinarians, book authors, ar tists, and many other dog people at this new event. Buy specialty food, clothing and toys for your dog. Enjoy kids’ crafts and other programs. Bring your leashed dog to participate in a Dog Halloween Costume Contest.
Books in the Ballroom Nov. 4, 11 and 18 A Sunday afternoon booksigning/lecture series featuring books of particular interest to Long Islanders. Nov 4: TBD; Nov 11: Jones Beach: An Illustrated History by John Hanc; Nov 18: Great Flowering Landscape Shrubs by Vincent Simeone. Old Westbury Gardens is located at 71 Old Westbury Road in Old Westbury, Long Island. Open every day except Tuesday through October. Admission: general: $10, seniors (over 62): $8, children 7-12: $5, children 6 and under and members: free. Call 516-333-0048 or visit www.oldwestburygardens.org.
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October – November 2007
Autumn at Old Westbury Gardens. Photos by Vince Kish
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Bloomingdale’s Little Pink Campaign To Fight Breast Cancer The Battle Will Be Won
B
loomingdale’s is continuing its longstanding support of Evelyn Lauder and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation with a comprehensive campaign to create awareness and raise funds during October’s National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The campaigns include a special “Pink” edition of Bloomingdale’s Little Brown Book magazine, an online “Pink” boutique, and two exclusive items—the Big Pink Umbrella and Little Pink Card—that will all support a contribution to BCRF. Signature artwork by well known New York cartoonist and author of Cancer Vixen Marisa Acocella Marchetto is woven through the campaign. The umbrella and card are available in stores and online, with all net proceeds benefiting BCRF.
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Around the World at Long Island Children’s Museum Your House, My House Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007-Sunday, Jan. 6, 2008 Your House, My House takes museum goers on a fantastic journey into the homes of people around the world! See how culture, climate, tradition and geography influence the way a house is built. Exhibit text is presented in English and Spanish.
Reel Fun at LICM Families of the World: Thailand Saturday, Oct. 13, 1:30 p.m. Sweden Sunday, Oct. 14 at 1:30 p.m. Ghana Saturday, Oct. 20 at 1:30 p.m. Puerto Rico Sunday, Oct. 21 at 1:30 p.m. Korea Sunday, Oct. 28 at 1:30 p.m.
October Workshops Costumes Around the World Saturday, Oct. 6 at 12:30 p.m. Amazing Amate Sunday, Oct. 7 and Monday, Oct. 8 at 12:30 p.m. Fire Safety Day Monday, Oct. 8 from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Knead Bread? Saturday, Oct. 13 and Sunday, Oct. 14 at 12:30 p.m. Homeward Bound Saturday, Oct. 20 at 12:30 p.m. In the Trees Sunday, Oct. 21 at 12:30 p.m.
Special Events Educators’ Open House Thursday, Oct. 11 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Teachers are welcome at the Third Annual LICM Educators Open House. The event will draw on the cultural content of the museum’s newest exhibit, Your House, My House under the guidance of cultural anthropologist Judith Burgess. All concepts will be connected to New York State curricula. Call 516-224-5846 to pre-register for this program. This program is funded by the New York Council for the Humanities, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. 64
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Live at LICM Peter and the Wolf Saturday, Oct. 27 at 1 and 3 p.m.
KIDS FIRST! Film Club All films on Friday at 4:30 p.m. Oct. 12 -Casper Meets Wendy Oct. 19 -Jakers! in Spooky Stories Oct. 26 - Stellaluna
Once Upon a House: A Celebration of Children’s Books, Folklore and the Idea of Home Sunday, Oct. 21 from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. To celebrate the arrival of the Your House, My House exhibition, LICM has invited four nationally renowned authors to its house for a children’s literature symposium, focusing on the idea of home. Visitors will experience homes around the world through storytelling, photography and children’s literature. Limited free childcare (for children 5 and up) is available. Participants interested in childcare must pre-register. Children in the childcare/workshop program will be reunited with their caregivers to enjoy the exotic tales of storyteller Laura Simms at the conclusion of the program. Call 516-224-5846 to pre -register for this exciting program. This program is funded by the New York Council for the Humanities, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
It’s Not Just Scribble Oct. 23 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Join Early Childhood Program Manager Monique van Putten for a workshop that will help parents understand and nurture young children’s writing development. This workshop is recommended for parents of children under 8 years old. Advance registration is required. Call 516-224-5852 to register and for fee information. All activities will be held at the Long Island Children’s Museum, located at 11 Davis Avenue, Garden City, NY. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Museum admission: $9 for adults and children over 1 year old. Under 1 year old free. $8 for seniors. Please note that additional fees for theater and special programs may apply. For additional information, contact 516-224-5800. Museum hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Monday.
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FOTA Concerts
At Coe Hall 2007-08
Friends of the Arts (FOTA) is pleased to announce its concerts at Coe Hall series for the 2007-08 season. The magnificent Coe Hall at Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park is the perfect setting for intimate chamber music concerts.
Nov. 4, 2007
Feb. 3, 2008
Knights Ensemble – clarinetist Carol McGonnell, cellist Eric Jacobsen, and pianist Steven Beck perform a selection of enchanting music by Zemlinsky, Saint-Saens, Mozart and Rachmaninov.
Trio Fedele – violinist David Fedele, cellist Matthew Herren, and pianist Robert Koenig perform a rich and varied repertoire ranging from works of the baroque and classical masters to some of the most important music of our time.
Jan. 20, 2008
March 9, 2008
Avery Ensemble – violinist Annie Trepanier, violist Steve Larson, cellist Hans Twitchell, and pianist Adriana Jarvis perform a breadth of styles spanning the history of Western instrumental music.
Biava Quartet – violinists Austin Hartman and Hyunsu Ko, violist Mary Persin, and cellist Jacob Braun are praised as “an ensemble of unusual communicative powers” with a “sensitivity beyond its years.”
All concerts take place at 2:30 p.m. A subscription to all four concerts is just $105 per person. Individual tickets for each concert are $35. To order tickets, visit www.FOTApresents.org or call 516-922-0061. FOTA also announces its popular Christmas at Coe Hall concert on Sunday, Dec. 2 at 1 p.m. A quartet of talented musicians joins host Robert Sherman of WQXR for one of the highlights of Long Island’s holiday season. Enjoy exquisite chamber music in the historic Gold Coast setting of Coe Hall on the grounds of Planting Fields Arboretum. The 65-room Tudor Revival mansion was the country home of insurance executive William Robertson Coe and his wife, Standard Oil heiress Mai Rogers Coe. Chamber ensembles perform without amplification in the Great Hall, a room with outstanding acoustic quality. The Great Hall was used as a music room, library and for entertaining guests. Guests entering the Great Hall through the wooden double doors can view intricately carved scenes depicting music and merriment. Friends of the Arts (FOTA) is a not-for-profit organization whose mission to enrich the cultural life on Long Island is achieved through the presentation of world class performances and through dynamic educational programs for children. www.boulevardli.com
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Upcoming Exhibitions and Events at NCMA Main Gallery Through Nov. 4 Latin Masters Drawn in part from Nassau County Museum of Art’s extensive holdings of work by Latin American artists, Latin Masters looks at the ways in which the distinct development of Latin American art has influenced Latin identity. Among the many strands of art and identity included in the exhibition and paralleling other trends in modernism and contemporary art are native cultural nationalism, international political and literary concerns, Social Realism and Surrealism.
Contemporary Gallery Through Nov. 4 Baroque-Ademia The Contemporary Gallery hosts works by Nicole Cherubini, Valerie Hegarty and Odili Donald Odita. Cheubini’s gesturally sculpted ceramic vessels on hand-made pedestals drip with colored glazes, plus bits of chain, fur and comparably non-traditional art materials. Hegarty evokes the passage of time, wear and ruin in pieces that utilize a technique of 3-dimensional trompe l’oeil illusion. Odita’s geometric canvases convey a formal rhythm of angled shapes heightened by bright colors, both complementing and contrasting with the adjacent sculptural works by Cherubini and Hegarty. This exhibition has been organized by Barbara Goldfarb Tepperman.
Tours and lectures Tours and lectures require reservations and there are costs in addition to museum admission. Call 516-484-9338, ext. 12 for further information. Wednesday, Oct. 17 at 2:30 pm Private Tea & Tour of the Exhibition Thursday, Oct. 18 at 1:30 p.m. Frida Kahlo: Centennial Celebration Lecture Saturday, Oct. 20 at 3 p.m. Velázquez: The Aristocratic Vision Nassau County Museum of Art is located at One Museum Drive (just off Northern Boulevard, Route 25A, two traffic lights west of Glen Cove Road) in Roslyn Harbor. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Docent-led tours of the main galleries exhibition are given Tuesday-Sunday at 2 p.m. Docent-led family tours are on Sundays at 1 p.m. Tours are free with museum admission. On Sundays, from 12:30 to 3 p.m., the museum offers live music, supervised art activities for children and their families and family tours of the exhibitions. Tours and Family Sundays at the museum are free with museum admission. Admission to the main building, the Arnold & Joan Saltzman Fine Art Building, is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors (62+) and $4 for children; includes admission to the Tee Ridder Miniatures Museum. Members are always admitted free. There is a $2 parking fee on weekends (members free). The Museum Shop and Red Room gallery are open all museum hours. Call 516-484-9337 for current exhibitions, events, days/times and directions, or visit nassaumuseum.com.
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Sergio Garval, El Comedor de Peras, 1996, bronze and wood. Permanent collection, Nassau County Museum of Art
Family Sundays at the Museum Sundays, Oct. 14, 21, 28, Nov. 4, 11, 18, 25 Each Sunday from 12:30 to 3 p.m. NCMA offers live music, docent-led family walk-throughs of the exhibition and supervised art activities for the whole family. Special family guides of the main exhibition are available in the galleries.
The Twilight Pumpkin Spectacular Thursday, Oct. 25 to Sunday, Oct. 28, 6 to 9:30 p.m. each evening. A one-of-a-kind, fun-filled family experience! The grounds of NCMA will be alive with a dazzling display of more than 3,000 illuminated jack o’ lanterns. Spooky music and sound effects add to the mysterious merriment. Tickets are sold for timed entry; advance ticket sales only. Admission is $14 for adults and seniors and $7 for children 12 and under. Children 5 and under are free. Admission is free for museum members and members need not make advance reservations. Tickets may be purchased online at nassaumuseum.com or by calling ext. 11. There is a $2 per ticket surcharge for purchases made by telephone.
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LIFESTYLES EVENTS A Donna Summer Evening Raises Funds for Medical Research
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ain showers did nothing to dampen the spirits of more than 700 people who attended A Donna Summer Evening on July 11 at Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay. The event, which featured cocktails, a buffet dinner and a concert from the legendary disco diva backed by a 15-piece band, raised nearly $1 million to benefit the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, part of the North Shore-LIJ Health System. Prior to the musical performance, Ed Miller, member of the board of directors for the Feinstein Institute, highlighted the groundbreaking achievements of the institute’s Litwin-Zucker Research Center for the Study of Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Disorders. Bob Catell, chairman and CEO of KeySpan, presented the third KeySpan Fellowship Award to Dr. Philippe Marambaud, assistant investigator and senior research scientist at the Feinstein Institute. Dr. Marambaud was Donna Summer gives a rousing performhonored for his ongoing work focusing on the cellular and molecular biology of ance in the Friends of the Arts Pavilion at two proteins linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay.
Leonard Feinstein, trustee, North Shore-LIJ Health System (left), with former New York Leonard Feinstein, trustee, North Shore-LIJ Health System (center) enjoys the Islander and NHL All-Star Bobby Nystrom. evening with wife Susan (to his left) and some friends.
2007 KeySpan Fellowship Award winner Dr. Philippe Marambaud (center), assistant investigator and senior research scientist at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Reearch, receives a (Left to right) Jennifer Paretta; Lew Ranieri, trustee, North Shore- commemorative gift from (left) Ed Miller, member, Board of LIJ Health System; and Dr. Kevin Tracey, director and CEO, Directors, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, and Bob Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. Catell, chairman and CEO, KeySpan.
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Corporate Alliance of Children’s Medical Fund Hosts Breakfast Andrew Cuomo Keynote Speaker n Thursday, Sept 20, the Corporate Alliance of Children’s Medical Fund (CMF) hosted its Third Annual Corporate breakfast at the Glen Oaks Club in Old Westbury, New York, with the Hon. Andrew M. Cuomo as keynote speaker. Forty-one years ago, a group of Long Islanders joined together with a mission to build the finest children’s medical facility that the heart and hand could devise. In 1983, they opened Schneider Children’s Hospital (SCH), the first children’s hospital in New York. With their continued leadership and support, SCH has developed into a world leader in pediatric medicine. Today, the Corporate Alliance continues to find creative ways to partner with area business people and businesses, large and small to strengthen our community and provide for our children. All proceeds from the Third Annual Corporate Breakfast will be used to help build a new patient pavilion and a dedicated pediatric emergency room at SCH - the first on Long Island. For more information on the Corporate Alliance and CMF Trustee, Geri Fessler, CMF call 516-352-3344. Jeffrey Weiner
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CMF Chairman, David Blumenfeld, Jeffrey Weiner, Steven Lifton, Ilene Cooper
Steven Lifton, David Blumenfeld, Honorable Andrew Cuomo, CMF President Corey Ribotsky
Frank Segarra, Citi Pvt. Banking, Rita Kay, Executive Director CMF. Michelle DiBenedetto, Citibank, Mallory Brenner, Citi Pvt. Banking, David Blumenfeld, Chairman CMF.
Dr. Barbara Capozzi, Rita Kay, Angela Honorable Andrew Atmosphere Glen Oaks Country Club Cuomo Susan Anton www.boulevardli.com
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Lymphatic Research Inaugural Gala Is Grand Success
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he Lymphatic Research Foundation’s Inaugural Gala, Unwrap the Gift of Lymphatic Research, was recently held at Oheka Castle in Huntington, Long Island. “The event raised $500,000, and equally as important, our guests learned about the importance of lymphatic research, the impact of lymphatic diseases, and were inspired by the extraordinary achievements of our young, grassroots organization,” said Lymphatic Research Foundation founder and president Wendy Chaite. The highlight of the evening proved to be 12-year-old McKenna Johnson of Tennessee, who spoke eloquently of her own experiences managing the effects of congenital systemic lymphatic disease, describing frequent surgeries and other treatment protocols that isolate her from the normal experiences of childhood.
Gala Honoree Barbara Adler of Roslyn, founding member of Honoree Amy Hughes of Great Neck with famed ice-skating Momz-N-Da-Hood, with LRF National Spokesperson McKenna Johnson of Tennessee and her mom, Gwen. daughter Emily poses with LRF founder, Wendy Chaite.
Honoree and award-winning author Joan Swirsky accepts award from LRF founder Wendy Chaite and LRF scientific research board chair, Dr. Stanley Rockson of Stanford University.
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Honorary Chair Angela Susan Anton, publisher, Anton Community Newspapers, with sponsor Jack Butler, vice president-U.S. Operations, ImpediMed, Inc., and Greg Brown, CEO and managing director of ImpediMed, Inc. and Business Person of the Year honoree, with LRF founder Wendy Chaite.
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Manolo Valdés Honored at NCMA Reception
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he distinguished Spanish sculptor Manolo Valdés was guest of honor at a reception at Nassau County Museum of Art to celebrate the Contemporary Collectors Circle’s gift to the museum of a work by Valdés. The CCC is a membership group of the museum that takes part in gallery and studio tours and other activities relating to contemporary art and raises funds to add to the museum’s permanent collection.
Manolo Valdés is pictured with CCC members Cynthia Rubinberg, Manolo Valdés with Museum Director Constance Schwartz and Chief Curator Franklin Hill Perrell. Sharon D’Ambrosio and Elaine Berger.
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Geraldo Rivera Golf and Tennis Classic Benefits People with Developmental Disabilities
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he 20th anniversary of the Geraldo Rivera Golf and Tennis Classic recently took place at the Tam O’Shanter Club in Brookville, Long Island. Under clear skies and with a calm breeze, the golfers joined Geraldo to raise money for Life’s WORC, a not-for-profit agency that provides comprehensive support for individuals with developmental disabilities including mental retardation and autism. With help from fellow FOX News personality Bill O’Reilly, Geraldo’s outing raised more than $150,000 for people supported by Life’s WORC. Geraldo Rivera greets golfers before teeing off.
Life’s WORC Chairman of the Board, Vince Grucci presents Life’s WORC Executive Director, Peter Smergut (right), presents Geraldo Rivera with 20th Anniversary commemorative plaque. Marty Berman (left) with Friend of Life’s WORC award.
Geraldo Rivera and Life’s WORC Board Secretary, Rick Ritacco (right), present the events Honoree and Life’s Golfers Jim Montalto, Geraldo Rivera, Willie Rivera and Marty Berman WORC Board Member, Edward M. Kelly(left), with award. take a break on the fairway.
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Whaling Museum Enjoys Waves of Philanthropy
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he Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum held its annual Benefit Cocktail Party at Yellow Banks, a private home overlooking historic Oyster Bay. The setting was picturesque, the sunset spectacular and the crowd exuberant. The benefit’s recordbreaking attendance reflected the dedication of event. All proceeds from the event support the museum’s extensive education programs, which provide enrichment and curriculum enhancement to more than 13,000 Long Island students. The museum greets more than 25,000 visitors yearly and continues to be a leader in the preservation and interpretation of Long Island’s maritime heritage. The American Association of Museums has commended the museum for upholding the highest professional standards while maintaining its commitment to the community. Only 10 percent of museums nationwide are so recognized. For more information on the Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum, co n t a c t Pa u l D e O r s ay, e xe c u t i ve direc tor at 631-367-3418 or visit www.cshwhalingmuseum.org.
Mrs. Cathy Phillips & husband Angela Anton, Larry Gerson & Dr Barbara James
Mrs. Kristy McNicol (Paul) & Joan Steinberg, Mrs. Eileen K.S. Pulling & Dr David Diane Yaturo Steinberg (President of LIU)
Mrs. Gerard X. Brogan (Amy), Mrs. Robert Woods, (Phyllis) and Paul DeOrsay Execu- Mrs. Oliver R. Grace , Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Mr. Thomas Pulling, Cathy and Raymond tive Director Jansen L. Pulling
www.boulevardli.com
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Nassau County AHRC Foundation’s 57th Rose Ball
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he Nassau County AHRC Foundation held another successful Rose Ball with $480,000 raised at the June event to benefit individuals with intellectual and other developmental disabilities. Robert A. Isaksen received the 2007 Leadership Award which recognizes leaders in the business world who have opened the doors to the corporate community and have helped further the mission of the AHRC Foundation. Michael Balboni, New York State Deputy Secretary of Public Safety, received the 2007 Humanitarian Award for his work on behalf of individuals with developmental disabilities. The evening’s success was due, in part, to the event’s sponsors The Liburdi Family, Vincent and Gloria and Dianna and Michael including Bank of America, the Principal Underwriters, the Eric mingle during the cocktail hour. The Luburdi Family was a Bruell Family and Pilot Employee Benefits. Patron Sponsor of the Rose Ball.
