The Boulevard June 2008

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Join Us For

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And Don’t Miss

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AMERICANA MANHASSET 516.627.4444

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Experience How The Inn At Fox Hollow Is Going Above and Beyond® Mere Luxury.

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Suites, complete with a full kitchen, are perfect for any type of visit…whether you are planning a leisurely getaway, a corporate stay, or an extended stay.

Call The Inn At Fox Hollow today to complete your reservation and experience firsthand how we are redefining luxury.

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Design

Italian Pottery…

Traditional, Unique and Colorful Additions to Any Décor

By Maria Galgano Photos by Jason Feinberg

W

hen you visit the Italian countryside, you can find the most interesting ceramic patterns and designs one could imagine. Traditionally from Tuscany, Umbria and Sicily, Italian pottery is made in small workshops where artisans and their families continue to produce unique works of art using techniques handed down from one generation to the next.

Distinctive colors and characteristics are common to particular regions of Italy. A stretch of coastline on the southern side of the Sorrentine Peninsula extending from Positano in the west to Vietri Sul Mare in the east is the Amalfi Coast. This out-ofthe-way destination along the Mediterranean Sea is famous for its interpretation of the sea through the art of pottery. The work is punched with shades of blues, oranges, greens and yellows. Many pieces depict seaside villages, Italian cities and angel themes.

The Almafi Coast is also noted for its production of hand painted tabletops and bathroom tiles.

The Italian hillside of Deruta is also known throughout the world for its spectacular pottery, commonly known as Majolica. The people of Deruta have successfully produced and exported ceramics for more than six centuries. History has documented that the city has been manufacturing pottery since 1290, originating with jugs, bowls and basins. The Tiber Valley is rich with clay, enabling artists of the villages to expand their production of Majolica into diverse decorations of church floors

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and fountains. The most dominant colors are copper, speckled green and manganese brown. Popular themes typical of Deruta are artichokes, carrots, garlic, onions, apples, figs, grapes and pears.

They are also famous for their square-shaped serving dishes.

During the 16th century Italians traditionally placed stones, often reflecting Italian proverbs, on walls of their homes and gardens to assure blessings and prosperity. This tradition has transformed into house number tiles, four season plates, plaques, umbrella stands and ceramic lamps and clocks.

Today, Italian pottery can be used in any room with any dĂŠcor. It can easily work from indoors to outdoors, brightening any space. Garden planters, cachepots and pitchers decorated with fruits and flowers can give a home that Tuscan feel. There is a wonderful selection of Italian specialty pieces such as biscotti jars, wine carafes, fish platters, dipping bowls and tea pots, as well as everyday dinnerware, mugs, pasta bowls, spoon rests and oil and vinegar cruet sets.

www.boulevardli.com

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Design

An Estate for the Ages

By Barry Kay

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anfi Vintners is a privately owned company that was founded in New York in 1919 by John Mariani, Sr., and today is owned and operated by his grandchildren.

The company is a producer and importer of fine wines.

The Mariani family has its vineyard estate, Castello Banfi, in Montalcino, Tuscany, and is famous for its award-winning wines that are exported to more than 85 countries around the world.

Castello Banfi has the unique distinction of being the first winery in the world to be awarded international recognition for exceptional environmental, ethical and social responsibility, as well as for being an international leader in customer satisfaction.

Banfi’s U.S. headquarters are located in a magnificent 60room mansion originally named Rynwood, which sits on 127 acres of prime Gold Coast property in Old Brookville, L.I. The estate’s architect, Roger Harrington Bullard, was commissioned

by Sir Samuel Agar Salvage, the “father of the rayon industry” in the U.S. who at the time was chairman of the American Viscose Corporation.

Just prior to its completion in 1927, Rynwood was made available to the British government by Sir Samuel for Empire Day, a royal spectacle held every May 24 to celebrate the birthday of Queen Victoria. Rynwood, with its vaulted ceilings, English oak paneling, stained glass medallions, and squared lawns and formal English gardens, immediately became a

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prominent part of the social fabric of Long Island’s Gold Coast.

After Sir Samuel died in 1946, Lady Salvage sold the house to Margaret Emerson, widow of Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt. Miss Emerson’s main concern after viewing the property was the lack of a croquet court, which was built upon purchase. The house was sold in 1960 to Frederick William Irving Lundy, a Sheepshead Bay restaurateur who claimed that he fed a million people in his famous seafood restaurant. Lundy owned 70 properties in New York State, including 30,000 acres in Ellenville. He rarely visited Rynwood and the property declined. Lundy died in 1977 at the age of 82 and Banfi purchased the estate two years later.

To bring the estate back to its former glory, two leading architects were hired and with the help of renderings and photographs, Dr. Marcello Matteini, a professor of architecture at the University of Rome, and Mark Hampton began a painstaking recreation. Their objective was to create the atmosphere of a magnificent home, not a crassly commercial office. After three years and more than 50 artists, artisans and horticulturists, they succeeded.

In many ways Banfi is like William Randolph Hearst’s estate San Simeon, filled with wondrous treasures from all over the world. All 60 rooms, both great and small, have been appointed with rare and priceless paintings, tapestries and rugs, mostly English and Italian. They reflect the 15th-century custom of

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Design

English gentry to acquire rare paintings, marbles, bronzes and other art objects. These treasures date from the Etruscan period (eighth century BC to first century BC).

Through the 19th century, the predominant color theme was grape and wine and it is found everywhere: on carpets, wall sconces, windows and statuary. John Mariani and his wife Pamela acquired a great many of the home’s furnishings and artwork on their numerous trips to Europe. The Banfi boardroom is a heavily paneled room appointed with a seventh-century Tuscan table and eighth-century chairs. Both the dining room table, which seats 12, and the boardroom table were made by Italian craftsmen in the U.S., as no European tables could be found that would be large enough for the Banfi’s requirements.

The manor also has a formidable and amazing wine cellar that houses 6,000 bottles of rare vintages, guarded by a safe-type door, eight feet high and almost a foot thick. Of course, no description of the houses, rooms or appointments would be complete without mention of the famous terraced gardens designed in 1927 by Ellen B. Shipman, one of the most famous women landscape artists of her time. The estate boasts a network of terraces, rose gardens and decorative buildings along with a 20-acre Chardonnay vineyard.

John Mariani Jr., chairman and CEO has been quoted as saying, “The wine trade is a gentleman’s calling,” in explaining the family’s preference for historically appointed surroundings.

“The integrity of the business should be reflected in an atmosphere that, like wine itself, is gracious and steeped in tradition.” Today John, his brother Harry, president and COO, and their children run the company. John’s daughter, Cristina Mariani-May and Harry’s son, James Mariani, are co-CEOs and run the day-to-day operations, with the consultation of their fathers. They all credit their success to understanding the American wine palate, and the fact that their focus has never changed.

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Fashion The perfect short evening dress, from the OC by Oleg Cassini collection, is done in a rich shimmering ruby colored silk satin fabric, embellished with crystals. The front of the dress features a pin tucked bodice with jeweled straps crisscrossing in back and centered with its own satin bow. The skirt of the dress is caught with a flattering bubble hem for an opulent look. Worn with rubies and diamonds, and ruby satin evening shoes.

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Midsummer Night’s Dream Gown The floor length Baby Doll gown is 100% silk, and features a shaped and tied halter bodice of jet black silk.

The Empire waist is highlighted by the gathered black and white floral motif printed silk chiffon skirt. For a fabulous entrance, this can be dressed up with black and white diamonds for a gala museum evening, or worn barefoot at a beachfront Cocktail Party.

www.boulevardli.com

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Fashion Oleg Cassini Couture for Special Occasions The perfect suit in the Cassini signature luxury fabric of silk is done in a vivid jewel toned pink.

The sculpted, shaped jacket is trimmed with three fabulous crystal buttons, worn with its own pencil skirt.

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Pink Diamond It suits you ... perfectly

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“The suit has a dignity of its own�, Oleg Cassini

The Oleg Cassini Couture signature suit features the Cassini portrait collar with sculpted jacket and shaped pencil skirt.

The luxurious Cassini Couture fabric, a rich silk/wool in a vivid jewel toned Aquamarine color, is accented with 3 pave crystal flower buttons.

Perfect for a Keynote speech.

A chic keynote to elegant dressing, the suit is a perfect look to wear to a political fundraiser, a charity luncheon, a wedding, or, any special occasion moment when one wants to look very special indeed.

www.boulevardli.com

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Fashion

“Liquid gold”

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A love affair that never ends.

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Fashion

Summer Looks for Summer Locks

By Richard Calcasola Richard Calcasola is president of Maximus Spa/Salons and North American Creative Director, Intercoiffure. For a fresh point of view with Richard call 516-333-3511, ext 217.

By appointment only.

I

’m happy to report that this summer promises to be one of the most fun, healthy, sexy hair seasons ever! Why is this summer any different? Great new haircuts, great new treatments, fabulous new technology that minimizes all the crazy, unmanageable, insane textures that come with the ocean breeze.

It all started last fall/winter with the neo-bob trend.

You have so many options with all those new variations of the cut, along with treatments that can relax and tranquilize the unmanageable character in your hair’s DNA. Women can feel confident that there’s hope in having manageable good looks without all the work. In spite of all the trepidation that comes with a new hairstyle, women have begun to take little risks in “releasing some hair.” Releasing?

Just a gentle way of saying cut your hair.

This momentum has led the way to newer looks above the chin but below the ear. It has fueled the next step in hair trends that are sexy, touchable and easy. Almost, and I repeat, almost, wash and wear.

The look begins with an expert haircut.

Try to find a stylist that understands your uniqueness and lifestyle. Whether your hair is easy or difficult to manage becomes a no-brainer when you add fantastic hair color and the latest semi -permanent relaxers. Relaxers will get you through the entire summer without the summertime blues. By now, it’s understood that there is no such thing as a great haircut without great color

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on glossy quality hair. Keep in mind the relaxers provide options; you can still wear it with texture or curl whenever you want.

If you’ve kept your New Year’s resolution, you should be looking your best, feeling your best and ready for the best summer despite everything we are reading in the papers, politics, the economy, housing market, etc. Those things are pretty much out of our control.

The things you can control are how you look and feel. Your favorite professional is in a position to help you with all these exciting ideas.

As for the professionals, we are very inspired by the opportunities.

The long, laborious, straight blowouts that have been so popular in the last few years are beginning to give way to more individuality and less copycat hair. We are very excited to exercise our expertise in all the things we study regarding technique, chemistry and personalized style.

Along with a good consultation, that includes pictures to communicate with (not to duplicate), a little trust and some creative license…you can look great, in and out of the water.

Have some fun; the commitment is not very long-term but your commitment to change, fun and a renewed sex appeal should be forever.

After all, it’s a hairstyle, not a tattoo! Have a blast, don’t forget all the protection this summer, and I don’t only mean sun. Uhhh, hair too!

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Fashion

ESSA on Long Island

Manhattan Salon Experience on the North Shore

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n a recent trend, many long-time Manhattanites have been making the move to the North Shore of Long Island. One such entrepreneur, Mark DeRugeriis, was a 17-year veteran of Wall Street, where he ran a successful M&A practice. In 2006, Mark launched a new venture, Essa Salon & Spa, in the affluent Brookville/East Norwich area.

Essa is a culmination of a vision to bring to Long Island a New York City-style salon that not only looks the part, but delivers on the experience. An exclusive Kerastase salon, Essa has created a superior experience and attracted NYCtrained stylists from salons such as Bumble & Bumble, Warren Tricome, Kim Lepine, and Mindari Group, among others. With its European-influenced décor and unsurpassed client attention, Essa is like no other salon on Long Island, offering its own luxury line of hair care, skin and make-up product lines, created by Mark.

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Essa’s Salons employ more than 20 luxury services including hair styling and color, extensions, facials, waxing, laser hair removal, skin rejuvenation and nail care. Its private suite caters to a celebrity clientele and those that seek discretion.

Essa’s newest salon is located in Westbury with more locations on the horizon. Open seven days a week, the salon is a haven for all occasions and clients always receive what Mark calls “The Essa Experience.” Mark has already begun plans to open an Essa salon in the trendy Soho area of NYC in the fall of 2008.

For further information call 516.802.4927 www.ESSASalon.com

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COUTURE EVENING WEAR • MADE TO MEASURE • TAILORED CLOTHING 47 GLEN COVE ROAD, GREENVALE s 6)#4/24!,"/43 #/-

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The Boulevard • June - July 2008

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Profiles

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hef. Actor. Author. Philanthropist. Ballbreaker. Vito. Take your pick; Joe Gannascoli wears a lot of hats. He dyed his dogs blue for the Superbowl and hung an effigy of Brady from his window. Maybe it helped his beloved Giants win. Maybe not. Either way, the infectious enthusiasm that Gannascoli has for life starts to rub off after you hang with him for awhile. We caught up with him to talk about life after The Sopranos and his work as a writer and a chef. Joe Gannascoli really likes food. So much so that he wants you to see him run a kitchen and serve celebrity guests gourmet meals in his new reality show Foodfellas that is currently in development.

He and some of his buddies staked themselves out a restaurant on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx and rolled cameras as Joe ran the kitchen and took care of patrons. There isn’t a thing about the restaurant business Gannascoli doesn’t know - he used to steal food as a “food fence” in Brooklyn as a kid. Now he sells it and has his own line of specialty pasta sauces. The early “work” which he humorously describes as “boxes being on a truck, then off a truck” was great character building. While not many are aware of Gannascoli’s early days where he earned his street cred, the whole world knows what happened next to the kid from Brooklyn whose very public battles with gambling and obesity led to being one of the most recognizable figures in pop culture today.

As art imitated life, Gannascoli eventually left his racket to become one of the more famous fictional organized crime figures in modern television – Vito Spatafore – the closeted gay, lovable, cold-blooded killer that dominated season six of the most successful cable television show in history – The Sopranos. Joe is so true to his character that on a recent evening at his home where The Boulevard was invited for, you guessed it – pizza, the overall warmth and hospitality had a cool sense of unease as I turned over in my head: Could this guy really turn and whack me at any moment? He cracked jokes, leading me into some gullible cliché entrapments as The Boulevard's photographer sat hysterically laughing and snapping pictures.

But was I with a made man that could whip out a gun at any moment or was I with the nice neighbor next door whose greatest joy seemed to be busting his guest’s balls? To calm my nerves, I addressed the duality of Vito’s character right at the outset. “It's who he is. Chase always used that device a lot,” Joe reflected. “ Just when you think these guys are fun-loving and charismatic and nice and goof on each other and eat together, then they do something like kill an old lady and you can see that they are really lowlifes. That is what I did – with my character, you are feeling all sorry for what I am going through and then I just kill a guy on the side of the road.” The scene to which he refers is late in the sixth season when Vito is caught by other thugs at a gay bar in full biker regalia and flees to New Hampshire to finally and forcibly reconcile his homosexuality with his life in the mob. He falls in love with local short order cook “Johnny Cakes” and their folly drew the audience in to the point where Vito is a very sympathetic character simply struggling through a painful self-identity epiphany. All of that is wonderful until the abrupt and brutal scene where Vito coldbloodedly murders an innocent motorist who gets in his way after a minor accident. Hence the eternal riddle of The Sopranos' plot conceit, the brilliance of David Chase and the platform on which Gannascoli got to show the world his innate and genius acting talent.

But my fascination lay not with the most-written-about series of all time – but more with the real-life Joe Gannascoli and his experience as a small time crook. Joe had a racket, albeit a small one, where certain foods like olive oil or wine or anything that came in crates would find its way into his possession. He knew which restaurants would take what and how to sell it. As he describes it, it was never a large operation

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“ I used to bet everything. Football card, all sports. I am on the big cure now. It seemed every time I was making money, I gave it back.

I gambled the restaurant away and moved to LA. I can go to bed now and not wake up in the middle of the night and check scores and wake up miserable.” but he made a small amount of money. “I did stuff when I was a kid. I was a gambler. I was from Brooklyn. Guys had stuff going on…there would be stuff on trucks, then it would be off the trucks…whether it was shrimp or wine or olive oil – it wasn’t a huge operation but we made a few dollars. Whatever we made, I gave it all back to the bookies,” he reveals. The bookies to which he refers were the representation of a terrible gambling problem that would plague Gannascoli for most of his life, one which he isn’t the least bit reticent to discuss.

A self-taught chef, Gannascoli worked in New Orleans first and then pursued his dream of opening and owning his own restaurant, eventually owning several establishments around New York. He loved it, he loved cooking, and he loved the sense of style and high energy that running a busy eatery brought.

Despite the success of the business, though, the gambling habit took its toll and all was lost on a batch of fateful football games one Sunday. “It was the last game of the year and I decided to send it in. I called in 15K on the Giants. They lost. I bet on the Jets. I lost that. Then I sent the whole thing in for the Steelers. They said to me, ‘Joe, this is a big bet …' I didn’t care, I put it down anyway. I lost. I covered the $60,000 bet with the restaurant. I went in Monday to my partner and said 'You won’t believe what I did' - and I cashed out and moved to Los Angeles.”

The turn of events would have seismic impact on the Gannascoli story. He arrived in LA with no real acting experience, bringing nothing but wit, street smarts and a larger-than-life personality. As any working actor will tell you, wit and talent are essential, but will only get you so far. You have to pound the pavement. You need a set of…well, let's just call it testicular prowess, shall we? Joe’s first job in LA was petsitting – he stayed in people’s homes when they were on vacation and watched their dogs. He hired an agent who, as he describes, wouldn’t get out of bed until after 9 a.m. “I would go to my agent’s house at 6 a.m. and he wouldn’t wake up until 9. He said he couldn’t work like that and fired me. So I woke up at 5, and then would open the listings before he got up at his house and photocopy them and then give them back. I would pretend I was a guy named James Hoving representing Gannascoli and I would book myself on auditions. Then people knew I would have the breakdowns and started asking me to make calls.” He says all of this with a straight face as I sit hysterical laughing. “He was the curator of some museum or something and the name sounded really official. It was hard. I would think I was right for something and I would walk in and there would be 80 guys that looked exactly like me.” He continues with sidesplitting tales of how his alter ego actually landed auditions for residents of his apartment

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Profiles

complex, slipping into his “James Hoving” character, which is best imagined as a constipated Robin Leach. “Once I took this really old lady to audition for the part of Mother Teresa in Naked Gun. She wound up getting, like, eight members of her family involved and we all tramped in. You should have seen us.

Ridiculous. She didn’t get the part.”

And then came the break.

After a few bit parts, Gannascoli had a small role in a movie with Benecio Del Toro and James Gandolfini called Money for Nothing. He made friends. He and Del Toro hit it off and stayed in touch. The movie work stayed spotty and then a few years later, the call came for a television show on HBO that was a Mafia drama. It didn’t sound appealing at first. “The first season I didn’t want to do it because it was television. I wasn’t Vito. I was a different character that season. I wanted to do movies, and no one knew it was gonna be big. Someone said that I should do it because it was going to be a good series, so I did an episode in the bakery. The second season I did two episodes and the third season I did five, and then I got to kill Jackie Junior, which was big,” recalls Gannascoli about the trajectory of the show.

“I was reading a book that was really interesting in which the main character was a mobster who was gay and I brought it up and asked if they were willing to do that. It was something you never see. It took a couple years and then they killed D’Amato

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in NJ - who was a captain - for being gay and then they decided to write it. I just suggested it and they turned it into a whole season.”

Life has a way of providing surprises. Of all the subplots in the history of The Sopranos' 12-year, seven-season run, none were as talked about or received more acclaim than the Vito story arc. Gannascoli appeared in a total of 41 episodes.

He was now a household name and at the conclusion of the series continued to amplify his career. His first book, A Meal to Die For, was published in 2006 and was based on his experience as a food fence. The novel is the story of a chef who gets the opportunity of a lifetime to cook a last meal at a mob sitdown where some “business” will be conducted. Gannascoli garnered terrific reviews and is working on a sequel. He is also hard at work optioning the rights to make it into a feature film.

Joe gained 200 pounds in five years when he was working with his restaurants. By the time his work on The Sopranos was heating up, he was a ripe candidate for Celebrity Fit Club and appeared on the first season. In total he lost 32 pounds. At the time he could barely exercise because his hips were in so much pain; he has since had both replaced. He shared a hilarious story with us which was one of the funnier moments on the show: “One week we were weighing ourselves in and I step on the scale and as a joke I get on and put my finger on the

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“ One day I woke up in the Hollywood Hills in this big house at one point and thought this was great. We went from house to house dogsitting and it was okay. I did that for a year and a half and then someone asked me to watch their cat and I was deathly allergic to cats. I couldn’t breathe table and lifted myself up – but then they didn’t see it. And they were surprised and said ‘Wow, you lost 12 pounds in two weeks!’

The next week I couldn’t pull it off and it looked like I gained 16 pounds the next time. It was hilarious. It looked like I lost 12 then gained 16. It was great.” His wild weight fluctuation on

the show was the subject of talk shows and morning radio. Joe knows how to have a good time.

Gannascoli is active in several charity efforts and has done celebrity appearances, signings and telethon work for several causes – his most recent initiative being Bright Steps Forward, a nonprofit organization that provides funding for intensive pediatric therapy to financially disadvantaged children with neurological disorders such as cerebral palsy, disabilities of prematurity, autism and other congenital or acquired conditions that affect their physical functioning. Joe is their national spokesperson and will be actively involved in various fundraising and awareness initiatives. Because of his expertise in the restaurant business and his talent as a chef, you will see Gannascoli writing for The Boulevard in future issues, reviewing various places that he feels serve exquisite cuisine or simply are a great dining experience. That, or he made us an offer we couldn’t refuse….

Currently Joe has two movies set for release in which he appears, Corrado and Art Imitating Life, and is currently in the final planning stages to be the lead in a play that will be staged in New York.

Gannascoli is busy; it's tough wearing so many hats.

But what's nice to know is that the man behind one of the most famous and complicated characters in modern television is a kind, funny, down-to-earth person who is committed to using his celebrity for the right reasons. That, and it helps him get out of tickets…

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Top: Richard Piana, Angela Susan Anton, Nino Selimaj, Karina Todaro, Jessica DeRosa, Jason Feinberg Middle: Joe Gannascoli, Tony Darrow Bottom: Darren DeRosa Photo by Tina Guiomar

Hair and Make-Up Provided By: NuBest Salon and Spa Fashion Provided By: Victor Talbot Photographer:

Clifton Parker for Patrick McMullan Company Assistant: Carrie Kleinman Production Asst: Leedia Mathis

The Boulevard Magazine: Angela Susan Anton, Jason Feinberg, Tina Guiomar Shot on Location: Nino’s Fine Italian Cuisine 1354 First Ave., New York, NY 10021 212.988.0002 30

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Profile

Tony Darrow More Than Just A WiseGuy, A Diverse Character

By Ruth Bashinsky Photos by Clifton Parker For Patrick McMullan Co.

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“I

'm an important guy, you f***ng prick. I am doing an interview right now with a magazine. Next time you call make an appointment."

Click.

Pause.

"Did you like that line?" asks Tony Darrow, aka Sonny Bunz from the 1990 film Goodfellas and Larry "Boy" Barese in the popular drama series, The Sopranos. "I'm a natural-born ballbreaker. I tease everybody. The more I like you, the more I tease. That was my friend Bobby Wells. Bobby has a band that is probably the greatest band in the United States called The Infernos. They are wonderful."

From his home in Orange County, NY, Darrow talks about his career on stage, in film and in TV; his son Anthony; his recent weight loss (he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes); his winemaking hobby; and his ability to be a natural ballbuster.

Darrow, who has had a spectacular 30-year career in show biz working as a nightclub entertainer at some of the world's biggest venues, including Carnegie Hall and the Riverfront Coliseum, in front of huge crowds and working with legendary comics Buddy Hackett, Don Rickles and Dom DeLuise, is probably best known for his role as Sonny Bunz, owner of the popular Brooklyn nightclub, The Bamboo Lounge. His big break in the movie industry came along when he least expected it. "I was doing two shows a night, six days a week in Atlantic City and I didn't want to break my routine to go on the audition," says Darrow. "I didn't really follow the movies and did not know much about Martin Scorsese, but if you asked me who the entertainment director for Caesar's was, I knew him."

Darrow's agent eventually convinced him to go on the audition, and on the big day, Darrow improvised, relying on his sharp tongue and cutting sense of humor to help ease his nerves: "When Scorsese stuck out his hand to shake mine I slapped his hand and said, "Don't give me that f*****n' hand. If I don't get this role, you and this broad are going out the window.

You know where the f***k I had to come from for this?" After the exchange, Darrow said Scorsese stared right at him. Darrow stood thinking, "You shmuck, you blew it, this is not nightclubs."

But his bold move paid off.

When the silence broke, Scorsese said, "Jesus Christ, this is what I've been looking for. Everyone comes in with the cottonmouth. They can't talk. They are scared. What else have you done, kid?"

"What do you mean, what else have I done? Nothing. One garbage movie."

The rest is history.

Scorsese cast Darrow as Sonny Bunz. It was not only Darrow's first role in a major motion picture, but also a character that would come easy for the Brooklyn-born actor, since Darrow knew the real Sonny Bunz (real name: Sunny Bamboo). "I sang there 10 years before the film was made and end up playing the guy. Isn't that amazing?"

