The Boulevard December 2008

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Š 2008 Cartier

18K pink gold 42 mm case.

Self-winding mechanical movement, Cartier calibre 049 (21 jewels, 28'800 vibrations per hour), date aperture.

Blue sapphire cabochon set on a fluted crown. Silvered lacquered opaline guillochĂŠ dial. Rounded scratchproof sapphire crystal.

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Before introducing this issue, I’d like to take the opportunity to thank The Boulevard’s readers and supporters for making this past year our most successful to date.

Our magazine continues to grow and receive more attention from the media, with the October “Go Green” issue featured on Good Morning America, Eyewitness News, CW 11 and 95.5 WPLJ. During this holiday season, may I suggest that we each take a few moments to remember the men and women of our Armed Forces around the world, whose selfless dedication ensures that we continue to live as free Americans? Community organizations are letting these heroes know they are not forgotten by collecting donations of necessary items, including phone cards, as well as cash donations, to ship packages overseas. Our Anton community newspapers have listings of groups you can contact, or you can call your local Kiwanis, Rotary or government offices for information.

It is also important that we remember our less fortunate neighbors. The Salvation Army is once again ringing its bell. Just dropping some change in the kettle can help make a difference in the life of a family. Many community organizations are working to see that everyone has a holiday dinner on the table and toys for the children. Information can be found in your local Anton papers.

The Boulevard continues to work with some of the most talented people who graciously allow us into their lives. We converse with the elegant Julia Ormond, star of the hit movies Sabrina and Legends of the Fall and appearing in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button this Christmas. Andrew McCarthy tells us about sitting in the director’s chair with Lipstick Jungle, while Sex in the City’s Evan Handler talks about his new book, It’s Only Temporary. Actor Nestor Serrano welcomes us into his home to talk about life with a special needs child. Also included are Kirsten Vangsness from Criminal Minds, Derek Keeling from Broadway’s Grease, celebrity fitness guru John Basedow from Fitness Made Simple and Leigh Taylor Smith, Miss New York.

In this issue, we’re livin’ like a rock star! The year has totally rocked for us, so we thought it only fitting to pack our holiday issue with rock music-themed content. Tim Sullivan verbally jams with rock legend Dave Stewart from the Eurythmics, who takes us through an anthology of his extraordinary videos and music, as well as other things not exactly musical. Jonathan Clarke goes Out of the Box with the Rhinestone Cowboy himself, country legend Glen Campbell.

If that isn’t enough rock-and-roll for you, The Boulevard includes a feature section on the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, a sensational vacation destination. If you love music as much as we do, this is one place where you can enjoy all the tropical amenities that South Florida has to offer and play your tunes loud…really loud. That’s what we did when we were there. Rock on!

Have a happy, safe holiday season!

Angela Susan Anton Publisher The Boulevard

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Design

A Holiday Season With All the Trimmings

By Maria Galgano

Photos By Jason Feinberg

A

s we approach the holiday season, more and more lists of gifts, recipes and fresh ideas keep sprouting!

Decking the halls with new table settings and a few new ornaments can pique one's interest for hosting a small holiday cocktail party or entertaining a large crowd.

During the winter season, no one knows how to decorate quite like Mother Nature; and borrowing her natural tree branches, pods, pine cones, and berries can bring a certain feeling of serenity and dignity to any home. Most of these items can be found in our own backyards or at local nurseries. Craft stores carry a wide variety of faux fruits, such as pomegranates, pears and figs, as well as pre-made berry clusters and branches.

Bringing the outdoors inside lifts the spirits. Plant materials are also fragrant, which adds charm and warmth to any room

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on a chilly winter day. Arranging long crabapple branches or an oak tree branch with acorns attached along a mantel, or in a tall vase with a touch of small holiday fruits, results in a simple but stunning look. Eucalyptus sprigs and dried lavender stems make beautiful and festive wreaths, especially when scented with a few drops of lavender oil. Remember that fruity and spicy fragrances work for kitchen and dining rooms while floral aromas are best in living and family areas.

While there are certainly less hectic months in which to entertain, there is no better time to gather with family and friends than the holiday season. A winter palette of white, gold, silver and silvery or white greens is an elegant eyecatching theme for a dining table. Flatware can be bundled and tied with a ruffle or sheer ribbon with an added sprig of greenery or flower. Napkins can be folded nicely to stand in champagne flutes, easy to pick up and lovely table dressing as well. A tall glass vase filled with colorful cloth napkins and used as a centerpiece is also practical and decorative.

If you are hosting a buffet, the table should remain uncrowded, with everything within manageable reach. Since food always looks appetizing in woven or rattan baskets, place whole cheeses, red and green grapes, and a fancy serving utensil throughout your rooms.

This will encourage your guests to move about the house and mingle.

Pick up unusual crackers, dried fruits, herbed oils for dipping, and bite-size snacks at your local gourmet store. Sliced meats and tarts are also good pickings that can stay at room temperature. A variety of serving pieces such as tiered trays, silver platters, and truffle vases make ordinary foods look more interesting. Dips and olives in little china teacups and assorted nuts in old-fashioned glass jars invite sampling.

Since the winter months are a time of celebration, add some candelabra to your dĂŠcor. Candles make an excellent aromatic display, both inside and out. When guests are expected, you can light the way to your door with pillar candles framed in grapevine or pine wreaths. If you have a staircase or long walk, sprinkling pine cones along the steps and placing holiday tree branches in concrete planters inspire a winter fantasy. Glass hurricane globes can be used around

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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the pillars on a windy or blustery evening. Luminaries add to any atmosphere. A large platter of cinnamon sticks, a clove ball and pine cones, along with a pair of tall brass or pewter candlesticks, will look truly festive on your dessert table. Do not strive for perfection in your holiday dĂŠcor. An uneven, free-spirited arrangement will look more natural.

Gift giving is customary during the holiday season. Food is probably the most traditional and oldest of holiday gifts. Why not have a treat for everyone who visits during this season?

Pistachio nuts or a single decorated cookie or gingerbread man wrapped in a colored cellophane bag and tied in holiday ribbon will delight any friend. No gift you make yourself is ever insignificant. So let the enjoyment of the holidays begin by filling your home with health and happiness for the New Year! www.boulevardli.com

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Design

Geothermal Heating & Cooling: A Primer

By Alex McNear and Nicholas Kerz

H

eating and cooling your house with oil and gas can be both costly and bad for the environment.

Although the cost of oil and gas has been high in the last year, price is not the only factor driving homeowners to find alternative energy. A growing awareness of the damage to the environment caused by burning fossil fuels

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has inspired homeowners to find better ways to heat and cool their homes.

One of the most efficient ways to heat and cool your home is by using a geothermal heating and cooling system. This system heats and cools your home using the relatively constant temperature below the earth’s surface, both in the soil and in the

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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water table, and it is one of the most cost-effective ways to go.

The most common geothermal system used for homes on Long Island taps into the water table, according to J.P. Clejan, an IGSHPA-certified geothermal installer with GreenLogic LLC. Geothermal engineers refer to this as an “open loop” system whereby a submerged pump in your yard pulls water from a well, which in turn is run through a geothermal heat pump, he explained.

This heat pump either extracts heat from the groundwater (in the winter) or pumps heat from the house into the groundwater (in the summer) before the water is discharged into a second well. The cooling and heating are then distributed through the house using the same kind of ductwork used in forced-air heating and central A/C systems.

Converting to a geothermal system does require an upfront investment, and not every house is right for this technology. Because an open loop geothermal system requires the digging of two wells at least 50 feet apart, the homeowner must have enough land to meet that requirement. In addition, the system works best for houses at least 3,000- to 4,000-squarefeet, because larger homes consume more energy and the cost of digging the wells is offset by the ultimate savings in energy consumption cost. The house will also need heating and cooling ductwork.

How much does this all cost? Well, if you are building a new house and can design the geothermal system into the plans, the only additional cost over a conventional forced-air heating/cooling system is the cost of the wells (approximately $10,000). It

can cost between $20,000 and $40,000 to retrofit your house, depending on how much additional work needs to be done. To help pay for the system, LIPA offers a rebate of between $700 and $1,000 per unit. In addition, there is a federal tax credit of approximately $2,000.

Homeowners can realize a savings of 30 to 70 percent on heating and 20 to 50 percent on cooling, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. A typical home can save over $3,000 per year by switching to geothermal. These huge annual savings in energy costs provide a compelling return on investment for new construction. For retrofits, the return on investment varies greatly depending on the individual situation. So you need to look carefully at the incremental upfront investment and compare that to the projected annual savings.

As geothermal heating and cooling is relatively new to the Northeast there are few contractors with real expertise.

Many HVAC companies are now offering geothermal, however, most are not familiar with the crucial differences in design over a traditional system. As a result, it is critical to work only with contractors who have formal certifications in geothermal system design, and who have a track record of proven geothermal installations. As with any technical work, the quality and results are only as good as the company providing them.

When looking for ways to lower heating/cooling costs and associated carbon footprints, geothermal is often the best solution. For more information, visit www.GreenLogic.com or call 516-625-6880.

I M P O R TA N T N E W S !

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Fashion

The Best Gift of All

By Richard Calcasola

T

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

he idea of fashion as a means of escaping just isn’t working – too expensive! What will? Well … a little de-stressing, relaxing, chillin’, quiet, pampering, rejuvenating, beautification and result-oriented treatments may be just the right thing. With all the gloom and doom in the air, I suggest a visit to a place that will serve as a safe haven with optimistic oxygen. No need to feel guilty. It’s as much about healthy energy being rebooted as it is pampering.

Who doesn’t need a little TLC? This season the affordable, luxurious spa gift is one of the most anticipated. Beautifully wrapped, accompanied by a personal note from you, it can be the best gift of all. Whether a loved one or friend, the recipient can choose from many customized or signature spa services such as the Water Journey at Maximus. The journey takes one from a body scrub to a relaxing soak in a hydrotherapy tub, to an invigorating cascade

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waterfall, and ends with a full body massage. Certainly a best bet.

Give her choices from manicures, pedicures, facials, body treatments, and hair and makeup, just to mention a few. Check out the day spas near you for their menu of services and packages.