Roz Goldmacher, AHRC Foundation board member, takes her sister Shelley out for a spin on the dance floor. Ms. Goldmacher, president and CEO, Long Island Development Corp., was a Patron Sponsor. LIDC was also a Rose Ball Sponsor.
Foundation board member John Chase of Chase, Rathkopf & Chase, LLP, a Rose Cynthia and Tom Rosicki, president of the Ball Patron Sponsor, with Brookville AHRC Board of Directors. Rosicki, Rosicki & Associates, PC was a Rose Ball Sponsor. Mayor Richard P. Goodwin.
Michael Mascari, AHRC executive director; Jack Posner, president, AHRC Foundation; Humanitarian Award recipient Michael Balboni; Emcee Carolyn Gusoff, WNBC reporter and anchor; Leadership Award Recipient Bob Isaksen; Tom Rosicki, AHRC board president and Tom Moore, Rose Ball chairman.
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New Conversations Forum Hosts 300 Leaders
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ore than 300 leaders and innovators in philanthropy, business, education and the not-for-profit world attended the New Conversations for Change: Youth and Philanthropy Forum which took place at The New York Public Library on Sept. 18. The public forum was the first in the “New Conversations for Change” series created by Contribute Magazine, in partnership with New York University’s Heyman Center for Philanthropy and Fundraising. This first event of the series was sponsored by Northern Trust, a leading wealth advisor to individuals and families of significant wealth nationwide.
Contribute Magazine
Contribute Magazine, Marcia Stepanek
Contribute Magazine Forum Participants
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LIFESTYLES EVENTS Barbara Poliwoda, East End Director for Long Island American Heart Association; Kathy Munsch, Regional Vice President Long Island American Heart Association; Dr. Barbara Capozzi, Health Editor for The Boulevard.
Eliza Shuford Wins FTI Grand Prix To Conclude Hampton Classic Horse Show
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iding Larentino, Eliza Shuford, 28, of Hickory, NC, triumphed against Olympians Beezie Madden and Peter Wylde to win the $150,000 FTI Grand Prix at the 2007 Hampton Classic Horse Show. The Hampton Classic Horse Show is one of the nation’s premier show jumping competitions, featuring more than $500,000 in prize money, 50,000 spectators and 1,600 horses. The Hampton Classic is not only a sporting event of major proportions, but also one of the most noteworthy social events of the summer. The highlight of the horse show, the $150,000 FTI Grand Prix, saw 30 of the world’s best horse-and-rider combinations vying for top honors.
Local resident Brett Kroeger wowed the judges as well as the spectators with her rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow to win the Hampton Classic/WLIU 88.3FM National Anthem Contest on Manhattan Mortgage’s Opening Day. Kroeger won the prestigious opportunity to perform the National Anthem in the Grand Prix arena prior to the $20,000 Nicolock Time Challenge. Also prior to the Grand Prix, the Classic honored its longtime course designer Conrad Homfeld for his induction earlier this year into the Show Jumping Hall of Fame. The Hampton Classic Horse Show was a time filled with entertainment and competition, something that everyone could enjoy.
Make-A-Wish of Metro New York Honors Three Exceptional Women Wishmakers
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n July 25, more than 120 guests gathered at Christie’s in New York City to honor three women who have made a difference in the community and in the lives of Make-A-Wish children this past year. The Fifth Annual Women Wishmakers Awards Night celebrated the contributions of Julie Bauer, Kristen Esposito and Paulette Mullings Bradnock. To celebrate these women, those who had personal experiences with the power of a wish shared their stories with the attendees. The awards night acknowledged the fact that women are a vital part of the Make-A-Wish Left to right: Pat Clemency, president and CEO, Foundation. The three Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York; honorees represent the Paulette Mullings Bradnock, audit director, varied ways in which Internal Audit Division, AIG and Make-A-Wish dedicated women make Sitting left to right: Wish children Stefanie, Foundation of Metro New York Board Member; long-lasting contributions to Maggie and Kristina Standing left to right: Kristen Esposito, Director of Public Relations, Women Wishmakers Honorees, Paulette Macy’s East; and Julie Bauer, president and the foundation, impacting Mullings Bradnock, Julie Bauer and Kristen CEO, The BauerWorks, Inc. and Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York Board Member. the lives of the children it Esposito; Wish Child Michelle
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Arrow Electronics on Target to Provide Unforgettable Summer
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his summer, more than 200 Arrow Electronics employees competed to answer trivia questions, assemble bicycles and race them through an obstacle course, all of which resulted in 50 bicycles to be donated to children who attend Family and Children’s Association’s Summer Day Camp Program. Arrow Electronics also sponsored a Kids Karnival, and generously donated backpacks, prizes and ice cream for the campers and presented the children with their bicycles at the event’s conclusion.
Four campers receive their bicycles from Arrow Electronics interns. Attending the presentation were Bernie Kennedy (in blue shirt), chair, Family and Children’s Board of Trustees, and Jim Harnett, president and CEO, Family and Children’s Association.
CELEBRATE HEREND’S GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY IN THE U.S. ®
Artist Event Hosted By
Marel Gifts
Marel Gifts 32 Middle Neck Road Great Neck NY 11021
466-3118
Marel Gifts will host Herend artist Attila Keczer from the internationally famous Porcelain Manufactory in Herend, Hungary on Monday and Tuesday, November 12 and 13. Marel Gifts was chosen to be one of a select few specialty retailers nationwide to host the Herend artist in 2007. The 27-year-old artist Attila Keczer is excited for his first visit to the U.S. He will be available to sign and personalize pieces purchased at the event, many of which are personally painted by him. A collection of many never-before-seen pieces, including new introductions as well as fishnet patterned figurines in unique colors such as gold on black, lavender, platinum and turquoise are available now.
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American Cancer Society Honors LI Golf Clubs as Babe Zaharias Memorial Tournament Celebrates 35 Years
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n May 17, the American Cancer Society celebrated the 35th anniversary of its Babe Zaharias Memorial Golf Tournament at a special kickoff in Old Westbury, Long Island. Anne Thompson, chief environmental affairs correspondent for the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, spoke about her battle against Stage III breast cancer. Dozens of cancer survivors lit candles of hope on a beautiful cake while everyone else lit candles of hope at their seats. Leggiadro of the Americana sponsored the kickoff. Other sponsors included FedEx, Party Harty, Enchanted Parties, Atlas Floral Decorators, and Merlin Printing. Big Babe Winners 2007 at Glen Head Country Club
Beth & Penny Zavichas
Nassau Country Club members enjoying the Big Babe festivites Glen Head Golf Clinic
Sheila Primont & and golf partnerMuttontown's Babe
Pine Hollow Country Club's Babe-Garden of Hope 2007
Irwin Okin-Breast Cancer Survivor Anne Thompson, Fern Kwiat, Beth S achs-Babe 35th Anniversar y Kick-Off
Survivors-Babe 35 Anniversary
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Award of Achievement-Fresh Meadow CC & Pine Hollow CC
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C
ome enjoy the experience of AURA One of Long Islands most exclusive Salons & Day Spas.
Specializig in: • Colour • Cutting • Styling • Manicures & Pedicures • Massages & Facials • Makeup • Hair Extensions • Bridal Parties
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Lustgarten Foundation Hosts Seventh Annual Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk
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n July 29, nearly 4,000 people participated in the Lustgarten Foundation’s seventh annual pancreatic cancer research walk. The event was a huge success, raising more than $850,000. Walkers and supporters braved a hot and muggy Sunday morning with a heavy threat of rain, but the sky held until just after the
last car exited the event. Supporters from all over the country came to join in the fight against pancreatic cancer. In addition to the large tri-state contingent, the foundation was thrilled to greet walkers from states as distant as Florida, Illinois and Massachusetts, to name just a few.
Lustgarten Foundation Executive Director Kerri Kaplan, News 12 Anchor Colleen McVey, Lustgarten Foundation Board Chairman and Cablevision Chairman Charles F. Dolan, Lustgarten Foundation Board Member Marcia Lustgarten, Lustgarten Walk participants start on their way! Foundation President Dr. Robert F. Vizza.
Community Embraces American Heart Gala
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n a warm and breezy Saturday evening, close to 500 people traveled to Bridgehampton to attend the American Heart Association’s 11th Annual Heart of the Hamptons Gala. This year’s event, hosted on the grounds of the Hayground School, was the American Heart Association’s most successful to date, raising nearly $500,000, with a main focus on children’s health. The evening went into full swing with entertainment featuring the musical
talent of Uptown – A Soul Systems Orchestra Band. The crowd was then treated to two very energetic demonstrations as the National Double Dutch League and Long Island Gymnasts displayed their extraordinary skills. As always, the gala boasted amazing auction items. This year’s auction featured such items as trips, wines from around the world, New York City getaways, golf and sporting tickets, spa packages, jewelry and Nick Racenelli, Susan Somerville, Dr. Al Cuyjet designer items.
Dr. & Mrs. Wayne Isom, Joan Ganz Cooney, Peter Peterson
Leah Olverd & Family & John Elliot www.boulevardli.com
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NCMA Members Welcome Four New Exhibitions
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embers of Nassau County Museum of Art always look forward to special exhibition previews. One of the many enjoyable benefits of membership, previews present an opportunity for an early glimpse of all of the museum’s exhibitions and allows attendees to catch up with old friends as members, collectors and artists mingle throughout the evening. The recent opening of four new shows – “Latin Masters,” “Pieter Brueghel the Younger: An Intimate Encounter,” “Valázquez/Valdés” and “Baroque-Ademia” - was especially noteworthy as they present a wide variety of art spanning continents and Artist Ana Maria de Martinez, museum director Constance Schwartz, collector centuries. The exhibitions are on view Anthony Sena and artist Sonia Melara. Mr. Sena loaned Ms. Martinez’s Plenitud and until Nov. 4. Ms. Melara’s The Entombment to the museum for inclusion in Latin Masters.
Dr. Harvey Manes, a prominent art collector, is shown with The Bird Museum Director Constance Schwartz is flanked by Trap, a work he loaned to the Mr. and Mrs. Brooks Smith of Locust Valley. Mr. Smith Brueghel exhibition. is president of the museum’s board of trustees.
Museum director Constance Schwartz with the representative from the Belgium Tourist Office, a sponsor of “Pieter Brueghel the Younger: An Intimate Encounter.”
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Mr. and Mrs. Brian Madden. Mr. Madden is president of Liberty Title Agency, one of the sponsors of the museum’s current exhibitions.
October – November 2007
Mrs. Herber t Klapper with Brueghel’s The Wedding Dance, a rare work that she generously loaned to the exhibition.
Joan and David Steinberg examine some of the proverb illustrations that are part of the Brueghel exhibition. Dr. Steinberg is president of Long Island University.
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London Jewelers and Town & Country Benefit Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation
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n August 11, London Jewelers and Town & Country debuted designer Judith Ripka’s new collection at the London Jewelers store in East Hampton, New York. All sales and raffle ticket sales benefited the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America. The event was sponsored by Nuvo Sparkling Vodka Liqueur.
Ron Berk and Judith Ripka
Janice Winter, Biran Ripka and Sarah Ansari London Jewelers Entrance
Judith Ripka, Candy & Mark Udell, Randi Udell, Brian & Alice Ripka
Maureen Aronson, Jeff & Cynthia Weisenfeld
From left to right: Alice Aquilino, Janice Winter, Marjorie Schrager, Judith Ripka, Candy & Mark Udell, Randi Udell Photos by Tina Guiomar Adrianne Rosenberg and Beth Vogel www.boulevardli.com
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Mobile Devices Get in Sync With Safety By Harry Rocker ord Motor Company and Microsoft have teamed up to deliver Ford customers an evolution in mobile device synchronization. Based on Microsoft’s “Auto” software, Ford is introducing Sync, a factory-installed in-car communications and entertainment system that works with existing mobile devices such as cell phones and iPods. Today, in order to connect your MP3 player to your car, you either need an FM transmitter, CD/cassette converter or a direct connection. For your cell phone, usually you have a Bluetooth or wired headset or your car allows for Bluetooth connectivity. Ford and Microsoft have taken the next step by allowing connectivity of virtually any USB MP3 player (in fact, you can even connect a flash drive), as well as your cell phone, and letting you operate them via voice commands and controls on the steering wheel. Why is this an innovative function? Most features in a car, such as a CD player, heads-up display, and cruise control are hardware. This means if a better product
F
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The Boulevard
October – November 2007
comes out, you would have to physically replace the item. With Sync, Microsoft and Ford have created a softwarebased solution, and the consumer provides the hardware. This means that you don’t have to have the latest and greatest. Your cell phone simply needs to have Bluetooth and your MP3 device has to have USB 2.0, which most do. The Sync system receives its updates through software. This way your system will work as long as you own the car. For those of you who don’t understand the technology lingo like Bluetooth and USB or aren’t sure exactly how or why it works, there is a better reason why Sync is a good thing. Safety! Think about this … Today there is little room in your car for all the little portable gizmos, let alone the proper placement and devices to manage them all at the same time. With Sync, you never have to take your eyes off the road. Your hands never have to leave the steering wheel. And you can answer your phone, listen to text messages and email (yes, it reads your messages to you), and play your favorite songs all without moving your eyes and hands!
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How does it work? Ford offers two major entertainment systems. The standard radio with simple display or the navigation system that includes a LCD touch screen display. With either system Sync works with voice commands or controls on the steering wheel. The navigation system offers the visual and touch-screen effect. You can dial phone numbers by saying the number or name. You can access a song by simply saying which song you want to listen to either by artist, title or genre. You can even plug in a USB flash drive and if it has MP3 songs on it, the Sync system will play them. As I said before, Sync will notify you when you receive a text message, tell you who it’s from and if you would like, read it to you. The same goes for email. Before I begin to sound like Billy Mays and start asking how much you would pay for something like this, I’ll tell you that for $395 it’s by far one of the most affordable and cost-effective options one could have in a car in today’s world. Ford is launching Sync in several of its 2008 models with other models to follow.
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LIFESTYLES HOROSCOPES
Insightful Astrology: October & November Horoscopes by Maria Vaiano Maria would like to extend a special discount of 25 percent off her usual fee for private consultation services to the readers of The Boulevard magazine. Email her at Insightsforlife@aol.com for more information and be sure to visit her website at www.InsightfulAstrology.com to learn more about her upcoming Long Island workshop on December 9!
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October brings the strong potential to commit to a partnership, either business or personal. You’ll see more opportunities with clients, but by the end of the month there will be an ending to income from another source. In November, the ability to gain venture capital or royalties is strong. By mid-November through late January, you might have family conflicts from the past resurface and compromise your energy. At month’s end you’ll complete a short trip and/or communication or learning project.
In October you’ll receive more work opportunities; however, miscommunication with a business partner or spouse is likely from midmonth to early November. A full moon in your sign at month’s end signals having to say goodbye to a part of your identity. In November, there could be a new business partner or agent coming into your life. By the end of November your talents are finally recognized for what they’re worth.
Romance is in the air for you as October begins. You could initiate an exciting affair! Old work projects require many annoying revisions once Mercury turns retrograde from Oct. 12 to Nov. 2 and there will be new work piled on top of that after the 9th, so you might become overwhelmed. Energy could be misdirected after Nov. 15 in terms of your becoming hypersensitive over your financial security. The full moon at month’s end in your sign indicates releasing a part of yourself that is no longer serving the greater good.
The month of October presents a new beginning in a family matter. The month’s finale could find a friendship ending or perhaps a long-term goal being reached. Hearing from an old flame is possible and miscommunication with the children is likely. In November, Mars turns retrograde in your sign and this will inhibit your energy flow and powers of initiation. Try not to become frustrated at your lack of progress – the universe wants you to slow down and regroup to prepare you for what’s to come in Februar y! Still, you might be feeling anxious over this and by the end of November want to lock yourself in a closet. Trust me, it’s temporary.
An oppor tunity to learn something new or gossip from a sibling might surface in midOctober. Family misunderstandings are possible through the Mercury retrograde period of Oct. 11 through Nov. 2 and the end of October will finalize a work project. You might have an emotional outburst with an authority figure. By early November, real estate opportunities or an improvement in your living conditions will become apparent.
October begins with exciting opportunities for you to increase your income but the Mercury retrograde period will affect your negotiating skills, so be careful in signing contracts. Your social life will diminish when the planet of action, Mars, turns retrograde in your house of friends from Nov. 15 through Jan. 30. Spend more time focusing on career matters as you are likely to achieve an important reward or recognition by the end of November.
A new Moon in your sign on the 11th of October heralds fresh opportunities on a personal level. You might meet some exciting new people or change your appearance in some way under this lunation. By the end of the month there could be an ending in your environment. Mercury retrograde will have you doubting your self-worth; and after Nov. 15, when Mars turns retrograde in your house of career, there could be an irritating stall in your plans and projects. The energy won’t resume until February.
October opens up with Mercury turning retrograde in your sign on the 12th. You are likely to fumble in how you come across to others. Personal misunderstandings are possible. The full moon at the end of October could bring a relationship to an end. With a new moon in your sign on Nov. 9, however, you’ll have an easy time picking up the pieces. It’ll be a time of selffocus and assessment regarding personal needs.
October opens up with a social flurr y. Expect to meet new friends and network. Mercury retrograde could find you blurting out top secret information, thinking it’s fair game to talk about. The full moon on Oct. 26 brings a work project to completion. There might be an emotional outburst from a co-worker. Mars retrograde from Nov. 15 through Jan. 30 will have you internalizing your energy and attacking your darker side. Deeply rooted sexuality issues will be explored. It’s a bad time to approach investors.
October begins with a brilliant career boost. Expect new professional oppor tunities to surface but be aware of miscommunication or not understanding the finances behind this fresh start. Mercury turns retrograde on the 12th in your house of friends and groups, so you can expect some misunderstandings with your social life until Nov. 2. Mars retrograde on Nov. 15 will inhibit your partner’s energy drastically until February. Lend support.
Throughout October career negotiations might be stalled, or there could be mishaps with projects or between you and a boss. The new moon on Nov. 9 promises to open this up and you’ll receive a significant boost. On Nov. 15, work seems to get dull again as energy for major projects is inhibited for the rest of the year. Time your best efforts between Nov. 9 and 15.
The month opens up with a new moon in your house of shared resources. You might enjoy an erotic sexual encounter or receive news about income from an unexpected source, such as royalties or an inheritance. Mercury retrograde could cause travel delays until Nov. 2. Then Mars turns retrograde on the 15th and might decrease your stamina for children and creative pursuits. The rest of this year you should hibernate on major projects and regroup.