After Goodfellas, Darrow's film and television career flourished. He went on to star in more than a dozen films, including six Woody Allen movies, playing the lead in Small Time Crooks and Sweet and Lowdown. He appeared in the comedy Analyze This with Robert DeNiro and Billy Crystal; Mickey Blue Eyes, starring Hugh Grant; and with Tony Bando in the comedy Me and the Mob. On the small screen, Darrow was a regular on the series Law & Order, appeared as a special guest star in the CBS sitcom Della Ventura, the TNT show Family Values, The Cosby Show, New York Undercover and his most recent role as Larry "Boy" Barese on The Sopranos.

The transition from the stage to the screen came naturally for the 58-year-old actor who said, "I winged it all my life on stage, so when I am acting, I don't even know there is a camera there." In fact, in Goodfellas, when Sonny is talking to

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the Godfather, Darrow got the opportunity to write the scene himself: "Scorsese really liked me. He said I was a natural and he wanted me to put in all the words the wiseguys used on the street, so things like, 'You want to wind up a lambaster?' or 'If you don't laugh at my jokes you'll wind up an MIA' were in there."

However, working on The Sopranos was a completely different experience altogether. "Everything was scripted," said Darrow. "If you try and change one little word, David Chase would get on you. It is more difficult, but you could see what the end result was … it was a phenomenon."

Undoubtedly, playing a wiseguy has always come naturally to the actor who calls himself a street kid at heart. "I was brought up on the streets of Brooklyn, in East New York, where the real goodfellas came from. I was one of the kids on the corner that the older guys liked. I was street smart and nobody could mess with me."

And the lessons Darrow learned on the street as a kid, which were to honor, respect and to not be a rat, is how he says he lives his life today: "The wiseguys taught you not to be a bully and to never let anyone bully you. If you let yourself get bullied you might as well move because then you'll have 100 guys picking on you. So fight, get your ass kicked and then you were left alone."

Darrow, who visits the old neighborhood whenever he can, shares what he learned on the street with his 11-year-old son Anthony, who he calls the "highlight of my life. I had him when I was 48 and that is a big thrill in my life. He has brought me unbelievable joy."

In 2000, Darrow stopped performing his nightclub routine on a regular basis; he will occasionally do his comedy routine if the money and timing is right. Recently he filmed the lead role in the horror flick Lynch Mob, which is slated to open in theaters this year and created a television show, Dinner with the Foodfellas: An Invitation You Can't Refuse, with Soprano friends Vinny Pastore (aka "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero) and Joseph Gannascoli (aka Vito Spatafore) for the TLC network. He is also working on a cookbook/memoir for publishing house Simon & Schuster that he will co-write with Pastore and Gannascoli.

Additional projects include a major motion picture called Conviction with James Gandolfini, based on a true story about the mob and a group of lawyers who were put behind bars for embezzlement. He also signed on to do a voiceover for the children's animated film Gina D & The Transistor Sisters, which has

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“The wiseguys taught you not to be a bully and to never let anyone bully you.�

not yet been released.

When Darrow is not working or spending time with his family, he enjoys making homemade wine with his friends, an Italian wine that is a mixture of three different grapes. The brand is The Good Fellas Wine of Orange County. He also likes to work on his golf game (he is a single-digit handicap) and keep fit by walking since he has lost weight.

Raising money for charity is another pastime of Darrow's. Securing sponsorships and calling upon his friends in

the entertainment industry to participate in a day of golf, dinner and a show for two charities close his to heart - United Cerebral Palsy and the New York Troopers Foundation - gives him great pleasure. In the last 18 years, Darrow has raised in excess of $5 million. This year's charity golf tournament will be held on July 28 at the Willow Ridge Country Club in Harrison, NY. Wiseguy or not, Darrow is a man of substance: "I am a man of integrity. I speak my mind. If I give you my word, it is my bond."

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G

ardener. Chef. Mother. Health enthusiast. Nutritionist.

Protector.

These are probably not the words you think of when you think of Christie Brinkley, but they are by far the words that describe her best. After a few weeks of conflicting schedules, I was almost ready to give up trying to interview her on what has become a topic in line with so many “top global issues” when, as fate would have it, we were going to be at the same luncheon. The Boulevard magazine was cosponsoring the April 14 NOFA-NY (Northeast Organic Farmers Association www.nofany.org) luncheon at Guastavino's, at which Christie was a guest speaker. Christie is a close personal friend of NOFA president Scott Chaskey, who introduced her to organic farming.

As I ate lunch and listened to Christie and the other guests speak, I realized that like so many other important issues, this one has gone largely ignored or has not been accepted as well, for the wrong reasons.

As the luncheon wound down, I patiently waited as a crowd of people gathered to take photos and say hi to one of the world’s most famous supermodels. I was getting nervous, hoping that we would have enough time. Suddenly, I felt a hand grab my arm and Christie said, "Okay everyone, I have to do my interview with Jason now." Definitely one of the highlights in my life!

“I’ve been a vegetarian since I was about 12 or 13 years old and I’ve always been interested in healthy and nutritious foods," says Christie. "I’ve raised my kids as vegetarians but my son eats white meat because of how active he is, I felt that I had to give him that little extra. Because of this I’ve been very aware of the difference between organic foods and foods covered in pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides and DDTs, and every kind of toxin that’s harmful. As a mother I take my responsibility very seriously in making sure that my children are safe today, while I have an eye on the future so they inherit a healthy planet and I think that good organic farming ensures both those things at once.”

What exactly are organic farming and organic foods? Is it a trendy thing? Is it a marketing scheme? Is it food that caters to vegetarians? One thing I found about organic farming and organic foods was the misconception surrounding what organic means. Once you understand the difference you can easily

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understand the passion that drives Christie.

Let's dispel the myths first. Organic farming simply refers to a natural method of food production, or, in the case of animals, the way the animals are raised and fed, without ingesting everyday chemicals and pesticides found in most foods today.

That’s it. It’s that simple. You don’t have to be a vegetarian, you don’t have to eat only whole wheat. Technically, you could eat a McDonald’s hamburger providing that McDonald’s raised and fed cattle a certain way and offered organic foods.

For a firsthand experience, I met with Phil Barbato, owner of Biophilia Organic Farm in Jamesport who graciously welcomed me and took me on a tour of his small 14-acre farm. I don’t know if I was expecting to see James and his Giant Peach, a 12-ton tomato or Phil’s secret underground greenery, but it was just a small red barn with solar panels, a small greenhouse and some fields. So what’s the difference? No chemicals. While it was early in the season, you could see the vegetables just starting to grow. Whether it was one of his three types of garlic, blue potatoes, blueberries, strawberries, tomatoes and yes, even Christmas trees, there wasn’t anything out of the ordinary about Phil’s farm. “You rotate your crops,” Phil said. “They are actually finding out that the yield is the same with organic farming vs. commercial farming”.

Phil gave me a great analogy, which I told him I had to pass along. “If you ever look at a bodybuilder who takes steroids, they look great, but they aren’t healthy.” It's the same with organic and commercial farming. As we walked along, Phil showed me where he was growing grapes. “They said you can’t grow organic grapes here. I don’t know, mine taste just fine to me.”

“It’s all about getting the information out there,” says Christie. Every time people take a bite of food, it has a chain reaction. “What kind of soil is my food growing in? That soil becomes the food; the food becomes us. We have all heard that you are what you eat and it’s true! Putting toxic chemicals on plants is like opening our mouths and pouring toxic chemicals in our mouths.

“We really do need a conscious awaking of the health of our planet and the health of the inhabitants of the planet. There are signs of suffering everywhere. We really are in an emergency,” says Christie. “As we face all the effects of global climate change, global warming, I think we really need to wake up to what we can do as individuals. Supporting organic farming is something

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we can all do. People think that it is overpriced and expensive. At a local farm stand the prices aren’t that different but your health [and] your family's health effects are very different. The effects of pollution are very different.”

If you look at the overall global problems from pollution, food, and diseases, they all fall in line with one another. As Christie says, “Beyond us are the effects on our environment.”

Just watch something as simple as watering your plants and see where the water goes. Ultimately that water seeps into Long Island’s aquifers, lakes, rivers and/or the ocean. “Scientists are now finding dead zones and that gives me shivers,” says Christie.

Like global warming, people are accepting this and feeling despair, yet they miss the realization that they can do something to change this.

But is it really more expensive? That depends on where you shop. Some upscale stores simply have higher-priced products and market themselves as such. However, as Christie explains, “If you look at the big picture, what is more important - the cost of an organic tomato today [or] the cost of a child dealing with cancer? If you don’t factor in the cost that these pesticides and synthetic fertilizers are costing us in cancers and diabetes and central nervous systems disorders, that’s a fake cost factor. We should demand that they factor that in when were talking about the cost of something.”

Schools are taking notice of healthier foods as well.

With the recent beef scare, some schools have outlawed

beef altogether while some schools have made the switch to organic beef. “I also work closely with [The New York Coalition for] Healthy School Food, [an organization] started

by Chevy Chase and his wife Jayni." Healthy School Food (www.healthyschoolfood.org) is an organization that works to promote optional plant-based entrees, healthy snack foods, farm-to-school programs and nutrition education to encourage healthier food choices. Christie recently painted and donated autographed T-shirts (available at www.charitybuzz.com) on which she used an anonymous quote that was very fitting: “The sky is held up by the trees; if the forest goes, the roof of the world will collapse and man and nature will perish together”.

Long Island’s vast East End farms have all but disappeared. Christie refers to Long Island as the "used to be" place, as in "'Oh, that used to be a beautiful field of flowers,' or 'That used to be a farm.' We can’t sustain that; at some point we have to say enough is enough."

If you haven’t joined or aren’t planning on joining a local environmental group, you can take your family to one of the many community farms and grow your own vegetables.

Once you get your hands in the dirt, you will not only see what you are doing for your environment, but what you are doing for your family as well.

Being responsible with food has not only helped Christie and her family's health, but it has also brought them closer together. Her 12-year-old son Jack has become quite the www.boulevardli.com

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Profiles avid chef. “He’s fearless in the kitchen," his proud mother says. "He whipped up pasta primavera with vegetables the other day, and it was so tasty and wonderful. He watches the Food Channel all day.” Gardening with her children has led to some of the best conversations she has ever had. “You’re allowed to become quiet in the garden, you’re almost in a zen. Thoughts just flow freely and it becomes just magical.

Once you harvest that and take it into the kitchen and work something out with it, it’s just wonderful.”

Photo by Jason Feinberg

Christie’s Summertime Recipe Take some freshly cut organic arugula, place on plate Take a zucchini blossom, put a little bit of egg white on it with a little bit of whole wheat flour or Panko (Japanese bread crumbs) Stuff some mozzarella inside of it Put it in a pan with a little olive oil and a little garlic Fry it until it melts; put it on top of the arugula while it’s still warm.

Take fresh tomatoes (you can use the canned crushed tomatoes also), heat up the tomatoes just a little, then sprinkle some herbs over the top.

It’s soooo good!

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I

t's May 3, 2008 at Camp Edey in Bayport, Long Island.

The time is 4:30 p.m. on a misty Saturday afternoon and hundreds of teenage Girl Scouts have gathered to celebrate Girl Fest, honoring 40 years of the Suffolk County Girl Scouts Council. The crowd patiently waits for singer and songwriter Alexa Ray Joel to take center stage. Joel agreed to dedicate a live performance to the event, but she had no idea what she was about to experience.

As the petite brunette gracefully emerged from the side of the stage, she wore dark jeans, a raspberry-colored crocheted sweater and black sky-high platform sandals. The young crowd instantly let out a yelp, which grew into a rush of cheering and then, it was full-on Alexamania as they rushed the stage, clamoring to get a closer look at the girl with the distinct voice emanating from behind the microphone. The audience didn’t miss a beat as Alexa performed several songs, each of which had a unique sound from completely different genres.

As Joel welcomed the crowd, the girls instantly moved in closer, waving their autograph books to get noticed. At one point during the mayhem, a voice came on overhead to announce that a girl was lost and looking for her mother.

Another girl was hysterically crying because she couldn’t get close to the stage. Security had to calm down the masses as they were climbing over each other, pushing, shoving, just to catch a glimpse. From a distance, it looked like Joel was swallowed by a sea of green. Despite the craziness, Joel remained calm and continued to graciously sign autographs and pose for hundreds of photos.

Alexa’s famous parents, supermodel mom Christie Brinkley and rock star dad Bill Joel, weren’t on hand, but brother Jack Paris Taubman and sister Sailor Lee Cook were assisting Alexa from the sidelines. Even Joel’s best friend, Samanthe Lobosco, captured the moment by quietly shadowing Joel and snapping photos of the artist in action.

In the midst of signing autographs and pictures, Alexa announced she was going to take a break and would soon return to pick up where she left off. Meanwhile, I had arranged to interview Joel one-on-one and she signaled for me to follow her entourage to a private log cabin behind the stage. Inside, the cabin was transformed into a makeshift "green room" complete with an assortment of (what else?) Girl Scout cookies.

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As the video photographer, Dave Garden, preset the interview, Joel ducked into a private room to refresh and change. She emerged looking radiant and instantly broke the ice when she exclaimed, “My favorite Girl Scout cookies are Thin Mints!” I immediately relaxed and reminded myself that Alexa is a pure, down to earth soul. From her genuine philanthropic contributions to her upcoming music venture, which includes collaborating with a legendary country singer, Alexa Ray is one rising star that is making a name for herself on her own terms and helping to make a difference in the world through her own music.

Gina Glickman: I heard you were a Girl Scout?

Alexa Ray Joel: I was a Girl Scout! I was a Daisy. When I was in second grade we moved, so I didn’t get to make it up to Brownie. I had a blast! It is amazing to finish that chapter and come back and see all of these adorable little girls and be able to entertain them. When I got the offer I thought, well, I gotta do this!

GG: Any fond memories of being a Girl Scout that you can share?

ARJ: I was 7. I remember loving Girl Scout cookies, loving to be able to hang out with my girlfriends after school. I thought it was like really cool because we all got to hang out. Now, I feel like I built a very substantial memory here today!

GG: I see you cut bangs since the last time I saw you.

ARJ: Yes, I got bangs! I got bored, so I just cut bangs.

GG: It looks great! You look beautiful!

ARJ: I’m blushing!

GG: You were the fifth Beatle out there today! It was mayhem! Describe what it was like for you on stage.

ARJ: Crazy! I felt like Paul McCartney for a minute. That’s what he must feel like all the time. It’s crazy! I didn’t warm up! It was mayhem! I was like, okay, get on the stage, and I wanted to do a sound check and all the girls were sitting there watching and I was like, ya know what? I’m just going to play!

GG: There was no warm-up needed! I’ve heard you perform that catchy country tune before and your voice sounds amazing!

You have really evolved.

ARJ: Thank you! I always love doing that song and I get more comfortable as I do it and it’s one of the easier songs for me to sing. For some reason putting on that Dolly Parton-kinda voice is very natural for me.

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GG: What’s the hook again?

ARJ: (singing) "Feels good to me! Feels good to me!" (stops singing). Dolly Parton wrote me a letter and she wants to sing on it and do background harmonies for that song, Sure Feels Good to Me, on my upcoming record, so I am extremely excited about that! That song will definitely be on my upcoming LP. GG: Your upcoming LP is officially your first full-length album, correct?

ARJ: Yes. Sketches I love; it’s very dear to my heart. It was my first sort of sampler, but it was a six-song EP. It really isn’t a fulllength album, so I’ll be really excited when I complete this one. The thing is, I keep getting these great gigs and I can’t get into the studio because I keep getting these wonderful show offers. I’d love to be able to take some quiet time, a chunk of quiet time this year and really buckle down and work on that. I keep getting these wonderful show offers, so it’s hard!

GG: Describe what it’s like having all these screaming girls asking for your autograph. Was it a little scary? I was a bit scared just watching in the middle of it all.

ARJ: I liked it!

I thought, wow, if I can be a role model, if I can be somebody these young girls can look up to, then what a wonderful thing, ya know? If I can bring some music and celebration to this day … great!

GG: You are a great role model for young woman, an inspiration.

How do you think you are a positive role model for young girls?

ARJ: I just try to emulate my mom.

Honestly, she is an incredible role model and she is always so poised, and so graceful, and so classy. She has class and elegance in every situation. She’s not one of these tough girls. She has good posture. She is always committing herself to specifically positive

charity causes and environmental issues. She is such a role model to me and I just look up to her. If I wasn’t raised by her, I wouldn’t be the woman I am today.

GG: Oh, she would have been tearing up if she heard you say that. Speaking of, where is mom today?

ARJ: She didn’t want to steal the show. It was a little bit of craziness and she wasn’t ready to be another Beatle, so she left.

But she heard a little bit and she brought my brother and sister,

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Jack and Sailor Lee, and my best friend is here, so this is a really wonderful day. I feel a real feeling of warmth and compassion today. It’s really lovely!

GG: What is up and coming for you? You were talking about touring. Do you have some other performances that you want to share with people?

ARJ: Yes! Thank you for bringing it up! I will be at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut on Saturday, May 24! It’s a free show!

GG: Wow! Is there anything for free anymore? What is free? Do you mean they can actually go to Mohegan Sun and experience a concert with you for free?

ARJ: Yes! And, there will be a signing afterwards with all new merchandise, new headshots, new posters, a best-ofshow DVD, too! I will be selling it after the show and they are purchasable on my MySpace page at www.myspace.com/ AlexaRayJoel.

GG: Is it hard for you to promote yourself?

ARJ: Yeah, I do feel funny doing it.

GG: But you are really good at it!

ARJ: I feel like I kinda have a knack for it. Maybe I should have been a publicist? It’s important to do, especially when you are an independent artist and you don’t have a major label backing you, which I am honestly happy not having right now.

I love the independence of it and to do my own thing and have my own schedule and make my own choices and not have somebody tell me, oh, you’ve gotta strip this off and get into this hoochie pose. I get to be in control of my own pictures, my own shows, my public image entirely, and it’s a wonderful thing!

GG:Does your dad help you perform or help you write lyrics?

ARJ: He really doesn’t. He’ll give me some advice on TV, to

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do the more upbeat song and what to say when they ask me a lot about him … which they often do.

GG: Oops, which I just did.

ARJ: No, no, no, but you did it in a classy way. Some people say, oh, what is it like being the Piano Girl?

GG: Hah, hah, hah!

ARJ: Right! Hah, hah, hah! Like no one’s ever used that before?

GG: Thank God I never asked you that. I think I asked your dad, what it is like to be the Piano Man. ARJ: But he is the Piano Man! But see, I’m just not the Piano Girl, ya know? I just want to be me!

GG: And you are still searching to find out what that voice is, right?

ARJ: Yes, I am still finding it out, as you can sort of hear today. This was sort of a sample. I have a country song, I have sort of a soft pop Michelle Branch-like song, I’ve got some jazz, some blues, which I didn’t do today. I sort of dabble in all different genres.

GG: Yes, and sometimes you even sound like Billie Holiday!

ARJ: I love Billie Holiday! I didn’t wanna go there today because I wanted to keep it catchy and poppy and direct for the little girls so they could sing along.

GG: I think it is amazing that you can put on all those creative faces. If you were forced to chose or define your music with one genre, what would you label it? You know how everyone wants to slap a label on everything. So, how would you label your music?

ARJ: I’d call it pop/jazz/blues. It is really pop/jazz/blues, which isn’t one thing, but I’m fine with that. I think I’d get bored if I narrowed it down to one genre and I would like to think that people can hear it’s me and hear my voice and recognize, oh, this is an Alexa song distinctly [by] voice, but I can still sort of dabble in all these genres.

GG: I did recognize your voice today. I heard you before I realized it was you on stage. There is more of a distinction in your voice.

ARJ: Really? Thank you! I wasn’t trying so hard! I found I was making an effort, but I wasn’t as self-conscious, 'cuz I was just so happy to be here with all these girls. I find that sometimes if you are doing a pretentious show with a bunch of record company people there and you are trying to impress everybody, you won’t feel centered and you have to watch out not to lose your own voice. When you just get up there and do it and it sounds cliché, just be yourself and don’t think about it too hard. Then I think the truest voice really comes out. My dad always says, don’t think about it! That is his one big advice before I get up on stage. I’ll freak out, oh, wait, I forgot this chord, and he’s like, you know it!

When you are singing and playing at the same time, technically it seems really complicated, but once it gets in the fingers, and you have memorized everything, it’s there! So he always says don’t think about it and it will be fine! It’s an innate ability!

GG: What do you plan to do in your off time this summer?

ARJ: I don’t have a lot of off time. I just moved into a new apartment in Manhattan. I’m in the West Village.

GG: I know one of the songs you sing about is about finding true love, so are you there yet? Are you still searching?

ARJ: It’s very complicated right now. But I’m dating. And I’m focused on my career right now! I’ve been putting friendship big-time first this year, so I am a much happier person, actually. I recommend putting friends at the top of your priority list.

GG: Words of wisdom! Thanks, Alexa Ray! AFJ: Thank you Gina! This was fun!

Entertainment and feature correspondent, director, writer and executive producer, Gina Glickman can be seen on News 12 Long Island. Log onto www.Hamptons.com for more celebrity action with Gina on the Main Street series.

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R

ight now there is a Santeria spell that isn’t working!” exclaimed Colin Quinn as I showed him a newspaper article about a three-legged goat who had been saved from the slaughterhouse by an amputee farmer. It was the kind of story that probably started out as a heartwarming tale and then became too weird and just derailed into exactly the type of low-hanging fruit for a news savage like Quinn to devour. With genocide happening in Darfur, global warming, and a critical election making our world a complicated and dangerous place, the goat still got huge coverage. Colin’s M.O. has always been to inject a bit of humor to help process the absurd sense of priorities that clock us over the head when we open the papers each morning.

“OK, the paper would never admit this, but they are really mocking her and they are mocking the goat. The poor goat.

Because of her doing this, the goat will get recognized wherever it goes.” Neither of us could keep a straight face. This was Colin at his best.

We had caught up in the hours leading up to his headlining a benefit to start a recovery high school in New York City called the Wilson Smith Academy. The idea is to give high school-age students a place to complete their diplomas in an environment that is supportive of their recovery efforts, rather than return to the exact place where most of their drug abuse occurred. Colin tells us he has done over 500 benefits in his lifetime - his heart is genuinely in this one, though.

Quinn had a show called Tough Crowd, which ran for about 250 episodes on Comedy Central. He hosted a "discussionstyle" talk show where he led topical debate and comedic riffing among his contemporaries. Jim Norton, Patrice O’Neal, Rich Vos and Nick DiPaolo all appeared as regulars and other comics - some iconic and famous - filled in as the rotating cast fulfilled their touring commitments. Quinn would pick topics in the news that were either very serious or very obscure and ridiculous. The commentary was amazingly insightful and smart, though packaged with the sarcastic comedic wit that kept the cast employed. It was the antithesis of other news/comedy shows like Bill Maher or Dennis Miller who tend to use comedy as a disguise for a “holier than thou” or “smarter than thou” egostroking, complete with high level guests who intellectualize global politics. Quinn’s show had much more bite. “They would not let that kind of talk show happen today … it was too edgy.

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What happens now – Barack Obama makes this great speech and the media applauds. He spoke to America like they were adults and then immediately says 'Okay, it's over now, goodbye!' and we are right on to the Jeremiah Wright story,” he observes.

“Just because my show deteriorated into angry cursing and racial invective once in a while doesn’t mean it wasn’t funny.” He laughs loudly.

Colin started in standup in the early '80s and pounded on doors of comedy clubs doing the circuit for years. In 1987 he appeared in his first television show Remote Control which represented the early departure from music videos MTV was undertaking. He was a smash, and it certainly helped his standup career. I shared with him the time that we had spent with Jay Leno and some of the insight Leno provided for our February cover story, and asked his take on what’s changed for the comic starting out today versus 20 years ago when he was a rookie.

“It was twice as hard when I entered than when Leno entered; now it's five times as hard as when I entered. There are so many comedians, so much glut, it's really hard to jump out.

There are the same amount of venues as 15 years ago. They glut the comedy circuit and then it dies.”

But Colin is a survivor. The smarter and better comics usually are. To survive for 20 years you need to have more than a gimmick – you need talent and intelligence. You need to know how to be “on” and what “on” means. In Colin’s case, he hammered us with jokes and innuendo as answers to what I thought were serious questions. He was relentless, and often we found ourselves laughing so extensively at an answer that I forgot what I asked. This is what made him so terrific at straight standup and on a show like Tough Crowd, which was unscripted.

But Colin is best known for his years on Saturday Night Live where for two seasons he held the Weekend Update spot and appeared in various skits. With such a huge career, I asked him what his favorite part was.

“Saturday Night Live wasn’t my best showcase … not for what I like to do. I would say being 19, not on TV, and not doing anything were the best years of my life,” he jabs. “Seriously, I loved Tough Crowd and there are parts about Saturday Night Live that I loved also. It was all good.”

After more riffing on the contents of the day’s papers it's time for Colin to take the stage. He shakes the room with

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seismic laughter and ploughs on about the news of the world.

Another benefit in the can, and a recovery high school will be the result. That poor goat…

“ Comedic Integrity - the ability to critique the hypocrisy of society, but to be real enough to admit that you are as guilty of it as anyone else. The implication is that many political comedians spend all their time criticizing society and others, but rarely themselves.”