And don't forget about him. Most spas have services and treatments that cater to men. Guys are very into treatments that women have experienced for years. The guys are beginning to catch up and I don’t only mean metrosexuals (men that appreciate a deep tissue massage, a foot service, etc. are the neo-sexual). Most important this holiday season is to find a way to make yourself and others feel good. An experience at the spa will be appreciated and never forgotten. Let your imagination run wild. How does a duet massage sound?

Happy holidays. Spoil each other. Put spirit in your hair.

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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Fashion

Patek Philippe

A

Family

Tradition

Of

Timepieces

By Tara E. Butler

Patek Philippe World Time 18k yellow gold case with mechanical movement. CloisonnĂŠ enamel dial indicates 24 time zones and takes a single artist a year and a half to complete. Hand-stitched alligator strap.

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The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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Patek Philippe Ladies’ Annual Calendar 18k rose gold case set with 445 flawless Top Wesselton diamonds, mother-of-pearl dial with day,month, date and moon phase indicators. Sapphire crystal caseback. Hand-stitched alligator strap.

For more information visit www.patek.com Thierry Stern

P

atek Philippe is more than a watch. It is a timepiece with a long, rich, dignified history. Dating back to 1839, Patek Philippe was founded in Geneva by Antoine Norbert de Patek and Adrien Philippe. In 1932, almost a century later, Charles Stern purchased the prestigious watchmaking firm, initiating an enduring family tradition. Today, 38-year-old Thierry Stern represents the fourth generation of Sterns in what is now the last of the independently run and family-owned watchmaking companies in Geneva.

Stern, vice president of Patek Philippe, explained that keeping the family tradition of watchmaking is very important to him. “It allows us to express our imagination without conferring with shareholders,” he said, calling a family-run business the key to success. “Also, there must be a tradition of innovation, and if you do not have respect for the tradition, that means you will not be able to find new things for the future.” Another secret to Patek Philippe’s longevity is adhering strictly to watchmaking.

“We never tried anything else,” said Stern. “We only make watches and in credibility, we are strong.”

After completing his studies, Stern spent a few years in countries such as the United States and Germany learning the business inside and out. He familiarized himself with the mechanics behind watchmaking, retail, inventory management and more. He held to the importance of a company’s leader knowing every aspect of the business. “It is important in terms of respect,” he said. “This is something you do not see anymore in the watchmaking industry; you have financial people running the company and they do not understand the product, for they are only looking at figures but for me, I am looking at drawings and that is a big difference.”

Patek Philippe has more than 900 employees, 180 of whom are qualified watchmakers. Along with them and the research and development department, each member of the team plays

an important role in the watchmaking process.

It can take anywhere from three to five years to produce a line of timepieces. The high-end line can take up to 10 years.

Producing only the finest quality, Patek Philippe has been awarded the Geneva Seal, the highest recognition of excellence in the watchmaking industry.

Presently, Patek Philippe is distributed to more than 600 carefully selected retailers in more than 70 countries around the world. To be an authorized dealer, one must have a passion for watches. “They must understand the difference between a Swatch watch and Patek,” Stern said. “They must understand that they have something rare in their hand.” To date, London Jewelers is the only Long Island jewelry business to carry this upscale timepiece. Like Patek Philippe, London Jewelers has been a family-owned retailer for more than 80 years. The longterm vision is what is important to Stern. “We do not want to work with someone for five years.” He said. “When we start a new partnership, they have to be in it for the long term.”

As for the future, Patek Philippe will be making a formal announcement that its president, Philippe Stern, will officially hand over the reins to his son Thierry. There will be no pomp and circumstance surrounding the event – just a simple announcement. As for Thierry, he does not plan any big changes to the company. “I have been trained well by my father,” he said.

“I do not need to change anything; with Patek, everything is very clear.”

And the clear priority is to continue improving the Patek Philippe product.

Patek Philippe watches can be found at the London Jewelers store. Located at Americana Manhasset, 2046 Northern Blvd., Manhasset, NY 11030. Call 516-627-7475 for more information. www.boulevardli.com

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Fashion Gilles Mendel – A Natural at Fashion For Spring 2009, designer Gilles Mendel has created a collection that melds function and fantasy, taking cues from the natural world in his use of color and fabric. “I have always loved nature and I wanted to bring the color, texture and drama of a garden to my collection, without relying on floral prints,” says Mendel. Lightweight silk crepe and silk jersey create easy elegant dresses that are topped off with cutaway jackets crafted in ruched leather and sheared mink.

Spring minks in dyed rose quartz are mixed with chiffon ruffles creating a fantasy duet. For nighttime, Mendel is at his softest and most feminine, as he pleats and ruffles chiffon into the most ethereal evening looks. Metal mosaics, crystal beading and organza petals add an additional element of luxe, while the palest of buttercup chantilly lace and tulle are combined in gowns whose beauty is as rare as a precious orchid.

The J. Mendel collection of remarkable furs, ready-towear and accessories can be found at Hirshliefer’s in the Americana Manhasset. For more information about the collection call 516-627-3244.

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The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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Fashion

Casa Cassini Collection The Oleg Cassini - Casa Cassini Crystal Collection is a beautiful array of hand-cut crystal for the home. It includes a magnificent collection of glasses, carved bowls, candlesticks, vases, clocks and creative gift items all designed for a glittering holiday table setting and special gifts.

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The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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www.boulevardli.com

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Fashion

“The Bamboo Clock” “The Signature Crystal Vase”

A dramatic centerpiece for any table, these vases are brillantly sculpted and faceted heavy crystal.

They can be engraved as special gifts.

Set into a block of cystal, this clock of crystal and silver, features a quartz movement Oleg Cassini signature timepiece.

“Dinner by Candlelight”

Made of fine European crystal, the many facets capture the shimmering movement of candlelight. The candlestick holders are available in various sizes from 4” to 18” inches tall.

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The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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“The Stemware Collection” The European made collection of fine crystal stemware feels like silk to the touch, with elongated slender stems and signature Oleg Cassini engraving. The long stemmed crystal fine wine glasses are assorted by vine: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Burgundy, Chardonnay/Bordeaux and Champagne. The fabulous oversized Martini/Cosmopolitan stem glass, that will spark everybody’s party conversation, and, of course, the ‘Simply The Very Best’ Champagne Flute of 180ml/6oz crystal glory top off the collection. www.boulevardli.com

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Fashion

“GET SET TO JET SET” On the go in style, with the Oleg Cassini ‘carry on board’ suitcase. The oval shaped bag is ergonomically designed to meet ‘carry on board’ requirements, with plenty of space for laptop, and a complete weekend wardrobe. The signature fabric is a stylish navy and silver jacquard fleur de lis with silver fittings.

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The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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A love affair that never ends.

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The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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www.boulevardli.com

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Profiles

M

y wife leaned over to me as we sat on the couch watching Legends of the Fall right during the scene where Julia Ormond is somewhat “busy” with Brad Pitt. “Make sure when you speak with Julia tomorrow you tell her that every woman in the world wishes she could be her,” said my wife. And while it’s a humorous statement, my wife was dead serious. There was Julia opposite one of her many leading men with whom she has starred in epic feature movies. The list reads like a Who’s Who of Hollywood’s most dashing iconic actors: Sean Connery, Harrison Ford, Richard Gere, Aidan Quinn, Anthony Hopkins and Benicio Del Toro. Her elegance on the screen can’t be overstated and is clearly the secret element that allows her to hold her own against the most prominent actors of our age.

This Christmas, Julia appears in the much anticipated movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button as the daughter of Cate Blanchett. This huge film, adapted from a story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, also stars Brad Pitt – though this time around they don’t have any scenes together. As we talked about the film, I asked her about the reunion and did as I was told, passing along my wife’s comments.

“If I had a buck for every time somebody asked, 'What was it like to kiss Brad Pitt' I would have a million dollars. By the time you get to do the scene you are getting over this goofy high school “we have to kiss each other” – it's such a different territory than what you would imagine it to be,” she laughed. “There have all been kind of sibling style relationships – I have three brothers so Legends of the Fall was a weird reverb of that, having the three boys in the film – as soon as you get into a working relationship with someone you are face-to-face with a real person and the myth stuff sort of evaporates. What I have been far more buffed by is the friendships and the talents.”

I let her know my wife would be very disappointed, to which she swore even harder that getting “busy with Brad” was no big deal. Benjamin Button is a big deal, however, and celebrity columnists and film critics are already screaming the big O for best picture as they talk about the movie. It’s a fantastical epic about a guy who ages in reverse, and it spans the greater part of a century. In a bizarre twist of fate, I was in New Orleans in December 2006 and watched some of the filming. The enormous town square was transformed into a massive set, as the actors and technicians worked with real fireworks. A movie set that size was a spectacle that will forever be planted in my brain. Close to three years later, interviewing one of its stars, I could easily feel the momentum of how important this film was going to be.

“What director David Fincher has done has created a piece that is an amazing portrait of all of our lives because it's little pieces of intersecting moments that add up to a life. There is a love story, there are moments that resonate for all of us,” she says as she describes the movie. “He (Fincher) has done it in a way that, despite the amount of money that has gone into creating this, despite that it’s a huge film with extraordinary state of the art CGI effects, he has been so disciplined in the drama that I don’t think he ever has made an indulgence, which has even made it deliver more because it’s a film. Its such a contradiction because you know it’s a conceit and this disease doesn’t exist, but he has been totally successful in pulling something off where you totally suspend your disbelief for the story and there is something so real in the way the drama is filmed.”

Classically beautiful, the British actress got her start in theater after attending a high school for the dramatic arts in England. After several big theatrical productions and various drama awards, she splashed into Hollywood with roles in the movies The Baby of Mâcon and Captives. But it was 1994’s Legends of the Fall that made her a household name and truly

got everyone’s attention. Immediately after, she starred in the Arthurian romance First Knight as Lady Guinevere, the love interest caught between Sean Connery and Richard Gere. After First Knight, she landed the title role of Sabrina in the comedic drama starring Harrison Ford. The movie was a remake with Julia playing a role initially played by Audrey Hepburn. Among this dizzying array of jaw-dropping cast rosters, I asked Julia if any of the actors stood out or if she had any memories in particular from any of the work.