The Boulevard
October – November 2007
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WINE & DINE
New York’s Restaurant Week Sells Itself By Heather Muhleman and Courtney Wells n New York City, dining out is a way of life. With a plethora of fantastic restaurants to choose from, you pretty much can’t go wrong. But for many New Yorkers, going to the trendiest, classiest and most talked about places isn’t always an option. There might be a waiting list, or sometimes, it’s just too expensive to try out all of the top choices. But twice a year, NYC & Co, New York City’s tourism marketing organization, sets up Restaurant Week so even shallow-pocketed foodies can dine at some of the most fabulous eateries with monikers known round the world. “New Yorkers and visitors alike enjoy Restaurant Week as a great opportunity to get great food at a great value,” explained Tiffany Townsend, communications director of NYC & Co. “It’s also a wonderful opportunity for restaurateurs to expand their audiences.” Summer and winter are hosts to these special weeks of $25 prix fixe lunches and $35 prix fixe dinners – all threecourse meals. For the Summer 2007 Restaurant Week, we trotted out to five featured restaurants to get an appetizing insight of the diverse foods, atmospheres and overall dining experiences patrons can experience during Restaurant Week. Everyone has the right to enjoy good food in
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New York, and by offering an affordable prix fixe menu, participating restaurants have the unique opportunity to gain new customers, give tourists bragging rights, and showcase what these chefs can really do. Our first venture, the 21 Club, serves a very similar prix fixe menu throughout the year to what they offer during Restaurant Week, which isn’t true for all participating restaurants. Diana Biederman, PR manager of the 21 Club, says Restaurant Week brings in new faces. “For many first-time patrons, Restaurant Week is a great way to experience ‘21’ at gentle prices,” she said. “Offering this prix fixe year-round is a great way for us to encourage them to visit us again.” Beware, some of the restaurants don’t offer their choicest cut of meat, the specialty they’re known for, or can be sneaky and serve what would normally be an appetizer as a main course. However, no matter which way you slice it, you’re going to get a lot more bite for your buck during Restaurant Week than you would were you to dine at any of the participating venues during an average week. So foodies, take note, there are over 200 restaurants that participate in Restaurant Week. NYC & Co will be announcing the dates for the winter restaurant week in midNovember so mark your calendars and get out there to enjoy the best food in New York City.
“The Trendy” – Megu [62 Thomas Street] Tucked into a backstreet downtown, Megu is well-known across the trend boards as one of the “in” places to eat. With its innovative modern Japanese cuisine mixed with the intimate meditative décor, Megu offers the perfect atmosphere for a date or special occasion. To reach the main dining room, you must take a series of staircases, which lends itself discreetly to the mysterious and secretive feel of the room. Heather Muhleman: Sushi and Sashimi (appetizer); “Hamachi” Salmon (main course); Green Tea Crepe (dessert). “The setting was amazing and very relaxing. I was hoping for more sushi options, but the green tea crepe was absolutely delicious.” Courtney Wells: Crispy Okai Asparagus and Crispy Kobe Beef Croquettes (appetizer); “Gempi” Miso Grilled Lamb Chop (main course); Green Tea Crêpe (dessert). “Despite being über-trendy, the atmosphere left you feeling relaxed, which could be attributed to the comfortable one-armed chairs. As a person who doesn’t care for seafood, I was glad to see so many options. Both the croquettes and lamb chops were mouth-watering and the green tea crêpe was a perfectly light dessert.”
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The Boulevard
October – November 2007
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“The Classic” – 21 Club [21 West 52nd Street] As a staple of New York City’s history, this one-time speakeasy and gentleman’s club is well known throughout the city as elite and untouchable. The finely dressed waiters and antique toys, which hang from the ceiling, give this elusive club the feeling that you are stepping back in time to a place where men smoked cigars and ladies wore feathered hats. We lunched there one afternoon and enjoyed the crowd of old school New Yorkers. HM- Grilled Spicy Shrimp (appetizer); Grilled Flat Iron Steak (main course); Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée (dessert). “Overall the food was very good, as always. The Iron Steak was perfect medium-rare and the shrimp was just spicy enough to give it flavor. The atmosphere was friendly and very gentleman club-esque.” CW- Yellow Tomato Gazpacho (appetizer); Crisp Seared Chicken Breast (main course); Blueberry Tart (dessert). “An atmosphere unlike many others in a city where the newest, trendiest place is the ‘it’ place to be. The gazpacho was perfect on a hot summer day. The chicken was tasty, but unmemorable, but the blueberry tart left me wanting another despite being completely full.”
“The Comfort Food” – Arezzo [46 West 22nd St.] With an exceptional staff and amazing food, Arezzo was our top choice for comfort, friendliness and a family atmosphere. With seating for only 65, we almost felt like we were in an Italian grandmother’s dining room enjoying her home-cooked meals of veal and cavatelli pasta. HM- Calamari with Yellow and Green Zucchini with Spicy Tomato Sauce (appetizer); Pasta Piacere - Cavatelli in Light Tomato Crème Sauce (main course); Gelati di Giorno (dessert). “The atmosphere and the staff made this place one of my favorites. The food was comforting and delicious, especially the calamari.” CW- Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella and Locally Grown Tomatoes Dressed with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil and Garden Fresh Basil (appetizer); Scaloppina di Vitello - Organic Veal Scaloppini with Wild Organic Mushrooms, Truffle Essence, Potatoes and Haricot Verde (main course); Gelati di Giorno (dessert). “It doesn’t take much to love Italian food, but when you go to a place like Arezzo you see how far off the Olive Garden truly is from Italian done right. The wait staff alone makes you feel right at home and the food will keep you going back for more.”
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WINE & DINE
“The Elite” – Le Cirque [151 East 58th Street] As legend precedes it, this contemporary French restaurant has been known in business circles for years as the place to close a deal. Le Cirque’s new location on the east side is well-lit, open and discreetly circus-themed. Only lunch is offered in participation with Restaurant Week. Overall, the food was good but the service slow. Make sure you can take your time enjoying your meal when dining here. HM- Sautéed Shrimp (appetizer); Ginger Chicken with Vegetables and Rice Pilaf (main course); Ice Cream and Sorbet (dessert). “With slow service and a slightly harsh staff, the meal was acceptable but did not get as high marks as I had hoped or expected. But in the end, the main course was prepared perfectly and the vanilla ice cream was spectacular.” CW- Salad “Le Cirque” (appetizer); Cheese Ravioli with Light Tomato Sauce (main course); Apricot and Pistachio Tart with Apricot Sorbet (dessert). “This is one of the restaurants that will sneak in an appetizer as a main course. The regular menu features the ravioli as a starter. You need longer than a lunch ‘hour’ if you plan on dining during work hours.”
“The Pampered Beef” – Kobe Club [68 West 58th Street] Restaurateur Jeffrey Chodorow’s carnivorous addition to the New York City foodscape is a classic steakhouse, with the addition of beef from trendy, massaged, beer-guzzling cows, resulting in Kobe Beef. Kobe Beef is very hot on the market at the moment and this place made it so elite, even the door is hard to find. HM- American Kobe Beef Cheek Ravioli in Truffle Sauce (appetizer); Kobe’s Sizzling American Wagyu Hanger Steak (main course); Berries and Vanilla Crème (dessert). “I could have had three servings of the Kobe ravioli and have been perfectly satisfied. This was the best appetizer by far with an excellent meal to follow. Definitely the best food of the experience.” CW- American Kobe Beef Cheek Ravioli in Truffle Sauce (appetizer); Kobe Chopped Sirloin Steak (main course); Crème Caramel (dessert). “The perfect restaurant for a carnivore like myself. As Heather stated, the Kobe ravioli was maybe the single best thing I’ve eaten all year. The sirloin steak was more like a very fancy hamburger, but delectable. Again, agreeing with Heather as the best food and ambience of the week.”
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The Boulevard
October – November 2007
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New England Clam Bake By Robert Rizzuto o, you’re having a clambake? Whether cooking on the shores of the ocean, in an outdoor grill or on the stovetop in the comfort of your home, clambakes are a great way to enjoy phenomenal New England seafood. Based on the Native American tradition of cooking seafood over hot coals buried in the ground, clambakes have grown in popularity. The fall is still a wonderful time to consider hosting a clambake. In fact, the waters are cooler and the seafood that you will be using is at its prime with regard to quality and freshness. Lobsters are the star of seafood recipes and while they share the stage with mussels and clams in this one - the lobster is the prime ingredient. Clambakes are New England traditions that have spread through the world wherever lobster lovers gather. This lobster cooking technique is said to have been passed to the first European settlers by the Native Americans who befriended them. This delicious combo of seafood, corn and new potatoes makes a tasty meal that is much easier to prepare than it looks. Rober t Rizzuto is director of dining services at New York Institute of Technology. If you would like the NYIT’s staff to come to your home and prepare a traditional New England clambake, please call 516-686-1251.
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New England Clam Bake To prepare a clambake for six, you will need: 3 dozen steamer clams (more if you’d like) 3 dozen fresh mussels 6 live lobsters 18 small red or white potatoes 6 ears of corn (in the husk) 6 medium onions 3 lemons (cut into wedges) One or two sticks (quarter-pound) of melted butter If you live near the beach, some seaweed or rockweed 12 pieces of 18” x 36” cheesecloth 12 pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil 6 metal nutcrackers and small fish forks Wash the clams, mussels and potatoes thoroughly. Peel the onions (not the potatoes) and remove the silk from the top of the ears of corn. Don’t remove the husks or the corn will get dried out when it cooks. Lay out two pieces of foil with two pieces of the cheesecloth on top. Wrap this around one lobster, three potatoes, six clams, six mussels, one ear of corn, one onion and some seaweed or rockweed, if you were able to find it. Add a cup of water to the package. Make sure to tie the cloth over the food and seal the foil well. This can be done without the cheesecloth if you can’t find any, but the food tends to get dark in spots and the lobster is dryer without the cloth to hold the moisture. Make six of these packages and place them on a barbecue grill about four inches from the heat. Cover the grill with the hood or with large pieces of foil tucked in around the edges of the grill. Let the packages steam for one hour, flipping them every 15 minutes. If the potatoes are done, it’s a good indication that the lobster and the rest of the package are ready for your feast. Open the packages and serve them with the lemon wedges and melted butter...you’ll need the nutcrackers and fish forks to get the lobsters out of the shell.
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WINE & DINE
Michaels’ at the Boardwalk
Breathes New Life into Riverhead
By Venus Quintana he town of Riverhead has long been a popular tourist destination. With all its famous attractions and celebrated shopping outlets, it has needed a restaurant to match its own exuberant character. The arrival of Michaels’ at the Boardwalk has proved to be a perfect fit, turning Riverhead into a new dining destination. This stunning newcomer, opened in March of 2007, is the sister restaurant of Michaels’ at Maidstone Beach in East Hampton. Owner Rich Gherardi took over the business in 2005 and transformed it into a charming, casual spot serving up hearty cuisine at affordable prices. The new Riverhead Michaels’ boasts the same, reasonably priced fine food, while offering a more contemporary, sophisticated look. There are two entrances- from East Main Street or through the patio at the rear that overlooks a large parking area. While the view may not be so desirable, the spectacular interior certainly is, and will leave you pleasantly surprised. Shiny hardwood floors, creamy beige walls and high ceilings set the scene for the majestic, mahogany bar with its shiny, copper counter. A chocolate-brown, leather banquette lines the dining room, while large cylinder chandeliers create the perfect light. The walls are adorned with framed mirrors and black and white photography of Long Island in the 1930s. The stunning, modern decor sets the stage for the equally matched cuisine. Executive chef Michael Meehan runs the show at both restaurants. With a fine repertoire, he brings his talents and years of experience with him, after working at some of Long Island‘s favorite restaurants - Tupelo Honey in Sea Cliff, Mill River Inn in Oyster Bay and The Seafood Barge in Southold. The menu at Michaels’ concentrates on local seafood, produce, meats and pastas, bringing the best of all local farms and wineries together to add vivacity to every dish. For appetizers, the grilled Polish Town kielbasa with herb mustard and warm potato salad is a must and pays tribute to the town’s heritage. Buffalo-style rock shrimp start off crunchy and end up melting in your mouth with blue cheese dipping sauce. For entrees the juicy Berkshire pork chop resting on a crispy mound of potato hash was enough for two carnivorous mouths, while the 24 oz. rib eye on the bone had been cooked to perfection. The fried local flounder was a lighter alternative with cabbage slaw and lime tartar sauce. Side dishes included smoothly creamed spinach and golden potato pancakes. The feast did not end there, for all the desserts created by Mr. Meehan himself were magnificent. Satiny crème brûlée - always a favorite, left you craving one more bite. The Key lime pie had a perfect crust with a tang to match and a moist peach turnover was divine with creamy vanilla ice cream. It certainly was a piece of heaven. Michaels’ at the Boardwalk has surely given visitors and food savvy diners one great reason to keep on coming back to the wonderful town of Riverhead.
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Michaels’ at the Boardwalk 65 East Main Street, Riverhead, NY 11901 631-591-2710 – Open for lunch and dinner.
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The Boulevard
October – November 2007
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davidburke & donatella…
Daring to Be Great with No Apologies By Barry Kay avid Burke is an acknowledged culinary genius with a flair for drama and the unconventional, all on display at the fabulous davidburke & donatella restaurant on 61st Street in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. David partnered with Donatella Arpaia, lawyer turned restaurateur, and opened davidburke & donatella to rave reviews in January 2003. Their partnership works beautifully because Donatella uses her people and managerial skills to keep the dining room happy, while David creates never before seen culinary fantasies in the kitchen. Having heard about David’s signature dishes Angry Lobster and his Bronx-style Filet Mignon of Veal, as well as his scrumptious cheesecake lollipop trees, I looked forward to a fantastic dining experience. Arriving at the restaurant, we walked down a set of stairs into what once was an Upper East Side townhouse. The all-white front room features a full-length bar where power diners from the worlds of entertainment and finance can dine solo from the gourmet menu or savor fine wine or liquor. The front and back dining rooms at both lunch and dinner are filled with the type of people you read about on Page Six or in The Boulevard, as well as regular businessmen and tourists. The main dining room is formal in appearance and adorned with shades of red and crimson along with wall decorations of blown-glass multi-colored balloons and a spectacular sculpture made of red glass rods over the fireplace. The seating and banquettes are luxurious and spaced so that you can enjoy neighboring tables without feeling uncomfortably close. The maitre d’ and staff are knowledgeable and attentive, and describe and explain some of David’s more creative dishes. Even the brioche roll presented as you sit down has a unique “Burke”
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flair and panache. The brioche is baked in a copper casserole, which also acts as your serving piece. The sourdough top of the brioche is sprinkled with thyme and coarse salt and a Mideastern spice, zatar butter. Accompanied by a special butter sprinkled with coarse red salt, it is indescribably delicious. We started off with Angry Lobster, one of David’s many memorable signature dishes, along with an exquisite parfait of yellowfin tuna and salmon tartare topped with American sturgeon caviar and crème fraîche. The Angry Lobster is hot, spicy and delectable, while the tartare dish is almost a meal in itself. My main course consisted of wild king salmon adorned with heirloom tomato, marinated Bermuda onions and citrus and coconut kaffir-lime emulsion, while our other entrée was bacon-wrapped Muscovy duck with celery root puree, endive and apple relish. Both dishes were beautifully presented, delicious and memorable. For dessert, our table became a garden filled with trees made of cheesecake lollipops in strawberry and chocolate dip, and bubble gum-flavored whipped cream. Dining at davidburke & donatella provided us with a memorable two-and-a-half hour culinary tour of David’s genius and an elegant and sophisticated ambiance. davidburke & donatella provides an atmosphere, menu and price range that make you want to come back again. I know that we will be visiting again in the very near future. davidburke & donatella is located at 133 East 61st Street on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The restaurant offers a prix fixe luncheon menu as well as an a la carte and prix fixe three-course dinner menu. An elaborate Sunday brunch is also offered. For reservations call 212-813-2121.
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WINE & DINE
Lentil Soup to Warm You as Days Grow Cooler By Bob Ronzoni entil Quiz: How many lentils are there in a 16-ounce package? Until this time you probably have never counted the number of lentils in a 1-pound package, as I’m sure you are busy with other tasks. Well, you don’t have to count them, because I have done it for you! There are approximately 8,160 lentils in a package. Now you can easily impress your friends with this obscure fact, or maybe just annoy them at your next gathering. I have been friends with lentil soup for many decades and have always found it to be a hearty soup, but not overwhelmingly filling. My mother would make this soup occasionally, but her specialty was minestrone soup. This was our “chicken soup.” If you had a cold, you had minestrone soup. If you were having company and the meal needed to be stretched, you made minestrone soup. If you had just too many vegetables in the kitchen, you made minestrone soup. I take it that you get the picture. Minestrone today, tomorrow and forever. Well, a pleasant change from this was lentil soup, though I always suspected that soup with lentils was a clever way to disguise vegetables that would have made their way into minestrone soup. All of that is in the past and we are all grown up and understand the greater picture – soup is good for you and lentil soup, in particular, is just darn delicious! I was fortunate to recently rediscover this soup at my sister Rosemary’s country house on the west bank of the Hudson River a few weeks ago. Besides the beautiful scenery and the excitement of enjoying a nice day with family, there, simmering on the stove, was a large pot of lentil soup. I was so excited to be there and the aroma of the simmering pot brought back memories. After the usual family greeting and the discussion of traffic jams, I took a spoon out of the drawer, and dove into the lentil soup. Wow! This was great soup! I grabbed another spoon and did it again; I know the rules, never double dip. And, of course the second taste was even better than the first. I anticipated a great lunch and a special day ahead. I knew that this was a recipe to be shared and not kept as a secret. So here it is. Thank you, Rosemary!
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The Boulevard
October – November 2007
Rosemary’s Lentil Soup Recipe ¼ cup olive oil 1 cup chopped onion 3 cloves garlic, chopped ½ cup chopped celery 1 cup chopped carrots 16 oz. pkg. lentils (green lentils are preferred over red) ½ cup chopped tomatoes ¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley Handful of green leaf vegetable (escarole, Swiss chard or spinach) -optional 2 quarts boiling water Salt and pepper In a soup pot, heat the olive oil and sauté chopped onion and garlic until the onion turns soft and yellow. Add chopped celery and carrots gradually and continue to sauté. Meanwhile, boil water in a kettle. When the sauté mix begins to look as if it might burn, add enough boiling water to just cover the mix and continue cooking until the celery and carrots soften. Meanwhile, rinse the lentils and add to the soup pot. Continue adding boiling water gradually as needed and cook over low heat until the lentils are soft, approximately 45 minutes. Add tomatoes. Cook 5 minutes longer. Remove about one-third of the soup mixture and place it into a blender. Blend briefly until the mixture has a creamy consistency. This step adds bulk and interest to the soup as the creaminess of the mixture contrasts with the whole lentils. Add back to the soup pot. Add chopped parsley and the green leaf vegetable (optional). Continue cooking for a few minutes until the greens are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with grated parmesan cheese. The soup can be made ahead and keeps very well in the refrigerator or freezer. I have always enjoyed lentil soup served the next day, as all the ingredients seem to blend for best flavor. Enjoy!