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Photo Gallery The Boulevard

The Boulevard April Cover Party Hawaiian Tropic Zone April 14, 2008 Photos by: Patrick McMullan

Brian Keith Jackson, Tamara Tunie

Joy Freedman, Debbie Delshaz

Dr. Bernstein, Dr. Max Gomez, Richard Braunstein 50

Barry Kay, Rita Kay, Denis Riese

Tamara Tunie, Gregory Generet

Natasha Fekkai, Todd Miranda

Cheryl Casone, Angela Susan Anton

Steve Leeds, Norma Fey, Bob Buchmann

Liza Friedman, Alfred Friedman, Josh Friedman, Judy Friedman

The Boulevard • June - July 2008

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Boulevard Party Continued Photos By: Tina Guiomar, Ed Kennedy, Thomas Carroll

Allen and Maureen Aronson

Leslie and Kyle Swenson, Carole BellidoraWestfall and Emery Westfall

Linda Horn, Jessica Laux, Mona Suchdev

Robert Rizzuto, Jill Keough

Tamara Tunie and Anette Lian-Williams

Angela Susan Anton and Dana Tyler

Ali Yarkban, Tamara Tunie, Michael and Donna Mazzei of NuBest Salon

Nicole Vanore, Maria DiMaria, guest, AnnMarie Amutuli of Aura Salon

Chuck Zito and Kristen Anton

Tamara Tunie, Manu Narayan

Megan and Tim Sullivan, Renee Lamoureux, Keith MacPherson

Ron Claiborne, Dr. Max Gomez www.boulevardli.com

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Photo Gallery Patrick McMullan

NOFA-NY Inaugural Luncheon And Panel Discussion Guastavino’s 409 E. 59th St., NYC

Photos by Patrick McMullan

Rex Farr

Barbara Tober

Countess LuAnn de Lesseps

Lake Bell

Christie Brinkley, Scott Chaskey

Anne Rapp

Lauren Remington Platt, Scott Chaskey, Lauren Bush

Christie Brinkley, Jay McInerney, Nicole Miller 52

The Boulevard • June - July 2008

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5/30/08 10:37:03 AM

Photo Gallery Patrick McMullan

Iron Man Los Angeles Premiere Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, CA April 30, 2008

Photos by Patrick McMullan

Jon Voight

Billy Corgan

Christine Taylor, Ben Stiller

Terrence Howard

Gwyneth Paltrow

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Robert Downey Jr., Shaun Toub

Sean Combs

The Boulevard • June - July 2008

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15th Annual Race to Erase MS Hyatt Regency, Century City, CA May 2, 2008

Photos by Patrick McMullan

Ali Landry

Illeana Douglas, Tom Arnold

Howie Mandel, Terry Mandel

Shannon Elizabeth

Nicky Hilton

Paris Hilton www.boulevardli.com

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5/29/08 9:22:48 PM

Photo Gallery Patrick McMullan

the Costume Institute Gala: “SuperHeroes”

with Honorary chair Giorgio Armani

the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC

Photos by Patrick McMullan

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Donald Trump, Melania Trump

Margherita Maccapani Missoni, Mischa Barton

Stella McCartney, Kate Moss

Beyonce Knowles, David Bowe, Iman

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Diana Taylor

Christy Turlington, Lady Amanda Harlech

James Mischka, Taylor Swift, Mark Badgley

Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Victoria and David Beckham

Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony

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6/2/08 1:30:28 PM

Around the Town

Summer at the Nassau County Museum of Art Exhibit Iris Apfel: Rare Bird of Fashion Baubles! Bangles! Beads! And Much More Through Sept. 7 Over a half century, Iris Barrel Apfel has perfected a style of dressing that constitutes nothing less than a personal art form.

Drawn from Apfel’s closets, drawers and shelves, the exhibit reflects her adventures in bazaars, thrift shops, flea markets, houses of haute couture and handicraft workshops that have created a singular look – one marked by fantasy, exuberance, exoticism and, most of all, whimsy and humor. The exhibition is curated by JoAnne Olian, curator emeritus of the Museum of the City of New York, and designed by Joe Pescatore, professor at Nassau Community College and Parsons the New School for Design.

Special Events Antique and Art Evaluation Cocktail Party Thursday, July 10, 6 to 8 p.m.

The cocktail party, art auction and exhibition tour, kicking off Antique and Art Evaluation Day on July 11, is a benefit for the museum sponsored by WE CARE and the Nassau Academy of Law of the Nassau County Bar Association. The event fee is $75. For information or reservations, visit nassaumuseum.com or call 516-484-9338, ext. 15 or the Nassau County Bar Association at 516-747-4070.

Antique and Art Evaluation Day Friday, July 11, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Bring your treasures and learn their value; antiques, art, jewelry, objects d’art and small furniture pieces are all welcomed for evaluation by the renowned auction house Bonhams, New York. There is a $25 appraisal fee per item, $15 for the second item, limited to three pieces. No reservations are required; evaluations are done on a first come, first served basis. For further information, call 516-484-9338, ext. 15 or contact frandiesu@nassaumuseum.com.

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Outdoor Art Fair and Sale Saturday and Sunday, July 12 and 13, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Rain or Shine On view and for sale at NCMA's annual Juried Outdoor Art Fair and Sale will be quality fine art including oils, acrylics on canvas, water media on paper, sculpture, mixed media, graphics and drawing and photography. For information on how to become a participating artist, visit nassaumuseum.com or contact frandiesu@ nassaumuseum.com.

Film RAPE OF EUROPA Saturdays and Sundays, 2 p.m.

June 21, 22, 28, 29 July 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27 Aug. 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30, 31 Each weekend throughout the showing of Iris Apfel: Rare Bird of Fashion, NCMA will screen Rape of Europa, Lynn Nicholas’ new film that documents the Nazis’ looting of the art treasures of Europe. No reservations are needed.

Why Collect?

Wednesday, July 9 Tour by Franklin Hill Perrell at 6 p.m.

Panel Discussion at 7 p.m.

Four prominent Long Island art collectors, an admirer of the Impressionists, two with interests in modernism and contemporary art, and another who specializes in the Hudson River School, discuss what, how and why they collect. The discussion is moderated by Constance Schwartz, the museum’s director.

Prior to the panel discussion, chief curator Franklin Hill Perrell will lead participants on a private tour of the current exhibition.

Admission for the discussion and tour is $25 (museum members, $15) and includes admission to the museum and refreshments.

Children/Families Sundays, 1 p.m.

June 15, 22 and 29 July 6, 13, 20, 27 Aug. 3, 10, 24, 31 Family Sunday at the Museum Now there's even more reason for families to plan the weekend around a visit to NCMA. 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. Special family guides of the main exhibition are available in the galleries. Family Sunday at the Museum is free with museum admission.

Lectures/Tours Tea & Tour July 9 at 2:30 p.m.

Tea & Tour offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the museums current exhibition introduced by museum director Constance Schwartz and features a private guided tour followed by a menu of tea, sandwiches, scones and sweets in the Café Musée. Space is limited; reserve early.

Admission for Tea & Tour is $35 (museum members, $25) and includes admission to the museum. To reserve, call 516-484-9338, ext.12 or contact reginaforlenza@nassaumuseum.com.

Nassau County Museum of Art is located at One Museum Drive in Roslyn Harbor.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. Docent-led exhibition tours are offered each day at 2 p.m. Admission to the main building is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors (62+) and $4 for children and 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.

For further information on exhibitions, fees, events, days/ times and direction, call 516-484-9337 or visit nassaumuseum.com.

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Spring into Summer at Old Westbury Gardens Daily though June 15 The Orchard Hill Designer Showhouse Wednesdays Tai Chi, 10:30 a.m.

Part of the crowd from one of last year’s Picnic Pops concerts June 20 Twilight Garden Walk Enjoy a landscape tour, followed by seasonal desserts and music at sunset.

Yoga on the South Terrace Lawn Thursdays Yoga, 11 a.m.

Photo by Vince Kish

Wednesday Evening Picnic Pops Concerts Dance lesson at 6:30 p.m.

Concert at 7 p.m.

July 9: Peter Duchin and his Orchestra July 16: The Central Park Stompers July 23: Ray Rodriguez y Swing Sabroso July 30: The Harlem Renaissance Orchestra August 6: Vince Giordano’s Nighthawks

Sunday Afternoon Beech Tree Concerts Artist-in-Residence cellist Suzanne Mueller and Friends perform under the West Porch Beech Tree, 3 p.m.

July 13: Cello and Reeds with clarinetist Joseph Rutkowski, Jr. July 20: Hungrytown with Rebecca Hall and Ken Anderson

Picnic Pops Concerts

July 27: Cross Island with pianist Elinor Abrams Zayas

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Around The Town

C.W. Post Chamber Music Festival at Tilles Center Friday, July 18, 8 p.m.

The Pierrot Consort Guest Artist: Lawrence Dutton, viola The Bach/ Mendelssohn Connection Hillwood Recital Hall General admission: $20 (seniors and students $10) Call Festival office at 516-299-2103

Thursday, July 31, 8 p.m.

Chamber Music Concert Performed by Festival Participants Program TBA Hillwood Recital Hall General admission $12 (seniors and students $8) Call Festival office at (516-299-2103 Thursday, July 31, noon

Seminar Chamber Orchestra and Ensembles Yoon Jae Lee, conductor Program TBA Hillwood Recital Hall Suggested donation $5 Call Festival office at 516-299-2103

Friday, July 25, 8 p.m.

The Pierrot Consort Guest Artist: Timothy Eddy, cello Summer Reflections Works by Brahms, Piazzola and Rorem Hillwood Recital Hall General admission: $20 (seniors and students $10) Call Festival office at 516-299-2103

Friday, August 1, 8 p.m.

Tilles Center’s Mainstage Festival Chamber Orchestra Tuesday, July 29, 8 p.m.

National Youth Orchestra of Canada Jacques Lacome, principal conductor Works by Prokofiev and Mahler Commissioned work by Kelly-Marie Murphy Tilles Center’s Mainstage General admission: $15 (seniors and students $10) Call Tilles Center’s box office at 516-299-3100 Wednesday, July 30, 8 p.m.

Chamber Music Concert Performed by Festival Participants Program TBA Hillwood Recital Hall General admission $12 (seniors and students $8) Call Festival office at 516-299-2103

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Susan Deaver, conductor Works by Beethoven and Mendelssohn Concerto featuring winner of the 2008 Festival Concerto Competition General admission: $15 (seniors & students $10) Call Tilles Center’s box office at 516-299-3100

For further information about the C.W. Post Chamber Music Festival and the Pierrot Consort and guest artists, presented at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, C.W. Post Campus/Long Island University, Brookville, NY, visit www.liu.edu/svpa/music/festival.

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FOTA Presents Summer Nights of Music Under the Stars Long Island Jazz Festival 2008 Whether it’s seating in the elegant pavilion or under the stars on the lawns of the magnificent Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay, the FOTA (Friends of the Arts) LI Jazz Festival 2008 brings jazz fans an unparalleled weekend devoted to this most American of musical arts.

Saturday, August 9, 7 p.m.

Dave Koz Lizz Wright Pavilion: A-Plus $120, $60, $45 Lawn: $35 Sunday, August 10, 7 p.m.

Jonathan Butler Boney James Pavilion: A-Plus $120, $60, $45 Lawn: $35

Long Island Summer Festival 2008 Friday, June 20, 9 p.m.

Gala Opening Night Emmylou Harris Pavilion: $75, $60. Call 516-922-0061 to

inquire about Gala seating Lawn: $40 Sunday, June 22, 7:30 p.m.

Boz Scaggs Special Guest: David Jacobs-Strain Pavilion: A-Plus $120, $60, $45 Lawn: $35 Saturday, June 28, 8 p.m.

Madeleine Peyroux Pavilion: A-Plus $115, $55, $45 Lawn: $35 Saturday, July 12, 8 p.m.

Kenny G Pavilion: A-Plus $120, $60, $45 Lawn: $35 Saturday, July 26 at 8 p.m.

Rick Springfield Pavilion: A-Plus $120, $60, $45 Lawn: $35 Sunday, August 17, 8 p.m.

John Hiatt and The Ageless Beauties Pavilion: A-Plus $120, $60, $45

Lawn: $35 Saturday, September 6, 7:30 p.m.

Taj Mahal Phoebe Snow Pavilion: A-Plus $115, $55, $45 Lawn: $35 Come early and stroll the incredible grounds and gardens of Planting Fields.

Bring a picnic or pick up food at The Café.

Kids Go Free: Thanks to the sponsorship of Bethpage Federal Credit Union, children 12 and under are free with a paid adult admission. BFCU also sponsors a children’s craft activities tent for the Summer Music Festival.

Friends of the Art’s Long Island Summer Festival is presented at Planting Fields Arboretum, Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York.

For information on ticket and parking options, visit www.FOTApresents.org or call FOTA at 516-922-0061.

Heckscher Museum Summer ScheDule Current Exhibition To Infinity and Beyond: Mathematics in Contemporary Art Through June 22 This exhibition describes the ideas that drive mathematics and demonstrates how the topics have been expressed by artists.

The exhibit includes an international selection of art inspired by mathematics. Amounting to an almost pictorial visualization of abstract concepts, these diagrams and patterns have had a profound impact on the artists and architects who design today’s urban environment and demonstrate that mathematics is the international language of exact thought.

Current installation The Heckscher Museum of Art Rediscovered: From Lucas Cranach to Olafur Eliasson Through Sept. 2008

To celebrate the re-opening of The Heckscher, this installation features outstanding art representative of all aspects of the museum's collection. Included are works by Melchior D'Hondecoeter, Anthonie Verstraelen, Francois Girardon, Alfred Thompson Bricher, Frederic Edwin Church and Asher B. Durandare. These artists are joined by the plein air art of Eugene Boudin, which inspired the French Impressionists, and paintings by American Impressionists William Merritt Chase and Julian Alden Weir.

A work by the leading American figure-painter Thomas Eakins is included as well. Twentieth-century art by Josef Albers, Salvador Dali, Red Grooms, Marsden Hartley, Man Ray, John Marin and Jane Wilson further reveals the depth and breadth of the museum’s collection. In addition, this presentation marks the triumphant return of The Heckscher’s most famous work, George Grosz’s Eclipse of the Sun from1926, which had been out of The Heckscher for almost two years for conservation and exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

For further information, visit www.heckscher.org or call 631-351-3250

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Around The Town

Tuning In with WLIW21 New York Public Television Upcoming Highlights America’s Ballroom Challenge 2008 Saturdays at 8 p.m. beginning June 14 The finest ballroom dancers in North America gather for season three of the annual competition. Each episode focuses on the top professional dancers competing in four ballroom styles: American Smooth, American Rhythm, International Standard and International Latin. In the finale, winners from each category go head-tohead in the battle for the coveted title of America’s best. Jasmine Guy and Ron Montez host.

Masterpiece Mystery! Inspector Lewis Tuesdays at 9 p.m. beginning June 24 Kevin Whately returns as Detective Inspector Robbie Lewis in the spinoff to the popular Inspector Morse series. Back in Oxford after the tragic death of his wife, Lewis cracks cases with sidekick DS Hathaway. As they take on mysteries that draw them into the underbelly of the Oxfordshire elite, Lewis and Hathaway develop a growing respect and fondness for one another. Lewis learns that Hathaway, a former seminarian, isn’t as straight-laced as he seems, while Hathaway discovers that behind Lewis’ bluster there’s a broken heart trying to heal.

est stories to uncover the secrets of the human face. Looking at the practical effects of beauty, the nature of fame and the face's ability to give away emotion, the series travels around the world to discover the mysteries of identity, perception and sexuality hidden behind the mask of the human face. Actor/comedian/author John Cleese hosts, accompanied by actress Elizabeth Hurley, and provides intellectual analysis with a humorous touch.

Rudy Maxa's World Thursdays at 11:30 p.m. beginning June 12 Award-winning travel journalist Rudy Maxa returns to public television with a new 13-part series. Follow Rudy along the canals of St. Petersburg, Russia, to the Taj Mahal in India, into the jungles of Thailand's Golden Triangle, the tango halls of Buenos Aires and beyond. Offering viewers his sophisticated take on each destination's history, culture, architecture, politics and cuisine, Rudy also turns a journalistic eye to the people and lifestyles of Russia, Estonia, Turkey, India, Argentina, Japan and Thailand.

Premiering This Summer Visions of Israel WLIW New York's acclaimed Visions series makes an aerial pilgrimage to the world's only Jewish state – home to approximately 7.2 million and the Holy Land of the three main Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Witness the magnificence of the country’s many holy sites and secular delights. Itzhak Perlman narrates. Video preview and more are at visionsof.org/israel and visit wliw.org for schedule.

Under the sea ...

Under the Sea with Al Giddings

John Cleese and Elizabeth Hurley demonstrate how to create a false smile on The Human Face. Photo by Brian Ritchie.

The Human Face Thursdays at 9 p.m. beginning June 12 A new four-part series combines art, technology and human-inter-

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Underwater cinematographer Al Giddings shares stories and scenes from a lifetime of diving adventures. WLIW New York President and General Manager Terrel Cass speaks one-on-one with the legend to discover the fearless genius behind his breathtaking aquatic images. Video preview at wliw.org/21video and visit wliw. org for schedule.

Beyond the TV Set WLIW21 has your chance to see some of public television’s favorite performers and chefs live. Visit wliw.org and click on “pledge online” or call 800-767-2121 for tickets in support of your local PBS station.

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June 2008 Lunch Specials and Events

at de Seversky Center

N

ew York Institute of Technology’s (NYIT) de Seversky Center will offer a variety of new lunch specials and culinary events in June. From Wednesday through Friday, lunch will be served in the newly refurbished dining room or on the patio. Menus feature heart-healthy, reduced fat, and low-sodium selections. Frequent guests can earn a free lunch after just five visits.

Mansion tours for groups of eight or more are offered before lunch on select days throughout the summer. Tour guides will take guests from room to room while explaining the rich and interesting history of the historic de Seversky mansion and its original owners. Tours are $9 per guest (in addition to lunch).

Wednesdays Three-course lunch: $16 per person The new lunch menu features a delicious selection of appetizers, entrees, and desserts and includes coffee and tea service. Daily specials enhance menu selections.

Thursday, June 19 Surf and Turf Buffet Dinner Get the best of both worlds and enjoy delicacies from land and sea. Selections include Caribbean shrimp, Texas ribs, Maryland crab, Montana steaks, a raw bar, a variety of cold salads, and a dessert station. $55 per person; tax, service, and beverages additional. Reservations required, and will be taken for seatings between 6 and 7:30 p.m.

June Culinary Events Thursday, June 12, 7 p.m.

The Cabaret Club at de Seversky Presents “A Girl You Should Know” Live cabaret performance featuring vocalist Meg Lanzarone, with musical direction by John Farrell. Dinner is a delicious selection of appetizers, entrees, and desserts. $49 per person; tax, service and beverages additional. Reservations required. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Thursdays and Fridays Buffet lunch: $16 per person Known as one of the best culinary experiences on Long Island, de Seversky’s lunch buffet is back - and better than ever.

Summer offerings include a cold appetizer buffet with a large selection of refreshing summer salads, grilled or roasted vegetables, and an all-you-can-eat shrimp cocktail.

In addition, enjoy: Chef’s special action stations: Each week, the chef offers two made-to-order stations. Enjoy Asian dim sum, Tuscan risotto, South of the Border quesadillas, or Tempura stations—just some of the creative stations that will be featured throughout the summer.

Hot chafing selections: Heart-healthy choices include saffron poached chicken, herb-crusted baked halibut and Asian-style roast pork.

Dessert display: The pastry chef will present cakes, pastries, and other goodies that are sure to bring out your sweet tooth.

Fresh fruits and berries as well as coffee and tea service are included.

Prices do not include beverages, tax, and gratuities. Lunch reservations are required and are taken for seatings from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. For full menus, reservations, or a list of upcoming events, call 516-686-7675.

Friday, June 13, 7 p.m.

Gourmet Dinner and Wine Pairing Delicious four-course dinner expertly paired with wines from around the world.

Visit www.nyit.edu/deseversky for a complete menu and featured wines. $75 per person; tax and service additional. Reservations required.

Sunday, June 15, noon – 4 p.m.

Father’s Day BBQ Lunch Buffet If you can’t stand the heat, come to the kitchen! Treat dad to a day off from the grill and enjoy a delicious barbecue and lunch buffet.

Dine inside or on the patio. Lawn games will be provided (weather permitting). Make de Seversky a tradition for the whole family. $29 adults and $15 children (12 and under); tax, service, and beverages additional. Reservations required. Last seating at 2 p.m.

Want to stay in for Father’s Day? Inquire about the complete barbecue picnic packages that can be picked up or delivered. Just turn on the grill. Package selections range from burgers to steak to fresh vegetables. Call Gold Coast Caterers, a division of NYIT Culinary Services, at 516686-1440 for more information.

Thursday, June 26 The Fabulous 50s Doo Wop Show and Dinner Get your friends together, put on your poodle skirts, and comb your hair in a pompadour. Enjoy a delicious dinner followed by the fabulous sounds of The Devotions. Dinner guests receive preferred show seating.

Reservations for dinner available at 6, 6:30, and 7 p.m. Show begins at 8:30 p.m.

Dinner and show: $75 per person; tax, service, and beverages additional. Show only: $40 per person; tax, service, and beverages additional.

Sunday, June 29 Jazz Brunch in the Ballroom Relax and groove to live jazz at a fabulous Sunday buffet brunch which includes fresh baked croissants, muffins, bagels and breakfast breads, delicious hot and cold selections, an omelet station, a carving station, a dessert station and coffee service. $29 per person; tax, service, and beverages additional. Reservations taken between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Reservations are required for all events. The de Seversky Center is located on NYIT’s Old Westbury campus on Northern Boulevard, just east of Glen Cove Road. For full menu, reservations, or a list of upcoming events, call 516-686-7675.

In addition, NYIT Culinary Services offers off-premises catering through Gold Coast Caterers.

Call 516-686-1440 or visit www.nyit.edu/deseversky for more information.

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LifeStyles

Stars Align for Brighter Future…

2008 Stars of Stony Brook Gala Honors Nancy Rauch Douzinas

O

n April 9, Chelsea Piers was home to more than 500 guests who attended the annual Stars of Stony Brook Gala, which celebrated the University’s 50th anniversary. Since the establishment of the gala in 2000, the Stony Brook Foundation has netted more than $12 million to fund scholarships for students from Long Island and beyond.

Recently designated by New York State as one of two “flagship” campuses within the State University of New York (SUNY) system, Stony Brook University is uniquely positioned to help “re-imagine and invent the future” for the region.

Shirley Strum Kenny presents Nancy Rauch Douzinas with the Stars of Stony Brook Award

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Bruce Stillman, Nancy Rauch Douzinas, Shirley Strum Kenny, Freddie Carter Bales of North Shore Land Alliance and and Erwin Staller, John S. Toll, Dr. James Simons, Mrs. Debbie Toll Nancy Rauch Douzinas of Pres. of Rauch Foundation

Barbara Hoover, Carol Schmidlapp, Patsy Randolph, Nancy Rauch Douzinas, Carter Bales, and Lisa Ott

David Bishop, Ed Travaglianti, Nancy Rauch Douzinas, Paul J. Tonna, and Peter Treiber

Carter Bales, Nancy Rauch Douzinas with Kostas Douzinas and family

Carter Bales, Nancy Rauch Douzinas, Thomas DiNapoli, Shirley Strum Kenny Pres. of Stony Brook University, John S. Toll, and Dr. James H. Simons

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5/31/08 5:45:28 PM

Nassau County Museum of Art Launches Annual Fundraiser

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he North Shore is famed for its glamorous philanthropic benefits, but few are as eagerly awaited as Nassau County Museum of Art’s annual Museum Ball. The lavish fundraiser draws the social A list for an elegant evening of dining and dancing at the historic Frick Estate. This year’s honorees are the prominent museum supporters Dr. and Mrs. Stephen J. Cuchel (Dr. Cuchel is the head of Healthplex; Mrs. Cuchel is a member of the museum’s board of trustees) and M. Patricia Janco-Tupper, managing director for the Citigroup Private Bank on Long Island. The ball is chaired by Mrs. Luis Rinaldini of Old Westbury and Mrs. H. Brooks Smith of Locust Valley. The Cuchels and Ms. Janco-Tupper recently greeted museum supporters at a launch party to garner support for this year’s ball.

Dr. Barbara Capozzi and Angela Susan Anton, publisher of Anton Community Newspapers and The Boulevard

Fran and John Gutleber, chairman of the museum’s corporate committee.

Museum Director Constance Schwartz with Mr. and Mrs. Michael Mazzei of NuBest Salon and Spa honorees of the 2007 Museum Ball.

Mrs. Luis Rinaldini and Mrs. H. Brooks Smith are chairs of the 2008 Museum Ball committee.

Dr. Todd J. Cohen and Mrs. Herbert Klapper, museum board members

Honorees for the 2008 Museum Ball: M. Patricia Janco-Tupper and Dr. and Mrs. Stephen J. Cuchel

Honoree M. Patricia Janco-Tupper with Ball committee Honoree Stephen J. Cuchel with H. Brooks Smith, Pres. of members Corky Paston and Karen Bonheim the museum’s board of trustees.

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5/31/08 5:47:02 PM

Lifestyles Events

Sid Jacobson JCC Epicurean Event '08 Benefits Special Needs Programs

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n April 3, Sid Jacobson JCC hosted its second annual night of culinary delights, JCC Epicurean Event '08. This evening to remember raised $80,000 for the Young Onset Alzheimer’s, Autism and Special Needs programs at Sid Jacobson JCC and showcased some of the finest restaurants, caterers and wineries from around Long Island. Co-chaired by JCC board member Debra Buslik and Linda Marsden, the committee created an event with a sense of style and taste that was over the top. According to Beverly Gelb, JCC director of philanthropic initiatives, “The generous contributions of our members, friends, donors and sponsors help us to reach our vision to provide for those who need us the most.”