“One I will always look back on – Even though I don’t see him that much and have that much contact with him, I kind of know he is always there in a sort of avuncular way and protective way would be Sean (Connery). I just know I can pick up the phone, I can call Sean and he will be there. He will give me good old salt of the earth Scottish advice and it’s the stuff that life's made of and that I can rely on – he is a good soul,” she reflects on the original Bond.

But Julia is more than an actress. In fact, when listening to her commitment and conviction in her work as a global humanitarian, acting almost seems like a hobby. Julia is a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations, which means she works with various NGOs including one she has formed to address issues of global concern. She has worked on issues of hunger and HIV in Africa, but her real focus is slavery. When you engage her in a discussion about human trafficking and slavery, you are speaking with a very well studied woman who has enormous passion about the issue and her sense of purpose is downright infectious.

“The world made slavery illegal and it went underground and now there are more people enslaved than at any other time in history,” she declares. The affability in her voice as we talked about her film roles is gone. No smiles or laughter surround this topic for Julia. Our conversation becomes deeply entrenched in mission.

“The sex trade and forced labor is how the west defines it, but when we talk about slavery we are talking about people

and creating

the character and what I am finding in supporting roles is that the meat

of the part tends to be really condensed, and

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“I love the development of character

I am really enjoying.”

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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Profiles who cannot walk away, who live under the threat of violence, people who are exploited economically, and are paid nothing.

What has shocked me is the level of violence and how young the people are. The selling of children is the fastest growing global crime. It's easier to hide slavery in areas of the world where poverty is the norm – that’s not to say it doesn’t go on here; it does go on here. It's much closer to home than you think.”

Julia’s interest in the unspeakable horrors of slavery and her compulsion to address the problem stem from her film company Indican, which in the '90s executive produced a documentary titled Calling the Ghosts about slavery in Eastern Europe after the Bosnia civil war. She has appeared as counsel to the United States House of Representatives Committee on International Relations, Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations, and has traveled the world as an ambassador speaking to various elected officials and heads of state about trafficking and slavery.

“It was a random project that came to me because I was European and Bosnia was going on and that started the journey for me of realizing the power of film when you take it into the halls of Congress and into people’s living rooms and enable them to see it and share it on a different level. I saw how impactful that could be,” she explains.

But her most significant effort is the creation of the ASSET Campaign, which she founded in conjunction with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime's (UNODC) Goodwill Ambassador against Slavery and Human Trafficking. The Alliance to Stop Slavery and End Trafficking (ASSET) works to address the causes of slavery and trafficking at their source. Through its focus on supply chains, ASSET helps corporations, NGOs, and governments to work together to innovate and implement best practices for removing the economic impetus of slavery. People can go to the website and sign a

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petition called the consumer pledge, which states: "I want to live my life free of the taint of slavery. I want to buy my products from companies committed to eradicating slavery from their supply chains. I will support corporations who take on this responsibility." By signing the consumer pledge you agree to receive updates from ASSET on actions you can take to combat slavery and human trafficking.

This bold statement is the product of a very unfortunate

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Profiles reality – according to Julia there are virtually no consumer products that are completely free of slavery somewhere in the supply chain. While it is illegal in most countries to sell any products or conduct trade that is the result of slave labor, many commodities and raw materials originate in dreadfully impoverished nations where people are abused or forced to work for little or no pay. Julia further explained this advocacy effort to me. “I want to stay in my home and say that as a consumer I want to buy a slave-free product and I want to know that you as a corporation ensure that all your products are slavefree. To me, the supply chain is where you can laser in – the cotton plantation, the sugar plantation – and [when] you follow it all the way to its origin and get the support of local community you will do the most needed poverty alleviation you can do."

Concurrent with her obsessive focus on slavery is a second calling to aid refugees that are displaced by conflict or disaster.

Julia has delivered educational programming to refugee populations throughout Africa that address HIV and other issues such as hygiene and clean water. It was her efforts that became the first program in Kenya to have condoms in the hospitals, a huge feat given the cultural barriers that stand as obstacles to HIV prevention in the developing world.

"I don’t know how you could live in the western world in the last 20 years and not know what is happening in the

world with HIV.

One of the ways it was brought to our attention here was through film. When you go to the developing world, you can’t guarantee basic things like literacy....

Film is one way of dealing

with it."

But when she isn’t busy saving the planet, Julia is still an actress, and has no less than four major films to be released in the next year. In each film, she has a supporting role, which she says is very liberating. It has allowed her to do more movie work, dive deeper into character study and doesn't carry the burden of having the entire weight of the film on her as the lead. She has roles in the movie Guerilla, directed by Steven Soderbergh and in Surveillance, directed by Jennifer Lynch. It seems that as her global humanitarian efforts have increased exponentially, so has her film work – not to mention being a relatively new mother. I asked Julia how she found the time and energy to function at such an unbelievable speed with such a high caliber output. “It's like any other profession, you get better at it as you do it more and as an actor I have much more experience to draw from now. I feel much more free as an actor. I don’t feel as wedded to my ideas,” she shares candidly. “I can go into a working space now and offer up what I believe it should be but I am much less tense if it's not what the director wants. It doesn’t freak me out so much. It used to – I wouldn’t know what to do and I wouldn’t feel confident that I could deliver what they wanted.”

And while I believe Julia as she describes her almost spiritual epiphany about her work, I still struggle with exactly how to sound sincere in downplaying her, umm…”screen time” when I tell my wife about our discussion. So rather than even attempt it, when she asked me if I told her every woman wanted to be Julia I replied simply “Yes dear, and I told her every man wants to be Brad Pitt.” And with that I was totally sincere….

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L

ife has a strange way of paving the road in front of you, much like the driveway I was headed up. After a smooth ride on the thruway, I found myself on a quarter-mile long, unmarked, uphill driveway, hidden under leaves, in the middle of the woods, with hairpin turns and on 16 acres of property. At the crest of the driveway, I was relieved to see a small split-level ranch with big bay windows and a view that overlooked a rolling hill complete with a stone wall and wild deer grazing, a perfect setting for autumn in upstate New York.

“Hey, you made it!” called Debbie as she and Amelia came out to greet us. I was at the home of actor Nestor Serrano, his wife Debbie and daughter Amelia. As we walked inside, Debbie told us that the house was purchased with nearly everything in it. A pseudo-museum, so to speak, of old wooden cross-country skis and little knickknacks that added to the charm of the small home.

Born in the Bronx, Nestor attended Queens College, majoring in computer science, a move that actually took him into the world of acting and a career that has included theater, television and film and has lasted more than 30 years. His résumé includes some of the biggest television shows and blockbuster movies, such as Bad Boys, Lethal Weapon, The Money Pit, and The Day After Tomorrow, that place him next to names like DeNiro, Pacino, Spacey, Scorsese, Hoffman, and many more.

Theater was Serrano’s first venture. One of his initial performances was in Hal Prince’s musical Diamonds. It was around this time that he was cast as the very funny and very flamboyant Julio in the hit The Money Pit with Tom Hanks and Shelley Long. Nestor went on to work in a play called Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train, directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman. “It was one of the best productions I have every been involved with.

[Hoffman] is great, really terrific. Everything a director should do, he did. He is smart, articulate and passionate. I loved working with him. And the play was incredible. I mean, it just hit you … like an ‘A’ train.”

As he is typically cast in law enforcement roles, I asked Nestor about his attraction to that particular genre. “I’m not sure I really have an attraction to it as much as it has been attracted to me,” he says with a laugh. “I remember before I even got into acting, people always thought I was a cop. I guess there was always something about my demeanor. So when I started being offered roles as a cop, it was just a natural fit.”

Nestor related stories of working with two of his favorite actors, Robert DeNiro (on stage in Cuba and His Teddy Bear and

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on screen in Showtime) and Al Pacino (The Insider) and recounted the tale of hanging out the side of a military Black Hawk helicopter during the filming of The Day After Tomorrow with Dennis Quaid. Nestor even let us in on a TV pilot he wrote about an art thief turned Robin Hood that has a very similar theme to Nestor’s own life.

But for that story, we need to backtrack. When I first met Nestor Serrano, he was standing in a large crowd at a Boulevard cover party that was raising money for Bright Steps Forward, an organization that treats special-needs children suffering from neurological disorders. “A funny thing happened,” Nestor said that night, and I started to smile as I prepared for what I could only anticipate as a great joke from a very talented character actor. “I have a daughter and she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy.” A deafening silence came over the crowd and my smile quickly vanished as I wondered how could there possibly be a punch line. “Not that funny, right?” he asked. Nestor then explained how he and Debbie had been working with numerous doctors and organizations to help their 2 - (now almost 3 -) yearold daughter Amelia get the proper care beyond what they can provide.

As I got to know the Serranos in the months to follow, I learned more about what should have been Nestor and Debbie’s most wonderful day and how it turned into their most difficult.

As soon as Amelia was born, the doctors and nurses calmly took their daughter out of the room and into intensive care. “I knew something was wrong; Nestor was gone for hours,” Debbie remembered. “It was the worst day of my life. I knew there was something really, really wrong. I remember asking why she wasn’t crying.” Nestor recalled walking back into his wife’s room and seeing a look of happiness combined with concern. “It was one of the toughest things I had to do – to look at her and tell her what I knew, which was nothing happy. That was tough, that was tough for me. I told her that Amelia was not doing well and that they had to give her oxygen, that there were serious concerns about her and she needed to be studied. ” At the time Nestor, like most parents, was uneducated in any medical terminology regarding neurological disorders, although he was no stranger to the unfortunate illnesses that had struck his family. His mother, Regina, had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and the family had recently made the difficult decision to move her into an assisted living facility. “It’s sad.

Initially, she was very angry but as [the Alzheimer’s] progressed, her memory loss was greater and she actually became happy

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Nestor and Nicholas Cage on the set of Bringing Out the Dead.

and that’s what is important, ” he said. He also experienced the misdiagnosis of his sister, Evelyn, with myasthenia gravis. Now he was witnessing a failed Moro response test in his newborn daughter. The Moro reflex, also called the startle reflex, is a type of involuntary response present at birth such as extending/contracting arms and legs, and crying. Instead, Amelia was turning blue.

A working diagnosis of Bulbar palsy was given to Amelia, and it wouldn’t be for another five months that the Serranos would learn that their daughter was officially diagnosed with cerebral palsy. When I heard Nestor say this, it took a few minutes for me to recall that in a strange twist of fate, Nestor had been supporting actor Tony Darrow’s charity, United Cerebral Palsy, for years. Ironically, it was UCP that reached out to Nestor with an offer to help Amelia.