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Manhasset’s New Asian Cuisine Restaurant By Barry Kay illis and George Poll have a knack for consistently creating diversified, exciting new restaurants on Long Island. Toku, their newest creation at Americana Manhasset, is exotic, sophisticated and chic, with an “urban atmosphere.” The Poll brothers spent years refining their culinary skills at Bryant & Cooper, Cipollini’s, Riverbay, and two Major Steak Houses. Toku’s décor, excellent service and eclectic oriental menu exemplifies attention to quality and detail. Gillis and George worked with Executive Chef Tomoyuki Kobayashi to help create their own exotic menu of Asian dishes with variations offered exclusively by Toku. My wife I recently had the opportunity to sample the amazing variety of mouthwatering appetizers and entrees offered at this visually stunning restaurant. At Toku, first time diners can create their own tasting menu, with an assortment of delicious appetizers or a full three course meal. Our own tasting menu included Toro Tartare with caviar, and a beautifully presented and delectable assortment of sushi and sashimi in glorious hues of pinks, yellows, blues, and reds. We next were served an assortment of rock shrimp tempura, pork buns, and steamed sea bass roll. The appetizers were followed by an assortment of hot foie gras and pineapple skewers and a Peking duck salad. Each course was fully discussed and explained by a well- trained waiter/waitress. Our main courses were a mouthwatering miso black cod along with cod shishito pepper salad, pickled ginger, and bonito shaving, as well as braised short ribs with mushroom chow fun. Each dish
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was presented on fine china and cooked to absolute perfection. No review of Toku would be complete without a description of the interior design and decorating elements visible at the restaurant. The Polls worked with designer Paul Bentel of Bentel & Bentel in Locust Valley to help bring to life their vision of converting a simple restaurant interior into modern elegance and sophistication. However, even with its urban chic, Toku is warm and inviting, featuring a spectacular wood and illuminated onyx bar and comfortable seating. The sleek wood paneled walls have a number of celebrated works of art by Li Jin of China. Toward the back of the dining room is a visible glass and wood enclosed private dining room with a garden-like setting. This area can be closed for private affairs or opened to extend the dining rooms. Asian figurines and decorations are tastefully arrayed in both the bar area and dining room. The elaborate menu and delicious food are well priced so that individuals, couples or families can enjoy an affordable night out. Based on my own experience, I fully expect that Toku will fast become one of Long Island’s most successful new restaurants. Congratulations to Gillis, George, and their wonderful well-trained staff for bringing gourmet Asian-style food, Manhattan chic and another wonderful Poll brothers restaurant to Long Island. Toku is located at 2014 Northern Boulevard, Americana Manhasset, and is open weekdays noon to 11 p.m. and weekends noon-midnight. For reservations call 516-627-TOKU (8658).
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page 096-097 WINE AND DINE vine speak:Pages 001-004
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WINE & DINE
Vine Speak
By Heather Muhleman
Masters of Ceremony
A Tasting Lesson for
Wine Wanna-Bes
W
ine dates back to biblical times and today still seems to be elusive and only for the elite. I strongly disagree with this statement and henceforth intend to disprove that knowledge of wine and smelling the appropriate bouquet is only for those with their noses in the air. I do not consider myself a connoisseur, but rather a wine lover and wine drinker and one of the wonderful things about that is that I can always learn more. This column is about the satisfaction of learning about wines, drinking wine and enjoying time with family and friends. So why not start at the beginning? The act of wine drinking is really “to each his own.” But agreeably, there is a ceremony, or dance, that takes place when placing an order for a bottle of wine. After ordering your bottle, presumably for the table, the waiter or wine steward shows you the bottle, opens the cork, you smell it,
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he pours you a small taste, you sip, aerate, swallow and approve or disapprove. This ceremony isn’t a pretentious way to gloat on your knowledge of wine or status as a wine connoisseur. It’s a dance, one of the joys of tasting wine and making sure it is acceptable to serve to your guests. Every single step is a part of that enjoyment. I recently had dinner with my close friend John Ciambrano, sommelier at the 21 Club. Between the bottles of wine and the amazing tagliatelle bolognaise, a deep discussion came up about the wine tasting experience and what the procedure is for knowing and enjoying good wine. “Keep an open mind when looking at wines,” says Ciambrano, “you can’t dismiss new things.” Wine tasting isn’t just about drinking alcohol; the experience is fascinating because it involves so many of our senses. You have to see, smell, taste and feel wine, all of which have their own pleasures independently.
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See
Taste
The first thing you need to notice in a wine is the color and the clarity. There should be no sediment, no cloudiness and the rim should be clear, even in reds, when held over a white background. Many people refer to the legs of a wine when they swirl. These “legs” are the residual sugars running down the side of the glass which indicate the sweetness.
Smelling leads directly into taste. Smell the wine as you take the sip. This is the reason for the glass design, to get your nose in there and use it while you taste. It delivers the wine properly to your palate. On your first sip, don’t judge too hastily. Coat your entire mouth, swallow and then taste again. This second taste will be the right one to judge. The first is a rinse to cleanse the palate of what you had before the wine. What are the flavors that come forth? Is it fruity or oaky? Where on your tongue do you sense the taste?
Smell Grapes from different regions smell like different things depending on the territory and the environment of the vines. Initially, you can smell if it’s clean or unclean (if it smells musty or like a cork). Aroma refers to a young wine and the bouquet is an older wine. There are more than 300 different scents that the human nose can detect, but most people cannot smell or differentiate between every single one. There are only a few dozen we can actually identify. To help narrow down what you are smelling, use a scent wheel. It will help you focus on what the smell could be.
The best way to describe wines when you taste is to go with your gut. If you smell cat urine, then you might be drinking a Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc (which is actually an amazing wine). If you smell petrol, you might be drinking a Riesling – which is what it normally smells like. Americans typically have bold tastes and like very full, heavy wines.
Feel Your mouth is extraordinary because what you taste is a combination of senses. Have you ever thought about how food feels? What does the wine do physically to your tongue? Is it harsh, light, crisp, soft? Some red wines will make you pucker and have a drying effect at the end. This is an effect of the tannins. Some wines will relax your mouth, while others will coat it.
While some vineyards in California are going for the quantity vs. quality and pumping out wines that fulfill that type of taste, Long Island wines, however, are finding the happy medium – the Goldilocks, if you will. So what is the dance for? The waiter shows you the bottle to make sure that you ordered the wine you had in mind. He then hands you the cork
after he opens it. You smell the cork to check for any “unclean” scents or any foul odor that shouldn’t accompany a wine. He then pours a small taste in your glass. You swirl, look at the color, open up the wine to the air and take a sip. Take another little sip and really pay attention to the taste and feel in your mouth. If you approve, it’s time to toast. Cheers to good wine.
Some Fall Suggestions From Mr. Ciambrano: Corey Creek 2005 Gewürztraminer – Lush and simple, this floral wine will go great with summer foods like salads and grilled vegetables. Macari 2003 Reserve Barrel Chardonnay – For the more traditional palate, this chardonnay isn’t overly oaky and is a great reason why people should like this grape. Sherwood House 2003 Cabernet Franc – Made in a French style, this Cabernet Franc is complex and intriguing. With subtle oak and vanilla flavors, the structure of this wine blows you away even after the last sip is gone. Jamesport 2004 Cabernet Franc – For a normally heavy grape, this wine is very light and earthy. With a slight strawberry flavor, this wine goes well with fowl or mushroom dishes.
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Brivo Restaurant Opens in East Hills Restaurant Offers Fine Italian Cuisine By Denise Nash ears of visioning, months of labor and the newest fine dining restaurant is born on the North Shore of Long Island. Brivo, which officially opened in early September, offers patrons a comfortable yet elegant dining experience serving a variety of Italian specialties. In a location once occupied by L’Endroit in East Hills, no details were overlooked from the décor to the menu and the staff. Although restaurant president Rosario Asaro has always had a passion for this industry and his family has been in the food business for years making Botticelli olive oil, this is his first restaurant so he knew he had to bring in the best staff to make Brivo a successful establishment. And that he did along with his brother Salvatore Asaro and cousin Anthony Ienna. General manager David Chiong will be running the front of the restaurant along with Gaberial Moroianu, beverage director with executive chef Peter Petti preparing the delicacies. Chef Petti, who formally worked at Felidia, an Italian restaurant in Manhattan, which is owned by celebrity chef Lidia Bastianich worked with Asaro to develop the menu. The sous chef, Matthew Nelson, is also from Felidia. The menu offers a diverse mix of Italian cuisine – “the best food from all regions of Italy,” Asaro explains. Some of the specialties included on the menu are homemade ravioli with burrata cheese, pan seared diver scallops and veal chop valdostana stuffed with robiola cheese. From appetizers to dessert, no details were spared. All of the pastries that are served at Brivo are made in house. Before patrons even taste the food, they are treated to a warm ambiance created by the beautiful décor. Z Squared inc. Interiors in Oyster Bay designed the modern day Tuscan setting transporting patrons to an Italian Villa. The marble tile, Venetian plaster walls and beautiful light fixtures create an intimate, chic setting. You can begin your dining experience on the Brivo patio or bar-side and enjoy a cocktail, including one of 16 wines
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offered by the glass. Dinner is also available at tables in the bar area. The dining room, which can accommodate approximately 100 people, offers a spacious place to relax and enjoy the setting and the cuisine. The upstairs area at Brivo hosts banquet affairs and can accommodate approximately 150 people offering a specialized menu with the same fine dining experience patrons find in the dining room. Elevators offer access to the second level banquet room as well as the restrooms. A unique element that Brivo offers is a chef’s tasting menu. The chef will talk to the customer to get a feel for the food they like and create a 5-course meal specifically designed for each individual. Years of dreaming have turned into a reality for Asaro. “When this premier location became available, we saw a niche that needed to be filled and knew this was the right time to make our dreams come true and open Brivo,” said Asaro. Brivo is located at 290 Glen Cove Road in East Hills. The restaurant is open Monday through Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. for lunch and 5 to 11 p.m. for dinner. Call 516-6265200 for reservations. www.boulevardli.com
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WINE & DINE
Andrea Correale The Diva of Entertaining By Ruth Bashinsky t’s the day after a long holiday weekend and Andrea Correale has barely come up for air. As president and CEO of her own company, Elegant Affairs - a fullservice off-premises catering and event design firm with clients on Long Island, in Manhattan and in the Hamptons - she is used to the frenetic pace. The phones haven’t stopped ringing as Correale sits in her Glen Cove office dressed in a chic black strappy sundress with her bronze hair pulled back in a sleek ponytail. September is one of Correale’s busiest months, with an average of 20 to 30 events taking place each week. Her morning was spent getting tent estimates, arranging a site inspection of valet parking for an upcoming party and finalizing the details of one of her biggest fundraisers of the year, the Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club Tuscan Gala. For that event, Correale and her team will transform a tennis court at a home on the North Shore into a Night in Tuscany, complete with a three-course Tuscan feast. “It’s just non-stop. We have all these weddings and nonprofit events going on,” explains Correale, who just came off an action-packed summer of star-studded events
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she executed out in the Hamptons, including hip-hop sensation Russell Simmons’ Fourth of July bash, Brooke Shields’ gathering at her East Hampton home, a party for the cast of Law & Order, Tikki Barber’s retirement party and a soiree for artist Peter Beard held at the $40 million estate of real estate mogul Janna Bullock. In the midst of all the glitz and glamour, Correale was even able to snag her own slice of fame with her appearance on VH-1’s Fabulous Life: The Hamptons. Just last week, her company signed a 30-year contract with The Players, the historic club in Gramercy Park, to be their exclusive on-site caterer. She is also set to become the exclusive caterer for the Nassau County Museum of Art. It is hard not to be impressed with this energetic 30something, who started her company in the basement of her mother’s house 12 years ago and built it into a small empire with parties that start at $2,000 and go well into the millions. “As we are getting more and more attention, one of the challenges is that people need to know that we are not so cost-prohibitive. We are by no means the cheapest man on the block … but we are more affordable than people think,” notes Correale. Weddings, bar mitzvahs, baby showers, bridal showers, clam bakes, 40th birthday parties and corporate events are still a big part of her business. In fact, her company is in the process of launching a Foods To Go division that will offer fabulous cuisine without all of the other event extras to people who like to do their own entertaining.
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Asked what her favorite events are to plan, she responds that she loves everything, from private dinner parties to the high-profile over the-top affairs. “I love doing everything, “ Correale smiles, “The low-key dinner parties in somebody’s home and making it very special and of course, the celebrity events, because there is always a lot of press involved. It is a status thing.” Working with a team of 45 people, including culinar y professionals, décor designers, sale representatives and event designers, Correale is sure not to take all the credit. “I have so many great qualified team members. We all have to work in sync to make things successful,” she says. “You are only as good as your last party.” As if all that activity were not enough, Correale wants to write a book on entertaining, open up a cooking school and maybe even have her own reality show one day. Based on her sense of determination and drive, don’t be surprised to see any or all of these goals become a reality very soon.
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WINE & DINE
Starting at the Bottom and Going Way Over the Top…
David Burke, Celebrity Chef and Restaurateur By Barry Kay avid Burke knows the meaning of working your way up the ladder of success in the culinary field. He began his spectacular rise to fame and fortune doing maintenance and washing dishes at a Holiday Inn near his New Jersey home. David realized early on that the guys who ate the best at the hotel were those who worked in the kitchen. Although a picky eater, David found cooking a perfect outlet for his creativity and started out by making salads at the Holiday Inn. From there he moved to more upscale hotels and restaurants. He became a cook at Fromagerie, a fine dining restaurant in Rumson, New Jersey, which he ultimately purchased last year. David’s culinary mastery is only one part of the “Burke mystique,” as he is also a thriving entrepreneurial businessman. His uncompromising fascination with ingredients and his willingness to try even the most unusual food combinations has given the food world dishes such as swordfish chops and pastrami salmon. Today, David is acclaimed as one of the leading pioneers in American cooking David admits that you have to be slightly mad, or madly in love with the restaurant business, to succeed. The underlying truth according to David is that the restaurant business is more about passion than profit. His culinary creations are a product of his training at the Culinary Institute of America, his studies and apprenticeship in some of the great restaurants in France, and his
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experiences as a personal chef in Norway. David’s honors began at the age of 26 when he was the first American, as well as one of the youngest chefs on record, to win France’s coveted Meilleurs Ouvriers de France Diplome d’Honneur, an award given to the chef who shows unparalled skill and creativity with his native cuisine. At the same competition, Burke also received Japan’s Nippon Award of Excellence, another high culinary honor. In 1995 and 2006, he was nominated for a James Beard Foundation Best Chef, NYC Award. In 1996, he received the Robert Mondavi Award of Excellence, and was one of the first Americans to receive the CIA’s August Escoffier Award. Burke worked at River Café, first as sous chef under the world famous Charlie Palmer, then ascending to executive chef and earning three stars from The New York Times. He also worked briefly with the famous Daniel Bouloud. In 1992 David opened Park Avenue Café with Smith and Wolensky CEO Alan Stillman, which is where he learned about running a restaurant business and the value of branding. In January 2003, David teamed up with former lawyer and energetic restaurateur Donatella Arpaia to open davidburke & donatella. David describes the restaurant’s cuisine as “David Burke unplugged.”
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Speaking to David is easy, revealing and rewarding; he is a man of great passion and convictions and shares them both with honesty and directness. He spoke to me of the difficulty in finding good help today as too few kitchen workers are fully conversant in English. Speaking English competently is vitally important at David’s restaurants and he has sent many of his staff to school to improve their language skills. Four years on the job seems to be the point where good help looks to spread their wings and go on to start their own restaurants, or change to a higher-paying position. Having lived and worked in both Europe and America, David feels that the quality of very best American restaurants equals their much-publicized European counterparts. He does feel that the dining experience in Europe is more relaxed and enjoy-
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able because at American restaurants there is pressure to “turn the tables” twice in one evening. As a culinary renaissance man, David is in the process of becoming a oneman food industry, writing best-selling gourmet cookbooks, developing a Burke line of cookware, and launching a new gourmet food show for cable. He has also launched David Burke at Bloomingdales, featuring a full-service
Burke Bar Café, and Burke in a Box take-out gourmet meals. David created and helps supervise the menu at New York City’s exciting Riese-owned Hawaiian Tropic Zone Restaurant and is in the process of opening Burke Vegas at the Venetian in Las Vegas and three new restaurants at the Foxwoods Casino and Resort in Connecticut – a steakhouse, fish house and Burke in the Box, opening in May 2008. He hopes to have 13-20 new restaurants in the tri-state area and Vegas within the next five -10 years. David’s theory on entrepreneurial success in the restaurant business is that “to become a success means taking big chances and sometimes falling down in the process.” In other words, failing upward… David Burke’s innovation, creativity and vision have changed the face of haute cuisine in America forever.
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TRAVEL
Litchfield Hills Is Home to a Posh New Resort By Christina D. Morris ravel choices today are extraordinary. Recent openings of hotels and resorts frequently leave journalists searching for the appropriate adjectives to describe facilities and amenities that are frankly, in some cases, over the top! By that I mean, so out of the ordinary one struggles to convey it in realistic terms … although “fantasy” begs to be mentioned. The Connecticut Litchfield Hills is one of the prettiest areas of the state and only two hours from Long Island. Winvian, an unconventional getaway, offers guests the choice of 18 individual cottages set on a 113-acre former farm in Morris, CT. Winvian’s name reflects the coinage of Winthrop H. Smith, a founding partner of Merrill Lynch, and his wife Vivian. History abounds here and the 1775 house built by Dr. Seth Bird and a later addition of the Smith Ell are today incorporated into the 21st century design of this resort. The Smiths purchased the property in 1948, renaming it
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Winvian. The present-day owners (their son) let loose on the property no fewer than 15 talented architects who were invited to create their dream cottage. The results prove they were up to the task, since appearances suggest money was no object. Our stay in Woodlands by architect Troy Osborne indicates ”Life is a shade better amongst the trees.” No argument there. One of the larger accommodations, it was truly delightful. Faux trees soar to a double-height ceiling in many corners of the cottage; a loft (not usable) appeared to have a garden flourishing above our heads. The attractive living room shared the fireplace with the adjoining bedroom, where a natural stone waterfall defined the boundary between bathroom and bedroom. The king four-poster bed featured a flat-screen TV easily removed from sight into the base. The bathroom sinks were carved out of tree trunks and the Jacuzzi bath overlooked a woodland setting.
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Opposite page: The artist cottage on a snowy morning illustrates how all the cottages are free-standing, separate buildings scattered about the 113-acre property.
We made site visits to Beaver Lodge adorned with antique paraphernalia and woodsy aroma; Golf with undulating flooring, putters and holes; the Library with pond view; and the Treehouse, a fabulous collection of oddities and makeshift walls yet complete with luxurious bedding and bathroom facilities. Regrettably, the two cottages we were truly interested in were both occupied: Stone cottage, although a view of the exterior gave a pretty good vision of the interior, and the Helicopter. All cottages feature woodburning fireplaces, screened porches, wet bar, Nespresso coffee systems and Harney & Sons tea service, Italian linens and duvets, and state-of-the-art technology.
This page: The Greenhouse Cottage is a masterpiece of shimmering light in all seasons. All photos courtesy of Winvian
Along with the extraordinary choices in accommodation, a freestanding 5,000-square foot spa on the property is absolutely fabulous. Face and body treatments run the gamut and an Eve Lom facial based on her nononsense approach to beauty was my choice. A colleague expressed that her REN 5-phase bespoke facial was also on the mark. There are couples facilities at the spa and as we were leaving, the spa staff informed us that nail care was being added. Conference facilities are found in the Gordon Brown House that actually has a homey appeal. The Boardroom is also quietly refined for that important gathering.