Ron Cohen, Elizabeth Romanelli, Jim Romanelli and Joni Cohen enjoy the evening.

Epicurean Event committee: Chris Gaughn, Beverly Gelb, Jeannie Cardalli, Mark Spiegel, Tammy Rosenbaum, Linda Marsden, Debbie Buslik, Denise Silverberg

Lisa Brietstein, Epicurean Event committee member and guest

Debra Daniels and George Vecsey Honored at NSCFG Center’s Achievement Luncheon

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orth Shore Child & Family Guidance Center honored Debra Daniels, Bagel Boss of Roslyn, and George Vecsey, sports columnist for The New York Times at its annual Achievement Luncheon on Tuesday, April 15 at the Glen Head Country Club.

The afternoon offered a sumptuous lunch, stimulating addresses by the honorees and an informal modeling presentation

by Theory of Americana/Manhasset, all to benefit the Center's many programs and services. NSCFG Center offers a wide spectrum of mental health services and is also a major training facility for professionals, agencies, schools and community groups.

Marie Rautenberg, Renee Rimsky

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Jo-Ellen Hazan, Andrew Malekoff, Janice Ashley (cochair), Amy Cantor (co-chair), George Vecsey (honoree), Debra Daniels (honoree), Ann Dorman Adler (co-chair)

Jo-Ellen Hazan and Melissa Noga (guest speaker)

The Boulevard • June - July 2008

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6/2/08 11:36:26 AM

Sid Jacobson JCC Honors Candy and Mark Udell and Rita Castagna at Friendship Circle Luncheon Photos by Tina Guiomar

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ore than 400 guests attended Sid Jacobson JCC’s fifth annual Friendship Circle Luncheon on May 6 at the Garden City Hotel. The elegant luncheon honored Candy and Mark Udell, owners of London Jewelers, for their continued and generous support of the community. The Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World) Award was presented to Rita Castagna, partner of Castagna Realty (with her husband Frank), and a founding member of the Friendship Circle Luncheon Committee. Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, daughter of Rita Hayworth who had Young Onset Alzheimer’s Disease, was the recipient of the initial Yellow Rose Award in recognition of her humanitarian efforts in creating awareness of Young Onset Alzheimer’s. The Princess' acceptance speech was presented via videotape.

The luncheon raised more than $250,000 to benefit the social adult day program that provides services for those who are functionally or memory-impaired as a result of aging, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease or other related conditions. This year’s luncheon also benefits the Let’s Do Lunch program, the first-of-its-kind day program for individuals in their 30s, 40s and 50s with Young Onset Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementias.

A fashion show, courtesy of Americana Manhasset, was presented by CH Carolina Herrera and previewed the couturier’s summer selections.

The Castagna Family: Fred, Frank, Catherine and Rita Castagna (seated)

Rita Castagna, Principal, Castagna Realty and Tikkun Olam Award recipient; Honorees, Candy and Mark Udell

Scott Udell, Jessica Ferraro, Candy, Randi, and Mark Udell, (seated) Meyer and Fran Udell

Angela Susan Anton, Publisher of Anton Community Newspapers and The Boulevard with Judith Ripka

Denise Silverberg, honorary chair; Candy Udell, honoree; Susan Bender, JCC Ex. Director; and Dayle Katz, Luncheon Committe co-chair

Brian Ripka and Beverly Gelb

www.boulevardli.com

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6/2/08 11:40:37 AM

Lifestyles Events

LICADD Angel Ball Kickoff Celebrates Angels on Long Island

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he Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (LICADD) 21st Annual Angel Ball kickoff celebration, hosted by the Rev. Philip K. Eichner SM, with the assistance of Kellenberg students, raised $90,000 in support of LICADD’s programs and services for children and families struggling with the challenges associated with the disease of alcoholism and other drug addictions. The 2008 Humanitarian Award recipient Lillian McCormick was honored at the Angel Ball held on Thursday, May 8 at the Garden City Hotel.

Board Director Stephen Fortuna, Board Chairman Curt Webster, Rev. Philip Eichner, Executive Director Jack Jerdan and Board Director Bill Baum

Board Chairman Curt Webster and wife Georgina Webster

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LICADD volunteers Chuck Herschlein, Erik Hilliker, Mike Them, Dana Harris and Board Director Francis Galluccio

LICADD staff members Dorothy Sherlock, Kari Storaekre, Rosanne Slattery, Leslie Temme, Jack Jerdan and Dominique Eaton

The Boulevard • June - July 2008

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5/31/08 6:02:45 PM

The New Heckscher Museum of Art… Where Classic Meets Contemporary

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losed for almost one year due to its historic restoration project, The Heckscher Museum of Art in Huntington is back and better than ever.

Visitors can explore an exciting new exhibition, as well as view favorite pieces from the permanent collection.

“This reopening is one of the most significant events in The Heckscher’s history,” said Executive Director Erik Neil. “It is a renaissance for us, and we are thrilled about the upcoming slate of exhibitions, programs and events we are about to offer our community. Displaying the best of our permanent collection in our renovated museum is particularly exciting. George Grosz’s Eclipse of the Sun is the most important painting on Long Island, and to have it back home at The Heckscher, newly conserved, is exhilarating.”

Pictured Right: Cutting the ribbon for the Heckscher Museum of Art’s reopening are Heckscher’s Deputy Executive Director Skip Show, Heckscher’s Executive Director Dr. Erik Neil, major capital campaign donor Robin Hadley, Heckscher board member and Liaison Officer to the Town of Huntington C. (Bud) Gehnrich, Chair of The Heckscher’s Board of Trustees Margaret Hargraves, Senator Carl L. Marcellino, Assemblyman James D. Conte, Town of Huntington Councilman Mark Cuthbertson and Assemblyman Andrew P. Raia

Castle Connolly Medical Honors Physicians of the Year Photos by Patrick McMullan

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he third annual Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. National Physician of the Year Awards took place on Tuesday, March 18 at The Manhattan Center in New York City. This year, the Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Jacqueline A. Noonan, M.D. and Robert W. Schrier, M.D. Robert W. Carlson, M.D.; Stanley Chang, M.D. and L. Dade Lunsford, M.D received the Clinical Excellence Award. Suzanne and Bob Wright, co-founders of Autism Speaks, received the National Health Leadership Award.

John K. Castle, Dr. L. Dade Lunsford, Dr. Robert W. Schrier, Dr. Jacqueline A. Noonan, Dr. Robert W. Carlson, Dr. Stanley Chang, Dr. John J. Connolly

Rosanna Castle, John S. Castle, Ingrid Connolly

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5/31/08 6:04:16 PM

Lifestyles Events

Nassau Region of Hadassah’s Laughter Is the Best Medicine

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assau Region of Hadassah’s Laughter Is the Best Medicine was held at Carltun on the Park on April 8 and was attended by 400 women. The event culminated a yearlong project of raising awareness of mental and emotional well-being.

Saranne Rothberg, founder/CEO of the ComedyCures Foundation was the event honoree and Susie Essman of Curb Your Enthusiasm was the celebrity guest. Both women were made life members of Hadassah.

Feragammo Models at 2008 Yellow Dress event

2008 Yellow Dress guests

2008 Yellow Dress Committee

March of Dimes 2008 Walk Kick Off

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he March of Dimes March for Babies campaign was kicked off on March 18, 2008 at a celebration at the Long Island Marriott Hotel. New York Islander Hall of Famer Mike Bossy served as celebrity host of the event. On April 27th, over 4,000 Long Islanders braved the elements and walked to save babies in the March for Babies event. The event raised $1 million on Long Island with walk sites at East Meadow, Hauppauge and Long Beach. Participants consisted of companies, individual walkers and family/mission teams. Islanders captain and 2009 March for Babies Celebrity Chair Bill Guerin addressed the crowd at Eisenhower Park and later joined them on the walk route. March for Babies, formerly WalkAmerica, is the nation’s oldest and most successful walking event raising $110 million annually.

NY Islanders Captain Bill Guerin at the Eisenhower Park March of Dimes for Babies Event with young fans, Jordan Henkel and Jonah Horwitz.

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Mike Percent; John Grasso, March of Babies Long Island Revenue Chairs; Mike Bossy: Carl Bachmann, March of Dimes Board Chair; and Bob Buchmann, Q104 and Master of Ceremonies for the event

The Boulevard • June - July 2008

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6/2/08 2:17:07 PM

Dan’s Wolffer Book Party May 9, 2008 Photos by Richard Lewin

Dan Rattiner with Lance Gumb

Dan Rattiner with Mike Barry

Dan Rattiner with Ann Liguori (Golf Expert and Interviewer)

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990 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10021

(212) 570-2500

6/2/08 1:17:58 PM

Lifestyles Events

American Heart Association Kicks Off 2008 Start! Long Island Heart Walk

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ore than 50 Long Island CEOs gathered for the American Heart Association’s Start! Long Island Heart Walk kickoff breakfast at the North Hills Country Club in Lake Success. President and CEO of North Shore-LIJ Michael Dowling introduced the association’s new project, Start!, which calls on Americans to create a culture of physical activity and health through walking, so that they can live longer, heart-healthy lives.

Tina Schlichting spoke about her son Jack, 4, a heart survivor. Jack is proof of the lifesaving work the American Heart Association does, and that heart diseases do not just affect adults. Jack will have the honor of being the 2008 Red Cap Ambassador for the 2008 Start! Long Island Heart Walk.

2008 Start! Long Island Heart Walk Vice-Chair David J. Meyrowitz; Bill and Jim Germanakos, winners of the fourth season of The Biggest Loser; and 2008 Start! Long Island Heart Walk Chairman Michael Dowling

Heart survivor Jack Schlichting, the 2008 Red Cap Ambassador for the Start! Long Island Heart Walk

DDI Walk in the Park Is Runaway Success

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he Developmental Disabilities Institute’s (DDI) recent Walk In The Park raised more than $65,000 toward funding the vital programs and services DDI provides to over 1,500 families served by their educational and residential programs, adult day training and medical services. Chris Burke, best known for his role as Corky Thatcher on the ABC-TV series Life Goes On and most recently as Taylor on CBS-TV series Touched By An Angel, helped to kick things off and get people moving with his band.

Hundreds of Long Islanders braved rainy conditions to come out for the scenic 5K Walk through Suffolk County’s beautiful Holtsville Ecology Park followed by a festival complete with food, music, games, prizes, a petting zoo and more.

DDI Executive Director Peter Pierri and Chris Burke

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Team Angelina brought in more than $20,000. Angelina Laiacona is a student at DDI’s Starting Early program at Little Plains, a family-centered preschool for both children with disabilities and typically developing students

The Boulevard • June - July 2008

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5/31/08 5:54:17 PM

MEDICAL GIANTS GATHER AT GALA

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rain surgeons and world-renowned inventors of medical devices gathered at the First Annual “Caring for Long Island” Awards Dinner, held April 19 at Westbury Manor, to benefit the Leslie Munzer Neurological Institute of Long Island, Inc. (LMNI).

The brain and spine surgeons of Neurological Surgery, P.C. created LMNI to increase awareness of disorders of the nervous systems. The website www.lmni. org describes its mission and events.

Donor Robert Munzer, Andi Reisman, and Steven Munzer, son of Leslie & Robert Munzer

Garry Schwall, VP of Heart Institute, receives award as honoree from Michael Brisman

Jonathan Brisman thanks Steven Munzer, son of Leslie & Robert Munzer for his generosity

Raymond Damadian receives award as honoree from Michael Brisman

Stephen Burstein congratulates honoree I. Melbourne Greenberg

Sid Jacobson JCC Program Model for Young Onset Alzheimer’s Disease

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t a Young Onset Alzheimer’s Disease Conference presented by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) and the Sid Jacobson JCC, Jim Mueller, 39, and Brian Kammerer, 50, represented the new - and younger - face of Alzheimer’s disease. Experts called on the nation to recognize that Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia do not only affect older people and that funds for programs and services geared toward younger individuals need to be implemented. It is estimated that about a half million people under age 65—many in their 30s, have some form of dementia, referred to as young onset.

Connie Wasserman, director of senior services at the Sid Jacobson JCC, said she hopes the JCC’s Let’s Do Lunch program, one of the nation’s few programs tailored for individuals with young onset Alzheimer’s disease, will serve as a model for program replication across the country. Let’s Do Lunch includes a support group and “active” programming such as basketball and aerobics, as well as more traditional music, art and pet therapies.

Susan Bender and Eric Hall

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Lifestyles Events

VIPs Graduate from NYIT Photos by Tina Guiomar

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n Friday May 9, the Vocational Independence Program held its 18th annual graduation ceremony in the Student Activity Center on the Central Islip campus. Twenty-seven young men and women completed the three year degree program and were cheered by a crowd of approximately 200 people.

The graduation speaker, Erik Feinberg (VIP alumnus Class of '98), discussed how the program had prepared him for life and the challenges he has faced, including his work as a firefighter who responded to 9/11. Following the ceremony, the graduates and their guests were invited to a luncheon at NYIT's West Dining Hall.

The Vocational Independence Program (VIP) has been educating young adults with significant learning disabilities and higherfunctioning individuals on the autism spectrum for over two decades. The program is designed to help young people who would not typically be successful in a neurotypical college environment. The students live in the NYIT dormitories and take classes that focus on the acquisition of vocational, social, and independent living skills.

Students in the program chooses from six different vocational areas in which to receive direct training. Each student has a team of professionals following him or her throughout the program, including a social counselor, academic counselor, budget and banking advisor, vocational counselor and if necessary, an independent living skills counselor.

2008 VIP graduating class salutes the American Flag

Dean Ernst Van Bergeijk gives a speech to the graduating class

Erik Feinberg (VIP Alumnus Class of ‘98) gives a graduation speech

NYIT Hosts Annual Gold Coast Classic Event

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YIT hosted its 11th annual Gold Coast Classic on May 2 at the Mandarin Oriental in New York City. Proceeds from the event supported NYIT scholarships, academic initiatives, and facilities. In addition to silent and live auctions, dinner and dancing, the program included a performance by the NYIT Choir, the presentation of the NYIT/Quarterly Review of Wines Professional Excellence Awards, and remarks by students.

The NYIT Choir, under the direction of Kristie Damell, sing renditions of popular hits to welcome attendees.

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Theodor P. Baseler, Piero Antinori, Linda Davila, Edward Guiliano, Jon Priest, and Michael Lomonaco

The Boulevard • June - July 2008

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5/31/08 6:05:48 PM

Long Island’s Film Window on the World!

423 Park Avenue, Huntington • 631-423-7611

www.CinemaArtsCentre.org

• Celebrating 35 Years in Huntington • Featuring the Finest in International and Independent Film, Revivals, Documentaries, Filmmakers and Stars In Person!

PRAYING

WITH LIOR Tuesday, June 3 at 7:30pm In Person: Director Ilana Trachtman

ANDY WARHOL’S THE

CHELSEA GIRLS

Thursday, June 5 at 7:30pm Speaker: Dr. Kenneth Wayne • Curator, Heckscher Museum

MARY POPPINS (1964)

CINEMA 4 KIDS!

Sunday, June 8 at Noon REAL TO REEL: DOCUMENTARY SERIES

OPERATION FILMMAKER

Tuesday, June 10 at 7:30pm In Person: Director Nina Davenport THEATER OF THE WILD

INGMAR BERGMAN’S MONIKA

Wednesday, June 11 at 7:30 & 9:15pm

GRINDHOUSE Directed by Quentin Tarantino & Robert Rodriquez

Wednesday, June 11 at 7:30 & 9:15pm OUT AT THE MOVIES

CHRIS & DON

Tuesday, June 12 at 7:30pm In Person: Directors Tina Mascara & Guido Santi

ITTY BITTY TITTY COMMITTEE Thursday, June 19 at 7:30pm ANYTHING BUT SILENT

FRITZ LANG’S METROPOLIS

Tuesday, June 17 at 7:30pm Live Score Composed & Performed by DEWANATRON

VICTOR SJÖSTRÖM’S THE ERNST

PHANTOM CARRIAGE

Tuesday, June 24 at 7:30pm LUBITSCH’S LADY WINDERMERE’S Tuesday, July 29 at 7:30pm

FAN

Live Scores Composed & Improvised by BEN MODEL

Visit www.CinemaArtsCentre.org to join our mailing list and see our full schedule of films and events

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5/29/08 9:43:33 PM

Lifestyles Events

St Mary's Hosts 12th Annual Take-A-Break Dinner Dance

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he 12th Annual Take-A-Break Dinner Dance, the premier fundraiser benefiting Saint Mary’s Elementary School, took place at the North Hempstead Country Club on Saturday, April 12. The event was once again a tremendous financial success for the school. The guest came together as the St. Mary’s family and celebrated to the theme of Spring Is in the Air as they danced the night away. A special addition to the festivities this year was the Wishing Tree. Teachers were asked to provide special wishes for their classrooms which were hung as lanterns on the flowering cherry tree, donated by the Fischetti family. The tree was included in the silent auction and winners Mr. and Mrs. Emanuel Grillo graciously donated it back to St. Mary’s, where it will be planted on the elementary school grounds.

Erin Kurjian and Trish Kelly, co-chairs of the Wishing Tree

Maureen and Chris Miller enjoy the festivities

Fr. Jeremias George, Sem Trevor Sultana, Fr. Michael Galea, Rev. Msgr. John J. McCann, and Fr. Charles Omatu proudly represent St. Mary’s parish.

Maura and Mike Gentile enjoy the night out.

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Maureen Hannan and Nancy Salter, proud parents of students at St. Mary’s Elementary School

Colin and Sarah Adams and Lori and Neil Kerns enjoy a great night.

Bill O’Reilly, Rev. Msgr. John J. McCann and John Kiggins take a break from their conversation

Kevin and Angela Dooley are all smiles for the camera

The Boulevard • June - July 2008

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5/31/08 6:08:53 PM

Tilles Endowment Fund Honors Jadwiga and Donald Brown

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he future of Long Island’s premier showcase for the arts has become more secure thanks to a recent concert and dinner party that benefited Tilles Center for the Performing Arts’ Endowment Fund. Nearly $100,000 was added to the fund through a concert by the internationally renowned flutists Sir James and Lady Jeanne Galway, and a dinner honoring Tilles Center supporters Jadwiga and Donald Brown.

Jadwiga Brown, Sir James Galway, Donald Brown, and Lady Jeanne Galway

John R. Bransfield, Gary Ackerman, Elliot Sroka

Megan de Roulet, Lorinda de Roulet, and Daniel de Roulet

Jadwiga and Donald Brown with Angela Susan Anton

John R. Bransfield, Roger Tilles, and Gary Ackerman

Donald and Jadwiga Brown with Dori and Peter Tilles

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Lifestyles Events

Orchard Hill Designer Showhouse Features Former Home of Peggie Phipps Boegner

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he Orchard Hill Designer Showhouse at Old Westbury Gardens runs through Sunday, June 15 with proceeds to benefit Old Westbury Gardens. The Orchard Hill Designer Showhouse is a showcase for America’s premier design talent. Approximately 20 top interior designers and decorative artists will transform Orchard Hill into a decorating masterpiece in the gracious and traditional manner of the house itself.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Old Westbury Gardens is the former country estate of John S. (Jay) Phipps.

Westbury House, a magnificent, Charles II-style mansion, is surrounded by 200 acres of tree-lined walks, lakes, statuary, grand allées, and indescribably beautiful gardens. Jay’s daughter, Peggie Phipps Boegner, who grew up in Westbury House and was the founder of Old Westbury Gardens, lived in the Orchard Hill home from 1930 until her passing in 2006.

The Showhouse is open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Last admission is at 4 p.m.) Children under 6, infants, strollers and pets are not allowed in the Showhouse. Admission to the Showhouse is $30 and includes the Showhouse Journal as well as admission to Old Westbury Gardens on that day. For more information, call 333-0908 or 212-980-1711.

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Mary Lynch, Tony Manning, Kay Gilman

Ogden Phipps, Jenny Bancroft Kelter, Ashley Phipps and Kim Brancroft

Mary Phipps, Mario Buatta and Barbara Bancroft

Barbara Cates, Betty Tilghman, Hopie Lapsley and Pat Patterson

The Boulevard • June - July 2008

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5/31/08 6:12:21 PM

Annual EAC Spring Luncheon Is Great Success he Education & Assistance Corporation (EAC) hosted its 8th Annual Spring Luncheon on April 2 at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury. EAC proudly recognized nine students from its Chance to Advance program and awarded each of them a scholarship to help further their education. Chance to Advance supports foster children, ages 6 to 21, through focused and mentored intervention. The agency also honored dedicated corporate donors. As in the past, the luncheon was attended by more than 600 people and raised $200,000 to benefit the agency’s 70 programs.

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Linda Armyn, Rabiyah Abdus-Salaam and Philip Gandolfo

Andrew Rothstein, Sue Baran, and Lance W. Elder

Deidre Parrish Williams, Dale Cole, Paul Fleishman

Jaclynne M. Jacobs, Beverly Lee-Wo, and Danielle Solimone

Lance W. Elder, Sally Barish, guest, Nancy Colleary, Risa Monroe, and Vivian Aronica

Nancy Colleary and Janet D’Addario

www.boulevardli.com

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Lifestyles Events

Wine & Wishes 2008 Benefits Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York

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record number of more than 700 guests gathered at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers on March 26 to enjoy exquisite wines and delicious food while supporting the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York at the fifth annual Wine & Wishes event, hosted by the Charmer Sunbelt Group. Spirits were high and generous, and while final numbers are not yet in, it is estimated that the event exceeded its fundraising goal and raised more than $500,000. Guests enjoyed the opportunity to mingle with celebrity winemakers and top chefs while bidding on 200 silent auction items before the live auction started.

Pat Clemency, Wish sister Alana, Wish dad Larry, Wish child Lauren, Wish mom Beth, and Gail Freebody-Monaco

Dan Elsberry, Gail Freebody-Monaco, Osbert Hood, Mitti Liebersohn and Lisa Parker-Elsberry

Pat Clemency, Wish sister Alana, Wish mom Beth, Wish child Lauren, Wish dad Larry, Tom Roberts, and Charles Merinoff

Charles Merinoff, Pat Clemency, Gail Freebody-Monaco, and David Perry

Barry Wolf and Mary Alice

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Lisa Parker-Elsberry, Dan Elsberry and Pat Clemency

Brad Cooper and Robert Donaldson

The Boulevard • June - July 2008

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5/31/08 6:15:25 PM

Great Dates Await at Great Date Now

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re you looking for a great relationship?

Great Date Now, the leading personalized matchmaking service in the Tri-state area, offers custom service to find the best possible introductions for upscale, attractive singles like you. The service is proud of its process that includes working one-on-one with a team of certified matchmakers and having a thorough background check completed on all its members.

Offering a comprehensive matchmaking process, Great Date Now seeks to provide each individual with a fun, safe way to meet that special someone. With locations in Nassau, Suffolk, and Manhattan, it works within your local area to select the introductions that are right for its members. Voted Best of Long Island 2008, its Long Island matchmaker is available to meet with you at your convenience. For more information on Great Date Now Matchmaking Service, contact Dawn at 516-673-0777, or by email at dawn@greatdatenow.com. You can also visit www. greatdatenow.com Call today for a free consultation in one of Great Date Now’s conveniently located Garden City and Hauppauge offices.

Tom Hill the Man Behind East End Limousine

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om Hill, owner of East End Limousine, is a man of integrity, caring and professionalism. One of the many reasons clients will accept none other than his high-end transportation company is that the words “We can’t” or “Not available” are just not in Tom’s vocabulary.

Tom began a daily interaction with people "via luxury transportation" in his early 20s, after his return from the Marine Corps. Working as a driver, he discovered his passion for people, cars and customer satisfaction. Within five years and without outside investors or partners, he started his first business, with an impressive10-car fleet. In 2005, East End Limousine was born.

Tom’s discerning clients, mostly corporate accounts, receive only the best. Vehicles are well-maintained and are among the most comfortable in the industry, including a 2008 BMW 750Li and 2008 Mercedes Benz S550, both equipped with rear reclining seats and rear window shades.

Asked about future plans, Tom answers with a smile, “To make our customers happier and to perfect our service even more!” And if anyone can do it, Tom can. www.boulevardli.com

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Lifestyles Events

Zapped …

Carol Higgins Clark Has Regan Reilly in the Dark

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apped, a new Regan Reilly novel from The New York Times bestselling author Carol Higgins Clark, takes place on a hot summer night in New York, as the city is plunged into darkness by a blackout.

Sleuth Regan Reilly and her husband Jack, head of the NYPD major case squad, are renovating their Tribeca loft, having purchased the adjoining apartment from the wealthy Conrad Spreckles. Hidden in the apartment is a safe and determined to get at its contents are Spreckles’ soon-to-be ex-wife and a worker who stumbled upon it during the renovation.

Home from a three-day weekend, Jack drops Regan at the apartment, where she heads to the roof terrace, hears a sound, but shrugs it off. It’s then that the lights go out. Regan steps onto the terrace for a candle, the door is snapped shut and she is locked out. Jack returns home to find Regan trapped on the terrace and a stun gun on the floor of the loft.

Meanwhile, at a Manhattan comedy club, Regan’s best friend Kit is out with a new acquaintance, Georgina.

Waiting for the show to start, Georgina goes out for a smoke, but doesn’t return. The hostess later tells Kit that Georgina left in a cab with a cute preppy-looking fellow with blond hair.

Georgina is soon revealed to be a dangerous psychopath. Fueled by rage at a guy who once dumped her, she picks up young blond men in comedy clubs, drugs them, lures them to an isolated place and brands them with the words “I am a Snake.”