Cerebral palsy is a non-progressive disorder involving a number of conditions that affect motor skills. Most parents await the day their child takes her first step or says her first word.

For Nestor and Debbie, milestones can be their daughter simply moving her arm by herself or Martin Sorcese and Nestor, during filming of Bringing Out the Dead.

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holding her head up on her own. Amelia suffers from hypotonia, or low muscle tone, which is a direct manifestation resulting from her CP. In this context, muscle tone doesn’t refer to sixpack abs; it’s the ability of the muscle to respond to a stretch. Muscle tone cannot be changed voluntarily. Because of this, Amelia needs intense physical therapy and constant care. Her daily schedule includes occupational and speech therapy and speech instruction, with specialized nutritional services once a month. Additionally, she attends four hours of daily physical therapy at Therapy 4 Kids on Long Island, followed by hyperbaric oxygen therapy twice a day. All of this comes with a long list of doctors.

Both Debbie and Nestor are very dedicated to their child’s care. Debbie has been at home since Amelia’s birth while Nestor has been much more selective in the acting jobs he takes, making sure that he can be home at a moment’s notice.

Amelia has made tremendous progress in her uphill battle, generating accomplishments that years ago would have been virtually impossible.

“Her brain is finding new ways to do things,” says Nestor, something none of us can relate to. The Serranos attribute this to the physical and oxygen therapy as well as the natural ability of Amelia’s body to overcome challenges.

While writing, I think back to driving up the Serranos’ driveway, not being able to see the roadway or the road ahead, having to be extra careful around the hairpin turns, feeling the car tires ride the edge. I can’t help but think of how the road through the Serranos’ life has been similar. While they haven’t reached the top of the hill, they have been able to find beauty in the journey, and are able to smile.

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profiles

Evan Handler Gets Personal

By Ruth Bashinsky

Photos by Tina Guiomar

F

or someone who nearly lost his life, Evan Handler is a pretty funny guy.

In town to promote his new book, It’s Only Temporary: The Good News and The Bad News of Being Alive (Riverhead Books, $24.95). on a recent Thursday night in October, the comic actor speaks from behind a wooden podium at the Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center in Roslyn, New York – one of his stops on a 22-city book tour. Looking relaxed and thinner than he does on television, Handler’s quick wit and selfdeprecating humor give him an instant connection with the audience.

“Hey, everybody. Thank you all for coming out tonight. I apologize for the giant moat between us – it is a security requirement … in case someone tries to tackle me, a Hadassah member will drag them to the ground,” says Handler, laughing along with the audience.

"For those of you who aren’t very familiar with me, I am known to the world pretty much as one of three things: the JEWISH lawyer from the television show Sex and the City … the BALD JEWISH lawyer from Sex and the City or … the BALD NAKED JEWISH lawyer from Sex and the City.

Thank you … that’s me.”

While best known for his role as feisty divorce lawyer Harry Goldenblatt, Handler is also an author. Twelve years ago he examined his own life in Time on Fire: My Comedy of Terrors, a book that chronicled his harrowing ordeal with acute myeloid leukemia at age 24 and his subsequent miraculous recovery.

At the time of his diagnosis, Handler was a rising young star with an abundant head of hair and what he describes as a full Samson complex. He was playing the lead in several Broadway productions, including Neil

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Simon’s Biloxi Blues, and in the film Taps. “It was a feeling of terror and unfairness … I felt robbed of every possession, joy and freedom that goes into making whatever you think your life as being,” explains Handler.

Describing himself as a suspicious and cautious person by nature, Handler said he dealt with his condition by educating himself about the illness and using anger as a motivating force. “I fought like hell … I didn’t buy into the fact that everything had to be a positive emotion.” These days Handler is in a better place, personally and professionally. For the last five years, he has been happily married to Elisa Atti, an Italianborn scientist, and is the father of a 21-month-old daughter, Sofia Clementina. He is also co-starring in the Showtime hit Californication playing David Duchovny’s agent and best friend.

Throughout his memoir, Handler takes the reader on a funny, moving and sometimes provocative journey – that he confesses was sometimes embarrassing and humiliating even to write – as he searches for meaning in a life that was almost cut short in its 20s. The stories range from love affairs, lost loves and dating debacles to bold attempts at rekindling his acting career and ultimately finding true love and happiness at age 42. “The book describes how I had to live my life backwards. Essentially, in my 20s being reduced to a dying old man and being set free suddenly around 30 years of age and trying to live my 20s in my 30s and having a real battle …”

During a telephone interview from his Los Angeles home, Handler explains what prompted him to write the book now.

“The first book was a really detailed story of how I got well from supposedly an illness. Much of my life since then has been consumed by the question of how much gratitude should a person have who is lucky to be alive or how much right does that person have to still feel discontentment or anger in what he has gone through. Once I really transcended those feelings

of anger and found my beautiful wife and we had a child, whose conception and existence is, statistically speaking, even more unexpected than my own … once that transition occurred, I thought it was a great story.”

Undeniably, Handler is a master storyteller who knows just how to lure readers in and keep them there until the very end. In the chapter “Menace to Society,” Handler talks about his 27 breakups that were spread over only 10 relationships – an average of 2.7 breakups per relationship. The essay “Italian Dreaming” tells of the time Handler meets his future wife’s parents – Umberto and Ivonne—for the first time. He describes Elisa’s childhood room, made up for the two of them, like a kiddie porn honeymoon suite. Or the passage “Separation Anxiety” that opens up with Handler placing a wig on his head before an audition. “My hair expired in April of 1988. I’m in the bathroom in January of 1990. I ‘m trying to grow accustomed to a routine that I wish wasn’t … The wig makes me look exactly the way I looked before I disappeared from view some years earlier.”

Today, Handler, who is okay with having no hair, explains that it took some getting used to, particularly in the early days when the only people walking around in their 20s with shaved heads were extreme hard-core punkers or political skinheads. “It wasn’t fashionable like it is today,” says Handler, who remembers a time when people, even his close friends, didn’t recognize him when he was hairless. “I had survived the illness but I still walked around Manhattan like a ghost looking like I used to look with a physical look of a guy who had sort of died, because I came back looking differently.”

Time has changed and things are different now for the actor. “One of the privileges of getting to exist for a long time is getting to look back at painful things and realizing that they no longer have any of the impact they once had and drawing

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Profiles

conclusions and lessons from that.” The book cover is a great illustration of his transformation – Handler the boy to Handler the man. One photo features the actor when he was 19; the other photo is of him in his 40s. “The picture was taken by my brother when we were roommates together in the East Village.

That was me and my hair while I was a student at Juilliard. I went back to the same bench with the publisher when the book was ready to come out to try and best duplicate that picture.

Instead of me being surrounded by old ladies, I’ve become the older person in the picture and I am surrounded by young girls.”

Handler is happy with the photo and excited about his book tour, but admits he doesn’t like to fly. “I hate it,” he laughs. “At

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one point I am going to 16 cities in 20 days.” However, Handler wouldn’t think of letting his fans down. And he hopes those who read his book come away with a sense of gratitude about their own lives, even during periods that may give a person more or less of what they want.

In one of his final chapters he writes, “You Don’t Know Where You Are, Until You’re Somewhere Else.” It may have taken Handler a while to get there, but he has finally found pleasure and contentment just where he is.

To find out more about Evan Handler’s book tour, please visit www.evanhandler.com.

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Andrew McCarthy...

A Rewarding and Meaningful Relationship With Acting

By Ilena Ryan

A

ndrew McCarthy has had his share of on-screen affairs, but there’s one in particular that has surpassed them all: his relationship with acting. Since high school, acting was simply something McCarthy wanted to do, although he didn’t quite know why. “It just sort of was,” he says.

He went to NYU to study drama and “I started taking it more seriously, or maybe it took me more seriously, and then … here we are.”

McCarthy's early days were spent as a member the Brat Pack and fans have embraced many of his early movies, such as St. Elmo’s Fire, Pretty in Pink and Mannequin, including them in their permanent DVD collections. McCarthy, however, remained unaffected while a part of the infamous 1980s movement of teen stars. “I mean, it was just my life, so I didn’t really know what other people were doing; it was just the perspective I had on the world. It was nice to be part of something that touched a generation of people - that a generation would latch on and take possession of those films in a way that really defines them,” he said.

While some childhood stars burn out quickly and drop out of the spotlight, McCarthy overcame young stardom and

© NBC/Nicole Rivelli

transcended into a prospering, mature career. When asked how he’s stayed levelheaded throughout the years, he laughs.

“Have I? You know, you hang around long enough, you get shot down enough, it just happens. I suppose when you’re young and successful, and the first time anyone gets success, it’s intoxicating and you get thrown off kilter, but now, I have kids ­– there’s not much glamour there, they don’t care.”

Staying grounded is important in the industry, and so is knowing what you’re good at. McCarthy knows acting is his career path and it’s something he could never walk away from.

Though he says he has moments where he questions his career after some 26 years in the business, he admits it’s much like a relationship, and like any relationship that lasts that long, McCarthy says, “You have to work at it. There have been times when I’m very happy with it and times I need to get away somewhat.”

His current relationship with acting is stronger than ever and McCarthy is thrilled with his role on Lipstick Jungle. Though he was initially considered to play Brooke Shield’s husband, McCarthy admitted he was too short for the role, standing 5’8” next to Shield’s 6-foot frame, and was hoping he’d be considered

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for the role of Joe Bennett. Fortunately for audiences, casting directors agreed and McCarthy is loving every minute of it; he said he hasn’t had a part that’s been as much fun to play in a long time. The role of Joe Bennett is a chance for McCarthy to bring out his inner billionaire. “I mean, how do you prepare to be a billionaire if you’re not? I try to tap into what I would be like if I had the world by the tail every day,” he said.

In its second season, Lipstick Jungle is solidifying its voice in the television world, McCarthy says, and he values how the show is progressing. That sense of identity, combined with the show’s regard for women and the wonderful dynamic of the cast members, contribute to McCarthy’s enthusiasm for the project.

According to McCarthy, he’s even flexed his directing muscles on the show by directing two episodes.