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TRAVEL Dining is a highlight of the resort and a significant reason to visit Winvian. While our stay was brief, my wish would have been for at least another lunch and dinner. The chef, Chris Eddy, came on board in June 2006 with a sterling background that included work with Daniel Boulud and Alain Ducasse. Prior to arriving at Winvian, Eddy worked at Ducasse’s Mix atop the Mandalay Bay in Vegas. He has many other credits, too many to name. Along with Eddy, Paolo Middei came on board as the food and beverage manager. Middei brings to the position an impressive international background in F&B operations in hotels and restaurants including the Hyde Park and Grosvenor Hotels in London and Italy’s La Posta Vecchio’s restaurant, which received the Most Excellent Restaurant in Europe award in 2005 from Conde Nast Johansen. This infusion of talent in the dining room has created a team “extraordinaire!” Guests can look forward to bespoke
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cuisine, and from the few meals we enjoyed, be prepared to be surprised, curious, elated, as well as satiated with fresh aromatic nuances, delicate flavors and eye appealing presentations. An asparagus starter was sublime, as were perfectly prepared scallops. Desserts were feathery and incorporated lots of fresh fruits. More hearty fare included pasta with seafood as well as perfectly executed steak with fries. Bar services and the open wine cellar allow guests to choose their own wine for meals. Rates start at $1,450 per night for the all-inclusive adult facility wherein the entire property can also be rented (children can be accommodated during whole-property rentals) for weddings, parties, conferences, etc., and plans are under way for the addition of a pool and tennis courts. The website www.winvian.com has great photos and directions. Just two hours from Long Island, but a sybaritic world away.
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Accommodations Here’s a listing of accommodations with the given names and brief concept behind them. Guests’ only challenge will be making the decision as to which one, then checking availability. Guests already have favorites, as we found out. The Artists-a New England 1920s ar tists’ cottage Beaver Lodge-entering the realm of nature Camping-bringing the outdoors inside Charter Oak-a homage to Connecticut’s history Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’ Court-a medieval fantasy based on Mark Twain’s book Golf-putt like you have never putted before Greenhouse-evolving with the seasons and with each guest Helicopter-allowing the imagination to fly The Hadley Suite-revisiting the grand life of 18th century New England Industry-commemorating Yankee ingenuity Library-a beautiful homage to the written word Log Cabin-stumble into a refuge Maritime-a piece of coast in the woods Music-go beyond singing in the shower Secret Society-a peek into the initiates’ world Stable-a multilevel and contemporary interpretation of a New England stable Stone-a no-comfort-spared cave Treehouse-big kids never had it so good Woodlands- the forest without the drizzle
Opposite page: The Gordon Brown House is used for events, conferences, dinners, etc. The décor is rustic-chic and can accommodate 300 for cocktails, or 150 for a private dinner. Above: The helicopter inventor, Russian Igor Sikorsky, is synonymous with Connecticut, where the flying machines continue to be produced. Below: The 5,000-square foot spa includes six treatment rooms along with this sumptuous Forty Winks Suite for couples.
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TRAVEL
Portland, Oregon Is a Place of Wine and Roses
By Sara Duncan Widness dventures of two or three days can sometimes make us feel we’ve been away for many more. This is especially true if the destination’s a good fit. A city called Portland, Oregon, a place of wine and roses, falls into this category. First there was Wes, an Oregon State University preengineering frat boy. He helped program this writer’s new cell tel between serving lattés and croissant at St. Honore Boulangerie, whose roots are straight from Normandy. Wes’ assistance took place on a sunny August morning on an esplanade overlooking Lake Oswego. Here a wealthy enclave with lake views lends more than passing credence to the fact that Portland and environs represent one of the most appealing
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places to settle in – and visit – in the Pacific Northwest. But back to Wes. Perhaps it’s a truism that when natives enjoy where they’re living it’s easier for them to make their visitors welcome. He could well be the poster boy for this visit that would become a surprising attack of déjà vu. Like favorite places on the Mediterranean where the sun magnifies any display of unfettered friendliness, the greater Portland region, through which the Willamette River courses, and beyond, where the Cascades (most notably Mount Hood) loom, can be sampled in a few satisfying days of dining and strolls. At the top of the list are two distinct districts (suggest walking, not driving) on the west side of the Willamette followed by a short drive out of town for an introduction to Oregon’s wine country.
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Draped in blooms (think roses), sunshine and unguarded friendliness, and sated with good food, the greater Portland region feels a lot like the best of European secondtier cities surrounded by countryside. Just 24 hours later this feeling was confirmed while sitting on another terrace overlooking vineclad rolling acres about an hour out of Portland on 99 West. Here Lynne Penner-Ash, winemaker for PennerAsh Wine Cellars, discoursed on her award-winning pinot noir that had just received three over-90 scores from Wine Spectator. Taste tests a few minutes later confirmed this winer y ’s reputation while we elbowed at the tasting bar with a wine buyer and his sales team from Ohio seeking to secure their share of this year’s estimated 8,000 cases. (Note: Michael Skurnik Wines of Syosset was one of the first New York distributors to bring PennerAsh to Long Island. The wines have been carried at the Sag Harbor Liquor Store and at McNamara Liquors in Bridgehampton.) In Portland proper, the first district to explore is The Pearl. Think antiques, art galleries, home décor, boutiques and the Pearl Bakery’s artisan breads, embraced by neighborhoods of gentrified bungalows and colorful Victorian homes. The second is Old Town near the river. Think several-story terra cotta buildings and low-slung warehouses of art, fine linens, restaurants and nightclubs, residence lofts and an occasional mechanic’s shop, a throwback to this area’s blue-collar roots of not so many years ago. These neighborhoods that embrace shopping and al fresco dining are more or less connected by a tree -festooned greenbelt over a mile long. On one end of the greenbelt is the Portland
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Art Museum (among the 25 largest ar t museums in the countr y), followed by the urban Portland State University campus and finally the Willamette itself. If you need a faster pace than strolling, there’s a three-mile jogging loop spanned by bridges with pedes-
trian walkways and views in all directions. Other vistas of the Willamette that give a vine-clad valley its name can be enjoyed on foot as well, on designated walking trails that meander over wooden bridges and under moss-fringed trees around Lake Oswego.
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Not to be missed are this City of Roses’ fabled International Rose Test and the Japanese gardens in Washington Park. Once again in 2008 the city stages its Portland Rose Festival. The dates for its 101st annual homage to the rose are May 29 through June 8, with its fabled Grand Floral Parade along a 4.5-mile route on June 7. For details visit www.rosefestival.org or call 503-227-2681. There’s a short but scenically worthwhile voyage by gondola from the waterfront up to Oregon Health & Science University campus from the south waterfront. A city that takes pride in its connections also encourages folks to use its Max Light Rail that flows where the downtown Portland Street Car doesn’t, including from the airport to downtown. Near The Pearl is Jake’s Famous Crawfish Restaurant that since 1892 has sated the appetites of logger barons and visitors seeking fresh seafood. If you order the Dungeness Crab Louis ask that it come without shrimp because you’ll get more crabmeat. Murals attest to the fact that Portland’s roots had a lot to do with primal forests of Douglas fir.
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In a town south of Portland called West Linn, on old Willamette Drive that used to be the main artery into Portland before the interstates is Bugatti’s Ristorante with a list combining Italian and Oregon wines, including Erath Vineyard’s Pinot Gris. (This vineyard is one of the pioneers in the Oregon wine industry.) Portland and environs is such a dining /wine mecca that a former editor of Fine Cooking magazine, Mar tha Holmberg, is now at the helm as food editor of The Oregonian, the state’s largest daily. She has also just launched a bi-monthly magazine about the Oregon food and wine scene called Mix. Perhaps along the way this magazine will point out that palates that have been preened on the fresh bounty of the West Coast (doubtless due to the Pacific’s mitigating influences) may never be entirely at home on the East Coast where truly flavorful produce has to be imported. If you plan to visit the greater Portland region, here are three hotels positioned near The Pearl and Old Town: The Benson Hotel, 503-228-2000, www.BensonHotel.com; The Heathman Hotel, 503-241-4100, www.HeathmanHotel.com; The Hotel Vintage Plaza, 503-228-1212, www.VintagePlaza.com. For more information on Portland, visit www.travelportland.com.
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Hidden Gem of the North Fork
A Visit to Vintage Bed & Breakfast In Long Island’s Wine Country By Heather Muhleman he Northfork of Long Island is a comparable mix between country and city life. Nestled in the countr y woods is Vintage B&B, a charming bed and breakfast that makes you forget you are only an hour and a half from the biggest metropolis in the U.S. Jeanne and Lou Genovese opened the Vintage Bed & Breakfast in Cutchogue, NY, seven years ago to get away from the crazy city life, and
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raise their two adopted children, Rocco and Emi, in a friendly, open environment. It also gave Jeanne the opportunity to run her own business and be a stay-at-home mom. As avid wine lovers, the North Fork was the perfect spot for them to start their life as innkeepers. The winding driveway leads you to a beautiful two-story colonial house with a mini-vineyard in front and three reserved parking spots named for their apply named rooms, Merlot,
Chardonnay and Zinfandel. With the smell of sweet pine in the air, we made our way to the cozy, yet sizable house surrounded by woods. Jeanne welcomed us to the Vintage Bed & Breakfast through a separate guest only entrance, immediately making us part of her family. She gives us a quick tour of the dining room, where breakfast is served at 9:30 sharp, the sitting room and the backyard – complete with their Doberman pincher, Brandy, along for the ride.
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The three rooms at Vintage are themed in grape varieties making for a full vineyard experience. The Merlot room, on the ground floor, has 9-foot ceilings, a grand queen canopy feather bed and a fireplace. The Chardonnay room decorated in cream and red, is on the second floor along with the Zinfandel room, complete with zinfandel colored walls. Each room has queen feather beds, private whirlpool baths and a romance all its own. Wine paraphernalia is scattered throughout the entire house, emphasizing the passion that the proprietors have for the area.
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Vintage B&B is within walking distance of seven wineries, including some of the most popular: Lenz, Pindar and Bedell. It is a short walk to the beach and on a lazy weekend in wine country, the Long Island Sound is the perfect place for a quick dip in the water. With their tremendous knowledge of the area and the wineries, Jeanne and Lou can point to the best farm stands, wine tastings and events on the North Fork. One of the most important parts of a bed and breakfast is the breakfast. Jeanne and Lou do not play around when it comes to food. Both being from very Sicilian backgrounds, the foods are traditional but with their own personal flare. A cookbook is available for those who fall in love with Lou’s windowpane eggs or his Peppernatta, aka “eggs in purgatory” (poached eggs in marina sauce). Most of the fruit and vegetables are grown on property – all types of berries, garlic, onions, lettuce, peppers, eggplant, 60 different kinds of tomatoes, and even fig bushes, a peach tree and a plum tree. Of course their “feature” comestible grown on proper ty is the grapes. Lou and Jeanne have been making their own wine for years but with the purchase of this land, they finally have a chance to grow their own grapes to make their vintages, instead of purchasing grapes. Vintage B&B is arguably one of the busiest bed and breakfasts, if not THE busiest on the North Fork. With its somewhat hidden location and welcoming atmosphere, guests feel as though they are visiting their own summer home – away from the crazy city life. Come have a glass of wine and make some new friends. To contact Vintage B&B, please visit them online at www.northfork.com/ vintagebnb/ or call Jeanne Genovese at 631-734-2053.
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The Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - World Class Perfection By Barry Kay he Seven Stars and Stripes reviewer team was well on its way to discover this enchanting palace for the first time. They landed at Abu Dhabi International Airport after a relaxing and luxurious flight on Etihad Airways, the official national airline of the United Arab Emirates. Debarking the flight, they had their suitcases in hand within minutes. For newly invited guests of the hotel, passport control and customs were handled quickly and professionally. As the gates of the arrival hall swung open, a well-dressed gentleman of eloquent demeanor established eye contact immediately, and welcomed each of the team by last name. This gentleman acted as driver, guide and butler for the team. He guided the team to two gleaming white Maybach stretch limousines that were waiting at the main entrance. The weather was beautiful and hot, and gave every indication of a great sunny day. Sunny weather and clear blue skies are the order of the day 360 days each year, with temperatures averaging above 104 degrees F from April through September. Abu Dhabi is truly a paradise waiting for discovery by western tourists and businessmen. It is the capital of the emirate of the same name and is the largest of the seven emirates in the United Arab Emirates. It is also the capital of the UAE and is reputedly the richest city in the world. The history of Abu Dhabi dates back as far as the 3rd millennium BC when it was merely a vast desert country inhabited by nomads who made their living fishing and herding.
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In the mid-20th century, the economy still sustained itself mainly by camel herding and the production of dates and vegetables. The typical dwellings at that time were made of palm fronds with mud huts reserved for the very wealthy. Abu Dhabi struck it rich in 1958 when oil was first discovered. At first, oil revenues had little economic effect, as little of the revenue was put back into infrastructure. This changed in 1966 when Sheik Zayed replaced his conservative brother as ruler. Sheik Zayed had a vision for developing Abu Dhabi, and when the British left the country he helped found the United Arab Emirates. In 1971, the Emirates gained their independence, and oil wealth flowed into the area with mud huts replaced with high-rise office buildings, designer boutiques, banks and resorts. Today each of Abu Dhabi’s 420,000 citizens is worth an estimated $17 million, and more than $1 trillion is invested worldwide in this city alone. The Emirates Palace is a “Seven Star” luxury hotel located in the city of Abu Dhabi, and built and owned by the Abu Dhabi government. It is currently managed by the Kempinski Group. The hotel was built at a cost of U.S. $3 billion, with 302 superior rooms and 92 magnificent suites. The Palace is reputed to be the most expensive hotel ever built and it is reflected in the gold and marble interior décor. The hotel is also home to a highly technologically advanced conference center where business conventions are held, as well as world -renowned concerts with international stars in the fields of opera and ballet. www.boulevardli.com
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TRAVEL As the team drove to the hotel, Suhojit, the chauffeur/guide and butler, offered the review team iced towels on a silver tray to refresh themselves after the long plane ride. The Seven Stars and Stripes team arrived during the time of Ramadan, where practicing people of faith refrain from consuming food or drink from sunrise to sundown. Non-practicing guests from around the world are asked to respect this time of fasting until their arrival at the hotel. The world outside seemed incredibly distant as Abu Dhabi, once a desert, has been recently transformed into a city of skyscrapers, with lots of green. Over 120 million trees have been planted in the parks of Abu Dhabi. This cosmopolitan city features malls, boulevards and promenades and is recognized worldwide for its great shopping, featuring every luxury designer brand possible and bargains in gold and jewelry. Seeing the Palace for the first time brought to mind a combination of Utopia and A Thousand and One Nights. It literally takes your breath away. A dedicated elevator took the team to the seventh floor Palace Suites. Suhojit was in the main dining room of the suite with a sparkling date cider called Bateel Juice. After settling in, the team was given a grand tour of the hotel which was designed by WATG (Wimberley Allison Tong & Goo) and opened its magnificent gates in 2005 after three years of laborious construction. Twelve thousand laborers representing 43 nations were involved in the construction of the hotel. WATG is one of the leading hospitality design firms worldwide. The group created a few of the most famous resort hotels in the world including the Venetian Resort in Vegas, and the Mansion at MGM Grand in the same city. Kempinski is famous for managing such legendary properties as the Adlon in Berlin and the Baltschug in Moscow, to name just a few. The design of the hotel incorporates traditional Arabian elements such as a 60-meter tall Grand Dome and 114 smaller domes over the entire palace, held in the natural colors that are found in the Arabian Desert. The Palace employs approximately 2,000 staff members representing 50 nationalities. This diversity is also reflected in the international cuisine offered at the hotel. Aside from its magnificent rooms and suites, the hotel offers a 1,200 seat, state-of-the-art auditorium for business conventions and concerts. 116
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“An enchanting palace, a wonder to behold for all who venture through its magnificent gates.” The Emirates Palace offers an amazing “man-made picture-perfect beach” and saltwater lagoon pool to plunge into after a hot day. The waters are warm, crystal clear and turquoise. The sands at the beach resemble the beaches at the finest resorts in the Caribbean. Pool does not adequately describe the waterpark at the Emirates Palace. There are water sports and rides, and indescribably delicious temperature-controlled water to enjoy. Guests can enjoy the pool and then sit in air-conditioned tents at poolside with drinks and snacks. The hotel also offers an exquisitely designed haute cuisine restaurant, Sayad, where the review team dined on fantastic continental-inspired cuisine and the finest caviar and champagne later that evening. Sayad features spectacular aquariums filled with live and fantasy creatures of the deep in surreal lighting. The Seven Stars crew departed Abu Dhabi with unforgettable memories of a hotel that one thought only existed as a fantasy in the Arabian Nights!
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HEALTH
Are Tanning Beds Safe? By Barbara Capozzi, D.O.
Tanning Beds Many people are under the impression that tanning beds are safe because tanning beds use socalled “tanning rays” that “don’t cause them to burn.” If you’re one of these people, or k now a fan of indoor tanning, it’s important that you learn the dark truth. Overexposure to ultraviolet (UV ) radiation either from sunlight or indoor tanning beds causes damage to skin, and increases the risk for skin cancer, including melanoma (the most serious form of skin cancer). Health organizations agree that UV radiation from the sun, tanning beds and sun lamps is dangerous. It’s true that tanning beds have less of the Ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, so you’re less likely to burn, but what most tanning beds mainly emit is Ultraviolet A (UVA) rays - which penetrate the skin deeper and cause just as much or even more damage than sunbathing. Tanning beds don’t guarantee that you won’t burn. If you stay in longer than the maximum time you may see a burn several hours later. Don’t be fooled - even if you stay in for only the recommended time, not looking sunburned after using a tanning bed doesn’t mean that you’re not exposing yourself to health risks. Tanning beds can expose
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users to UV light that is several times stronger than that of the sun. Unfor tunately, the population that uses these tanning beds most often is young women who have either turned away from sunbathing, are trying to keep up their tan from the summer, or are looking for a “healthy glow.” Since the dangerous effects of UV radiation aren’t immediately visible, most don’t realize what they are doing is harm, not good. No matter what your age, the use of tanning beds or sun lamps for cosmetic appearance should be avoided. Yes, it’s true that when you’re in the sun some of your protective pigment “shows up as a tan,” but don’t be fooled. It’s a little more complex. Just as your skin protects you, you need to protect it! Here’s why.
Skin Skin is the largest organ in the body, and is composed of three layers that provide different functions. One function of the skin is protection - protection from the environment including the sun, bacteria and toxins. As part of its protective role, cells in the lower part of the outside layer of the skin produce a pigment, melanin, in response to radiation (UV) exposure. This causes the visible change recognized as a “tan.”