Regan and Kit set out to find Georgina and her intended victim. The search takes them through a dark city, from bustling bars on the Upper East Side to lonely downtown streets. The story reaches a dramatic climax when Regan locates the man who originally dumped Georgina, arousing her thirst for vengeance. He is the last hope for a clue as to where Georgina may have lured her victim.

The psychopath, the safe and a Soho gallery burglary keep the mystery moving. Milieu is a central element in Carol Higgins Clark’s writings and here she provides the reader with a vivid picture of New York nightlife during a blackout. Zapped, with its colorful cast of characters and locales, will keep the reader hooked – and entertained.

Zapped is a main selection of the Mystery Guild Book Club and an alternate selection of the Literary Guild Book Club, Doubleday Book Club and Doubleday Large Print.

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The Boulevard • June - July 2008

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5/31/08 6:08:28 PM

LONG ISLAND LIMO TAKES ITS PARTY ON THE ROAD

Designer L imousine Celebrates Twenty-Eight Years By Welcoming The Public For Their Year-Long Open House.

Designer L imousine is celebrating their 28th Anniversary.

President Kenneth J. Caldwell, will commemorate this milestone by hosting an open house every day in 2008 where visitors can experience their 2009 Double Decker Limousine Bus. Designer Limousine Bus is unique for many reasons, including accommodations for up to 80 passengers, a downstairs and upstairs bar, 2 hostess stations and a first-level dance floor, with in-style night club lighting. Guests can dance to over 100,000 songs from our juke box or enjoy entertainment on one of the 15 flat screen satellite TVs. A VIP room allows you to accommodate special guests.

“From 28yrs in business we have learned that comfort and flexibility are as important as style… we have an offer with this bus that no one could ever turn down; that is why we invite everyone to come and see the future transportation. Take your party on the road, ” said Caldwell.

For More Information

Media Contact Bill Gutekunst (800) 540-design (3374) www.designerlimo.com.

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5/30/08 1:04:39 PM

Lifestyles Events

Non pasticciare con la toro (Don’t mess with the bull)

By Harry Rocker

W

e all want one, few will ever own one, but we all know it when we see it. Lamborghini has long ago drawn the line in the sand defining and claiming the exotic car market. Like da Vinci, the automobile manufacturer has become synonymous with fine works of Italian art.

In a world of struggling economies and energy conservation, Lamborghini’s numbers have steadily increased.

In 1998, sales were slightly over 400 cars compared to last year’s nearly 2,500. With a median price of $275,000 per car and only a 1,000 employees, the company is solid. This has happened under the leadership of a man with great vision. President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini Stephan Winkelmann took The Boulevard for a ride into the fast-paced world of the exotic car.

“We went back to the basics in the car business, we have made heavy investments into the car, reduced the amount of car models, and invested in customer relationship management, ” Stephan explained. The two models, the Murcielago and Gallardo are the current leaders of the pack, both available with different styling options.

What distinguishes Lamborghini from the others are “a larger, sharper and lower body with a stronger engine and the only permanent four-wheel drive system found on a super sports car.” But it goes far beyond just being a car. These modes of transportation are, in fact, works of art. Their sharp angles make them nothing less then the “Stealth” of the automobile world.

For most high performance cars it’s all about the top

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speed and acceleration. “For Lamborghini, it starts with design and sound effect and the fact that we have a 4-by-4 system,” says Stephan, “It’s not easy getting a perfect sound out of a car without touching it. This is all part of the design of the car.” When it all comes together, it is nothing less then gorgeous. From the trademark scissor doors to the iconic bull on the hood, the Lamborghini stands in a class by itself.

Even though Lamborghini’s trademark is the V12 high

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performance engine, the company is doing what it can for the environment. Producing cars that reach over 200 mph uses its fair share of fuel, but Lamborghini is looking into alternative fuel sources as well. “We take the environmental issues very seriously. We are committed to reducing, in the long-term, our CO2 emissions. This is very important to us. The new Gallardo has an 18 percent fuel and emissions reduction. Being part of Volkswagen, we have access to the latest technology, which is something that is very good for us.”

Stephan was at the grand opening of Long Island’s first and only Lamborghini dealership, Champion Motor Group, located just off the Long Island Expressway in Jericho. “For Lamborghini as a business, and for sure, the high-end luxury cars, we felt that this was the right place to be on Long Island, where we needed to be, and we made the right choice.”

Lamborghini unveiled the new Gallardo LP560-4 at the Geneva Auto Show back in March. In just 3.7 seconds you can hit 62 mph. If you keep your foot down, you’ll be at 124 mph in 11.8 seconds and then over 200 mph seconds after that. All this at 398 lbs-ft of torque and 553 hp. The Gallardo boasts an automated e-gear transmission in which the driver can use five different driving programs. The base price of just $198,000 is not bad, considering the 2009 Revenon is $1.5 million. The 2009 Gallardo is set to hit the US in September.

For more information check out www.lamboghini.com

www.boulevardli.com

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6/2/08 1:44:29 PM

Wine & Dine

Vine Speak

Bottle of Red, Bottle of White

By Heather Muhleman

M

y first glass of wine in a restaurant was at this little Italian place down the road from my house. I had never been to that particular restaurant before. It looked like a house on the side of the road, and when you walked inside, it became your house for the next few hours. Now, I’m not Italian but it seemed to me that whoever walked in the door became Italian, if only for the brief stay to eat the food and drink the wine.

I remember the wine being their basic white table wine.

My tastes were still young at this point, so I preferred white zinfandel to most wines because of its uncanny resemblance to Kool-Aid with a touch of ginger ale. Italian wines are in the most general sense acidic, dry, light-to-medium bodied, and slightly subdued in flavor and aroma. The white wine we had was delicious, a little dry and slightly sweet. That is when I knew I would be drinking a lot more wine over my lifetime.

Italy not only produces and exports more wine than any other country, but it offers the greatest variety of types of wine covering every color, style and flavor imaginable. In its 2,000 years of winemaking, Italy is responsible for close to one-fifth of the world’s wine production. Wine is a family tradition, like most things in the Italian lifestyle. Between the three kitchens, grapevines and olive trees on every family’s property, food and wine are at the pinnacle of Italian life. Just as every family has its own personality and identity, Italy’s regions of winemaking are much the same. The country is divided into 20 regions, which incidentally correspond to the 20 political regions.

Italy’s system for classification is a modern one that puts each wine into one of four categories. Two of the categories are considered “Table Wine” – Vino da Tavola and Indicazione Gerografica Tipica, and the higher quality wines are ranked under “Quality Wine Produced in a Specific Region (QWPSR)” – Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) and Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG). The wines that are ranked in the two latter categories are more specifically defined and of the highest quality and standards that Italy has to offer.

Italy’s wines are categorized as Rosso (red wines), Bianco (white wines) or Super Tuscans, with more than 350 documented grape varietals and 500 undocumented varietals.

The top Rosso wines include Sangiovese, the pride of Tuscany; Barbera, the most widely grown red grape in Italy; and Nebbiolo, the most elegant and noble of the varietals. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Cabernet Franc are also widely grown but considered “international” varietals. The top Bianco wines are the

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Trebbiano, most widely planted behind the cataratto (industrial jug wine); Pingo Grigio, hugely popular and mass-produced; and Moscato, mainly used in sparkling wines. White’s international grapes that are widely grown are Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer and Riesling.

Super Tuscans are a more recent addition to the categories of Italian wines. Super Tuscan refers to any Tuscan red wine that does not adhere to traditional blending laws for the region.

These wines were originally considered Vino da Tavola, since they did not meet the standards of the other classifications. But as the quality was much higher than the typical Vino da Tavola, a new category was made, the Indicazione Gerografica Tipica, which indicated a level of quality in between the plain table wine and the DOC(G) classifications.

In my wine tasting experience, I have never tasted an Italian wine I do not like. With the scores of varietals and just as many flavors, there is always more to discover with Italian wine. Italian wine is made for Italian food so it has a premier spotlight on the table at every meal in an Italian household. I encourage you to drink Italian wine with every Italian meal you have. You’ll find tastes that you never knew existed.

Cheers to good wine.

Some amazing Italian wines: Marchesi Antinori’s Tignanello – considered the inventor of the Super Tuscan, this famous blended wine is big, rich and spicy, with a full body. Pretty much any year is excellent.

2000 Righetti Amarone – rich dark flavors of dried cherries and a warm spicy finish from the Vento region of Italy.

2004 Saracco Moscato d’Asti – From the Piedmont region, this mildly sweet wine has a slight sparkle to it. Perfect for taming spicy foods.

2005 Luigi Maffini Kratos – a fantastic Fiano containing fruit intensity with vibrant acidity with a long finish. From the Campania region.

The Boulevard • June - July 2008

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5/29/08 6:27:24 PM

Cipollini Trattoria and Bar A Unique Blend of Gourmet Italian Favorites and Delicious Comfort Food

By Barry Kay Photos by Jane M. Incao

C

ipollini Trattoria and Bar, a highly successful Poll Brothers restaurant, has been a mainstay at Americana Manhasset since it opened. Gillis and George Poll created Cipollini to emulate a stylish Manhattan venue with bright lights, Mediterranean colors, dark wood paneling, Italian movies playing on the TVs and exceptional food.

Cipollini was briefly closed for the renovation and installation of its beautiful new dark wood floors. When the restaurant reopened, I jumped at the opportunity to dine there, since it is one of my favorite Long Island restaurants. The diverse menu offers Italian and Mediterranean-style comfort food and gourmet entrees that are sure to please any palate. Cipollini’s brick oven produces the best thin crust pizza in the area, as well as hamburgers, paninis, pastas and delicious fish dishes. They also offer an exciting assortment of cocktails including their interpretation of the world famous Bellini (fresh peach puree and champagne) and an extensive wine line.

Cucumber, Tomato, & Corn Salad To complete our meals we were served a delightful warm chocolate torte, a specialty at Cipollini. We also tried some homemade biscotti with our cappuccino and tea. All in all, it was an excellent meal.

I have always been impressed with the service at each of the Poll Brothers restaurants: Bryant & Cooper, Cipollini and Toku. Our waiter was courteous, knowledgeable, and conversant about each of the items on the menu. Bravo to the Poll Brothers for creating this fun and fabulous Italian restaurant.

Cipollini Bar Now that the warmer weather is here, Cipollini literally opens its doors to let the fresh air in. For those that love al fresco dining, there is a fabulous outdoor seating area that attracts a mix of celebrities, fashionistas, families, friends and those that just want to enjoy a great meal while people watching.

On the evening that I dined with my group at Cipollini, we were served an assortment of fabulous fare, including a delicious Caesar salad, prosciutto and figs, and the risotto dish of the day made with porcini mushrooms.

Some of our main courses included a perfectly cooked halibut with braised leeks and a very succulent lamb shoulder served with mushroom gravy.

Pappardelle with Veal Ragu www.boulevardli.com

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5/29/08 6:40:40 PM

Wine & Dine

Prix Fixe Is Specialty At

Hamptons Restaurant Week

by Heather Muhleman

T

wice a year, New Yorkers and tourists get to dine at the most renowned restaurants in Manhattan through the annual New York City Restaurant Week, covered last summer by The Boulevard. Restaurant Week is a staple in the lives of New Yorkers and its neighboring communities have taken note and created their own Restaurant Weeks. The Sixth Annual Hamptons Restaurant Week took place March 30 through April 6. Seventy-four restaurants in the exclusive North and South forks of the Hamptons offered a three-course prix fixe for $21.95 (except Saturday where it was only offered until 7pm).

This year, restaurants in the North Fork were added to the everexpanding list of high class dining options at bargain prices.

Four top Long Island wineries in the area and seven lodging establishments were included in this year's discount menu of high-end Hamptons entertainment.

The restaurants involved are among the top dining rooms in the area. Restaurant Week is a chance for tourists and residents to experience the amazing cuisine that the East End has to offer, just before high season, at a low price. The eight-day food fest opens the summer season for the local restaurants.

The Boulevard joined more than 29,000 diners that took part in Hamptons Restaurant Week this year. By the end of the week, reservations were hard to come by.

marina fixture with their local lobster fests the talk of the town.

During restaurant week, Oakland’s menu doesn’t deviate too far from the family-run establishment’s norm. One of the staples is the Crab Cake appetizer, topped with Sweet and sour mango chutney. Another starter that piqued my interest was the Short Rib, Jack Cheese Ravioli served in a light truffle cream sauce.

For the main course, the top of the menu included the Sesame Garlic Swordfish and the Pan Seared Sea Scallops. Dessert was a treat with the family’s version of s’mores on the prix fixe menu – a flourless chocolate cake with graham cracker crust filled with marshmallows.

Nick & Toni’s

Oakland's Restaurant & Marina Located at the tip of Hampton Bay, this gem has a waterside view from every seat in the house. Seafood is the specialty at this

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Evocative of a Tuscan farmhouse, this Italian eatery in East Hampton has their customers talking for weeks about the food and atmosphere. Built around an authentic wood burning grill and oven, this high-end dining experience has everything from pizza to strip steak. For Restaurant Week, the menu changed daily to include available seafood such as mussels, swordfish and scallops, to name just a few. Nick & Toni’s showcases some of its best local fare including a Cauliflower, Pancetta and White Truffle Oil Zuppa, Calamari with Chickpeas and Trevisano, and an organic field green salad. For the entrée, the Beet Risotto, Free-Range Chicken and Fasuleda (sweet Italian sausage, pork, cranberry beans and polenta) are among the top choices. Some days included Gnocci, Pork Loin and Sardinian Fish Stew. Offered as a wine special at Nick & Toni’s Bedell’s 2005 Merlot and Channing Daughters 2005 Chardonnay, both $21.95 per bottle.

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5/30/08 12:59:05 PM

Legends Restaurant

WEI FUN

Truly a local legend, Legends Restaurant is located in New Suffolk on the North Fork of Long Island. Legends can be anything you want it to be: a sports bar, a family dining experience or a fancy celebratory dinner. Local seafood is a staple at this marina restaurant with starters such as Gambas Ajillo (garlic shrimp in a spicy sauce) and entrees like the Seared Salmon with Risotto and the Asian Style Sesame, Scallion & Panko Crusted Tuna. Of course they have game for the meat lovers, including Flat Iron Steak and a Baby Lamp Chop. Dessert topped off the meal with molten chocolate cake, a cheesecake spring roll and Crème Brûlée.

East Hampton is the home to the Asian sensation WEI FUN. This year, they are proud to be part of Hamptons Restaurant Week. Their menu consists of dim sum, hot soup, salads, appetizers, noodles and rice, and stir fry - not your typical appetizer, entree, dessert menu you get at Restaurant Week. With dishes like Pork & Shrimp Sui Mai with crispy garlic, Spicy Chicken Dumplings, Sesame Wakame Salad, Tea Smoked Berkshire Pork and Salmon Tartare, the starters are mouthwatering. Some of the noodles and rice to choose from are “Ants Climbing Tree” with beef, scallions, ginger and chilies, as well as classic chicken lo mein. The stir fry is piping hot with choices like Kung Pao Chicken and the uber-spicy home style Bean Curd with Pork, Black Beans and Chilies. WEI FUN is the place to go to get your spicy food fill.

The Seventh Annual Hamptons Restaurant Week takes place March 31 through April 9, 2009. In addition, the Third Annual Long Island Restaurant Week, which will include restaurants in Nassau, Western Suffolk, the North Fork and the South Fork will take place from November 2nd through November 9and offer a three-course prix fixe for $24.95.

Visit www.longislandrestaurantweek.com for more details or call WordHampton at 631.329.0050

WHERE

w w w. B o b s P l a c e R e s t a u r a n t . c o m

GOOD

& COME

Uptairs - Great wines and small plates is the concept for our upstairs private dining space at Bob’s.

On Friday & Saturday evenings, enjoy a great date alternative to a full dinner.

Enjoy a cheese and cured meats board, or one of our other small plate offerings meant to be shared along with great wines specially selected to complement our menu.

TASTE STYLE

TOGETHER

On-& Off-Premises Catering, Celebrations and Private Parties, Rehearsal Dinners, Bridal Showers, Graduations, and for all of your Catering Needs.

atmosphere 230 Jericho Tpke. • Floral Park • 516-354-8185

Hours: Closed Mon., Tues.-Thurs. 4-10pm, Fri & Sat. Dinner 4-11pm, Lunch Sat. 12-4pm, Sun. Brunch 11am-3pm

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5/30/08 12:59:08 PM

Wine & Dine

Father’s Day Signals the Beginning of Summer Grilling

By Robert Rizzuto de Seversky Center 516.686.7675 www.nyit.edu/deseversky Gold Coast Caterers: 516.686.1440 rrizzuto@nyit.edu

W

hile many people believe that Father's Day is a holiday invented by the fine folks at Hallmark, it's not so. The celebration of dad's special day can most likely be credited to Mrs. John B. Dodd of Washington state, who first suggested the idea of the holiday in 1909.

Mrs. Dodd's father, civil war veteran William Smart, was widowed when his wife died during childbirth with their sixth child. Despite the obvious hardships, Mr. Smart proceeded to raise the newborn along with his five other children by himself. It wasn't until Sonora Dodd became an adult that she realized the strength and selflessness her father had shown in raising his children as a single parent.

The original date chosen for the holiday was June 5, Mr. Smart's birthday, however the celebration was postponed until June 19, the third Sunday in June, because there was not enough time to prepare. At about the same time in various towns and cities across America other people were beginning to celebrate a Father's Day. Some accounts credit Mrs. Charles Clayton of West Virginia as the founder of Father's Day, although most histories give credit to Mrs. Dodd.

In early times, wearing flowers was a traditional way of celebrating Father's Day. Mrs. Dodd favored the red rose to honor a father still living, while a white flower honored a deceased dad. J.H. Berringer, who also held Father's Day celebrations in Washington state as early as 1912, chose a white lilac as the Father's Day flower.

In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a national Father's Day, but it didn’t become official until 1966 when President Lyndon Johnson signed the presidential proclamation that set aside the third Sunday of June as Father's Day. Preparation Prior to igniting the grill, make sure it’s clean. You also may want to brush the grill grate with a light coat of oil or nonstick cooking spray to prevent fish

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from sticking.

If you’re going to use a marinade or sauce, soak the fish/seafood for approximately two hours to infuse it with the flavor. Be careful when selecting the marinade, because a marinade heavy with sugar can cause the pieces to stick to the grill as the sugar caramelizes. Before putting your fish/seafood on the grill, drain off the excess marinade or sauce and pat the fish dry.

While cooking, you can baste the fish with the marinade or sauce to create a deep, rich glaze, but make sure to avoid using the marinade or sauce the meat was soaking in, as it can contain bacteria.

Instead, set aside some extra marinade or sauce for basting.

Another way to season is to brush it with a light coat of olive oil and then add your favorite seasonings. Try using black pepper, kosher salt and a touch of lime juice. For a more intense flavor, add ground celery seeds, crushed capers, garlic, marjoram and thyme.

Grilling The meat should sizzle when you put it on the grill. Fish cooks fast, so make sure you keep an eye on it. Cook it until it’s about 60 percent done, and then use a wide spatula to turn over each fillet.

Remove from the grill when it’s medium rare because it will continue to cook as it sits.

Oysters, mussels and clams cook even faster. To prepare them, place them on the hottest part of the grill. They’re done when the shell opens up.

To grill shrimp, place them on a skewer, one on top of the other. Watch them closely, because they will cook quickly. To grill scallops, place them on a skewer with the flat side up. This allows them to pick up more flavors from the grill.

Hot Off the Grill When you’re ready to cook, make sure the grill is hot. If it’s lukewarm, the pieces may stick. Put pieces on with the bone or uneven side down first. (If you

put the flat side down first, they may crack when you turn it.) If grilling more than one piece, make sure you leave enough space for air and heat to circulate between the pieces.

Grilled Salmon 2 teaspoons snipped fresh chives 1/2 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional) 2 teaspoons fresh chopped garlic 1 to 1 1/2 pounds salmon fillet 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 3 tablespoons chicken broth 3 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons soy sauce 3 tablespoons finely chopped green onions 1 small lemon, thinly sliced 2 slices onion, separated into rings Cooking Directions Sprinkle chives lemon-pepper, salt (if desired) and garlic over salmon. Place in a large re-sealable plastic bag or shallow glass container. Combine brown sugar, broth, oil, soy sauce and green onions; pour over the salmon.

Cover and refrigerate for one hour, turning once. Drain and discard marinade.

Place salmon, skin side down, on grill over medium heat; arrange lemon and onion slices over the top. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

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5/30/08 1:46:25 PM

Ann’s Make Your Own Dinner Party

By Bob Ronzoni

H

ave you ever been to a dinner party where all the guests participate in the preparation of the food?

I recently attended one with my wife Nina given by our friend Ann McCally on a Sunday afternoon. This is Ann’s formula for a successful event: a fun theme, a diverse crowd, and plenty of creative energy. I have seen Ann do this on many occasions with great success and her last party was no exception. It was a Pizza Party and for Ann that meant making everything from scratch, from pizza dough to mozzarella cheese.

The anticipation for a Make Your Own dinner party starts weeks before with the invitation (emailed, of course) to guests, complete with cut and paste pictures and cute sayings. The invitees are a blend of family, friends, Ann’s new acquaintances and anyone that you may care to bring along. What makes this invite so interesting is that the guests are encouraged to participate as much as they would like in the preparation of the dinner. The hype gets built up as guests start to email and discuss…what great fun!

As the guests arrived, Ann greeted them at the door with great enthusiasm and told them, “I hope you are ready to roll up your sleeves and get into the art of pizza making.” This was a scary message to some, but Ann had all the extra items to put her guests in the pizza mood. Baker’s hats were given to each guest along with checkered aprons as Dean Martin crooned in the background. Guests were given a choice of tasks such as formulating the dough mix, proofing the dough, cutting cheese or preparing the toppings. Ann had all the ingredients laid out on the table ready for the attack, including the curd used to make mozzarella cheese from scratch as her father taught her.

I will never forget the blank expressions of new invitees looking on with disbelief and a sense of fear. To watch the expression on the person who came from the manicurist was priceless. Or almost better yet, the guest that arrived dressed in “all-slimming black,” dreading to be given dough duty. But after the initial shock, Ann made her guests feel comfortable and everyone became enthusiastic and jumped right in. Of course, the core of regulars knows what to expect and comes prepared with aprons and comfortable shoes.

Anyway, the fun is the confusion, the lighthearted conversation and watching the approach several guests take to the tasks. It is great to see all ages from 25 to 80, from doctors to stock traders, all united in chopping, kneading, and saucing, ready to burst out a few Italian phrases all for the sake of making the ultimate pizza. Thank goodness that at this event Todd Mitgang, noted chef and an owner of Crave Restaurant on the East Side, kept the 20 guests organized and in check. Everyone was a great sport and some of the tastiest pizzas were prepared.

Ann’s formula for an interactive dinner party can be used for any culinary delight from making beef stew to apple pies. It is the spirit of a theme and interesting, adventurous guests that make a successful Make Your Own dinner party. Try it some time.

The following is a tried and true recipe for simple pizza dough.

Pizza Dough Recipe 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup warm water 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 package dry yeast or ¼ ounce chunk yeast 1 tablespoon sugar ½ teaspoon salt Combine water and yeast with approximately half the flour in a large bowl and mix well. Add the oil and sugar.

Now gradually add the remaining flour to stiffen the mixture.

Continue to add flour until the mixture becomes workable. Work the dough with your hands. An electric mixer with a dough hook would work just fine. If the mixture appears to be too dry, add additional water. The important part is to create a dough mass that would be workable in forming a pizza crust and not be concerned with the exact quantities of flour and water. Remove the mixture from the mixing bowl and place on a floured surface and knead for approximately five minutes. The result should be pliable and smooth.

Now you will want the dough to “rest.” Place the dough in a bowl that has been coated with oil and cover with a kitchen towel for at least ½ hour. The yeast will cause the dough to rise, almost doubling its size.

Divide the dough mass into two or more smaller parts.

Let rest for 15 minutes. The dough is now ready to be worked and stretched and formed. At this time, add the salt. If you find difficulty in working the dough, a few drops of olive oil helps.

Pizza shapes can be round, square, or oval. The goal is to form the crust to an even thickness for cooking consistency.

Pizza Topping Suggestions Tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, mushrooms, sausage, pepperoni, peppers, onions, garlic, olives, basil and any other topping that you may enjoy. There are no rules in pizza topping! After the pizza dough is prepared and you have topped the pizza with your favorites, the pizza must be cooked in a 500 degree oven in a lightly-floured pan until the crust turns a light brown and the toppings looked cooked and hot.

Enjoy your homemade pizza!

www.boulevardli.com

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Wine & Dine

Burton & Doyle's New Chef Has Recipe for Success

By Venus Quintana

F

rancis Falivene has always loved food. With an inherent passion for cooking combined with an admiration for chefs, Francis was destined for success long before he could even use the stove. As a child, Francis was not so much influenced by his mother's role in the kitchen as he was by the world around him. “Growing up in my neighborhood in New Jersey, I was exposed to so many different cultures and cuisines. My family ate out a great deal…different restaurants, different flavors. I became fascinated with food and cooking,” he explains.