(Other directing credentials include short films, plays, and television commercials.) It was a natural transition for him, and directing gave him a new perspective in the entertainment industry. He commented, “A lot of times in acting your main concern is ‘How’s my hair look?’ and with directing, it's nice to see the whole picture, and you’re not involved in the normal anxieties – the anxiety and nerves and vanity and stresses. I find directing an easier way to work.”

Fans can follow another aspect of McCarthy's

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work in the pages of National Geographic and Travel and Leisure, and he has done some blogging as well. When not busy acting or directing, McCarthy writes travel pieces, bringing that same personality to his stories that he does to his roles, avoiding the traps many travel writers fall into. His trick? It’s all about telling the story. McCarthy says good travel writing lets the readership know he's actually been to the places he writes about. “A lot of travel writing is ‘I went here, I did this, I ate here,’ and you realize this person never left their living room! They just went online, looked at brochures ­– that’s what a good deal of it is,” he said.

Recent trips have been to Tahiti, Ireland, Hawaii and Spain.

When asked about a favorite place, McCarthy couldn’t pick one —he’s loved all the places he’s visited. McCarthy enjoys travel writing because it brings him out of his shell, similar to playing a role. “When I’m traveling, I’m forced to interact.

It forces me to be interested in a way which, in my life, I normally don’t allow myself to [be], so I like that aspect of it.”

Having the chance to explore different outlets has provided wonderful opportunities for McCarthy, and he is extremely grateful. “I like sort of jumping from one to the other. When I was just doing acting it became kind of grinding to me. I was grateful when the other stuff emerged; it allowed me to really appreciate all of it and start acting again. I like all aspects for different reasons – they all sort of stem from the same place. I’m grateful to get to do that as my job,” he said.

McCarthy understands the secrets to longevity in the entertainment business and has maintained his career by diversifying it – from acting, to directing, to travel writing – and has enjoyed success in all media. The diversity helps him avoid stagnancy in his career, which can cause actors to burn out quickly. McCarthy is brave enough to venture outside his initial comfort zone and it’s nice to see the industry rewarding him with continued success.

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Profiles

Talking Travel With Miss New York 2008

By Ilena Ryan Photos by Joseph Moran

N

ew York State incorporates a population from all parts of the country, as well as the world. As a melting pot, the state embraces a diverse group of people, which is what Leigh Taylor Smith, Miss New York 2008, is helping represent.

Leigh Taylor Smith, a native Virginian, moved to New York the summer after graduating from the University of Virginia as a theater major. Bringing brains, personality and beauty to New York, she’s here to prove that despite not being born in New

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York, she’s no less qualified to represent the state. In fact, New York should be honored to have her.

Though Smith said that not being “from” New York was an issue, she’s up to the challenge of proving herself. “New York is a melting pot; people come here to be anything they can dream of being. That’s something that comes into play and I’m a representative of that,” she said.

While Smith lives out her dream, she’s undertaking great tasks to help the youth of New York. Smith’s platform is “voices

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for change,” and she’s committed to empowerment through service. With a focus on disadvantaged youth, Smith looks to find the best ways for young people to serve their community. “We find they feel like the problem and it burdens them. We can turn around and make them feel like the solution,” Smith explains.

But her devotion to young people has not just been since she began entering pageants, nor has it been since becoming Miss New York. Her dedication extends to earlier times and farther places, specifically Africa and Belize. Her travels have taken her across the globe, and though she admits it sounds cliché, “It absolutely changed my life,” Smith says.

In 2005, Smith first traveled to Africa to teach children about HIV/AIDS and she was in no way pampered or treated differently, fully immersing herself into an unfamiliar culture. She lived in an African hut, ate and drank with the native people. Smith was shocked upon realizing how little these children knew about the disease and how most of what they knew was based on myth. Smith said, “Going out to Africa certainly was a transitional point in my life. I realized the impact of HIV/AIDS on my generation.”

Smith’s time in Africa did not go unappreciated, and she recalled a moment with one of the children. “She ran to the fence and bought me a bag of juice and brought it back over and she kept insisting that I take it, but I knew she didn’t have the money to afford this, and she kept trying to give it to me and I ultimately realized what she was doing.

This was her only way of saying thank you to me.” (Africa made such an impact on Smith that she returned again the following summer, 2006.)

Only two weeks after her return from her 2005 Africa trip, Smith boarded a plane to Belize, where she helped establish a church and offered a tutoring program and sports camp to the local children. Smith traveled with her mother, who is responsible for instilling the importance of volunteerism within her. “She really is my mentor and the one that inspired me to get involved with my platform. Watching her interact with these people and children really reinforced why I’m doing what I’m doing,” Smith said.

Smith understands the importance of travel. “I think world view and world perspective are really crucial in this day and age … having a grasp of [the world], not only geographically, but being able to delve into other cultures, experiencing a way to not just be tolerant of, but to embrace, other cultures is so important,” she said.

Leigh Taylor Smith isn’t just a pretty face. While plenty of people brush Miss New York and Miss America off as beauty pageants, Smith proves critics wrong. “I would love to see them take on my schedule now!” she laughs. “Right now I’m still

holding my fulltime job working for an interior design firm in Manhattan … on top of that, being Miss New York and serving our state, but getting ready for Miss America as well.” That's combined with following current events diligently, and working on her platform and talent. She tells people who are skeptical of pageants to “Say hi" to her friends for her, because it’s been a while since she’s been able to.

However, pageants do not define who Smith is, and she’s got big ambitions after her run of Miss New York, and potentially Miss America, is over. She plans to go to Parsons The New School of Design in New York City to further pursue an interior design career and eventually start her own firm.

Those plans will come in time, but right now, Smith is focusing on the upcoming Miss America pageant. New York will be rooting for her.

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Inside The Criminal Mind With

By Ilena Ryan

Kirsten Vangsness Photos by Russell Bear 46

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W

ho would think that what started as a “weird form of babysitting” would turn into a career for Kirsten Vangsness, who plays Penelope Garcia on the CBS series Criminal Minds? Vangsness appeared in community college plays when she was 8 years old because of her father’s involvement, but it was not until middle school drama classes brought her out of her shell that she actually started to enjoy it.

Passion for the stage has been her driving force. While there were times she worked three jobs to support her acting, her devotion to the craft paid off. “I just did theater for free forever; it’s like the punchline to a really long joke,” she says in reference to her television career.

During her days of free theater and odd jobs, Vangsness wasn’t sure what direction her career was going in, which she worked through by writing in her journal. “I started to spend time in the park by my house. It was gorgeous—and free—and I would sit with my journal and write about what I wanted to do.

I would draw little maps of myself, these impossible little things” … which turned out to be not so impossible.

All the while, she performed with her theater company, Theatre of Note, and still does to this day. “Those people make me a good actor,” she says. They kept her acting chops in shape even when she had no money for classes. She likes the edginess the company’s performances offer. “There’s something a little punk rock about it,” she says.

Vangness started with minimal expectations for her television career; she recalls her mother warning her she was going to live on cat food for the rest of her life. But an actor friend, tired of Hollywood’s pitfalls, took on a casting assistant job, and began recommending Vangsness for auditions. Casting directors took notice of the free spirited platinum blonde. Though she was told the audition for Criminal Minds would never result in an actual role for her, she went anyway. She got the call a week later that she landed the part.

Of her first day filming in a costar role (which Vangsness described as a one-line, in-and-out deal), she says, “I kept thinking, ‘They’re going to fire me, I don’t even know what I’m saying!’” But she had something they liked, because she soon had a recurring role on the show.

Penelope Garcia’s feisty character quickly won audiences over—she’s even got tribute videos on YouTube, which Vangsness says she’s seen and loves. Though she’s now comfortable with herself and her career, it wasn’t always so.

Vangsness spoke to the “acting myth”— that young actors graduate from school and feel the need to drop 20 pounds and be who the industry wants. “I’m terrible at that kind of thing,” she says. “I’m a bad liar. I cannot be someone I’m not—unless I’m acting.” She noticed during auditions that she felt bogged down by the commercial idea of who she was. Auditions with titles like “fat girl” made Vangsness question herself. “Who wants to define what ‘fat girl’ means?” she said. “I was going to auditions feeling I’m not fat enough, and I’d go to an audition the next day thinking I’ve got to make myself look thin.” Vangsness stresses the normalcy of her body; she’s developed a reassuring selfconfidence. The more comfortable she became with herself, the more she realized she had the right to her role on Criminal Minds.

Her acting company, which she refers to as her “little tribe,” helped her overcome Hollywood’s pressures. The small company, which includes her girlfriend, serves as each other’s support group. “They know what I’m capable of,” she says, “they know me and love me … I’m so grateful for that.”

No matter what happens in her career, she will always keep returning to the stage, describing it as “a great equalizer.”

Her role as Penelope Garcia is embraced by fans because of what Vangsness brings to the role. “We’re like very close neighbors,” Vangsness says of Garcia. “You always, as an actor, bring yourself to everything, but it’s a part of yourself that you don’t lead with in the world necessarily, I feel like she’s some of the best parts of me,” Vangsness says of her role.

And while Vangsness finds herself writing lines for Garcia, she also writes on her own, including short plays that have been produced, as well as one-woman shows (though she doesn’t like to call them that—she much prefers “performance art”).

While Vangsness’ life might seem consumed by her craft, she finds time to give back to the community. In the way her middle school drama classes brought her out of her once-shy shell, Vangsness returns the favor to elementary school kids, teaching drama and allowing them to use their imagination.

She’s a self-proclaimed “grand environmentalist” and “staunch animal rights person,” and she gives out baggies with granola bars and juice to the homeless on her own time—one of her “little things,” as she says. She also does the training video for Project Angel Food, which provides meals for those suffering from HIV/AIDs and other illnesses, participates in Read Across America and works with One Small Voice, helping young children who are ill.

From her mother’s cat food warnings to a role on Criminal Minds, it’s been a journey of a young woman truly finding herself, and in the end, sticking with what she knows and not submitting to Hollywood’s pressures. Vangsness says with conviction, “If I lost my job tomorrow, you couldn’t stop me from doing what I wanted to do.”

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Profiles

He’s Got Groove,

He’s Got Meaning…

Derek Keeling Is the Word on Broadway

By Tara E. Butler

Photos By Joan Marcus

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bright and shining star has landed on the Great White Way and Derek Keeling is sure making his mark. It was late summer when I had the opportunity to sit down with Keeling in his dressing room at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre after his performance as Danny Zuko in Grease.