October – November 2007
“ Tan” in the name. These products are not the same as sunless self-tanning lotions. They may contain other ingredients, interact with sun, cause a tan, and can damage skin. Tan Accelerators Tanning Amplifiers Tanning Enhancers Tanning Promoters Tanning Pills
Tan Although many people consider having a tan as a sign of looking healthy, a “tan” represents skin that has damage. When the skin tries to protect us from radiation, there is an overproduction of melanin, which causes skin to look dark or “tan.”
Ultraviolet (UV) Rays There are 2 types of UV rays, UVA and UVB. Sunbathing exposes the skin to both. Tanning beds emit mainly UVAs, the type that penetrate the skin deeper and cause lasting changes in skin structure. Again, the changes in the appearance of skin may not be obvious until much later. Those unwanted changes are skin that looks thick, leather y, tough and wrinkled. More importantly, UVA and UVB exposure increase the risk for skin cancers. UV rays can also harm your eyes and your immune system.
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Bottom Line on Tanning Beds Tanning beds are not safer than natural sunlight. Most tanning beds emit mainly UVA radiation; they also emit some UVB rays. Research shows that UVA and UVB have a role in skin cancer and in premature aging of the skin. They emit high levels of dangerous UV radiation which can increase the risk for skin cancer. They do not protect from sunburn. Damages of UV light may not show up until years later.
Advice Avoid tanning beds and sun lamps. Don’t opt for a quick pre-vacation “base tan” from a tanning bed. The misconception that getting darker skin from indoor tanning will protect you from the real sun when you’re on vacation is dangerous. It’s only adding excessive amounts of UV exposure.
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Sunless tanning products And self-tanning lotions Presently, “sunless-tanning products” are an alternative to sunbathing and tanning beds. They may be purchased over–the–counter and self-applied as lotion. The active ingredient in many of these products is dihyroxyacetone (DHA), a color additive. DHA causes the skin to darken, or turn brown, by reacting with amino acids in the surface of the skin. They do not have UV rays, but they also don’t provide protection from UV light, so sunscreen or sunblock must be applied when outdoors in the sun.
Here’s Where We Are At When it comes to tanning, we’ve gone from beaches, to beds, and now to tanning from a bottle. Studies are ongoing. Protect your skin. As always, consult your physician.
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The Journey By Maria Strong – mariastrong@si.rr.com
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Got Muscle?
am expecting everyone out there to have answered “yes.” If your answer was “no,” don’t wait another minute; get going, get muscles. Why, you ask? Because muscles burn fat, thereby maintaining a leaner you, providing protection for your joints and bones muscles provide overall health from the inside out. Acquiring muscles allows the body to defy age. Sorry, but I must get scientific for a few moments. Resistance training or anaerobic exercise burns more fat for body energy than aerobic exercise. One pound of muscle burns about 40 to 50 calories per day while the body is at rest. Five pounds of muscle will burn about 250 calories, 10 pounds, 500 calories per day while you are simply doing nothing. Aerobic exercise such as biking, treadmill, elliptical and aerobic classes, can typically burn 25 percent muscle and 75 percent fat, while anaerobic exercise burns 100 percent fat. Anaerobic exercise fatigues and actually breaks down the muscle tissue and stresses bones. In turn, the muscle rebuilds itself causing the muscle and bone to be even stronger. However, in order for this process to occur, added calories must be taken, such as extra protein, plenty of water and rest. So you could actually consume more calories and still have a healthy lean body. Who is better than you? Allow me to clarify this to all women out there. Ladies, muscles will not make you look bulky! Stop saying that; you are driving me crazy. Weight training can only give you a leaner, more sculptured look, or tone, if you will. Women do not
produce the hormones needed to create muscles as large as men can. Female bodybuilders as seen on television and magazines take hormone supplements, train with very heavy weights and consume an overabundance of calories to attain their competition physique. Women can add muscle without increasing size because muscle weighs much more than fat, therefore reducing their size. The benefits of anaerobic exercise do not stop with just fat-burning. The process of building muscles also requires our organs to engage in extra performance, causing them to work harder, thereby revitalizing them. Muscle building also requires the body to produce youth-related hormones that not only defy our body age, but enhance our mental and sexual performance as well. Studies have found that you are never too old to get anaerobic benefits. It was proven that the increase in muscle and bone density in nursing home patients in their 80s and 90s increased their strength by well over 125 percent and some of them even got rid of their walkers. So to all of you grandmas and grandpas, go and get some muscles. However, understand that proper anaerobic exercise requires certified instruction. Improper anaerobic exercise will yield minimal results and could even result in injur y. Proper guidance will teach you technique, form and proper resistance and keep you injur y-free. Consult with your physician before you engage in any physical activity. So I leave you with this: Get muscle. Now! Until we meet again, keep it fit.
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Cosmetic Surgery Corner By Stephen T. Greenberg, M.D.
Makeovers for Mom: Breast Lifts, Augmentation, Tummy Tucks and More
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verybody knows children are wonderful. But nothing is said in their birth announcements about the physical cost to their moms for bringing these bundles of joy into the world. The toll can sometimes be stretched and distor ted breasts, bulging stomachs, weight gain on the hips— yes, those dreaded saddlebags—and thicker thighs. And the damage is not all on the outside. While the uterus is usually about the size of an orange, a baby stretches it against the abdominal wall. As the baby grows and forces the uterus against the inside of the muscle wall of the abdomen, the so-called “six-pack” muscles get stretched apart and elongate, resulting in a bulge of the lower tummy that even diet and exercise can’t fix. Once that happens, only surgery can bring the muscles back together again. Moreover, the breasts grow and get larger during breastfeeding. After that, the breasts typically decrease, often to a size smaller than before the pregnancy. The result can be stretch marks and hanging breasts. Repeated pregnancies can multiply the damage. But all too often, the toll on the mother’s body is often considered just part and parcel of being a modern mom. However, no pun intended, many women are no longer taking it lying down. Instead, they are seeing cosmetic plastic surgeons for what I call Mommy Makeovers. Nowadays, many women
establish their career track before they tackle the mommy track. These women often return to work shortly after childbirth, and they want to be confident about their appearance. Commonly requested procedures include tummy tucks and liposuction as well as breast lifts, with or without implants, to fill out sagging breasts. One of the benefits of having extra fat and skin surgically removed is that fewer fat cells need less insulin, blood sugar is more even, and the
appetite may be smaller. After a woman decides her childbearing days are over, it’s important that she wait four to six months after pregnancy to have plastic surgery. New moms should have time to bond with their newborns. You might imagine the trend to be for thrilled husbands to spring for their wife’s surgical makeover. But most times, it’s the moms themselves who are the most thrilled. Dr. Stephen Greenberg is a boardcertified plastic surgeon practicing on Long Island and in Manhattan. Dr. Greenberg hosts his own radio show every Saturday evening on KJOY 98.5 FM and is author of the book, A Little Nip, A Little Tuck — An Insider’s Guide to Cosmetic Enhancement. Questions for Dr. Greenberg can be e-mailed to docstg@aol.com. Call 516-364-4200 for a complimentary consultation.
Help Long Island’s Homeless and Veteran Population Achieve Independence Through Education.
New Ground’s 7th Annual Groundbreakers’ Celebration and Dinner Dance Thursday, November 1 Carlyle on the Green, Bethpage State Park Honoring The Honorable Joseph A. & Marguerite Suozzi and Jim & Sandy Rubin Honorary Co-Chairs County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi & Helene Wrotniak Suozzi Lou & Mary Carnesecca Auction Conducted by Thomas R. Suozzi All proceeds will support New Ground’s many programs to help homeless families and veterans break the cycle by becoming self-supporting and independent.
Tickets are $175 For information, call (516) 564-4764 ext. 141 or visit www.newground.org $ F QRW IRU SURÀW RUJDQL]DWLRQ
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Embracing Your
Inner Stripper
At S Factor
By Wendy Sachs, Photos by Jason Feinberg adies, forget about kickboxing or Tae Bo. There’s a new kind of power movement that’s come to Long Island. It’s not about kicking butt, but about owning your butt and embracing your inner stripper. We’re talking about the craze of pole dancing from Sheila Kelly’s S Factor. The rage in Girl Power fitness is no longer the sparring babe with the pink, Everlast gloves, but the woman in the six-inch stilettos and hot pants slithering down the pole. This is the only exercise class you’ll ever take wearing lingerie with an instructor trained in feminist theory. Kelly describes S Factor as “organic movement with a very strong feminist bent.” But no one would confuse Sheila Kelly with Gloria Steinem. Meeting Kelly at her Chelsea studio in New York City where she’s come to train new teachers, I begin to understand why S Factor inspires such passion. It starts with Kelly. Dressed in workout pants and a tank top, Kelly is at once sweet, smiley and sexy in a hot-mom kind of way. All appropriate, given that she’s a mother to two children, ages 6 and 12. But at 45, Kelly has a body that a Knicks’ City Dancer would envy. Until launching S Factor, Kelly, a successful LA-based actress, was perhaps best known for her work on NBC’s L.A. Law as well as appearing in dozens of TV, film and Broadway roles. Her other claim to fame: she’s been married for 11 years to The West Wing’s beloved speechwriter Toby Ziegler, also known as Richard Schiff. S Factor, Kelly admits, was created by accident. While preparing for the 2000 film Dancing at the Blue Iguana, in which she played a stripper, Kelly became fascinated with the mind/body experience of the dancing. Trained at NYU as a ballet major, Kelly always had a love for dance.
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After giving birth to her second child, whom she calls her “S Factor baby ” (conceived after practicing her Blue Iguana choreography on her husband), Kelly felt depressed. She had gained 55 pounds while pregnant and was desperate to get back not only her figure, but her confidence as well. So she did what any postpartum woman would do: she hung a pole in her husband’s home office and started swinging. The weight came off fast, and as word spread among her PTA circle, S Factor was born. The name, she says, is not in honor of her but of the natural “S” curve of the female body. While Kelly tried to explain the power of S Factor to me - a combination of yoga, Pilates, stretching and dancing - I needed to experience it for myself. I wondered if the appeal was a little bit of naughtiness. “It is definitely a little taboo,” Kelly said, smiling. “It’s like you have a secret. You walk differently, you feel different … it changes your life.” So when I signed up for the intro class in New York City, I envisioned a group of young hotties who would wind up at the Gansevoort after class, or maybe who had seen Teri Hatcher on Oprah raving about how S Factor created her svelte body. I was wrong. My intro class was an eclectic mix of women of all shapes, sizes and ethnicities. It was the most diverse class I’ve ever taken in New York City and trust me, I’ve done everything from prenatal yoga to Congo dancing. The studio itself creates the mood. Lights are low, candles burn and overstuffed chairs sit in the corners of the room. These are for more advanced levels when you learn how to properly lap dance. Now, this is a class for which my husband won’t mind watching the kids. We started out on yoga mats in a circle on the floor, introducing ourselves and how we came to be at S Factor. One woman, an unassuming type wearing glasses and a simple black leotard confessed to a Clark Kent fantasy. She worked in finance and wanted to live out her alter ego. Stripper Girl? A young lawyer said that she worked only with
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men and she had an inferiority complex. This class, she thought, would help her gain some confidence. It turned out that women were there as much for psychological conditioning as they were for abdominal strengthening. My favorite response came from a 40-something heavy-set woman who said she came because her friend told her that S factor was great for getting outside of your head. Thir ty minutes later as I was twirling down a pole, I admit I was definitely not inside my head. A gorgeous woman from Ghana with dreads down her back taught my class. Central casting couldn’t have made her more ironic – accountant by day, pole dancing teacher by night. “Gorgeous!” shouts Maggie as we gyrate and swing our hips slow then faster. My lower back is starting to hurt, but Maggie cheers me on. We stand in a circle grinding. With the lights dim, candles burning, music pulsating, and our teacher grunting, the atmosphere feels carnal. Because there are no mirrors in the room, eliminating the risk of self-loathing, you actually feel surprisingly free. But as we approach the pole in what’s supposed to be the hot, “drunk girl” stripper walk, I feel insecure. I don’t know if I’m looking sexy or stupid. I’m
pretty sure it’s stupid. The pole part of class comes in the second half of the two-hour session. We approach with a good amount of fear. Maggie swears that she was terrified of the pole for her first few months of S Factor. But one year later she’s sliding up and down the pole like a serpent. We watch her perform and suddenly we’re inspired. I successfully do the “firefly” and feel like a Scores stripper. I’m euphoric. “Compared to yoga, this is a little sexier,” explains Kelly. “It’s not a bitchy or catty environment. It’s aggrandizing each other.” In the past eight years, S Factor has become a sensation across the country. Kelly now has studios in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Houston, New York and Long Island with plans for expansion in Miami and Dallas. The classes work in levels in eight-week sessions and you take the class every week with the same women. This sisterhood is part of what makes the S Factor experience intimate and unique. So I’ve now made it through the first three classes. No one mentioned that pole burns could be a painful side effect. But my butt is looking better – at least in the dimmed lights. Next week it’s time to put on the stilettos. I can’t wait.
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Health Watch By Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum Director, Women and Heart Disease Heart and Vascular Institute Lenox Hill Hospital, New York
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The Essence of You
he question has repeatedly been asked about who we are and what we do. Those questions seem simple, but they pervade our existence. Who we are and what we do have an impact on the decisions we make and how we perceive the world. The answers to these questions make us resist things and determine what makes us whole. Also, they add to the nuances of daily living, including what happens when you need medication or get sick. I have always been active and athletic. I used to dance three to five days a week, was a cheerleader in high school and danced throughout my college years. As the years went on, with internship, residency, fellowship and then practice, my dance career dwindled to three days a week of exercise and now, with the arrival of my son, whenever I can. Being active and athletic have been integral to my self-image, which made pregnancy incredibly challenging for me. While eight months pregnant, an acquaintance commented on how great it was to be pregnant and how pregnancy is so beautiful. Though I was fully prepared and excited for the outcome and completely thrilled to be having a child, to me, there was nothing beautiful about being round, bloated and uncomfortable in my own skin. Being pregnant was a far cry from the woman that I was desperately trying to maintain - the dancer, toned and flexible, thin and in shape. Regardless of the miracle of this outcome, it just didn’t feel like me. Recently, a beautiful woman in her 60s sat in my office. Her cholesterol was high, and with her family history, it was inevitable she needed cholesterol-lowering medication. I explained my “why,” and my “when” and her response to me was
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not what I had expected. As she explained, she was not “that girl.” I thought of this often. It occurred to me that she was uncomfortable, uneasy because the notion of taking medications simply conflicted with her sense of self, the essence of who she feels she is. I was just her doctor, not the person to challenge her essence. Her comments continued. Her feelings persisted. My recommendation did not coincide with her thoughts, with her notion of herself. Finally I asked the question. “Who are you?’’ “I am that girl.” Like you would think of Marlo Thomas, back in the days, or Sarah Jessica Parker for the new generation. You know, that girl. And, that girl doesn’t take medications. Clearly the essence of this woman was full of energy, with amazing ability, completely in control with many choices and definite opinions. And my medication simply didn’t fit in with the image. I thought it was a woman thing. This essence, this notion of conflict, this feeling of who we think we are versus who we really are being somewhat in conflict. I have to say, this is just not true. The other day, I had a follow up appointment with an 89-year-old man who came in for a pacemaker check. He complained of a little dizziness. We had a monitor to prove that it wasn’t his heart, but perhaps the over-the-counter medication that he was taking. After reviewing everything, I gave him the good news and his response revealed what was in his heart. “All-State, high school football quarterback.” Of course it was not his heart, at least, in his own mind. Because the essence of him was a 17-year-old football star, not the 89year-old somewhat arthritic man standing before me.
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Another patient, a very successful lawyer, with credentials and flamboyance that you marvel at, explained to me that he could not take “this pill” forever. He didn’t see himself as a medication-person. I didn’t know how to explain it, but none of us are really medication people when it comes to the medication that we are told to take, not that which we choose to take. We take medication because we need it, not because we choose it. But, taking that pill did not strip him of his credentials or his flair in the courtroom. It just controlled his blood pressure. It was as simple as that. It didn’t change his being. I am not suggesting it is easy. But, it just is what it is. Being pregnant made me stronger, physically and mentally. I became a prima ballerina through the process, with less technique but more determination. I will always be that dancer in my mind, and forever hold in my heart the feeling of physical strength and capability. Never again will I be the person in the leotard pirouetting on stage, but I will always be the one who will exercise and try to live with vitality, disciplined and determined. Nothing will change that. No one and nothing can take away that feeling of the “real you.” No illness, no medication, no diagnosis can strip you of who you feel you are. Part of why people choose to do things depends on if they think what they are asked to do is compatible with them. When it comes to taking a pill, or accepting a diagnosis, it is simply an issue, a something to deal with, an aspect of life that has become part of your reality, but truly, it doesn’t change who you are. I constantly am saying to my patients whose lives have been altered by an illness or diagnosis that you need to do whatever you can to stay healthy, to not allow yourself to get sick. It is the fortitude of being you; it is that essence that you need to tap into. It is ultimately the person you are, the inneryou that you fight for. You take pills, you get blood tests, you visit your doctor, you exercise, you eat well, and you do what you can to keep alive that person. No one can take that away. I assure you, no medication is that powerful.
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Endoscopic Face Lifting Surgery
Minimizes Incisions and Recovery Time
Without Compromising Results
By Dr. Andrew A. Jacono ne of the hottest topics in facial plastic surgery today is endoscopic face lifting. Because the face ages from the top down, the brows are the first part of the face to drop. The cheeks and mid-face fall, creating smile lines and folds between the corner of the nose and the mouth. Most people experience this in their 40s, but in some cases, this can happen as early as the mid to late 30s. In the 50s, the jaw line and neck droop, creating jowls and what is called a “turkey neck.” Today, nasolabial folds and cheek drooping is often camouflaged with injectable fillers such as Restylane, Juvederm, Perlane or Radiesse, which act as spackle and fill in these areas. This is a great temporary measure, but the treatments often need to be repeated once or twice each year, and can become costly and time consuming for some. Endoscopic face lifting surgery can offer a long-term solution to this problem. The endoscope is a tiny fiberoptic lens inserted through small incisions placed inconspicuously in the scalp. The lens is attached to a camera connected to a television monitor that allows the doctor to see where he or she is operating by watching the monitor and manipulating the tiny instruments externally. That means the surgeon must be very knowledgeable about the face’s anatomy, be specialized, and have a high degree of skill. During treatment, the doctor can also remove any fat bags near the eyes and trim any extra skin to remove lines and wrinkles. Any doctor you choose to perform this surgery should have performed hundreds of these surgeries before. The endoscopic face lift focuses on a triangular area formed between the two corners of the eyes and the corner of the mouth. By working on the face’s deeper layers, the surgeon can reposition the underlying fat and the actual muscles, so
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that the middle of the face is pulled up and looks more natural. It also takes the tension off the flesh. A mid-face lift can be performed in the doctor’s office in as little as an hour, which is why this procedure has been referred to as the “lunchtime lift.” After a brief recovery, the result is a lifted appearance without the visible scars of a traditional face lift. The results last seven to 10 years in most people, unlike threadtype face lifts which last only a year or two. Endoscopic face lifts are drastically different from traditional face and brow lifting techniques, which leave visible scars around the ears and cause balding and hair loss. Older face lift procedures pulled just the skin back tightly to provide a taunt, “wind tunnel” look. Those who have had a traditional face lift are often rendered “hairstyling cripples” unable to wear their hair short, or back in a ponytail without feeling self-conscious. The new technology in medicine is wonderful as it offers us better solutions, and the advances in endoscopic surgery have revolutionized face lifting surgery.