And so his journey on the road to success began. After high school, Francis enrolled in the French Culinary Institute, where he was able to use his creativity and love of cooking to acquire new skills and learn different techniques. After graduating, he moved on to work at the world-renowned Hotel Pierre in New York. There he had the opportunity to work closely with great chefs from all over Europe. With a strong work ethic and a great deal of perseverance, Francis quickly climbed up the ladder and was eventually appointed to executive sous chef. By 1994, his skills had evolved considerably and he was chosen to represent the hotel in a promotional showcase at Restaurant Korso in Vienna. "This experience enabled me to understand the intense European culinary culture. The mentality is much different over there. Cooks are more disciplined and the respect they have for their ingredients is quite inspiring. They come to work, not just to pick up another paycheck, but because they truly have a passion for their craft," states Francis.

After returning from Europe, Francis took another executive

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sous chef position at the Water's Edge restaurant in Long Island City. Here he was exposed to a high volume, banquetstyle environment. In 2002, after spending the last couple of years back in New Jersey at Hoboken's City Bistro, he was recruited by the Sbarro Corporation to help refresh one of their Italian eateries, Salute!, in New York City. Three years later, he incorporated Pinnacle Restaurant Group with his younger brother Jeffrey, and their first restaurant, ORA, was opened in New Jersey. " My dream of having a place to call my own finally became a reality. It was an amazing feeling of excitement and pride," explains Francis.

Today, Francis brings his expertise to “Steakhouse Row.” In January of 2008, he was recruited as executive chef at Burton & Doyle, an upscale steakhouse in Great Neck. "This restaurant has survived the last eight years, but it is time for a facelift. Yes, there is obviously a lot of competition around, but we are here to stay and are now focusing on ways to offer more than the average steakhouse. We want to think of our restaurant as a place for any occasion - where a woman doesn't have to feel intimidated by huge hunks of steak on the menu … where a couple can enjoy a light dinner, if they so wish," Francis explains.

His philosophy on cooking has ultimately ensured his success as an accomplished chef. "Respect your craft and always use the freshest ingredients that you can find. People will notice, no matter what," he states. His focus is clear and he anticipates a great response from his customers. Watch for the grand reopening, scheduled for September.

The Boulevard • June - July 2008

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5/30/08 1:48:15 PM

Olive OilHomer’s Liquid Gold

By Barry Kay

W

hat would cooking be without olive oil? Fortunately even in biblical times, the world was never faced with such a potential culinary disaster. Recognizing the value of olives and olive oil and the need to set up standards of purity, the International Olive Oil Council, an intergovernmental agency based in Spain, promotes olive oil around the world and defines quality standards and authenticity. The Italian government, in order to preserve its reputation for having the world's best olive oil, has imposed harsh penalties on local manufacturers for deviation from established standards.

Olive oil has a long and fascinating history dating back prior to the great civilizations of Greece and Rome. Beginning around 5,000 BC and continuing to 1400 BC, the cultivation of olives spread from Crete to Syria, Palestine and Israel. It then continued its expansion to Turkey, Cyprus and Egypt. Greece, especially Mycenae, was the area of greatest cultivation and as the Greek Empire grew, olive culture spread to southern Italy and northern Africa in the eighth century BC and from there to southern France. It was Homer who called olive oil “Liquid Gold,” and it has played a significant role in religion, history, medicine, and magic throughout the centuries.

According to the historian Pliny, “Italy had excellent olive oil at reasonable prices” and by the first century the best olive oil in the Mediterranean. Italian folk tradition credits sun, stone, drought, silence and solitude as the ingredients that create the ideal habitat for the olive tree.

Mythology and history have impressed upon olive trees an air of immortality and strength. Despite the harshest winters and hottest summers, olive trees continue to grow and bear fruit that nourishes, heals and inspires. Soil, climate and temperature all play a vital role in growing the best olives. Warm dry summers and rainy winters favor the growth of large crops and have given Italy and Spain a significant advantage in the growth and production of olives and olive oil.

Today, the health benefits of olive oil are a major factor in its phenomenal growth and popularity, as it has been embraced by doctors, health practitioners and consumers who attest to its lifestyle benefits. Olive oil’s fame continues to grow because of its reputed ability to slow down the aging process, and help liver and intestinal functions, as well as providing cardiovascular benefits.

The flavor, color and consistency of olive oils vary. The differences are due to the different olive oil varieties, location and weather. In some cases, the olive oil of some fine small producers is priced similarly to fine wine.

Today olive oil is available in: Extra virgin oil - These are olive oils with less than 1 percent acidity and produced by the first pressing of the olive fruit through the cold pressing process. The cold pressing process is used interchangeably with first pressing. When the olive is harvested, the initial pressure applied by hand presses produce

only a small amount of olive oil from olive paste. To extract even more oil, hot water must be applied to the paste to improve the flow of oil. Hence the terms cold pressing and first pressing.

Virgin olive oil - This is made from olives slightly riper than those used in the production of extra virgin olive oil.

The acidity level is higher than 3.3 percent.

Refined olive oilPure olive oil, called just olive oil, comes from the second cold pressing or the chemical extraction of the olive pulp left over from the first pressing.

Pure means that no nonolive oils are mixed in.

Refined olive oil (pomace oil) - Oil obtained by treating olive pomace with solvents.

This is not considered a fine commercial product.

Olive-pomace oil - Olive oil consisting of a blend of refined olive pomace oil and extra virgin this is not considered a consumable product with any real benefits.

Light and extra light olive oil - This has the same calories as regular olive oil and is a mixture of refined olive oils that are derived from the lowest quality olive oils available through chemical processing. It must be refined before human consumption.

In the cooking book Marcella Cucina, author Marcella Hazan writes, “The taste of a dish for which you need olive oil will be as good or as ordinary as the oil you will use. A sublime one can lift even modest ingredients to eminent heights of flavor; dreary oil will pull the best ingredients down to its own level.”

All hail the indestructible, mystical, and forever popular olive! www.boulevardli.com

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Wine & Dine

Passion and Italian Tradition

Close up with

Anthony Scotto

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assion. The word characterizes Anthony Scotto, from his respect for the traditional recipes of his native Monte di Procida, Italy, to his famous restaurants and catering facilities, to his insistence on “only the finest ingredients no matter what the cost.” The ultra-successful restaurateur and proprietor of Fox Hollow Catering, Chateau Briand Caterers, Blackstone, Sagamore, The Inn at Fox Hollow and the Rose Hunt Restaurant at Fox Hollow, is a Long Island icon, but it didn’t start out that way.

The tough lessons that formed Anthony Scotto’s passion are always evident. “Getting to the top is half the equation,” he remarked. “Sustaining that standard is a daily challenge. It requires passion … passion for fine food, passion for people, passion for excellence each and every day.”

Anthony is “always uncomfortable” when called one of the region’s most successful restaurateurs. He noted, “The great golfer Gary Player explained his success with 'The harder I work, the luckier I get.' I agree, because you must have a hunger and a passion, and work hard. My passion is for innovation and creativity.”

And what makes Anthony Scotto happiest? “A good game of golf with friends and most importantly, being able to sit with my lovely wife Tina, our children, our four beautiful grandchildren, and enjoy fine pasta from a Scotto family recipe.

That’s how we convey the passion and teach the principles that have shaped our heritage and our lives.”

In the beginning...

Anthony was 17 when he arrived in the USA with his parents, two brothers and sister. His passion, drive and work ethic were already in place, and after apprenticing at his uncle’s Brooklyn restaurant, Anthony and his brothers pooled resources and opened the Scotto Pizzeria Restaurant in Port Washington. Utilizing many of his mother’s recipes such as pasta filetto di pomodoro (key ingredients: fresh ripe tomatoes, prosciutto, onion, fresh basil), the venture was a huge success. Other Scotto Pizzeria Restaurants followed.

The evolution to gourmet catering came naturally: Customers wanted the flavors of Scotto’s distinctive Campania regional cuisine for parties and events.

Fox Hollow Catering and Chateau Briand provided it—and much more. “'Setting the Standard Above and Beyond'” isn’t just our motto; it’s our passion.”

Mr. Scotto explained. “This is ingrained in my roots. You’ll experience it in our service, feel it in the ambiance of our establishments and taste it in the quality of our ingredients.”

The closely guarded family recipes and Scotto’s innovative passion have been passed down for the last 40 years to Scotto Brothers chefs, including Executive Chef Joe Vigliotti of Rose Hunt Restaurant at Fox Hollow. Chef Vigliotti especially prizes Scotto’s recipe for risotto pescatore Anthony Scotto, president and CEO of Scotto Brothers Enterprises with Executive Chef using Po Valley arborio rice Joe Vigliotti of Rose Hunt Restaurant at Fox Hollow. and fresh herbs.

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Café Continental…

Great Italian Food in a Festive Atmosphere

By Barry Kay

afé Continental has offered fine traditional Northern Italian cuisine since it was purchased by Julia and Dino Mariotti in 1986. They introduced their son Michael into the business when he was 13 years old. Michael learned the business from the ground up, working as a busboy, coatroom attendant and kitchen helper. Although I had lived on the North Shore for more than 28 years, I had somehow overlooked one of Long Island’s true Italian restaurant delights.

I met Michael Mariotti, the young and dynamic owner of Café Continental, through a chance introduction by a casual friend. The consummate host, Michael invited my wife and me for dinner at the restaurant after talking for 10 minutes on the phone.

What immediately impressed me was the restaurant’s lively, family atmosphere, with diners moving between tables and lots of satisfied faces. Like a skilled bandleader, Michael orchestrates and manages to introduce himself to all the newcomers, and to somehow get everyone involved in the restaurant's unique, festive atmosphere.

As the restaurant was somewhat timeworn, Michael was working on the proposed renovation and gave us an overview. It all sounded great, but we were hungry and Robert, our knowledgeable and personable waiter, began bringing an assortment of wonderful Italian delicacies.

Prior to our meal, our table was set with a tray of aromatic and delectable cheeses with peppers and sausage slices. We were then offered a sampling of some of Café Continental’s signature dishes along with an assortment of fine Italian wines.

We started off with a delicious cold seafood salad - pulpo and calamari in caper vinaigrette accompanied by a lively aromatic Hanna Russian River Valley Sauvignon blanc with a crisp flavor and broad finish.

This was followed by Pappardelle Porcini, homemade lasagna-like noodles with porcinis and a splash of Barbaresco.

The wine was a Cartlidge & Brown Pinot noir, Napa Valley. It

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tasted silky, redolent of plum, berry and a hint of anise.

Our third course was a magnificent array of succulent Diver Scallops & Black Beans with scallions, zucchini and risotto, with a touch of garlic. Michael chose as the wine a Cakebread ChardNapa Valley, 75 percent aged in French oak, apple, melon and pear flavors.

When we thought we could not eat one more bite, we were served a delectable fruit tart assortment of fresh, ripe, seasonal fruit layered with an airy whipped cream and delicious crust, accompanied by biscotti and cappuccino.

The service at Café Continental is extraordinary and your waiter will guide you through the various selections and specials on the menu. As if great ambiance, food and service were not enough, on select nights diners are treated to opera selections from a friendly and very talented gentleman in the construction business who just loves opera and loves to present impromptu operatic performances. This night we were treated to a highly professional version of “Nessun Dorma" which was not quite Pavarotti but delightful.

Since our original visit, Café Continental has refurbished and refreshed the interior with some calming, earth tone paints, beautiful wood trim molding and glass. The bar area has also been redone and has a chic Manhattan feel to it. The effect is magical and makes the restaurant even more pleasing to the eye.

Although I only recently became a client, Café Continental has been added to my list of restaurants to recommend and return to. Congratulations to Michael on his wonderful cuisine and excellent staff for a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

In June, Michael plans to open Amano, a new upscale osteria and wine bar in Mattituck, with Tom Schaudel, owner and executive chef, and Adam Lovett, owner and GM (both are from Jedidiah Hawkins). Tom Schaudel is also the owner of Cool Fish in Syosset. For more information on Café Continental, located at 1538 Northern Boulevard, Manhasset, call 516-627-4269. www.boulevardli.com

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Wine & Dine

Adventure Del Cioccolato

By Gina Lengeling

o me, chocolate is one of the main food groups. At one time chocolate was called the food of the gods. With the latest chocolate trend being chocolate tasting and wine bars, I went to see what the fuss is all about.

In my chocolate adventures I will be visiting all ranges of chocolates stores from small little holes in the wall to the crème de la crème of chocolatiers. I figured might as well start off with a bang, so I went to Ayza in Manhattan at 11 West 31st Street (www.ayzanyc. com) where their pairings of port wine with Jacque Torress chocolate truffles and savory cheese morsels from Murray's make for a fierce combination of some of the best New York has to offer.

I asked Zaf, one of the owners, why he thinks chocolate and wine bars are so popular right now.

He responded that he thinks people have a need for simplicity. I agree; it is hard to beat the simple pleasures of chocolate.

It was a warm day when I went for my tasting and the thought of drinking heavy ports with chocolates did not seem refreshing at first.

However, you may be as surprised as I was to find that warm weather is actually ideal for proper chocolate tasting. Zaf explained that the chocolate is actually allowed to sit for a moment to reach room temperature before serving. The warm temperature allows it to melt in your mouth immediately; cold chocolate doesn't release its flavors and aromas as potently. As for sipping port in warm weather, I

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personally am not one to turn down fine liquor on account of an undesirable temperature.

And so I was presented with a sinfully delectable plate of five truffles, each knowledgably paired with appropriate liquor.

My assortment included: Bin 28 - a port truffle, a cappuccino truffle, an espresso truffle, a Grand Cru truffle and a melon truffle. While I tend to be partial to dark chocolate truffles - which would be the Bin 28 in this assortment - I set aside my amateurish yet defined dark chocolate snobbery and I have to say, the white melon truffle paired with the Proseco (a sweet but light Italian sparkling wine) was quite refreshing while remaining indulgent - a nonnegotiable characteristic in my book.

For the chocolate and cheese obsessed, I highly suggest Ayza's Comte St. Antoine - French, semi-hard dense cheese ranging from smoky and oniony to sweet, with notes of chocolates and hazelnuts. If you can get past the slightly odd melding, this inventive use of chocolate is quite wonderful and becomes more and more savory with every taste.

While I usually think of chocolate tasting as a more intimate affair, I am grateful to Ayza for being one of the pioneers in making chocolate the focus of nightlife. With its chic outdoor seating accompanied by the classic Mediterranean candle glow at night, I would claim Ayza as a true chocolate bar where the night can start and end around chocolate!

The Boulevard • June - July 2008

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WHEN IT COMES TO STEAKHOUSES...

We’re A Rare Treat

IT’S THE PLACE TO GO FOR AN INTIMATE DINNER, A GATHERING AFTER WORK OR A NIGHT WITH FRIENDS. EVERYTHING ABOUT BURTON & DOYLE IS EXCEPTIONAL.

THE FINEST PRIME DRY-AGED STEAKS MOUTHWATERING SEAFOOD & SUSHI WINE SPECTATOR AWARD OF EXCELLENCE CLASSIC AMBIANCE & ATTENTIVE SERVICE

ZAGAT SAYS BURTON & DOYLE IS: “Handsome and luxurious…mouthwatering cuts, backed by an impressive wine cellar and gorgeous décor.”

661 Northern Boulevard. East Great Neck, NY 516-487-9200 • www.BurtonAndDoyle.com

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Wine & Dine

Nino Can’t Be Everywhere … or Can He?

By Anita Penname

F

or a great night of some fine Italian dinning, check out any of Nino’s restaurants. The Boulevard was first introduced to Nino Selimaj back in October 2006 with our first cover party at Nino’s Tuscany. We recently revisited Nino at his First Avenue and 72nd Street restaurant.

Nino’s is more then just fine Italian cuisine; it carries his personal touch. Whether it’s veal scaloppini, zuppa di pesce, homemade spinach ravioli or even something as simple as his spaghetti and meatballs, you can’t go wrong. The wine list is as plentiful as the portions of food. With Italian, French, American and special sections, there’s no difficulty in finding the perfect complement to that perfect meal.

Evenings at 8p.m., guests are treated to the wonderful Italian sounds of pianist Paolo Siani, which tops off a perfect evening. On any given day it shouldn’t surprise you to see Tony Bennett, Regis Philbin or Derek Jeter, among many celebrities, dining at one of Nino’s restaurants.

Nino’s Fine Italian Cuisine, 1354 First Avenue Nino’s Positano, 890 Second Avenue Nino’s Tuscany, 117 West 58th Street Nino’s Belissimma Pizza, 890 Second Avenue Osso Buco Italian Restaurant Family Style Uptown: 1662 3rd Avenue Downtown: 88 University Place

For more information visit www.ninosnyc.com.

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Travel

Following Literary Footsteps to a Hill in Italy

“Downtown” Aliano with church and shops.

By Sara Duncan Widness Photos by Sean Duncan

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ears ago I read Christ Stopped at Eboli, Carlo Levi’s book published in 1945 from which a film was made

by Francesco Rosi in 1979. In the mid-1930s, Mussolini exiled Levi, an outspoken anti-fascist, from Turino in northern Italy. He was sent south of Rome and southeast of Naples to a land peopled by peasants called contadini who wrestled with a rock-strewn landscape to feed their families off the land. Some contadini walked daily with their donkeys and hoes for miles to less-than-accommodating valleys from a village called Aliano. That’s where Levi was driven by police escort upon debarking a steam train journey from the north.

What he found in Aliano was a community riddled by superstition and poverty, and its commensurate afflictions. His medical certification was put to the test as a physician, treating malaria, among other diseases. His powers of observation were invigorated by the spectacle of raw living he witnessed daily as he sketched and painted the faces of the people of Aliano, some of whom lived huddled with their animals in damp caves under the village. Letters he posted detailing the circumstances around him were opened by self-appointed village censors and he was called to account for what he wrote. His art, his writings and the book that transpired created a village love/hate relationship with Levi who, on the one hand brought healing powers to the town but on the other, through his writings, forced the outside world and ultimately the village itself to recognize that Aliano and its like were forgotten populations excluded from Rome’s rays. Folks in any day and age don’t like to feel disenfranchised.

The book’s name derives from a superstition that virtual civilization and therefore hope ended at Eboli, near Salerno, never reaching Aliano and other impoverished populations of this region. Levi’s book, published just as World War II was ending, began changing how Italy recognized and subsequently took responsibility for its underprivileged populations.

In mid-November when snow had already fallen on some craggy reaches of the southern Appenines, I visited Aliano because in some inexplicable way Levi falls into my pantheon of heroes. From a flat valley through which a river might course again come spring, the road struggles up 500 meters to a plateau that is Aliano then and now, although its urban landscape has changed, say the villagers, because one of their churches simply slipped down one of the ravines that look like models for a dissertation on erosion. The landscape has also changed since Levi’s time because centuries-old crumbling stucco and stone buildings have been ameliorated by the process of gentrification which means that Aliano holds favor with folks seeking 360-degree views, cooler summer temperatures and a high degree of silence.

Now, as then, widows in black known as vecchiette, some with bowed legs, scuttle with scarved heads from church to shop to home. Men grown gaunt from labors in the fields and olive groves at the underbelly of Aliano present as a row of caps and canes on communal benches. The young woman in short skirt and platform heels walking by seems the outsider as the halting English of the village priest explains the story of his town. While he talks, a bony-fingered crone harangues him away from his visitors to his duties. (It’s entirely possible that she was reflecting an anti-Levi bias and/or anti-stranger bias, but the impassive face of Father Fabio Casamonti who’s been in Aliano for 35 years, gave no clue.) He does reveal, however, that among some of the old folk there’s a bias against Levi because of the negative conditions he exposed. Other villagers, however, are

quick to point out Levi’s commemorative bust.

Visitors to Aliano aren’t at risk of getting lost while looking for its landmarks. These include a bust of Levi, his house of exile which is now a museum with displays of artifacts and styled rooms that commemorate the nearly defunct peasant culture, a building with a collection of Levi’s sketches and paintings, and a prominent dwelling where the village capo, one of the facists who read Levi’s letters, lived, not far from the house of exile. A small gallery of locally inspired art also sells Levi’s book and film, in Italian. (Some of the villagers still work the olive groves below and an occasional donkey makes the daily trek. Be forewarned, however, that if you want to take pictures of man on donkey you’ll be scolded if you don’t ask permission first.)

The one restaurant in town is tended by several women who, even after hours on an early Sunday evening, are happy to serve a several-course dinner with a bottle each of local red and white wine. Knowing in advance of arrival that Aliano does not offer overnight accommodations, upon asking where the nearest town with beds would be, my nephew and I are surprised when one of the waitstaff-cum-cook leads us to a house she shares with her father, offering (for a total of 40 euros) two private rooms each with bath and complimentary coffee

Villagers respected Carlo Levi’s skills as a physician but some resented the spotlight he turned on their meager living conditions in the mid-1930s. www.boulevardli.com

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Travel

and pastry in the morning. She says there are plans to create a pension for up to 10 people over the restaurant within a few years.

Levi lingered here for eight months and eight days, walking daily the rim of the yawning creases of muddy yellow mountain gashes on one side of the village, then taking a few short steps across Aliano to imbibe a rhythmic and pastoral landscape. He reflected that time here possesses a grace not found in other places. This proves true in a mere 18-hour adventure.

Aliano is southeast of Naples/Salerno or southwest of Bari.

Plan to sleep in Matera (another story to come) or Potenza, towns big enough to accommodate a variety of lodgings. You may want to see exhibits of Levi’s art in Matera. Another stop on this Levi pilgrimage is Grassano, due north of Matera, where he also spent time in exile. One of the souvenirs you may want to take home is olive oil from the region of Basilicata, a main staple of the agricultural economy here.

And please don’t confuse Carlo Levi with another writer also from Turino, Primo Levi.

Plants and green are hard-pressed to gain a foothold around centuries-old crumbling dwellings.

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A restored portion of Aliano; to the right, with blue steps, is the restaurant above which there may be rooms for rent sometime in the future.

Ancient Roads in Heart of Chianti Country Many travelers like to access Italy through Tuscany (think a direct flight to Pisa, for example). If you are looking for ways to stretch the dollar while traveling here this season, you may want to consider one charming farmhouse that has been retrofitted into a handful of highly private, comfortably appointed apartments.

At La Valle a Polvereto, each apartment has its own kitchen, a large bedroom and, in some cases, a loft room for children or another couple. Breakfast is served daily on premise and by prior arrangement, Brunella Savaglia will also cook Tuscan favorites for your dinner.

The hostelry is located in the heart of Chianti country on a warren of ancient roads that are completely off the tourist track. It is surrounded by olive groves and vineyards and if you’re there in late October, you may be invited to help harvest the olives. When it comes to touring, the bell towers of San Gimignano are just 18 km in one direction and Florence 20 km in another.

Rates are just under Euro 100 nightly for two people sharing an accommodation. Reduced rates for weeklong stays are available. Brunella and her family live on premise at La Valle a Polvereto and deliver an immaculate accommodation with rare warmth. For more information, visit www.accommodation-tuscany.it.

For more information please see www.accommodation-tuscany.it.

www.boulevardli.com

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Travel

The Grand Hotel Rome

By Barry Kay

ome was not built in a day and it cannot be seen in a day or a weekend. People who live in this Eternal City for years are still discovering her. Our Seven Stars and Stripes Team were destined for one of the world’s great hotels in Rome…The Grand Hotel Parco dei Principi. The hotel is ideally positioned in the heart of Rome, minutes from the Via Veneto and seconds from the famous Borghese Gallery and Gardens. We landed at Rome's CIA, an airport that connects most of Europe's major cities. Our driver, dressed in a crisp uniform, was easily recognizable, as he was holding up a nicely designed sign meant for those with vacation on their minds.

We passed ancient buildings, monuments, sparkling fountains and people coming and going about their daily business amid centuries of history. “I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble,” Caesar has declared.

We arrived at the Grand Hotel Parco dei Principi within half an hour. A green park oasis of old-growth palms and pines surrounds the hotel, a resort in the ancient city of greatness and splendor. The scent of freshly cut exotic flowers lingered in the welcome halls, reminding me of a dignified residence.

Cozy flames trying to compete with rays of sunshine that were flooding in through the window were trapped by the amazing

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antique mantel of an oversized fireplace, while authentic oil paintings by old masters were luring our eyes for attention.

Check-in was most efficient, friendly and courteous; our photographer Arno and our team had stayed here on another occasion and to our surprise, we were immediately recognized and addressed by our last names. As our valet opened the door to our corner suite, we all held our breath; the Eternal City of Rome was on display, with spectacular views over the Botanical Gardens right through to the Vatican.

We discussed the room service menu - written in several languages but ordered in English: Prosciutto de Parma with honeydew melon, smoked salmon and a couple of salads. As we waited for our light supper to arrive, we admired the splendor of the superb suite. Our charming suites were carefully restored by the architects Massimo and Maurizio Papiri, who used themepainting techniques for the walls and ornate moldings to match the window treatments. These architects and their interior design teams have created a showcase of versatility and beauty in the entire hotel, including the rooms and the banquet and conference facilities.

There is nothing like experiencing the fascination of the Eternal City firsthand, with its ancient Roman ruins, the

The Boulevard • April - May 2008

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an extraordinary view over the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill. Crossing the Porta Pinciana, the Aurelian Wall and the Villa Borghese, we arrived at the Vatican Museums. Following the old Appian Way past the Church of Domine Quo Vadis, we finally got to the Catacombs of St. Domitilla, St. Calixtus, and St. Sebastian.

These ancient underground tunnels were once the burial places for Jews and Christians. A panoramic view over the Baths of Caracalla concluded our sightseeing tour much too soon.

Today’s Rome, with a population of about three million, will forever remind me of its glorious past as the city that “built the greatest empire the world had ever known.”