The performance was electrifying, with an underlying current of energy, which the actor explained was very important because his character is, if nothing else, cool.

Prior to making his Broadway debut in Grease, Keeling, a West Virginia native, toured the United States and Canada starring in five different Grease productions. He also placed third in NBC's national casting call, Grease: You’re the One That I Want.

Keeling has portrayed Danny Zuko in venues that seat more than 3,000 and he discussed how stepping out onto the stage in the much smaller Brooks Atkinson was special. "There is a different energy," he said, adding, "It is an honor to perform on Broadway."

Are there any similarities between Derek and his character?

“I am not this guy. I am much more subtle,” he said. “Danny is literally one of those guys who snaps his fingers and the guys come running.” It has been said that Keeling brings his own James Dean style to the role and incorporates a little bit from others such as Newman and Brando. So what about Travolta?

Did Derek watch the movie Grease countless times before taking on this role? “No, I did not refer to the movie,” he said. He felt it was important to create his own Danny Zuko and not to rely on Travolta’s. “I like where I am at with Danny.”

So how does Derek keep his performance fresh? "You have to go out there every night with a good, positive energy,” he says. “The script and music are the same every performance, but the audience is different and they, too, bring a different energy level to each show.”

Although he seems to be cast in musical comedies, Derek did reveal that he loved the opportunity to perform as Charles Darnay in A Tale of Two Cities. "It was a breath of fresh air," he said. "I love dramatic musicals." In fact, dramatic musicals are what he was trained for in college. Keeling attended Mars Hill College and received his bachelor of arts from the University of Kentucky.

Derek with co-star Ashley Spencer It was five years ago, after completing his college degree, that Keeling packed a bag and moved to New York City. While pursuing a career in acting, he worked all the stereotypical odd jobs, such as waiting tables. It wasn’t long, however, before Keeling landed his first television spot, on NBC’s Grease: You’re the One That I Want. In addition to Grease and A Tale of Two Cities, Keeling has appeared in musical projects such as Dreamweavers, All Shook Up and Happy Days, in which he played The Fonz.

When asked what he liked to do in his spare time, Keeling’s response was “Spare time? What’s that?” In truth, however, the actor does make time for a daily workout and spends time writing music and playing guitar; those are his creative outlets.

“It is my journal,” he said, something he began doing in the seventh grade.

When discussing family, Keeling says that his parents always encouraged him to pursue a career about which he was passionate. They didn’t push him to seek a degree other than theater as so many other parents might. “If I had that crutch I might have used it,” he says. Keeling is quick to note that his parents are very proud of his accomplishments. “My mom has seen everything I have ever been in,” he said. “She has never missed an opening night.”

Where does Keeling see himself five years from now? “I would like to do a couple more original shows,” he said. “Maybe end up in Los Angeles for a while and get my feet wet in television and film.” He would also like to spend time traveling.

Italy is his premier destination of choice, but Keeling affirmed that he loves Broadway and that his experience there still seems surreal. “I will always have a home in New York.”

So whether you’re an avid theatergoer or just an occasional visitor, don’t miss the opportunity to see Grease with Derek Keeling. This charming and handsome young man, who is committed to the show through January, has enormous talent and promises audience members an exhilarating Broadway experience.

Keep your eye on Derek Keeling; he is going places.

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Photo Gallery The Boulevard

The Boulevard October Cover Party On the Avenue, New York Nov. 25th

To Celebrate the ReLaunch of OTA and boulevard’s Go Green Cover with Sam Champion Photos by: Tina Guiomar

Angela Susan Anton, Bill Evans, Jason Feinberg Bill Evans and Sam Champion

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Jonathan Clarke from Q104.3

Christo

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Continued: Tina Guiomar

Stanley Kreitman, C. B. Whyte

Mercedes Hall and Mary Chestaro

Ken Rosato, Cheryl Casone, Bill Evans, Dr. Max Gomez, Sam Champion

Bill Evans, Rich Hotter, Sam Champion

Ron Claiborne and Dr. Max Gomez

Michael Gates and Jeff Cohen

Carey Rushatz, Angela Susan Anton and Dr. Prasad

Kristen Anton and Linda Perotti www.boulevardli.com

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Photo Gallery The Boulevard

Photos by Ed Kennedy and Tina Guiomar

Tom Burke, Jean Pierre Clejan, Angela Susan Anton, Mark Clejan, Nick Albukrek and Sam Champion

Julie Mikla and Bridgette Maney

Richard and Joyce Calcascola 52

Cheryl Casone; Rich Reichmuth, Weather Anchor and Domenica Davis, Weather Anchor

Linda Ugenti and Pam Polestino

Fran Kapo and John Basedow

Jim Parise, Nancy Rocker, Linda Horn, Michael Bruno, Jason Feinberg, Mercedes Hall and Mary Chestaro

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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11/28/08 3:53:40 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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Photo Gallery

Petra Nemcova Hosts the Happy Hearts Fund 2008 Ball Cipriani Wall Street, NYC November 17, 2008 Photos by Patrick McMullan

Molly Sims

Kevin Spacey

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Donald Trump, Melania Knauss, Petra Nemcova

Wyclef Jean, Petra Nemcova, Kevin Spacey

Seth Meyers

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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Photo Gallery

2008 American Music Awards Nokia Theatre, Los Angeles, CA November 23, 2008 Photos by Patrick McMullan

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Rihanna

Annie Lennox

Pink

Mariah Carey

Brad Paisley

Alicia Keys

Lance Bass

Julianne Hough

Christina Aguilera

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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11/30/08 12:48:34 PM

A gamble that paid off

By Jason Feinberg Photography by Tina Guiomar

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he Seminole Indian Tribe of Florida is no stranger to life’s gambles. With a history of trying patience and fights for existence, their time has finally come. Since the creation of the United States, American Indian tribes have faced horrible persecution, forced removal and forced poverty, not to mention many battles fought with U.S. soldiers. It is by far one of the darkest moments in our history.

Like most American Indian tribes, the Seminoles of Florida were left devastated and forced to rebuild their lives. In 1823, the U.S. government signed the Treaty of Moultrie Creek and established a reservation in central Florida. At first the Seminoles refused the move, but eventually they tried to establish themselves on their new land, despite facing starvation and failed crops. By 1830, President Jackson had signed the Indian Removal Act, which would come to be known as the Trail of Tears, and made repeated attempts to move the Seminoles to the Oklahoma territory (at the time called the Indian Territory). The plan was for the Seminoles to join the Creek Indians, with the U.S. government stating the two were one. The Seminoles rejected this and insisted that Florida was their home. This would eventually engage them in a seven-year battle known as the Second Seminole War. The Indians, having innate survival skills, managed to keep the nearly 40,000 U.S. military personnel at bay by living in the swamps of the Everglades.

During this time, two tribal members emerged as leaders, Warrior Osceola (William Powell) and Medicine Man Abiaka (Sam Jones). Osceola, having been a victor against five U.S. generals, was ultimately tricked by General Thomas Jesup. Jesup told Osceola to walk out with a white flag as a sign of truce. The brave warrior, not knowing it was a sign of surrender, was immediately captured and imprisoned in South Carolina where his 1835 death would make international news.

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Council Oak Tree

Abiaka held out longer. He would never trust the U.S. military and would never surrender or sign a treaty.

This very powerful leader used medicines to enhance and motivate the Seminole warriors. Abiaka would eventually settle into an area of the Everglades called Big Cyprus Swamp, located near the tribe's current Big Cyprus Community.

In 1842, with estimates ranging between $20 million and $40 million spent and more than 1,500 U.S. soldiers killed, President Tyler ordered the end of the U.S. crusade against the Seminoles, although it would be another 13 years before the tribe was actually left alone. The U.S. would eventually declare victory, however neither the U.S. nor the Seminoles would ever sign a peace treaty. It wasn’t until 1871 that the U.S. Congress passed the Indian Appropriations Act, which eliminated the recognition of any Indian tribe from that point forward and eliminated any further treaties between Indian Nations and the U.S. From then on, any treaties would be congressional statutes or presidential executive orders. This also paved the way for the establishment of Sovereign Indian Nations.

Tribal Sovereignty, or Indian Nation, is very interesting.

The sovereignty in most cases is a cross between an independent country and a U.S. territory, with a long list of exceptions. So the simple explanation is: Tribal land is held in trust by the United States and while the tribes have authority to govern themselves, they cannot pass laws that supercede the federal government. Tribal members are subject to the same federal tax laws. Interestingly enough, because the word 'tax' is not a Seminole word, the tribe does not tax its members. Therefore, they would eventually need to find resources that would assist them in continuing their way of life while providing essential services to their community.

The Seminoles survived the 1950s’ termination policy passed by the U.S. Congress. This policy was an attempt to

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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Everglades

merge American Indians with mainstream society with the belief that the government didn’t need to protect Indian reservations. In reality, it was the government realizing that they had failed miserably in the forming of Indian Nations without providing essential services, which ultimately caused incredibly high poverty. To ensure their own survival, the Seminole tribe meeting at the sacred Council Oak Tree, which still survives, created their first constitution in 1957 and formed their first two-tier government of Tribal Council and Board of Directors.

Immediately the Nation was able to swing into action by working with the Federal Indian System. By creating an organization and establishing a small financial reserve of $11,000, the forefathers had a vision of prosperity far beyond what anyone could have imagined. Starting out with touristy swamp and village tours, arts and craft sales and alligator wrestling, the tribe found success in agriculture and cattle farming, eventually purchasing controlling interest in HK Cattle. The 1970s really started the tribe toward financial prosperity that paved the way for other tribes to follow suit. In 1971, the Seminoles started to sell tax-free cigarettes, a move that would bring in $4.5 million annually by the mid-1970s. At this time they also introduced bingo gaming. In only a few short years, the gaming would set new heights for the tribe by becoming its largest source of income. By early 1981, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Sovereign Nation to allow high-stakes bingo and with that, the Seminoles opened a bingo hall in Tampa. The influx and steady stream of cash allowed the tribe to focus on infrastructure and services and in 1981, they built their first multipurpose centers that consisted of a senior center, Head Start center, kitchen and

tribal offices. By the end of the decade, the bingo halls would be a Class III casino with electronic gaming.