Andrew A. Jacono M.D., F.A.C.S. is an authority on endoscopic face lifting surgery. He is section head of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at North Shore University Hospital at Manhasset He is a dual board certified facial, plastic and reconstructive surgeon and assistant clinical professor, Division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary in Manhattan and at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. One of the distinguished faculty at the ninth International Symposium on Facial Plastic Surgery, Dr. Jacono regularly lectures about facial plastic surgery techniques. In addition, he was recently featured on Good Morning America and in Newsweek, USA Today and The New York Times, where he appeared as one of Ten Leaders in Plastic Surgery in Long Island. Dr. Jacono addresses endoscopic face lifting and all of the latest anti-aging products and procedures in his book Face the Facts: The Truth About Plastic Surgery Procedures That Do and Don’t Work. Dr. Jacono’s practice is located at 900 Northern Boulevard. Great Neck, New York and on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. He can be reached at 516-773-4646 or on the web at www.newyorkfacialplasticsurgery.com. www.boulevardli.com
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The Boulevard Launches Music Section To Celebrate One Year in Publishing Digital Café Tour Brings You the Best Local Bands On Super High Quality Video By Tim Sullivan s The Boulevard launches its inaugural music issue and features the best bands and artists on the planet today, one of the things we will provide is a look at where to go for the best and most exciting music beyond just live performances. In this issue we feature Digital Café Tour, a website where you can watch performances of the coolest bands around shot in high definition and stellar sound. We also feature a collage page of concerts that The Boulevard photographers shot over the summer with some of the biggest and hottest bands to come through the area. On the previous page you’ll find onstage concert photography of Rush, the Police and Jimmy Buffet all shot by our own Tina Guiomar, Jason Feinberg and Heather Muhleman. The Boulevard will continue to shoot area venues as the big acts roll in and capture unbelievable live shots of your favorite performers. But for something to do after reading all the terrific profiles in this section, check out Digital Café Tour and you’ll have hours of entertainment right at your fingertips. Digital Cafe Tour started in 2005, when a New Jersey band called Friday’s Child, made up of Tom Walker, Rich Haddad (DCT’s award-winning sound engineer) and Rob McNeely (Friday’s Child’s manager and lawyer for Creed), partnered with Brian Jude (our director) and Steve Maio (our editor) to make their band an ongoing sponsored Internet concert series. They shot their first show at Luna Stage in Montclair. The resulting footage brought in a coalition of instrument sponsors for DCT to shoot “Broaden Your Band: How to Bring the World to Your Music.” This was a two-part series about how to create this content for Broadband, funded by Audix, QSC, Furman, and a huge sponsor coalition. The group then shot the second piece, “How to Mic Your Band,” at Guitar Center stores in the New York area. Over the years, Friday’s Child had formed a marketing
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For the Hottest Bands Performing Live in Local Club Dates on High Quality Video got to: http://www.digitalcafetour.com
collective of touring Indie bands which they would plug into festivals like CMJ, Nashville New Music Conference, etc. They successfully pitched the sponsors on doing a 10week summer series (2006) at Luna featuring a group of Indie artists across multiple genres. Audix, QSC, Furman, Sabian and 10 other companies sponsored that series. Nine weeks later, they had shot 18 acts, yielding close to 40 hours of concert and documentary footage. Their monthly page requests in September of that year spiked to over 600,000, proving that an artists’ collective with high-quality media works. Digital Café Tour describes itself as an artist-friendly company. They cover the expenses of shoots with either sponsorship or house money. We pay our artists 50 percent of net on downloads and do not charge them anything for their involvement. They and the sponsors get unlimited use of a single-song preview clip per artist. Longer-format programming consisting of concert footage and band interviews/instructional content featuring Greater Media DJ Jeff Charone (105.5 FM DHA) as emcee, is developed and distributed on an ongoing basis The five partners in DCT posted fall/winter (’06 and ’07) series at The Cutting Room. We shot actor/director Ed Burns’ band, The Blue Jackets, in December of last year. Michael Stipe from REM and Chris Martin from Coldplay showed up to the gig. In 2007 DCT won three Telly Awards for Excellence in the Internet Concert Video Space, based on the quality of the 2006 series. DCT has informally set up shop at The Baggot Inn (82 W. 3rd Street in Greenwich Village) to shoot new artists. They have also partnered with Gibson to produce premium content at its Hit Factory Showroom location in New York City (421 W 54th St New York, NY). The first Gibson show is Saturday Oct. 27, 2 p.m. start time. It is a holiday show featuring Friday’s Child with special guests Laura Dodd, Secret Gossip, Third Party, Mark Tonnelli, Susan Chamberlain and a tight roster of Gibsoncentric artists doing Christmas/holiday material to be made available at Thanksgiving. Gibson/Epiphone will give away a guitar at the show. For tickets go to http://www.digitalcafetour.com www.boulevardli.com
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The Boulevard Goes East of Angel Town With
Peter Cincotti By Tim Sullivan, Photos by Jason Feinberg igh above Times Square in Tainted Blue studios, jazz piano sensation Peter Cincotti is seated at a classic Steinway in the tracking room, casually tiptoeing through Eric Clapton songs as The Boulevard snaps pictures. The 23-year-old Cincotti is well known in both the underground and commercial jazz scene since acclaimed at 18 as a prodigy. The Boulevard spent an afternoon with Cincotti on a typically hot summer’s day at the crossroads of the world to discuss his new album, East of Angel Town, due out in October. On his third record, this world-renowned pianist finds himself at a major musical crossroads in the metaphorical sense: it’s his first full length record of completely original material, as well as a crossover record that bleeds beyond his familiar jazz genre into mainstream pop. The album is set to explode with the production expertise of 14-time Grammy winner David Foster and the marketing momentum of Warner behind it – Cincotti’s first work both for the giant label and with the legendary producer. After listening to the new songs and talking with Peter, though, one comes to realize it’s less of a crossroads for this young virtuoso and more of a renaissance – both for the artist and possibly for all of pop music.
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Cincotti burst into the pole position of piano playing five years ago, when he released his self-titled album of various covers. Jazz takes of Beatles classics like The Fool on the Hill and unashamed youthful exuberance in songs like The Rainbow Connection established Cincotti as a rising phenomenon. His second record, On the Moon, gave the world a trailer of exactly how talented and sophisticated a songwriter Cincotti would become. East of Angel Town is the collection of original material that will force the recognition and respect that he deserves. Most artists take four records to reach their songwriting maturity. Cincotti, consistent with his youthful anomaly, has done it in three. “It’s more of a pop record than a jazz record.” says Cincotti. “There is a lot of influence. If it weren’t for my two jazz records before this, I probably wouldn’t have written this record. It’s all part of my development, I guess,” he muses while we explore where the songwriting inspiration and the diversity of sounds came from. “I have influences that are pop, jazz, blues, rock. But when I am writing I don’t think about any of that. I started writing when I was on tour for my last record and you just write whatever you want to hear and whatever style comes out is irrelevant to me.” And while it may be irrelevant to the composer as to how his songs are born, it will be very commercially relevant to his audience. This album will likely change everything for Cincotti. People who weren’t aware of the singer/songwriter before now will be. Radio stations that didn’t dare venture too far into adult contemporary jazz now have something to sink their teeth into. He is good looking, charismatic, and electrifying onstage. If a vacuum opened up in pop music when Billy Joel left for Broadway, Cincotti is the musical messiah to fill the void. The New York Times called him “the most promising singer/pianist of the next generation.” This was at a time when Cincotti’s work was solely his interpretation of classic jazz standards. His fresh and dynamic take on classic songs earned him the top spot on Billboard’s jazz charts. And at 19, he was the youngest musician to achieve this position. “Right now when I am touring, I will be focused on this record. When you are on the road you discover new things about the songs. There are things that you can do live that you can’t do anywhere else. Hopefully from there I will get ideas for my next record.”
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Cincotti’s two prior records were made with music industry legend Phil Ramone, whom he credits for honing his sound and improving his playing. This album was an effort with David Foster, another industry giant who immediately embraced the fluidity of Cincotti’s songwriting and new musical directions. “I wanted to work with David Foster because he really understood what I was going for earlier than anyone else. I met with a lot of producers and he seemed to get it immediately. He is such a great musician that I knew he would understand.” Acting is also among Cincotti’s admirable talents. In 2004, he played Dick Behrke in the Bobby Darin biography Beyond the Sea, with Kevin Spacey. The subject was near and dear to his heart, as he was a big fan of the Mack the Knife crooner. It seemed fitting that one of the jazz world’s most promising singer/pianists be on screen when Darin was being celebrated. I asked Peter if he wanted to do more acting. “If it feels right to me I will do it. I was always a fan of Bobby Darin. I am glad I did it. I wrote a lot of my second record while making that film during the downtime. I spent three months in Berlin and worked on that record,” he said. While Cincotti’s first two records are classic jazz standards with a modern but authentic treatment, his new record will have disciples of every style paying attention. The songs demonstrate an enormous range, and it made the normally banal discussion about an artist’s influences more relevant. Cincotti is like a musical sponge that absorbs any major piano player of the last 50 years. We discuss all of them across a broad range of styles. Given his chops, the discussion isn’t surprising. The fact that he is 23, however, left my head spinning. “The first memory I have of being completely in awe was when I was 5 years old and heard a Jerry Lee Lewis record. I listened to a lot of the piano players of the 1950s, Fats Domino, Little Richard, Doo Wop. I got into jazz at 13 through Oscar Petersen. I always played what I wanted to play.” A 5-year-old in 1988 being in awe of Jerry Lee Lewis and a 13-year-old owning an Oscar Petersen record gives me hope that this pianist will in fact be the flagship in selfemerging musical revivification. Musical revolutionaries understand that excellence transcends time, style and commercialism. Those concepts are meaningless to them. Ironically, Concotti is one of these masters and has all three elements in his favor. Cincotti grew up in Manhattan and while his sound and persona are considered worldly, his music has a very typical New York undertone. While Cincotti easily exudes that better part of New Yorkers – insightful, unfazed by the glamour, yet still familiar and friendly – this reporter embodies the clichéd cynical chip-on-your-shoulder wise-
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ass you find at an Off Track Betting parlor. And so we have a spirited discussion about the lead track on his new record, Angel Town, in which Cincotti paints various archetypical nuanced characters. For a cynic like myself that sees necessary visits to LA as a perpetual state of unease, this song is an affirmation. To someone who loves the City of Angels, the song could serve as the melody for a Normal Rockwell painting. For Cincotti, it’s an astute cultural observation – non judgmental and deftly descriptive. I tried to get him to give up a little more in our conversation, but true to his artistic integrity he left the interpretation wide open. “The song is about the seduction of Los Angeles. You should draw your own conclusions after you listen to it.” He laughs. “I didn’t want to write an ‘I love you, you love me’ record. There isn’t a lot of that on this record. Up until now, my best friends were the only ones that knew how I thought about things and now I am putting on a record.” And so draw our own conclusions we shall. Here they are: 1) A well-established jazz virtuoso, Peter Cincotti’s new record East of Angel Town will bring his music to a wider audience and be more accessible beyond the narrow jazz market. 2) Cincotti is as beautiful a singer as he is a pianist and his soulful and honest voice reveals a brilliant lyric-writing ability that has wonderful cultural observations. There is something for everyone here. 3) Cincotti leaves the listener to interpret his songs – bringing listeners to the edge and then gracefully departing with ambiguity, the way great art leaves enough mystery to be enjoyed. My take is that he is being true to his New York roots and keeping jazz and pop music’s attitude in the only city that knows how to wear it – in the Hudson where it oughta be! www.boulevardli.com
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The Best Days for
Are Obvious By Tom Albright, Photos by Jason Feinberg ts obvious it’s about a girl. It’s always about a girl. Matt White’s music is a fresh take on the most obvious, important and common theme that ever caused a romantic to croon a note – the burden of love. I knew this when I went to see him at the Mercury Lounge. So I stood inconspicuously at the side of the stage among the dozens of great-looking young women. One motioned for me to sit next to her; and I foolishly decided because I was working that evening, I would keep my reporter’s hat on for the conversation. I asked her if she was there to see Matt and what she thought of his music. “I don’t know but he is awesome and really hot,” she said in the way only an affected teenager can. I asked three other women in other parts of the club’s floor. They all gave me a derivative of the same response. The girls loved him. And as any musician knows, when the girls love you, you are more than halfway there. So to say that Matt White is likely to be the next big thing would be stating the obvious. I told Matt about my unscientific survey after the show when we got the chance to talk. He was humble. He merely alluded to shows on the tour getting more and more full. It’s nice to see someone of his talents so poised for success exude some humility. Frankly, it’s refreshing and it’s what cuts through the potentially schmaltzy topics he handles in his first record Best Days released in September on Geffen Records. This 22-year-old New Jersey native
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has the pop charts in his sights and if The Boulevard has anything to say about it, consider this the official commence to firing weapons. “Originally titled Do You Believe, Best Days is an album about being young and being in college and doing things for fun before you become an adult and all you do is work,” shares White. “This last tour, cities are starting to really pack in the crowd – Cleveland and Chicago were so mobbed you couldn’t move. There is a big response happening.” This is all before the release of his first record. Now that the album is released, expect to see a lot more of White as he is likely to garner significant radio airplay. Notice I didn’t say “with the right push” or “with a little luck.” He doesn’t need it. He is a smart and sophisticated songwriter and a great musician. Combine that with his charismatic stage presence and looks and you have a winning combination by anyone’s gamble. Oh, and there are the girls. Did I mention them? The Englewood Cliffs native is a perfectionist. He spent the better part of a year recording Best Days. The recording process was long and has many all-star session musicians in the tracking. White is a sometimes-collaborator with a guy named Paul Umbach who did much of the arranging on the record. The band touring with White is simply terrific – seasoned veterans who are the appropriate platform White needs to showcase his rich sound.
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“I went back in with Ron Fair and I tweaked things a lot to bring a bigger level of musicality to the songs. It’s fairly similar to what it was, but it’s a little better sonically,” he told about making the record. This young guy has the right work ethic for a pro – perfectionism. While I didn’t want to tie him directly to Maroon 5 or the obvious John Mayer comparisons, I did want to throw some bands out there that seem to fall squarely in his genre. If there is a difference between Matt White and the whole singer/ songwriter rock pop stable of artists it’s that he is freshly naïve and therefore more authentic. So I asked him, how do you describe your music? “I wish I could have made an album that stuck to one motif but there is a little rock, a little country and a little funk. It’s Americana music. My mind is all over the place - so is my music. Best Days is sweet and old school and we recorded it live with one ceiling mic and then the instruments are miked. So the push and pull of that song is from us looking at each other and playing with each other. We thought we would have to revamp it but we just kept it and it worked.” “I would love to follow the career of a Maroon 5 or a Gavin DeGraw. I think those bands are great and I love their songwriting. Gavin is the greatest,” White says of the inevitable assimilations that happen to an emerging artist. “I am a huge Springsteen fan. I just focus on the songwriting.” But for such a young songwriter who is riding his first release this fall, he is no stranger to how the business works or to industry success. His first EP sold 40,000 on iTunes and he has placed several songs in television programs after targeting music supervisors. He has landed songs in Laguna Beach, One Tree Hill, What About Brian, The Hills, Men in Trees and in the 2005 movie She’s the Man. Audiences were treated to a sneak
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preview of Best Days in a certain children’s movie recently that is demonstrative of its mass appeal. I asked him about the enormity of that feat and how he pulled off landing the title track of his record in such a huge motion picture. “I dressed up as Shrek in college and then e-mailed everyone at Dreamworks. I heard that my song was being considered (for Shrek the Third) but I wanted to get it to the top of the list. I went around asking ‘Who can I talk to get my song into Shrek?’ I must have e-mailed every single executive at the movie company,” he says. The song got in. Those film and TV show placements mean that White’s music hits a chord and fits with material for a mass audience. When you see him live, this is obvious. When you listen to Best Days with headphones during your commute, it’s obvious. When you talk to White and hear his insightful perspective, mature expectations and tempered ambition, it’s obvious. When you see the girl next to you at his show stare wide-eyed at the upcoming star, it’s obvious. So for White to say that these are in fact his best days … well, that’s obvious!
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It’s “Ben” A Long Time Coming By Courtney Wells, Associate Producer, VH1 Photos by Heather Muhleman en Jelen is floating on air—literally. He glides into the greenroom backstage on his new Heelys sneakers and his elation matches his elevation. Tonight is the kickoff of his tour to accompany his sophomore album, Ex-Sensitive, which drops the following day. “I’m more excited than I thought I’d be about tomorrow and the release. It’s been so long. Three years,” Jelen says, his enthusiasm hard not to catch. Three years ago singer-songwriter Jelen (pronounced Yell-in), released his debut album Give It All Away on Maverick, which he now describes as “over-produced.” With Ex-Sensitive he’s gotten back to the roots of his music—piano, guitar and violin-driven melodies—and even changed record labels. “We kind of perfected and honed the record the way we wanted it, so we didn’t rush it and we took our time. I love the record and I’m really proud of it.” The “we” he’s referring to is Grammy winning songwriter, producer and former 4 Non Blondes front
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woman, Linda Perry. After bugging Perry until she agreed to meet with him, Jelen played her What Have We Done and Vulnerable, two songs now featured on Ex-Sensitive. Perry liked what she heard and told Jelen they should write a song together. “We did a song together and then a song turned into another and then that turned into an album,” Jelen explains. When the album was done, Perry signed him to her label, Custard Records. “I’ve never had more freedom in the studio. I could tell she was always listening to my point of view and she just wears the artist’s clothes when you go in there.” And Jelen’s point of view is quite different from most records you’ll hear. The songs of Ex-Sensitive are almost entirely dedicated to what’s happening with our environment and how we can stop it. Take the lyrics from his second single, Pulse, Overtaking evolution God forgive our random motion Growing is the fear throughout the masses Weakening the pulse for everyone
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Not only are the lyrics powerful, but the video mirrors the words with images of glaciers breaking into the water, famine and more. But the end gives hope with images of resolutions to these problems. Asked if he intentionally wrote an environmentally themed album Jelen responds, “I think that an album is a collection of songs and your songs reflect what you think about all day, and I can’t stop thinking about these things. They just make their way into my songs, they just seep their way in because that’s just what’s on my mind. And so that’s what the album became.” Jelen is confident his fans will respond to his new mature song material, as well as a distinctively different sound from Give It All Away. “I think the old fans will appreciate this and I think that we’re going to bring some new people on too,” Jelen says of the new album. Old fans should be excited, the new songs are powerful and catchy. Of course, for those who became followers after hearing Jelen’s most popular song, Come On, there is Wreckage, which will leave you feeling just a little heartbroken. As it gets close to show time, Jelen’s band begins filtering into the greenroom and the fervor rises as they get ready to take the stage. When the band goes on, it is apparent Jelen is more at home playing his songs than he has been before. It’s also apparent he got his wish: his old fans love the new material and he’s gaining new fans with every note he sings. Visit Ben Jelen’s website at www.benjelen.com to hear songs from his album as well as few videos.