The Parco dei Principi Hotel is an independent, privately held hotel that provides personal, gracious hospitality and world-class service. Dr. Naldi addresses environmentally sensitive concerns such as preserving history and sustaining and adding cultural aspects that are very important in a city that is 2,000 years old. The Parco dei Principi Hotel has succeeded in reaching for the ultimate service level as Dr. Naldi has a great feel for hiring top hands-on staff and GMs like Carla Milos; together they have created a true Seven Stars experience and a world class rating of Six Stars and Stripes for their guests. Bravo to a great hotel and one of the most exciting cities in the world! delightful Baroque fountains, St. Peter's Dome and the Vatican with its Renaissance masterpieces. Our three-hour tour began by traveling up the Via Veneto, famously portrayed in Fellini's La Dolce Vita. Then we stopped at the Fountains of the Naiads and Trevi at the Piazza della Republica.

After passing the Piazza Colonna and the site of the Column of Marcus Aurelius, we found the Montecitorio, the location of the Chamber of Deputies, and then the Pantheon, intended by Emperor Hadrian to carry the largest dome in the world. Next was Piazza Navona, the site of the ancient Stadium of Domitian and also the location of Gian Lorenzo Bernini's masterpiece, the Fountain of the Four Rivers, which we absolutely adored. From Piazza Navona, we took in the Castel Sant'Angelo en route to St. Peter's Square and Michelangelo's Pieta. Crossing the Piazza Della Republica, we got to see the Monument of Victor Emanuel II, the Vittoriano. Then we went off to the Coliseum and the Arches of Constantine and Titus before it was time for the mind-boggling Roman Forum. We traveled to the Capitoline Hill where we were presented with

www.boulevardli.com

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(631) 283-4600 (212) 362-8400 www.hamptonjitney.com

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Health

Harbor House Assisted Living Care for the Memory Impaired

By Barbara Capozzi, D.O. Photos by Tina Guiomar

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The Boulevard â&#x20AC;˘ June - July 2008

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Decisions

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ne of the hardest decisions families have to make is where a loved one who has dementia can age gracefully. We all want the best when it comes to health care and living arrangements and as we age, we appreciate even more the value of compassion, kindness and humanity. Yes, there is such all-inclusive dementia care on Long Island.

Preconceived Notion I admittedly arrived at Harbor House (on a rainy day) with a preconceived idea, and I was more than pleasantly surprised at the physical setting, ambiance and magnitude of detail addressed by the dedicated team. I entered a modern building on a well-manicured piece of property and was greeted by a friendly receptionist. I took a seat in a small living room furnished with plush chairs, new carpeting and cheery paintings.

I thought - this must be the private business offices, not the assisted living facility itself.

The Welcome Paul Rosen, director of community relations, greeted me with a smile, enthusiasm and passion. As Paul and Rachel Dombrowsky, president of Harbor House, walk me through, I realize that the word facility is too impersonal for this place.

Outside is clean and pretty, the lobby is feng shui and inside the walls echo with warmth.

Rachel’s Vision Harbor House was Rachel’s vision. It was built five years ago and filled in just 14 months. As a former case manager for an assisted living facility, Rachel realized there was a need for a dedicated dementia center with its own flavor and chemistry.

“This is their home,” says Rachel, as she points to photos of residents that cover the walls. Paul adds, “The purpose of Harbor House’s environment is to stimulate residents. The goal is quality of life, quality of care, and treatment with dignity and respect.”

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Health Meals Chef Richard Garr is from the Culinary Institute of New York.

The house serves rotating menus and special holiday meals. All food is fresh and served in the dining room by waiters.

Medical Care Proactive medical care includes having physicians onsite.

Medical staff has three geriatric internists, two psychiatrists, podiatrist, oncologist, psychologist and a dentist next door.

Physical therapy is also available on site.

Therapeutic Recreation Physical Setting The first floor is cognitive level I, second floor -cognitive level II, and third floor -cognitive level III, which means that residents live with others who are at a similar level of functioning.

Safety Each floor is independent and safely contained so that residents cannot mistakenly or unsafely wander to a different level or get on an elevator unattended. There are no stairs other than emergency fire stairs. Staff to resident ratio is 1:8, or 1:6 as needs become greater.

Common Space Unique to this building is that it has more than 57 percent of its space as common area, so that residents are encouraged to socialize, decreasing the likelihood of isolation in their bedrooms. Each floor has a family media room with wet-bar for private time with guests. This physical setup “helps residents feel liberated” says Paul. Freedom to walk around often alleviates anxiety experienced by patients with dementia.

Rooms There are four styles of rooms; three types are shared and a private room is available. As well, couples may live here.

A memory cue box is located outside each door and has the resident’s photo, name, room number, and a personal cue.

An open country kitchen in the center of the floor serves as a gathering place with bedrooms surrounding it.

Day Each floor has a sun porch which helps with day and night orientation since residents are daylight dependent. A structured day facilitates orientation.

Night The house is a 24-hour building, so if a resident gets up in middle of the night and walks out of his or her room, an aide will provide companionship and comfort. Residents are checked every two hours throughout the night or more frequently when necessary. Even those who are continent are assisted by staff to avoid the possibility of nighttime falls. Bathrooms have no tubs. Showers have seats and a Chicago faucet for safety so when water reaches a certain temperature they won’t burn themselves.

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Group activities take place daily. For those who are able, a bus takes them to local points of interest. Activities include word games, gardening and adaptive sports, to name a few.

The day of my visit was pet therapy, and for those who choose not to participate, there’s one-to-one visits to provide individual motivation.

Art and Music Therapy Intergenerational programs include students from high school or Girls Scouts who visit and participate in daycare and community therapy.

Country Kitchen The smell of freshly- baked peanut butter cookies not only stimulated my olfactory system and appetite, but made me feel that I was home. The country kitchen with wraparound counter allows residents to observe and participate. Ovens are used for recreation and sensory stimulation. One baking activity included assistance with preparation, followed by an interactive intellectual activity about what was done and then finally gustatory satisfaction. (No, I didn’t get to sample.)

Spirituality While religious services of all denominations are available, a special touch is added at Christmas and Thanksgiving when Paul and Rachel take residents to five different churches for services.

Lasting Impression The adjacent building is Oyster Bay Manor Senior Residence where again, the residents always come first. I must add that both buildings are immaculate and efficient, but what impressed me the most was the relationship that Paul has with the residents. Many immediately recognized him, engaged in conversation and didn’t want to let him get back to us.

I think Harbor House is one of the best additions to the Oyster Bay community and certainly a gift to our seniors and their families.

For more information, visit www.oysterbayseniorcampus.com or contact: Rachel Dombrowsky at 516-624-9700 or racheld@sralc.com or Paul Rosen At 516-624-8400 or paulrosen@sralc.com.

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Live Your Life We’ll Take Care of the Rest

At Oyster Bay Manor, we provide gracious assisted living at affordable prices with a comprehensive care program. Enjoy the life ahead of you surrounded by a caring community. Join in activities, find a friend around every corner and celebrate each day.

At Harbor House, we specialize in people with Alzheimer’s, dementia and memory impairment and realize that they require individualized care in a compassionate and therapeutic environment.

Our all-inclusive assisted living programs provide residents with a variety of recreational activities, comprehensive medical care and all the love and respect they would receive at home.

150 South Street, Oyster Bay • (516) 624-8400 • www.oysterbayseniorcampus.com LICENSED BY THE NYS DEPT. OF HEALTH ELIGIBLE FOR MOST LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE

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Health

Skin Deep

By Deborah S. Sarnoff, M.D. Deborah S. Sarnoff M. D. with offices in Manhattan and Greenvale, LI, is a pioneer in state of the art cosmetic dermatology, lasers and Mohs surgery for the treatment of cancer. An associate clinical professor of dermatology at New York University Medical Center and vice president of the Skin Cancer Foundation, Dr. Sarnoff has demonstrated her procedures on the Today show, 20/20, Good Morning America, Dateline and The View.

Dr. Sarnoff is co-author of Beauty and the Beam and Instant Beauty; Getting Gorgeous on Your Lunch Break.

For additional information, call 516-484-9000 or visit www.cosmetiqueMD.com

Beauty and the Beach

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he sun is high and the surf is up, but do problem areas on your face or body make you want to hide under the beach blanket? With today’s laser technology, there are safe and easy ways you can enhance your appearance and get a boost of self-confidence. First and foremost, remember to always wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, and use sunscreen that blocks UVA and UVB rays with a minimum SPF of 30.

that cool the overlying epidermis and lengthen pulse durations that allow the beam of light to penetrate more deeply into the hair follicles without harming the overlying skin. Darker-skinned people should request that advanced technology be used to avoid lightening or darkening of the skin and possible burning, scabbing and scarring that may result if older machines are used.

Be sure your skin is not tanned before treatment, as it could increase the risk of pigment-changing side effects.

Spider Veins and Rosacea Laser Lipolysis (Smartlipo) Spider veins on the legs can be eliminated with a beam of light which only “sees” the blue and purple areas that need treatment. Another method for removing spider veins is sclerotherapy, in which a tiny needle is used to inject the veins with a chemical that causes them to collapse. Eventually, the body reabsorbs the nonfunctioning vessels and they disappear.

Broken blood vessels on the face and rosacea can be treated with a laser that “sees” only the pink or red of the vessels and spares the overlying epidermis any damage.

Brown Spots and Tattoos

Saddle bags, tummy, love handles, that aging neck – these areas of unwanted fat can be removed with the revolutionary Smartlipo laser. Imagine a fiber optic wire thinner than a strand of capellini with a tiny laser beam at the tip. Now imagine introducing this beam of light into those target areas, gently melting the fat away. That’s precisely what the Smartlipo laser can do. The effect of the laser beam on the overlying skin breaks the bands that cause dimpling, increases collagen production during the healing period and improves skin tightening after the fat is removed.

Also known as age spots, sun spots, or liver spots, these benign brown blemishes are removed with a beam of light that only “sees” brown. And although Pamela Anderson changed the tattoo on her ring finger from "Tommy" to "Mommy," most people who are displeased with their tattoos want them banished completely. Today’s laser technology has become more efficient in shattering tattoo inks into microscopic fragments and zapping the pigment out.

Cellulite, Stretch Marks and Scars The TriActive is an FDA-approved device that reduces cellulite and facilitates the development of a more contoured physique. It delivers a painless treatment that tightens the skin and is suitable for all body and skin types. Stretch marks typically result from rapid weight gain. The pulsed dye laser is effective for treating new stretch marks and the Affirm and Fraxel can improve more mature stretch marks and scars.

Laser Hair Reduction Breakthroughs in laser hair removal include chilling devices

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With all the wonders of laser technology, the most painful choice you’ll have to make this summer is deciding which bathing suit to buy!

The Boulevard • June - July 2008

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Caring for Senior Pets

By Diane Levitan Diane Levitan, VMD, Dipolomate American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and Hospital Director at the Center for Specialized Veterinary Care

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enior pets often have needs that are different from those of a young, or even middle-aged pet. The following questions and answers cover some of the most common I’ve discussed with pet owners.

When is a dog a senior citizen?

This depends on breed. Smaller dogs live longer and become “senior” a little later. Toy poodles might live into their 20s and would be a senior at around 10 or 11 years old.

German shepherds typically lives to about 13-15 years and are considered seniors at about 8 years of age.

What percentage of dogs and cats are seniors?

It is generally thought that about 28 percent of all dogs and 25 percent of all cats are seniors.

What signs may be indicators of some senior problems?

Weight Breath Water consumption Arthritis Vision Heart disease Behavior changes Incontinence Seizures Skin problems Skin growths No energy

Does my pet need vaccinations every year?

Young pets should receive their early vaccination series, and then boosters yearly after that. There is some evidence that suggests senior dogs and cats should receive their boosters every two to three years.

When surgery is necessary, what special precautions are needed?

For senior or geriatric cases that need surgery, we take extraordinary precautions in the pre-surgical workup. We like to look at their blood function and check their liver and kidney health especially to see if they will be able to withstand the anesthesia and recovery.

Diane Levitan, VMD The Center for Specialized Veterinary Care 609-5 Cantiague Rock Rd. Westbury, NY 11590 516.420.0000 www.vetspecialist.com

How often should your pet be seen by a vet?

If your dog or cat falls into the senior category, he or she should be seen much more frequently. Senior medical problems can be treated and it’s much easier and less expensive if detected early. At the Center for Specialized Care, we often treat cancers in dogs from 5 to 8 years of age and many of them go into complete remission if we can see them early.

Dogs should probably be seen twice a year anyway for their heartworm injection and parasite screening. Senior dogs should be seen three to four times a year.

For cats, once a year is usually fine for healthy adult cats, but when they turn senior citizens, at about 8 years of age, they should begin seeing the veterinarian twice a year.

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Health

Fitness Corner

By Pam Polestino Fitness Professional 646.261.3350

Exercise Reshapes the Body and Mind

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he benefits of exercise are countless. Training regularly can change not only how you look, but how you feel.

Here are two inspiring people who are true Long Island success stories.

Erik Gershwind was in good cardiovascular health with a slender build. After a year-and-a-half of training with me, not only is he in even better cardiovascular health, but he has put on 20 pounds of lean body mass and now has the look of an athlete.

Erik’s routine is based on weightlifting and core strengthening. Being a father of young children inspired him to achieve his best fitness level. In a short time, Erik has remodeled his entire physique. He claims that the biggest benefit, however, is his high energy level and how great he feels since starting his training program. An avid golfer, Erik also hoped to improve his game. With stronger muscles and better posture, he has a tighter swing and drives the ball farther.

I asked Erik what his primary goal was now. He told me

T

“continual improvement. I want to be able to look back at the end of every year and say I look and feel better than I did a year ago.” It’s the challenge of pushing himself to do better than the day before that makes him continue.

Beth DeVine never liked the way she looked. She was overweight, out of shape and insecure. Two years ago she began training. Her workouts consist of kickboxing, weightlifting and core and balance training.

Initially, Beth thought it was only about her body, but soon realized that exercising not only had her looking lean and strong, but gleaming with self-confidence. It is an amazing transformation. Beth is 45 pounds lighter, fit and in great cardiovascular health. She now demonstrates techniques for me when I instruct my classes.

When I asked Beth to tell me the best part of her journey, she replied “I am a better person, a better parent and just happier with myself.” She admits that the workouts are grueling—but worth it!

Erik Gershwind (Before and After)

Beth DeVine (Before and After)

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Cosmetic Surgery Today

BY STEPHEN T. GREENBERG, MD Dr. Stephen T. Greenberg is a board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in cosmetic surgery. He is the director of New York's Premier Center for Plastic Surgery with offices in Woodbury and Manhattan.

Dr. Stephen T. Greenberg can be reached for complimentary consultation at 516-364-4200. If you have a question for Dr. Greenberg, please e-mail docstg@aol.com. Listen to Dr. Greenberg's radio show on Saturdays 10 - midnight on KJOY 98.3 FM visit Greenbergcosmeticsurgery.com.

GET READY FOR SUMMER BREAST ENHANCEMENT AND BODY CONTOURING B reast Enhancement

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ow is the perfect time to get ready for bathing suit season. From early spring to mid-summer, the number of breast augmentations I perform rises exponentially!

Every woman has unique considerations and desires.

Some have lost breast tissue and size after pregnancy or breastfeeding and just want back the volume they had before.

Others have always felt uncomfortable with their size or shape.

Along with the desire for more cleavage and a fuller bust line, all women want a balanced and natural appearance. Technology has helped give the plastic surgeon an edge in obtaining perfectly natural-appearing breasts. The hottest trend in breast augmentation is the use of the newest silicone memory gel implant. This implant gives a safe and natural result. Saggy or droopy breasts can be lifted either with an implant or by simply lifting the breast without enlargement. Uneven or poorly shaped breasts can also be corrected with some of the advanced breast-lifting techniques.

Body Contouring Many women feel uncomfortable about their hips and thighs in the summer months, when legs are exposed daily in shorts, bathing suits and skirts. Advances in liposuction have dramatically improved results with much less recovery time than ever before. Smart Liposuction is one of the newest techniques that provide more complete removal of fat and better chance of a tight, flat skin contour. This newest technology allows me to remove more fat and give much more skin retraction.

Since skin types, thickness and response to surgery differ, your particular situation needs evaluation. Consider a complimentary consultation to learn how Smart Liposuction can help you feel more confident this summer.

Combining liposuction with the newest treatment in cellulite reduction, Velashape is very common this time of year! Velashape is the latest non-surgical cellulite treatment, which also helps to reduce inches! www.boulevardli.com

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Music

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magine a warm night in the city, the empty streets wet after a late evening rain. You walk into the jazz club and ease into your chair while ordering up your favorite poison. The tables are lit with candles, the small stage illuminated with blue lights gleaming off the Steinway. The only thing missing from yesterday is the haze from smokers puffing away. Then it starts… the brushes against the snare and cymbal… the plucking of the string bass accompanied by the black and white keys. It all comes together while you are taken back in time with the sounds of Mercedes Hall.

Little did I know when I first met Mercedes Hall that I would quickly become friends with her and her family. To say they are wonderful and talented people would be a disservice, as well as an understatement. In their presence, you are guaranteed to have wonderful laughs and long-lasting conversations with people that are genuinely great in every way.

Mercedes' journey began in Boston and is filled with courage, passion, fear and a great love story. As Mercedes says, “My career started when I came out of the womb, I don’t remember doing anything else.” Her mother, a classically trained pianist, and her father, a self-taught musician, who were both gifted with beautiful voices, encouraged her in every way. She listened to every genre of music: jazz, R&B, pop, Latin, and was greatly influenced by the Motown era. “When I was 15, I wasn’t into the Beatles, I was listening to Nancy Wilson, Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald.” Timi Yuro, considered to be one of the first blue-eyed soul stylists, was at the top of Mercedes' list of inspirations. It was the distinctive-style vocalists that were her passion. They had soul. It was at this point that Mercedes knew this was the avenue she wanted to pursue and in the mid '60s she got her first professional job. As she says, “The rest is history.”

By the late '60s Mercedes had done it all. She was garnering great reviews and had played all the best venues. There wasn’t anything more. So she left Boston and headed west with her young son, Michael. Being a newly divorced single mother away from her family was extremely unsettling. Mercedes decided that “If I’m going to have a second chapter in my life after this divorce and starting over, I have to do something that makes sense. I had some contacts and plans laid out for me in Las Vegas and Arizona. I never thought I would be entertaining in Las Vegas wearing hot pants and go-go boots! But there I was on stage and who was there in the audience to see me? Gladys Knight’s Pips and their manager, and Aretha Franklin’s brother and sister!"

Soon enough Mercedes moved on and found herself working in LA getting great reviews from legendary jazz musician and musical journalist Leonard Feather. This landed her on the Merv Griffin show. Shortly thereafter, she found herself in a managerial dispute, not unlike so many other entertainers starting out. Musical venues came easy, but a single mom building her career and raising her child, alone, away from family was certainly a struggle. “What was I doing here? I never once called home to ask for someone to bail me out.”

Scarier then LA was Mercedes' move to NY. "In LA, everyone has a pool, the weather is warm, you just feel like you’re doing well." Even though they were closer to family, the Big Apple closed in and the fear of failure lurked in the darkness. Her son, now 5, made her realize that she had to set her limits and make sure that this was it. “You see those [billboard] posters out there?

People thought I had the best PR firm behind me, but it was me.

I had a small group of friends and we went around and hung up posters promoting me.” This paid off as Mercedes made a name

Photo by Michael Creagh www.boulevardli.com

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Music

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The Boulevard â&#x20AC;˘ June - July 2008

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for herself. She moved to the Upper West Side, but soon realized that it was not going to work out having a roommate. "I didn’t want to invest too much and live beyond my means,” she says, so she found a small apartment a block away, perfect for her and Michael.

Fate would meet up with Mercedes at Reno Sweeney’s, one of NY’s top performance clubs. “It was after hearing Linda Hopkins play … I went home and sat down thinking if I could only have a piano player like the one that was playing tonight.

No sooner then I said that, guess who walked right by the window and ended up living right across the street? 'Didn’t I see you play last night for Linda Hopkins?' I asked him. I introduced myself and invited him up for coffee and tapes and the rest is history.” Lanny Meyers and Mercedes built a great working relationship that lasted over 30 years. “It was really fun, I liked those days, they were challenging, it was a good time for me in my life.”

One day, her young son came home from school and said he wanted to go on an acting audition. She asked why, to which he replied, “I like this girl in my class and she’s going out for commercials after school.” “I thought, 'Oh great, it’s hard enough getting favors for photographs.' I didn’t want to ask for favors unless he was going to be sincere.” Her support of her son, getting him auditions and guiding and managing him would eventually lead to him becoming one of the most iconic teenage movie stars of all time. Anthony Michael Hall became a household name in the 1980s as an original member of the Brat Pack. Mercedes watched her son excel, and she and his sister joined him in The Breakfast Club, playing his mother and sister, respectively.

One night when she went to see Red Foxx at NY’s Copacabana, she met a man named Tom Chestaro. “While I had dated some great guys, something always said…not yet.”

Unbeknownst to Mercedes, Cupid was at play on this night as a mutual friend had plans to set her and Tom up. "I just got back from Acapulco and I was tan, all dressed up and I was looking HOT, baby!” When I first saw his eyes, I wrote a song, “Charity's Heart, Honesty's Eyes” and [it] was then that I had my eye on him and it never left." They talked after the show and Tom asked Mercedes if he could call her, but warned her that he worked crazy hours and it might be a few days. A few days later, there was no call. Mercedes decided to play the jealousy card. As she walked into the Copa again, Tommy saw her right away and he continues to tell the story to this day. He says, “She walked right up to me, took a drag of a cigarette, blew the smoke in my face and said, 'I thought you were going to call.'” At that moment he knew she was the one, and she knew the same. Six months later they were married.

The family quickly grew close, or as Tom says, “Michael adopted me,” and soon there was a father-son bond. Eventually Tom helped manage Michael, which bloomed into an interesting management career. Sandra Bullock, John Leguizamo and Hope Davis are just a few of the talented careers that he helped launch. And as her son’s career started taking off, Mercedes was able to concentrate on her love of music by teaching.

Not many vocalists receive training from an award-winning singer. Those who are privileged to be taught by Mercedes are taught only the best techniques. “I tell my students, 'Don’t just listen to the singers, listen to every rhythmic thing going on.'”

As she states on her website, “Your diaphragm and all your breathing muscles will work as they should to supply your vocal chords with the right amount of air. No pushing or manipulation is needed in order to achieve a well-connected tone anywhere in your range. Additionally, I believe communication in vocal work is absolutely essential to the function of the instrument as a whole. The vocal and breathing mechanism is set in motion by

the desire to express oneself and communicate!”

In short time, Mercedes and Tom had a daughter, Mary.

It wasn’t surprising to find that she too has followed in the family footsteps and is producing her first album (check out her website, www.marycmusic.com, or www.myspace.com/ marycmusic and check out UnExpected).

The real treat is to see the performances live. Mercedes blows the crowd away at each show. If you’re really lucky, Mary will join her on stage for an unforgettable duet that only such talented R&B performers can accomplish.

Mercedes' new album, Pure Emotion, is just that. In every word she sings, her emotions and her love for music shine through. The title song was born from a close relationship with the late Chico O’Farrill, a figurehead of the Jazz-Cuban music movement of the '40s and '50s. At the family's request, Mercedes wrote lyrics to Chico’s music, which was envisioned as a bossa nova. Other great hits include "The Masquerade Is Over” and “Black Coffee.” With such cool jazz, it's no wonder that she lifts the house out of its seats. It’s a rarity to find such talent in a world where music and musicians are often made more interesting through the help of computers. Her music sets the mood. Whether it’s jazz, R&B or Brazilian music, there are no restrictions placed on what she can and will accomplish.

Her voice carries beautifully, no matter where you’re sitting and is simply hypnotic, as is the music. Pure Emotion is available on iTunes, CD BABY and on Mercedes' official website: www. mercedeshall.com as well as www.myspace.com/mercedeshall Every show, every note and every conversation is as enjoyable, entertaining and memorable as the last. She has raised two wonderful and talented children who have excelled through the love and support that only parents can give. Her husband's support for her is endless; he often manages to have things done before being asked. It is obvious their love for each other is equally as strong today as the day they first met. After all, it’s pure emotion.

Tour Dates: June 27 & 28, 2008 7:30pm shows at Metropolitan Room 34 W. 22nd St., NY NY 10010 212.206.0440 www.metropolitanroom.com July 16, 2008 Cape Cod Jazz Festival 2008 Waquassett Resort Golf Club on Pleasant Bay 2173 Rte. 28, Chatham, MA 02633 508.432.5400 www.capecodjazzfestival.com July 23, 2008 7:00pm at Cachaca 35 W. 8th St., NY NY 10011 212.388.9099 www.cachacajazz.com August 17, 2008 Provincetown Jazz Festival 2008 1pm at Provincetown Town Hall 260 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA 02657 Tickets and Information at www.provincetownjazzfestival.org

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Music

The Passing of the Blackheart Baton By tim Sullivan Photos by Jason Feinberg

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urrounded by gold records and 25 years of history, a young female music executive smiles broadly in her office. She has good reason to. If the walls could talk, they would tell tales of the first woman-owned rock label that sprang up at time when massive entertainment conglomerates controlled everything on the radio and in record stores – a time when no one knew what the word indie meant and “do it yourself” was phrase that referred to a fool’s game. The smile on her face is one of confidence and charisma as she describes her latest signings to the stable of bands that make up this historic and steadfast powerhouse – Girl in a Coma, the Cute Lepers, the Vacancies – all hardworking and talented bands that are poised to become some of today’s music biggest acts. The label is the historic Blackheart Records and the smile belongs to Carianne Laguna.