In 1992, the federal government settled a lawsuit with the Seminole tribes of Florida and Oklahoma for acts relating to the Seminole wars. In all, the tribe collected nearly $10 million. By the end of the 1990s the tribe's budget exceeded $127 million per year and over 200,000 visitors came to the Billie Swamp tours in Big Cyprus. This would lead to the building of two hotels and casinos in both Tampa and Hollywood, Florida, with the famous Hard Rock Café brand in 2004.

The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino turned out to be one of the best moves the tribe had made. In a short time both properties accounted for 25 percent of the revenue of the famous brand. This would bring the Seminole tribe into the mainstream, allowing them to acquire The Hard Rock Café restaurant and casino chain from the Rank Group in 2006 and offer Las Vegas-style gaming. With the purchase came every restaurant, hotel and casino (with the exception of Las Vegas, which is owned by the Morgan Group) and all of the priceless pieces of memorabilia.

The Seminole Indian Tribe of Florida invited The Boulevard down to visit the Hard Rock Café Hotel and Casino and the Seminole Indian Reservation at Billie Swamp for what was an incredible tour of nature at its best. Bernie Dillon, senior vice president of entertainment for Hard Rock Live, took us on a behind-the-scenes tour of Hard Rock's concert arena. Councilmember Max Osceola, whose ancestry can be traced back hundreds of years and whose last name is featured throughout not only the tribe but throughout the state, spoke to us about the accomplishments of the tribe. www.boulevardli.com

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ot many places welcome you with a 50-foot high guitar, but if you’re going to be visiting the Hard Rock, guitars are everywhere! This 5-star resort is nothing less than magnificent. Located in Hollywood, Florida, the Hard Rock is only minutes from Fort Lauderdale International Airport and only about 45 minutes from Miami’s South Beach.

Upon entering the grand lobby, you immediately shift into the luxury rock star lifestyle and are greeted by a very attentive hotel staff and 24/7 concierge service that is ready to assist

you with a limo, nightclub access or something as simple as a shoeshine. Anything you need, they can get.

With 481 spacious rooms and 86 suites, even the journey to the room is exciting, with musical instruments signed by some of your favorite musicians decorating the hallways. Take extra time to admire each piece of music history.

The rooms are decorated in true Hard Rock contemporary style with abundant natural light, comfortable chairs and plenty of storage space. Photos of rock legends don the walls. Every room has plenty of amenities to make your stay, whether it is

Aquatic Suite

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The tub in this Suite sets the romantic mood with rose petals. www.boulevardli.com

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Hollywood Suite Living room to the Filmore Suite

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business or pleasure, more than perfect (for example, plenty of electrical outlets for those who need to constantly be plugging in laptops or recharging cameras). A fully stocked mini bar will take care of the munchies, and the T1 direct access will take care of your need to surf the net.

Other amenities include bathrobes, hairdryers, safe, iron and ironing board, and coffee maker.

The room also comes equipped with a Tivoli stereo system, which is enough to make you want to stay in the room and blast your favorites. Fortunately, there is so much to do at the Hard Rock that you won’t have time for that.

Forgot your tunes? That’s okay, they have plenty of CDs in the room for your listening pleasure, and you can even pay and take them home.

Everything in the room (including the stereo) is available for purchase.

After a day at the pool or getting ready for a night out at any one of Hard Rock’s clubs, make sure you set extra time for a shower; you won’t want to get out. As Julianne Carelli, publicist for the Hard Rock said, “One of the most asked questions we get are about the shower heads.” With an instant hot system, you set your temperature and are massaged from above by the perfect water pressure.

After a night of fine food, concerts, clubbing and of course gambling, there is a soft welcoming bed waiting for you, complete with 100 percent Egyptian cotton linens with foam pillows. The outside world sounds are drowned out and you are left to sleep like a rock star after a concert.

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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ock ‘n’ roll, or rest and relaxation, poolside is the way to go. The 4.5-acre Hard Rock pool mimics a day at the ocean, complete with a white sandy beach and a rock mountain with Jacuzzi and waterslide. One other thing the ocean doesn’t offer is the true Hard Rock style of pumping music out of underwater speakers!

The centrally located bar is perfectly situated only a few short steps away for your favorite cocktails or poolside snack. In fact you don’t even have to get up, as there are staff everywhere to assist you.

If sitting on a lounge chair isn’t relaxing enough, go ahead and rent out your own Chickee hut. These poolside cabanas are the icing on the cake for that rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle. Each cabana features a bed, lounge chairs, table, ceiling fan, refrigerator, phone and television. The butler service is also top notch. If you can’t find it on the menu, just let them know and they will make it for you.

If you need that extra touch, you can always order up a 50–80 minute poolside massage in your Chickee.

Chickee # 4

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rom bingo hall to casino, the Hard Rock Casino has 145,000 square feet of some of the best casino games around. At 4 a.m. this rock and roll casino was still filled with wide-eyed gamblers doubling down and pulling the slots. Originally booked as a Class III gaming center, the Hard Rock Casino now offers the same gaming found in Las Vegas casinos.

Unlike other casinos, you won’t feel trapped or disorientated. There is a pathway that surrounds the casino floor to make it easier for you to get to different areas. The gaming area is well lit, with high ceilings and a beautiful bar centrally located with a clear view of the lobby.

For table games, you can take a hit on blackjack, baccarat, mini baccarat, Pai Gow poker, Let it Ride and Three Card Poker.

With over 2,500 slot machines (yes, they have your favorites, especially Wheel of Fortune), you can take part in free slot tournaments on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. HRC also offers a non-smoking slot area.

For those of you who need a little more of the VIP treatment, HRC offers both a high-limit area and VIP lounge. Still want to win big? Take a chance at a new Aston Martin, or take part in the $6,000 Concert Night Giveaways, the King of Rock

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$50,000 Slot Tournament and, of course, the One Million Dollar Crack the Code Giveaway. These are just some of the promotions that HRC has offered.

With Hard Rock’s Seminole Player’s Club Card, you’re a winner either way. The points can be redeemed for free meals, drinks, hotel rooms, entertainment, promotional offers, exclusive party invitations and great gifts! The card can be used at any of the Seminole Casinos in Brighton, Coconut Creek, Immokalee and the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tampa.

Elton John’s Costume

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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11/30/08 2:52:19 PM

Contour Spa

A Retreat from the pressures of modern civilization.

By Tina Guiomar

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“Transform with inner guidance to a place of peace and paradise.”

– Shangri-la, Billy Idol

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t the Hard Rock Hotel, you rock it out at night in the casino and the divine restaurants. When rock ‘n’ roll queens want to unwind and expect to be pampered, they head to Contour Spa, located within the hotel. Contour Spa is a place to relax, rejuvenate and restore your body, mind and spirit in a holistic atmosphere. A day at the spa leaves you well-rested and ready to rock ‘n’ roll the night away.

The Boulevard’s package of choice was the signature Journey to Eden, complete with a spa lunch. The customized package begins with a 45-minute Swedish massage, where the masseuse rolls away the stress of the day with angelic hands and soothing music, applying pressure where needed.

Then the Journey to Eden really begins. The therapists escort you to the relaxation area, separated by an alluring beaded curtain, where your body is placed in a cocoon of warm towels. They then proceed with the ancient treatment of hand and foot reflexology. It was so completely relaxing that I actually fell asleep.

After slowly waking, I was led to the hydrotherapy baths. A design of heaven and earth, the baths sit under a starry nightstyled ceiling and the lights are dimmed low. The bath is infused with mineral salts and exotic aromatherapy oils. As you relax in this heavenly bath, the therapist complements the experience with a neck, shoulder and scalp therapy. The hydrotherapy sanctuary lasts as long as you can handle it, but no more than an hour. We were then escorted to the spa lounge to relax with replenishments of water, tea, and fruit.

Journey to Eden ends with a body treatment performed in the exclusive Hammam Turkish Bath, a Turkish bath with gentle steam that opens the body and the mind for total relaxation. I customized the standard body scrub treatment to experience something a little different: the Island Pomegranate Cocktail Body Treatment. The body treatments are perfect to rejuvenate and hydrate the skin. This was a new experience for me, and one I’ll definitely do again. It begins with an invigorating body scrub of pomegranate ginger, followed by a cocoon wrap with an antioxidant-rich pomegranate lemon body lotion. The wrap stays on for about 20 minutes, allowing the lotion to rehydrate the skin and quench the body. The treatment finishes with another hydrating, this time with pomegranate body butter. Your skin is left silky smooth, giving you a week of reduced aging and cellulite.

At Contour Spa the services can be customized to any individual’s liking. There is time between services to relax and rehydrate. The Boulevard rock queens managed to find time for the spa lunch, so you truly could spend the day in your robe and slippers and never need to leave the spa.

Other treatments that intrigued us were the Lymphatic Drainage.

A manual lymph drainage using slow, rhythmic stretching, it eliminates fluid retention and toxins. Another favorite would be the Hot Stone Therapy Massage. As one masseuse put it, “It’s the Godiva of massages.” Contour Spa also tends to explore the world to find new and exciting treatments for their guests, like the Sabai Thai Herbal Ball massage.

The spa is a 20,000-square-foot full service European-style spa equipped with a hair salon, manicure/pedicure salon, a sauna and steam room for those enjoying a treatment, and a state-of-the-art fitness facility with personal Pilates classes available.

Contour Spa would satisfy any rock queen or diva. I believe Madonna would approve. There may not be diamonds, but Contour Spa comes very close to being a girl’s best friend. www.boulevardli.com

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Rocking Hard at the Hard Rock Temple

By Tim Sullivan

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live, sleep and breathe rock and roll. That scene in School of Rock where Jack Black makes the kids pledge allegiance to the band – that is something I would do. Since I was in about the sixth grade, the Hard Rock Café was the one place with any street cred that understood the sacred reverence with which rock music must be beheld. I remember waiting for an hour in a freezing New York City winter just to buy a T-shirt back when the flagship restaurant was on Lexington. Everyone in school had them.