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ART
Stephen Kinsella
Creating Art for Aesthetic Value By Tina Guiomar
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orks of abstract expressionism separate themselves from all classic distinctions. Art history has gone from prehistoric cave and Egyptian drawings that communicated stories, to Italian Renaissance art that glorified religion, to contemporary works. But abstract expressionism is more about the process than the outcome. The expression lies in the creating of the art – not the resulting art itself. Abstract? Hence the name. The Boulevard met with abstract expressionist Stephen Kinsella, a New York artist we had the fortune to meet at an ACRIA (AIDS Community Research Initiative of America) art auction event in the Hamptons. Stephen’s work has evolved from the classics, studying works of Turner, Monet, Cezanne, Matisse and Picasso. Like any artist, he educated himself to help compose, develop and evolve his own work. At an early age, with the support of his family, Stephen started taking art classes at Munson William Proctor Institute in Utica, New York. He attended the Parsons School of Design and graduated with a BFA in art direction and graphic design. Once out of school, he landed a job at BBDO advertising. This financially supported his continuing development in painting while educating himself with art classes at night. En route to working on his passion for painting, he dabbled in the film industry, where he met with great success. In 2000, he co-wrote, produced and directed an independent feature called Double Parked, which won the Filmmaker Breakthrough Award at the Slamdance Film Festival. Even with success, he left the industry. Why did he leave? “The industry was too much business and not enough focus on the art,” he says. He decided to concentrate on his passion - painting. The process of his work is much like many abstract expres-
Dutch Farmland, 2006, oil on canvas
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sionists; it’s about the process and what it means to the artist and not as much about the outcome. Through his meditative process he creates beautiful, colorful abstract pieces that many believe evoke “peaceful, rhythmical, mystical feelings.” He creates work that has an “elusive soothing enigmatic quality.” He begins the routine with a blank canvas, an inspiration, and an idea of what mood to evoke. “Every time I start a canvas it’s frightening but exciting. I always say to myself ‘Can I do it again?’” he admits. And he does. Stephens’s technique is the same for each piece: he begins by attacking the canvas with large gestural brushstrokes and finishes with smaller strokes, editing and revising the piece over and over with a “controlled systematic approach to the work,” he says. Each series relates in mood, emotion and tone. He uses a push-and-pull technique using light and dark tones, bold colors, and layering for textures. This creates a complex arrangement of colors, similar to Rothko’s color field paintings, where the viewer’s eye goes in and out of the composition.
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He finds inspiration everywhere in his environment: in his garden, the ocean, the Hampton farmlands, or even trash in the city streets. He also gains insight and inspiration from the classics. Artists such as Jasper Johns, Rothko, Cezanne, Picasso, Van Gogh, Matisse, de Kooning, and Pollack have great influence in his paintings. Stephen has gone through many stages in the development of his work. In Bougainville in Barts (2003), he uses lush green and coral colors to create an abstract floral garden much like Monet did in Water Lilies. He also went through a phase of aerial views of farmland that are more constructive than his other work. A friend at the time had a prop plane and they took a trip around the Hampton farmland. He was inspired by the amazing patterns and took that mental picture and translated it to paintings. The aerial farmland series echoes the structure of cubism. Stephen is currently working on a series titled Earth Sea and Sky, using a green palette of waves and circles, with an “ecological feeling”. Kinsella’s work is very different from his contemporaries. His work is not about angst or politics, but creating something beautiful. I jokingly compared his work vs. other artists as Tai Chi vs. kickboxing. It’s nice to see work that’s about being beautiful and peaceful and not about the shock value or making a statement to the world. But that’s where freedom of art comes in: to each his own. Kinsella’s work mainly develops from inspirations around his local environment. I asked if he had given any consideration to traveling in order to gain insight and ideas. His answer was no, as he gets inspiration from his great homes on Long Island and New York City. Why travel to the Napa Valley for the sights of vineyards when he can see some right here in his backyard? He is
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City Nights, 2005, oil on canvas
comfortable in his environment and has “ plenty to work with here.” If he were to travel any time soon, he said, he had an interest in places like India and the Far East. He would love to see the terrain, the forests, and the bamboo forests. As a developing artist, I asked Kinsella for any advice for an artist trying to make a start. His words of wisdom: “Believe in yourself, do what you want to do, push yourself, don’t take no for an answer, and don’t be afraid of someone…The famous artists of today started out just like anyone else, don’t be intimidated by them, they’re just human beings.” The steps to any success is getting yourself shown, meeting fellow artists, taking classes and donating work for exposure, which is how The Boulevard met Stephen Kinsella. Not just an avid artist, but also an activist, he donates his work to Food Bank of NY, Harlem Art Project, and ACRIA. It’s a way to “kill two birds with one stone - raising money for charity and getting your work out there to be seen,” he says. I found my time with Stephen an exciting experience. It’s amazing to hear the processes, the experiences, the opinions and ideas that leave an impression as to the persona of this individual artist. I look forward to seeing many of his works to come. The art certainly reflects the artist. Stephen Kinsella is beautiful, bold, focused and peaceful, as is his work. Earth Sea and Sky is currently showing at the Golden Eagle Gallery, East Hampton; Circles and Waves at the Clinton West Gallery, New York City; and The Spring Show at Ashawagh Hall, East Hampton. Stephen is currently preparing for his next solo exhibit in New York City this November. Visit www.stephen kinsella.com for exact dates and gallery location.
Bouganville in Barts, 2003, oil on canvas www.boulevardli.com
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Local Artist Turns Passion Into Career
Dave Leaves Peikon Sales Career to Follow Dreams of Painting By Denise Nash ave Peikon always had a passion for art, but realizing that following his dreams would probably not pay the bills, he went into sales instead. For 15 years he worked in the business world and became a vice president of sales for a large printing company in New York. He was very successful, but still knew that the hustle and bustle of commuting to the city was not what he wanted. As a self-taught artist, he decided to turn his passion into his career and he created a six-year plan, which had him retiring at the end of the six years. Although his wife Terry was very supportive, she was nervous as they had two young children at the time. “I was fortunate enough that I made enough money and planned ahead to say bye to the business world,” said Peikon. And that he did. In 1996, Peikon retired from his successful career and followed his passion. He started painting and trying to get gallery work, which he found to be very difficult as he had no formal training and no connections. Peikon said that if you can’t get the gallery, the next best thing is to get famous clients and then the galleries will start to notice.
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One of Peikon’s first patrons was William F. Buckley, founder of the National Review magazine. Peikon painted his official portrait for his 75th birthday. Peikon discovered that connections could be made through familiar places. Peikon grew up on Long Island and has been visiting Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay since he was 5.
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Dave Peikon
His first series of paintings was a large series of Monet’s Gardens in France and he wanted to do something closer to home. “I always loved Planting Fields so I started painting there,” said Peikon. Through Planting Fields, he met Elizabeth Watson, whose husband is nobel-laureate James Watson, codiscoverer of the DNA double helix and father of the Human Genome Project. Peikon painted James Watson in 2003 for the 50th anniversary of his Nobel. The Watsons now have seven of Peikon’s pieces in their collection. His connection with the Watson family led to Peikon becoming a director at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, which in addition to Planting Fields, he does a great deal of fundraising for. When Peikon does a solo show, he donates a portion of his sales to whichever charity he is working with and in the 12 years he has been doing this, he has donated almost $300,000. With his experience in sales, Peikon had the knowledge to sell himself and recently he signed with Anderson galleries of Locust Valley. He has a solo show scheduled for the fall to benefit Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
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“When I was making money I was not involved in charities as I didn’t have time to do things like that,” said Peikon. “This freedom gives you options that most people don’t get in their life. It is a shame that our world is so caught up with the material things. Everyone equates success with how much you have and that is not what art is about. It is about forgetting all of that. Having people fall in love with one of my paintings and sitting in their living room and wandering off into one of my landscapes and telling me how much they love living with them is the real reward. You can’t beat that.”
Self Portrait, Hunting with Tom and Harry, 20 x 20, oil on linen
Oasis, 40 x 60, oil on linen, a view from the private beach at Cold Spring Harbor Lab
Rendezvous at the Teahouse, 48 x 36, acrylic on linen, (private collection)
Portrait of Dr. James D. Watson, Nobel Laureate, 50 x 40, acrylic on linen (collection of Dr. and Mrs. Watson). www.boulevardli.com
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page 138-141 SPORTS johnny lovero:Pages 001-004
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SPORTS The Journey to NASCAR:
How a New York Driver Found His Way in the
Southern World of Racing By Ilena Ryan, Photos by Tina Guiomar hough racing is one of the most popular sports in America, its appeal has been lost to many New Yorkers, who have tendencies to avidly watch sports such as baseball, football, golf, and tennis. However, there are some who have taken to the sport of racing, finding the whirring motors of stock cars and the fast pace of the races exhilarating. The problem arises when a New Yorker wants to become a racecar driver. With very few opportunities to enter the world of NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing), where does a young person from the North turn to fulfill his or her dream? The Boulevard traveled to North Carolina to learn about the steps toward becoming a NASCAR driver and interviewed 24-year-old driver Johnny Lovero, as well as the team who has been supporting him along his journey. Johnny Lovero, whose racing name is Johnny Love, always had a passion for racing, but his hometown of Merrick, New York, was not the ideal place to begin a career. According to those in the racing world, there aren’t many Northerners involved in the sport itself, because NASCAR is predominantly rooted in the South. Racers improve their skills for 12 months out of the year when living in a southern environment versus the northern climate, which limits
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drivers to race between April and September. Because hands-on time behind the wheel is the true way a driver hones his or her skills, it seems crucial for a driver to move to a climate more conducive to doing so. Aware of the need to begin a racing career in the South, Johnny moved to Texas to be closer to the heart of racing. While in school, a friend from class took him to a stock car dirt race. While experiencing the race in person, Johnny fell in love with it and began stock car dirt racing soon after. He soon met another man who built him a professional, better car, and taught him how to race it. Johnny developed a winning reputation for himself in Texas; however, if he stayed, he would severely limit his racing career. Family friend and NASCAR driver and champion, Glenn Sullivan, advised Johnny to move to North Carolina, because most NASCAR teams are based there. After he graduated from college in Texas, Johnny made the move to North Carolina and enrolled in the NASCAR Institute. He was introduced to Rob Sparkes, whom he started working for and driving with right away. Johnny transitioned from dirt racing to Legend cars, which he admits are “a lot harder…but worth it.” Once a young racer masters the Legend car, he or she “can drive anything else, no problem,” Johnny says. Both school and racing experience have helped Johnny learn about different tracks. He spends time networking and looking for sponsors, one of the most crucial activities for any driver. Johnny’s mentor and close friend, Rob Sparkes, is part of the Hurricane Racing team, which is owned by Josh Waring. Hurricane Racing houses and maintains Bandolero Cars, Legend cars, late model stock cars, and Thunder Roadsters. Josh Waring has been racing since 1997, but was always passionate about working on cars; he became so busy with working on the racecars that he stopped racing and opened his own shop in 1999. The legend cars that Johnny races are “a good beginner series, and they’re the most affordable racing in comparison,” Waring states. He was a mechanical engineering major in college whose dedication to these cars is evident: “I just love doing it,” he says with a smile.
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Johnny Lovero, Rob Sparkes
While Hurricane Racing trains drivers to race, there is also emphasis on developing character. “We try to give them a fundamental understanding of automobile racing and make them complete driver packages. They need to be articulate and have a real caring and understanding for others’ needs. When that’s said and done, we make them a good driver. If we can build a better person, whether he succeeds as a driver or not, we’ve done our job,” Rob Sparkes says on how they create drivers at Hurricane Racing. In the world of racing where drivers are constantly having to find sponsors, represent products, as well as be in the public eye, many teams find it important to build character first. Hurricane Racing hosts 22 drivers, many of whom are part of the INEX Raceiever series. INEX, while similar to NASCAR, is significantly less expensive than any other form of racing. The entry-level cars are Bandoleros and are for drivers as young as 8 years old. They run on a 20 mph lawnmower engine that reaches speeds up to 70 mph. Once a racer reaches the age of 12, he or she graduates to a Legend car. A Legend car, which Johnny Love races, is a five-eighths scale replica of a NASCAR Flathead Ford modified, 10 feet in length, with 130 hp and a 4-cylinder motorcycle engine. These cars have earned their “Legend” name after the legends of stock car racing. If a driver is over the age of 18 with two years of driving experience, he or she can get an INEX license to drive the Legend cars, and begin racing after having proper training.
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Josh Waring
Tom Clarke, Kara Clarke
As a natural right of passage for racecar drivers, Johnny recently suffered a major crash; so severe that the engine cracked in half and his steering wheel bent inward from gripping it when he lost control of the car. However, because of his seat designed by Randy LaJoie, another successful NASCAR driver and champion, Johnny was able to walk away from the crash basically unscathed. In the world of racing, it isn’t a matter of if a driver will crash, it’s when. Fortunately for Johnny, his seat from The Joie of Racing enabled him to get back to racing shortly after his crash. When asked what the appeal of NASCAR is to the many people we met along the way, the consensus seemed to be the incredible adrenaline rush, and of course, the ability to drive absurdly fast without worrying about a speeding ticket. As for what drew Johnny to the sport? “It’s just fun…I like how interesting it is…it’s not just go fast, turn left—you’ve got to learn technique, and have to be smart about it. You need to learn how to work the car before you can start winning.” Though living in North Carolina, Johnny Love has managed to maintain his New York style, which has earned him many “northerner” nicknames, but it’s all in good fun. Though he’s a Yankee, Johnny Love keeps up with the best of the Southern racers, and builds many friendships and relationships with sponsors along the way. Hopefully, we will be seeing much more of this young man from New York speeding his way through NASCAR in the near future. www.boulevardli.com
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The Joie of Seating: Randy LaJoie Creates Seats That Save Lives
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By Ilena Ryan
andy LaJoie is a Busch Series champion, who also has three victories in the Busch 300 at Daytona International Speedway. While racing, Randy had always used his father’s seat—his father being five-time Danbury Racearena champion Don LaJoie. The seat had been cut down to size to fit Randy ’s body, which was unique compared to other racing seats on the market that held drivers by the ribs, which Randy found extremely difficult to sit in: “I could never get comfortable, and always had black and blues from them,” he says. Randy’s old seat was made from fiberglass; however, when NASCAR changed the rules for seats to only be made of aluminum, he needed to find an alternative to the seats that had previously caused bruises on his ribcage. He started making the seats for himself, but the need for customized seats in the industry sparked interest, and Randy found a few financial supporters that allowed the business to be launched. The shop, cleverly named The Joie of Seating, has been in business since 1995, and is doing extremely well. Randy notes that many times, drivers will call him, thanking him because his seats allowed them to walk away from the sites of their crashes. “Those are good phone calls,” Randy notes, proud that his products have saved the lives of many drivers. Randy is responsible for making one of the best aluminum seats on the market that work via containment. The seats contain the upper body, while the head and neck are restrained with a Hans device, which protects the head and neck in a crash. He offers two product lines, the customized and the Saturday Night Special Line. While the first is measured precisely to the body in a contraption that resembles a medieval torture device called the Seat Sizer, the Saturday Night Special seats come in a number of different sizes and at a less expensive price. M ore information on the seats at http://www.joieofseating.net.
www.boulevardli.com
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SPORTS
Powerboat Racing on the Great South Bay
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n August 26, the Great South Bay was turned into a race course as Offshore Powerboat racing came back to Long Island! The race was sponsored by Geico and featured the Miss Geico, a 44-foot MTI Turbine Race Boat. Among the other incredible boats was the 51-foot Geico Caveman turbine pleasure boat outfitted with twin apache helicopter engines. The races kicked off about 1p.m. on Sunday. Soon the rather calm waters were turned into a torrent of chop and whitecaps as boats ranging from 25 to 45 feet tore through the bay at speeds of up to 160 mph. OPA racing is set to come back to Long Island next August. It’s an event worth watching! For more info visit www.oparacing.org.
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Photos by Jason Feinberg And Tina Guiomar
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BUSINESS FINANCE
Are You Prepared For Your Retirement Years? By Richard V. Nicolich mericans are becoming increasingly concerned about the high cost of retirement. After a lifetime of working and saving, many people wonder if they will have enough money for daily living expenses, much less travel, hobbies and recreational activities they want to enjoy during their golden years. Facts include: 80 percent of your current income is what experts estimate you will need to maintain your lifestyle during retirement.* Only 23 percent of the average retiree’s income comes from Social Security benefits.** 52 percent of the average retiree’s income comes from personal savings, investments, and part-time jobs.** 42 percent of people over age 65 are kept out of poverty only by their Social Security benefits.**72 percent of people polled in a recent survey believe Social Security will be cut or eliminated by the time they retire.*** It is imperative that every individual develop a personal asset allocation strategy for retirement. This is an investment plan that aims to balance risk and rewards, based on each person’s individual needs and timeline. For example, if you have at least 10 years before retirement, you may decide to take more risk in the hope that it will pay off in greater rewards, keeping in mind that there is
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still time to change the strategy before you need your retirement funds. Be sure to review the goals and assumptions that you may have made previously about your financial needs in retirement. Are the estimates of the income that you expect to receive and the expenses that you’re likely to face still valid? If not, you’ll want to readjust your capital needs accordingly. And, if that’s the case, your investment strategy may need more than just fine-tuning. Keep in mind that your asset allocation strategy will need to change as your needs change. If your asset allocation strategy hasn’t changed recently (in your plan account or personal portfolio), the question to ask, then, is: Did you make a conscious decision to stay the course, or simply fail to act? Certainly, as you move closer to retirement, you will want to address what changes in your overall investment strategy may be in order. For instance, does a greater need for income suggest that you add (or add more) dividend-paying stocks to your portfolio? Or, if you are more concerned about risk once you are no longer receiving a regular paycheck, should bonds play a more important role in your portfolio? Fortunately there are sound financial strategies you can use to reduce the impact that taxes, inflation, and health care costs have on your retirement income. Determining a strategy that is right for your individual goals and objectives takes careful planning. Rich Nicolich is a senior financial consultant with Bethpage Financial Services, a division of the Bethpage Federal Credit Union. Rich can assist you by reviewing your current financial situation and, together, develop a personal investment strategy focused on your individual goals and objectives. Rich can be reached at 516-349-6956. Securities offered by and Financial Consultants registered with UVEST Financial Services, member FINRA, SIPC. UVEST and Bethpage Financial Services are independent entities. *Source: Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine ** Source: Office of Research and Statistics, Social Security Administration *** Source: Employee Benefit Research Institute
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Photography by Alden Wallace
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&OUTURE (VENING :EAR ‡ 0ADE TO 0EASURE ‡ 7AILORED &LOTHING *LEN &OVE 5OAD *REENVALE s 6)#4/24!,"/43 #/-