The story here is that Blackheart invented the word indie when Carianne’s father, the legendary Kenny Laguna, was managing Joan Jett in 1980 and he found himself staring at rejection letters from 23 major labels – none of whom would sign her. It's not like it was a big gamble – Kenny had years under his belt working with enormous icons like Tommy James and The Who and Joan had already become a global rock star in the Runaways. But the industry just didn’t get it - so the two partners founded Blackheart Records and within two years had a string of chart-topping hits. Joan’s musical career sold millions of records and the Blackheart label thrived under their ownership for the next two decades. Carianne was a little girl on the early tours, garnering the nickname “Bus Puppy” as Joan and the band toured the world and played concerts to tens of thousands of people.

As the years went on, Joan and Kenny began to pay more attention to signing younger bands and developing them and their music. After all, they had created an entire genre all those years ago and they test drove a highly successful business model that the whole music industry eventually followed. Meanwhile,

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Carianne grew up, went to college at the University of Colorado and took internships in all corners of the music industry. Entering the family business can be a very tough decision for any person – when you have smarts and all the options in the world at your disposal it's even more agonizing. You don’t want the prejudicial stares of those who cry nepotism. You want to command respect and carve your own identity. Every interaction between boss and employee carries a lifetime of personal family history and emotions run deep. But for Carianne, her father and Joan, Blackheart has always been bigger than the sum of its parts.

“When I came in I had some ideas about what the label should be and what Joan’s legacy should be and it would tragic if it didn’t carry over into the younger generation. [She] as a person and a musician and an icon is so much to wrap your hands around. I was inspired seeing how she started as DIY (do it yourself ) and selling albums out of the trunk of her car and then turning it into this huge sensation. It was really something that she could pass it to younger bands. So I have been trying to get that going for four years,” says Carianne. “Growing up in my house there was no separation between life and the music industry, so it was all-encompassing. I had a few ideas and they trusted me on a few and that built and built and the trust kinda grew and here we are.”

The Boulevard sat with the keeper of the Blackheart heritage and listened to her speak with unbelievable passion about the bands on her watch. She talks of the newer additions – the Dollyrots and the Cute Lepers - as if she were a high school fan that just saw them for the first time. That’s exactly the passion that is missing from so many “major” labels, which are nothing more than corporate contrivance done by suits in cubicles. If there is one thing that can be described as the Blackheart manifesto it's to trust your gut and be who you are.

And so in our conversation, I press Carianne for some Blackheart nuggets of wisdom passed down by her father. Didn’t

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Napoleon Hill say to pick the brain of every master you come across and that will make you wiser? She laughs and pauses – but as she answers, the tips she reveals flow as if they are second nature to this young mover and shaker: “Of course, he also has all the wisdom from how many times you get screwed in the business but some important tips are: Don’t take yourself too seriously. Be who you are and don’t play to trends,” she says as she starts to sound really serious.

“Joan is the ultimate example of ‘I am not gonna trade my integrity for 15 minutes of fame’ and she is a terrific example of someone who is gonna be herself no matter what.”

We talk more about the bands she is busy breaking and her goals to take Blackheart further. This is a label with more than just success behind it – this is a label with a soul. It may wear black leather and beat to a blitzkrieg, punk tempo, but it has a very real aura of integrity and pride of purpose which so obviously translates into the music it turns out.

“One of the biggest things that I want is for our amazing bands to get out and deliver the greatest quality music to the masses as they can. I also think Joan deserves all the respect

in the world and ensuring that happens is important as well,” Carianne explains. “I would love to get into other areas and really expand the business. One of the things at Blackheart that is important is allowing women artists a place to go and have a community.”

Allowing women artists to flourish is a principle on which Blackheart was founded – it was, in fact, the first rock label ever owned by a woman. Furthermore, if there were ever a cliché of leading by example, Joan’s musical legacy would be the only place a rock historian could start. The reason is less the power and conviction found in her records and live performances, but more the longevity that makes her one of the busiest touring and recording artists today – a workday in which Carianne is intimately involved. At this stage in Joan’s career, the proper management can only come from someone who literally lived it. Next to Kenny, there is only one other person that can fit that bill – and that woman smiles behind her desk as she knows the number of gold records on the wall are only going to multiply.

The baton has been passed…

"Sometimes people see me as the boss's daughter. People tell me that I shocked them because I stand my own feet, and sometimes it means I have to work that much harder, but so be it. I almost didn’t go into the family business for that exact reason, because I wanted to be respected on my own merit, but I couldn’t walk away from something so amazing. But it goes back to my dad and Joan’s guiding principle of not caring what other people think and just doing it. And I am glad I did."

www.boulevardli.com

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Music

I

have a fetish for chicks who rock. The harder they rock, the more jacked up I get. As I dove into the new Girl in a Coma album Both Before I'm Gone I felt it start to happen all over again. The San Antonio girl punk power trio is one of the new musical weapons from the Blackheart Records arsenal and the threat they pose should give the rock landscape a full tilt Orange Alert.

Sisters Phanie and Nina Diaz are seven years apart but musically there is no difference. Nina wowed her older sister with her songwriting and bassist Jen Alva completed the lineup, which became Girl in Coma – three girls writing music and playing it loud and raucous in clubs around Texas. Their recent debut album Both Before I’m Gone was launched to critical acclaim.

I recently caught up with bass player Jen Alva and talked about their tremendous year and the inside of the band. To be fair, their music is more than punk – so I asked Jen to describe their sound. “We were at a bar the other day and there was a jukebox and we put on the Smiths and it throws people off. They don’t know whether to like it or not. I kinda put us in that category.

Nina is always writing different songs - one may sound glam rock, one may sound rockabilly, one may be punkish. It all works,” she says.

And works it does – the band recently got a call from their longtime idol – Morrissey -and joined him on tour as the opening act. Exciting would be an understatement. Dream come true would be more like it.

“We were a bit stressed because his crowd was very particular with his opening acts and they will let you know right away if they love you or hate you,“ reflects Alva about the Morrisey tour.

The album is simply terrific – go buy it! It’s the kind of record you can get lost in under your headphones on a crowded train. Songs like “Clumsy Sky” and “I’ll Ask Him” spin abstract lyrics of alienation and haunt listeners with that Morrisey – esque overtone only the marginalized can relate to – but it's got a bit more energy and the band is better to look at. I was never a big Smiths fan – I sat on the other side of the cafeteria.

But I am a huge Girl in a Coma fan.

So I asked the songwriter where she gets her inspiration and why she doesn’t like talking about her songs. Nina responded via e-mail: "I don't want my own

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reasons behind why I wrote the song to influence other people's idea of what the song means. When you read a book you don't know exactly how the writer pictured the characters, you just get a few details from the writer and you build your own idea of what the characters looked like. I want it to be like a good book. You come up with your own picture or idea of what it means. Basically I plant a seed for you to grow your own thoughts off of … and all the songs are about chihuahuas . . . " See – I told you would love this band…

For tour dates go to http://www.girlinacoma.com. To buy Both Before I’m Gone go to iTunes, Amazon, and all the usual places.

The Boulevard • June - July 2008

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Summer Music Rocks On

old beer, hot lights, my sweet romantic teenage nights” of which Billy Joel obviously had a few, as did I, were always laced with a healthy dose of rock, many of them in Long Island in the summertime.

Now, I grew up in Jersey (I know, I know, “What exit?”) and we had “gone down the shore,” yes, but when it came to hitting the beaches, my family (undoubtedly due to the influence of my very bohemian and progressive Aunt Thelma) always headed to the East End too, where we rented summer cottages, mostly in Southampton, once or twice in East Hampton.

There’s something about those beaches, right? They just seem wider, whiter, more dramatic. And, man, if only I had convinced my father to buy some of those properties back then, when the Hamptons were not THE HAMPTONS, but a small, relatively unknown artist community. $12,000 for a nice house on the bay!

Can you imagine? Shoulda, coulda, woulda.

Anyway, the first house I remember was right on the bay, a tiny little Cape Codder … no air conditioning, but no one cared, we always had a sweet summer bay breeze night and day. It was a constant party, with 21 of my family members and friends in one tiny house. And I’ll never forget Manny, the crazy fun Boriqua and his family and friends next door (41 people!) who were always BBQing, literally all day, three meals a day. And every night (and the next morning), cold kegs of beer flowed, with music provided

by Manny’s friends who had a band, also living and rehearsing in the house, who seemed to only play Santana songs, which wasn’t a bad thing.

The other house we rented was just a little south of the Southampton College campus right near the country club (where I had a disastrous caddying job that lasted all of one day - I basically left my customer's bags on a fairway right in the middle of 18 holes and bolted) on a cul-de-sac that ended right on the bay. I guess Aunt Thelma decided 21 people in the same house was just a little too many, so fewer friends and family were invited to this house.

As a result, my cousins Jenny and Jeff and I had lots of free time to get into trouble (details of which will be left out here to protect myself and my cousins!), and yours truly had his first summer romance with Angie Sicuranza next door. Ahh, Angie, where are you now?

Perhaps I’ll run into her at one of the coolest places ever to see a concert during the summer, the Jones Beach Theatre, where my Long Island summer of rock 'n' roll memories continue to this day. I’ve been lucky enough to do some live broadcasts for Q104.3

“C

from there and have seen some amazing shows like The Dead (a rare front row seat and an amazing concert), Oasis (in the pouring rain), YES, the Allmans and Jeff Beck - needless to say, relentless shredmasters and ridiculously cool.

I think I love that place so much because it’s right on the water; you can literally drive your boat there to see a concert, which is exactly what I saw some rock 'n' roll impresario do at one show.

I was backstage, and this guy pulls his yacht up to the backstage pier, he jumps off with his fresh tan, T- shirt with seersucker suit, and of course, the mandatory loafers with no socks, martini and cigarette in hand. Hey, that guy could have been the legendary Ron Delsener! Even regular folks like us could drive our car to the beach, hang out all day and go to the concert at night. R.E.M., Stevie Wonder, Rush, Q1043’s Shore to Shore show with YES and The Police are just some of the shows I want to see there this summer. Who knows, maybe I’ll be hosting some of them for Q104.3 and maybe I'll see you there, too! Ciao for now …

www.boulevardli.com

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Art Section

Maddine Insalaco Painting Under the Tuscan Sun

By Tina Guiomar

I

taly … the name alone conjures up a vision of diverse landscapes with complex hills, valleys, beautiful flowers and a warm Mediterranean glow. A longtime tradition in Italy is alfresco painting. It began in the early 17th century; artists would flock to the Tuscan hills of Campagna Romana to capture the beauty of the land. The word literally means “open air.”

Alfresco painting is basically painting outside. It’s the immediate gratification of your outdoor experience with nature, such as with the way the sun hits a hill at a certain time of day. With that experience, alfresco artists focus their work on nature and their real life experiences in it. They utilize the light in nature to create a mood in the paintings.

Artist Maddine Insalaco brings the beauty of Italy’s landscape into her paintings, concentrating her artistic work on alfresco painting. She spent 10 years in Italy working at the United Nations and decided she loved Italy but not the job. She received her MFA in painting at the New York Academy of Art and, with her long history spent in Italy, found a way to get back

there to continue her alfresco painting. Presently she divides her time between marketing herself in New York City and living “under the Tuscan sun” in Italy. She began an open-air painting workshop during the summer months that travels the Tuscan landscape. The group program is held on farms situated on classic Italian landscapes in Montalcino, Buonoconvento and Civito Castelana. Artists get the opportunity to paint alfresco and also enjoy the rich culture of the land and the people, drinking wines and enjoying the gastronomy of Italian cuisine.

Maddine’s teaching and her own work go hand in hand.

She has the opportunity to teach enthusiasts about alfresco painting, enjoying and exploring Italy, and also gains free time doing the same with her own work. Alfresco painting is limited by nature; there is only so much time in the day to retain the lighting and paint it simultaneously. Maddine’s paintings tend to be small 5 x 15 inch pieces. The craftsmanship of the work is apparent when you look closely - she has mastered the illusion of smooth lines and a brushstroke is barely visible. The work is

Bibbiano Valley , oil/ 5.75 x 15 inches

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small and intimate, a feeling of being a voyeur entering into the space, a tourist experiencing a little taste of Italy.

Maddine Insalaco’s work has developed from her initial love of the craft, the history, and the passion for the Italian landscape. She has mastered her craft with the help of her education, her experiences in Italy and her passion for what she says is a “lifelong commitment to art.” She “believes in quality and mastering a craft. ” The details that go into the small intricate composition makes it apparent that she has mastered the craft quite well. To become a master of the craft an artist must know the history behind it, the classics, and then develop his or her own style from that foundation. Maddine brings to life the rolling hills of Tuscany in a classic style but from the eyes of a well-traveled woman who believes in the beauty of nature and the experiences that come with it.

Maddine Insalaco offers a workshop called Landscape Painting in Tuscany and the Roman Campagna. The program offers locations throughout the Tuscan region and the Roman Campagna. Instructors work directly with the students, typically with a small class. Every painting class is done outdoors, rain

or shine. There are trips to museums, art history seminars, and critiques; a fundamental art course. The workshop provides most equipment and materials needed for painting. Each course offers three hours of painting each day. Classes are open to all levels of experience.

For more information about Landscape Painting go to www.landscapepainting.com Maddine Insalaco’s work is being exhibited at the Ratio Gallery in Bellport, New York. The exhibition will be on view from June 7 through July 20. A reception is planned for June 21 from 5 to 7 p.m. The Ration Gallery is located at 10 Bell Street, Bellport, NY 11713. Hours of operation are Friday from 1 to 5 p.m., Saturday from 11a.m. to 5p.m., or by appointment.

For more information please call 631-286-4020 or go to the website www.ratiogallery.com

Campriano, oil / 5.5 x 15 inches

View of La Ripolina, oil/ 5.75 x 15 inches www.boulevardli.com

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Art Section

Adele Klapper

Priceless Memories

By Tina Guiomar

A

dele Klapper has lived the greatest love story ever known. A marriage of art and the love of a man, Herbert Klapper. Their profound collection started with the simple fact that her husband decided a great way to invest would be to invest in art, which also gave him more time to spend with his wife. What an adventure Adele and Herbert took to acquire the exquisite collection they have today.

A union of love for each other and a love for art.

Their first encounter with the auction houses was a comedy act. Adele and Herbert decided to bid on a Renoir painting.

Adele fell in love with a curly-haired girl in the portrait, so Herbert said, “You want it, okay.” The bidding war began, and as the price went up, Adele’s hand pushed down; the price was too much. This action continued and Herbert lost the painting to someone else. As they walked away, Herbert asked, “What’s wrong?” Adele's response was “Where are you going to get that kind of money for such a thing?” He quickly remarked, “Do you think I would bid on a painting and not be able to pay for it?”

Adele’s smart remark back was “Then why do you always tell me I spend too much money?” He said, “Because you do.” This was the beginning of their experience with art collecting.

The Klappers acquired many priceless paintings over the years. Their first acquisition was two Will Barnet paintings, Aurora and Circe. Will Barnet’s work represents a marriage of abstraction and representation. He uses modeled figures against a minimalist composition. Barnet was influenced by Japanese woodcuts. The Barnets were a great experimentation that the Klappers decided to keep in their collection.

The Klapper collection mainly consists of Impressionist works done by Monet, Cezanne, Degas, Matisse, Miro, Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Adele’s favorite, Pissarro. Pissarro is considered the father of Impressionism. His peers, fellow Impressionists, looked to him for his wisdom, belief in individuality, and his continuation to keep the Impressionist group strong. Avenue de l’Opera, Place du Theatre FrancaisTemps Burmeux is Adele’s favorite painting. Adele explained that Pissarro had a long love and passion for painting rural scenes; he defied the industrial revolution in many of his works. The contrast between Avenue de l’Opera and Le Marche de Gisors: Rue Cappeville are apparent. The viewer can see significant difference with the enthusiasm and positive colour palette that is contained in Le Marche de Gisors in comparison with the dreary gray and silvery palette in Avenue de l’Opera. Pissarro

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abandoned the rural subject matter due to his weakened sight and the masses of painters moving to the city of Paris.

Paradoxically, the city views contrasted his idyllic vision of the country life, but the enthusiasm for the city would never be such as that for the country. The country life contains vitality and bright colours while the industrial gloomy palette of gray and violet reflect his distaste for the industrial movement.

The collection would not be complete without mentioning the most influential artistic genius of all time, Pablo Picasso. The Klapper collection contains three vital exemplary pieces, Femme Accoudee, Buste de Femme au Voile Bleu, and Tete de Femme.

Tete de Femme was Herbert’s favorite. Adele remembers a night before Herbert’s birthday “where Herbie woke up from bed and walked out to admire the Tete de Femme, the other woman."

Pissaro, Le Marche de Gisors

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Pissaro, Avenue de l’Opera

Monet, Le Palais Ducal Renoir, Yvonne Lerolle assise

Picasso Buste de femme, Tete de femme, Femme accoudee

Picasso’s history with woman is just as infamous as his works. The three works chronologically tell a great story. Femme Accoudee (1921) is a portrait of a young model, maybe a lover, in a classical composition.

In it, Picasso created a larger-than-life robust woman, round and large like the Baroque females. Her dress resembles a Roman toga and is rendered in shades of Picasso’s famous Blue Period. Also from the Blue Period is Buste de Femme au Voile Bleu (1924), a portrait of Picasso's first wife, Olga Khokhlova. She was a ballerina with whom he fell in love, but they grew estranged. The depiction of Olga in blue reveals the emotional void in their marriage. The composition is classically modeled, something Picasso alternated with his modern cubist works to keep his imagination fresh. Tete de Femme (1931) was the prototype for a future monument, but the project was never constructed. The Klappers' Tete de Femme is the original, one-of a kind sculpture; no other exists. The estranged relationship that Picasso had with Olga was due to the relationship he had with the model for Tete de Femme, Marie-Therese. She was a voluptuous blonde, represented in a massive form.

Tete de Femme is a representation of Picasso’s love for his mistress, a union of his form and hers. The shape of the sculpture resembles the shape of a heart and the nose could be implied as a combination of his nose with hers.

Adele and Herbert created an art collection of quality and beauty that surpasses many. Herber passed away a few years ago from cancer but his legend and the love that Adele holds for him is still very strong. The artwork they collected as a couple is not just priceless because of the value of the works, but to Adele, these paintings are priceless memories that she holds close, reminding her every day of the love she has for her husband. Painting is a union of the imagination and the passion for the art. Adele and Herbert’s love is the same - they had a marriage full of imagination and together they had a continued passion for the arts. www.boulevardli.com

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6/2/08 1:11:47 PM

Sports

T

o understand Sebonack Golf Club, the new ultra highend club in Southampton, you must first understand where its patriarch, Michael Pascucci, came from. This visionary businessman has spent his life one step ahead of the curve, from creating an automobile-leasing firm to putting together the first television station targeted toward Long Islanders.

Much like the golf course he owns, Pascucci is one-of-akind. His father was a landscaper and later a contractor for Levitt and Sons. Son followed father into the construction business at a young age, but quickly found that more money was to be made in the financing side of the business. Pascucci began financing equity loans and second mortgages, until the day he had an epiphany. “In the late ‘70s I recognized the coming of age of automobile leasing,” he said. “I thought that people would lease more cars than own them, because the cars were becoming more homogenized—they weren’t the distinct cars that I grew up with. People didn’t want to own these cookie-cutter types of cars for ten years.” From there, Pascucci went on to create WLNYTV-55, a station aimed specifically toward the interests of long Islanders.

Golf didn’t interest Pascucci when he was young. In fact, he didn’t realize the benefits of playing until his business demanded it. “When I was in the leasing business,” he said, “I did business with 41 banks, and all I did was play golf with bankers.

I had no social golf. It was all business.” It was during a visit to fellow business mogul and friend [owner of the Miami Dolphins and former owner of Blockbuster Video] Wayne Huizenga’s golf course, the Floridian, that Pascucci first began to think about building a course of his own, one that he could enjoy with his family.

As Pascucci searched for the perfect location, fate intervened. “This piece in Southampton was on the market in 2000. A year later, I found out about it and met with the owner and was told, ‘If you try to take five cents off of the asking price, I’ll get right up and walk out of the room!’” This didn’t deter Pascucci, as he soon closed the deal for $46 million and set to work obtaining the necessary permits. He received stiff opposition from East End environmentalists who saw the land as one of the last untouched refuges on Long Island. To appease them, Pascucci donated a piece of beachfront property to the Southampton College marine science program and promised

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to use environmentally friendly practices when constructing and maintaining the course. This hastened the process, allowing him to begin developing the land within just a few years of its purchase. The next thing he needed was a designer.

Enter Jack Nicklaus, Pascucci’s neighbor and close friend, whose involvement was implied from the beginning, due to his relationship to Pascucci. On the advice of an assistant, Pascucci also met with respected course designer Tom Doak and liked what he saw. The decision was made to form a partnership between Doak and Nicklaus, although both designers were skeptical at first. For one thing, they come from two totally different schools of design. Nicklaus is very much a modern designer, not averse to bulldozing every inch of land if that’s what is required, while Doak’s minimalist style dictates that the land remains as pristine as possible. Nicklaus is known for his exceptional strategy; Doak’s courses tend to be more concerned with good routing. On the surface, the partnership seemed farfetched, but after a meeting between the two, Pascucci’s efforts were rewarded with a handshake and a contract.

Doak, Pascucci and Nicklaus

Photo by Jim Mandeville

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Fast forward to the present. Sebonack is now completed and ready for play, and it truly is a sight to see. The collaboration between Nicklaus and Doak was a cautious one at first, but the quality of the finished product is exceptional. Each designer was able to swallow his pride and accept some compromise, and the result is a course that combines the best elements of Nicklaus’ strategy, Doak’s routing, and a combination of their styles. Both Nicklaus and Doak have come away with a fresh perspective on golf course design; each admitted to learning new things during their time together.

The finished product at Sebonack is unlike any other course on Long Island. Sitting adjacent to Shinnecock Hills and

National Golf Links of America, two of the most revered courses in the world, Sebonack shines on its own. When asked if it was intimidating to build Sebonack in the shadow of these largerthan-life links, Pascucci responded, “[Shinnecock and National] are so well-established and so highly regarded that you don’t even think about saying, ‘I have to build a golf course that’s as good as National or as good as Shinnecock.’ They’re so good that you can’t even think like that. They’re very special in the world of golf. You’re not going to duplicate those two courses. We just went on with our deal without thinking about those places.

Originally I thought I might have some houses around the course, but after realizing where we were - in golf mecca - I said, ‘You’d ruin it if you put a house in there. It’s pure golf.’”

Sebonack is a fantastic piece of property. Many of the holes feature stunning views of Great Peconic Bay and the wind that blows in from the bay plays no small role in wreaking havoc with approach shots. Each hole is contoured precisely yet holds that rugged, earthy look that has been made famous by Shinnecock and many European courses. Because of the money that went into Sebonack, as well as the way it turned out, membership costs a pretty penny. Basically, if you have to ask, you can’t afford it.

Since it opened, Sebonack has received an incredible amount of critical praise. The course was recently honored by the Metropolitan Golf Association with its Club Environmental Award, and Pascucci and the club are currently exploring the possibility of hosting a major amateur or professional championship.

The best thing is, the course will only get better as it matures, meaning this is just the beginning of a beautiful thing for Sebonack.

(Terrence Jordan is editor of Golfing magazine)

www.boulevardli.com

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Business Finance

Wrap Your Arms Around an Adjustable Rate Mortgage

By Michele Dean

A

djustable rate mortgages may not be for everyone. But for responsible, savvy borrowers, they can often come with significant benefits.

on the periodic adjustments of 1.5 to 2 percent, and 6 percent for the life of the loan.

Do any of these situations sound familiar?

These benefits can help you determine what your monthly payment will be and you will know that it cannot ever increase above a certain amount.

•

You only plan to stay in your home for a short period of time before upgrading to a bigger home.

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You want lower initial monthly payments for a fixed period of time.

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You want to qualify for a larger mortgage amount.

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You want to have extra cash to invest, pay down debt, put into a special project around your home or save.

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You plan on earning more money in your career within the next few years.

Michele Dean is a senior vice president and a member of the strategic team at Bethpage Federal Credit Union, with oversight of lending, Bethpage financial services, and credit union service organizations (CUSO) for Bethpage.

For more information on mortgage options, contact Bethpage Federal Credit Union at any of its branches, call toll free 1-800-628-7070 or email mloan@bethpagefcu.com.

If you answered yes to any of these statements – an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) could be the right home loan for you. ARMs offer lower rates, more purchase power and the possibility of extra cash in your pocket. Additionally, ARMs offer a significant lower initial interest rate than fixed-rate mortgages. During the first years of your loan, lower monthly payments can provide the availability and opportunity to afford more home and save more money.

Key Features

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•

You can select an ARM with a fixed-rate period of one, three, five, seven or 10 years. A mortgage loan officer can help you decide which is the best choice is for you.

•

The interest rate and your monthly payment will stay the same during the initial fixed-rate period.

•

After the fixed-rate period, the interest rate adjusts annually based on the appropriate U.S. Treasury index.

•

In addition to the index, a percentage, known as a margin, may be added to determine your interest rate at the time of adjustment.

•

The rate moves up or down, depending on how interest rates have moved since you took out your loan.

•

Many ARMs have an interest rate cap (or maximum)

The Boulevard • June - July 2008

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