So to spend a few days on location at the Hard Rock Seminole in Florida was both a privilege and a journalistic dream come true. This resort is quintessential Hard Rock brand – it delivers the classic devotion to the best music ever made while preserving a sense of freshness for current music. The café is off the casino floor and, like its counterparts in New York and all over the world, is filled with memorabilia from every band you can name.

It serves the typical “burger-centric” menu. There are salads and some healthy stuff for those who are watching what they eat – but you may as well abandon your diet concern for an evening. The food there is terrific and it's derived from the founder's original intent to have a diner-type American menu.

More than 30 years later, you find delicious ribs, some great steaks and my favorite – the pulled pork sandwich. Dessert is equally excellent with traditional ice cream sundaes and chocolate brownies. Why get bogged down counting calories amid the loud music and ribs and pulled pork sandwiches?

Relax, kick back…it's rock and roll.

On a serious note, I have been an avid guitar player for 25 years. This place is full of guitars. Not just any guitars, but axes signed by the original players. Each Hard Rock Café has its collection, and different pieces travel to different restaurants like museum exhibits. This is easily my favorite part. I feel like I get to go to a place where people love guitars as much as I do and understand that they have the same chemical reaction for me as any pin-up calendar. TMI? Sorry…I just really love guitars!

We strolled in that afternoon for a sneak peek and the band Staind was hanging out and playing an acoustic set. That night they were headlining the arena. The café at the Seminole has live performances, as does the one in Times Square. Among the many cool guitars around the café were one that belonged to Prince and a bass previously owned by Duff McKagan of Guns N' Roses. One of the coolest non-guitar items in the café

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was a suit tailored for Eddie Van Halen that was red with white and black strips – the classic Van Halen colors. He wore this on the 1983 tour for the album Diver Down. I stood in front of the plexiglass case and simply breathed in its essence…the rest of The Boulevard staff stared at me with a worried look. Someone else understood Eddie the prophet. Someone else understood the hundreds of hours spent in my room learning reverse finger tapping on a cranked up Kramer. Someone built this sacred shrine for the faithful. The Hard Rock Café is your temple, brethren…now keep holy the Sabbath!

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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11/30/08 2:57:58 PM

Decisions at the Oak Tree

The Finest of Dining at Hard Rock’s Council Oak

By Tim Sullivan

T

he Seminole have a sacred oak tree on their property – it’s a tree where the tribe elders would gather when decisions needed to be made. It’s still there. The fine dining establishment that is the cornerstone of cuisine elegance at the Hard Rock Seminole is the Council Oak, and the wisdom of the elders seems to have been passed on to the service, decor and of course, the food.

I love French onion soup, probably more than any other soup, and decided I would try it since it’s always a good indicator of how sophisticated the chef is. In the case of great onion soup, less is more. The onions should be so finely chopped that they are almost a puree and the cheese so thick on top that you have to cut it with a knife to eat it. This onion soup achieved both and was absolutely excellent. It was so full of onions that were so finally chopped that it had a thickness to it beyond the usually thin broth.

Red velvet is the main design motif in the bar area and gold overtones are the ambiance in the main Council Oak room, and steaks and seafood are well represented on the menu. The menu has several steaks to choose from, the signature being the cowboy sirloin, which I ordered. This enormous slab was the size of a tennis racket, cooked to perfection, and the chef was nice enough to carve my initials in the bone. This was one enormous

steak, but it was so good that you forget it’s big and you just keep eating.

Another person had the sesame seared tuna with Thai noodles. I quickly moved the plate in my direction and claimed half the fillet since I was writing the review. A great sesame tuna should have a very thick sesame crust – blackened on the outermost layer but on the inside the seeds should still be fresh.

It should have a slight hint of teriyaki and be braised on the outside and raw on the inside. This tuna fillet was as good as the steak. It was simply spectacular.

The entrée dishes at Council Oak are all à la carte, and the sides are served family-style. We chose the braised asparagus, macaroni and cheese and potatoes au gratin. The potatoes were so cheesy that you almost didn’t know whether there were any potatoes in the dish at all. Each side was terrific. The portions were very generous. The braised asparagus took the vegetable to a whole new level.

For dessert I chose the cheesecake, which, like onion soup, is a marker of mine in fine dining. If you can create a scrumptious cheesecake and an elegant onion soup to bookend your 4-star entrée, then you have truly achieved world class dining.

The wine list is extensive and superb and any wine connoisseur will have plenty to discuss and order. Council Oak, under the direction of Chef de Cuisine David Day Roach, is a dining extravaganza for the palate. Make sure one of your nights at the Hard Rock Seminole involves the Council Oak. It will make your entire trip!

www.boulevardli.com

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12/3/08 10:42:14 AM

Jazziz

Bistro

J

azziz Bistro has the perfect ambiance in which to wind down or wind up. Complete with indoor and outdoor seating as well as indoor/outdoor bar/ lounges, the final touch of this music bistro is a full soundstage. Created by Michael Fagien, a music media guru, Jazziz offers the perfect blend of casual entertainment with entrees that are worthy of a Grammy themselves. The menu offers a wide variety, from lemon grilled salmon to grilled filet mignon or duck duo seared breast and confit leg, to jerk grilled shrimp, so even the pickiest of guests won’t be disappointed.

Be careful not to focus on the food too much; you just might miss the nightly live performances if you do. Jazziz is open Wednesday through Sunday with performances starting 7 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday and 8 p.m. on Friday through Sunday and is open for all Hard Rock Live events. Call ahead at 954-583-8335 for reservations.

Everybody was

KUNG-FU FIGHTING ...

- Carl Douglas

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T

he nightclub atmosphere only enhances your experience at Tatu, with looped Bruce Lee kung fu movies playing in the background. Filled with Asian flair, Tatu’s fusion cuisine is the best in South Florida. While hot and cold sake is available, the watermelon mojito was yin to the yang of the warm Florida evening.

Executive Chef Mark Rivera dishes out culinary works of art.

For starters, we ordered a more traditional edamame, sprinkled with sea salt and livened it up with wild mushroom pot stickers with soy citrus butter and pencil asparagus.

Tatu’s sushi will have you bragging to your friends; the combination of Asian and Latin flavors just explodes off the plate.

The sushi chef’s South Beach Roll is a complement to the warm weather with an Asian/fusion arrangement of tuna, shrimp, crab, avocado, asparagus and sweet mango. The signature Samurai Roll with fresh Alaskan king crab, salmon, cream cheese, asparagus and fried tempura is a refashioned classic Philadelphia Roll.

Entrees are served family-style. The Boulevard staff decided to pick an assortment of tastes from the tempting menu. The stirfried flank steak with Chinese greens, ginger, garlic and scallions was cooked to perfection and perfectly tender. Served in a banana leaf with sizzling oil and Chinese black beans, the Chilean sea bass could not have been a better complement to the side order of the signature Tatu Fried Rice with chicken, pork, shrimp and vegetables. The charred rare tuna was served with a vanilla teriyaki glaze with wasabi mashed potatoes.

The Happy Ending Dessert menu offers innovative and playful choices. At our server’s recommendation, we sampled the Banana Macadamia Spring Rolls, with dulce de leche ice cream and macadamia brittle. Offered with your check and a thank you from the staff, a signature of Tatu is the sour apple cotton candy. While somewhat reminiscent of childhood carnivals, Tatu has made the confection work as a chic dessert.

Tatu is the yin and yang of restaurants, serving sweet and sour Asian/Latin concoctions that will satiate anyone’s appetite. The atmosphere fits perfectly at the Hard Rock Seminole Paradise.

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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12/1/08 12:06:51 PM

T

he original Hard Rock CafĂŠ in London was a restaurant replete with musical memorabilia. Today, the Hard Rock is making memories of its own with its own concert series, Hard Rock Live. Bernie Dillon, who has one of the coolest jobs, is the senior VP of entertainment for the concert venue and books the talent that come through this 5000-seat arena.

Dillon, who is no stranger to the casino industry having come from Atlantic City, has booked some of the most talented acts to enter the Hard Rock Live's gates and he gave us a backstage tour.

As we walked around the arena, production crews were busy setting up for that evening's performance by the band Staind. Bernie brought us down to the arena floor, where we witnessed firsthand the sound and lighting checks.

Every performance is unique and exciting, although as Dillon recalls, Bad Company’s one-night reunion and Bob Seger are at the top of his list. As we headed out, Bernie told us that Long Islander Billy Joel was scheduled to perform in early

MUSIC just soothes the soul.

I reminisce about the days of old With that OLD TIME ROCK N ROLL

January. Since then, they have added a fifth show and Joel will be performing Jan. 1, 4, 16, 18 and Feb. 6.

Hard Rock Live is relatively small but this allows for all types of acts to come through. Certainly the Hard Rock brand itself is an attraction to performers.

For the full schedule of Hard Rock Live Hollywood, visit www.hardrocklivehollywood.com or call 954-523-3309.

That kind of

- Bob Seger

Bernie Dillion www.boulevardli.com

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12/3/08 10:45:21 AM

H

ard Rock offers an exciting and energetic nightlife with live music, comedy and of course, dancing.

Just outside of the casino is Seminole Paradise, an entertainment village complete with top retail shops, restaurants, Hard Rock Live concert arena, a museum and great clubs.

Paradise Live is a small stage concert venue that features live bands. While we were there we were treated to the sounds of Classic Albums Live, which featured the Eagles’ Hotel California.

On either side of Paradise Live are the places for all-night clubbing.

I hear the DRUMS, ECHO in the night - Toto Pangaea: From London and New York, the 250 million-year-old super continent has been reborn and has made South Florida hot! The lounge-style club is decked out with tribal artifacts, skulls and a safari tent that will make you feel like you’re partying out in the jungles of Africa. The music is dubbed as “international lounge, house, rock and hip-hop” with a full complement of Congo drums and other fun percussion beats. Pangaea also sports an outside lounge complete with fire torches and fire pit. Proper dress is required.

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The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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12/2/08 3:00:39 PM

GOIN’ UP to the SPIRIT in the

SKY

- Norman Greenbaum Spirits: Celebs and celeb DJs can often be spotted at Spirits, but you’ll have to look hard through the crowd in the 17,000-squarefoot three rooms of dance space. Spirits is a pure dance club and not for the fainthearted. With state-of-the-art lighting and nonstop house music you will be dancing until the sun comes up.

Seminole Paradise also features an assortment of bars and clubs including 88’s Dueling Piano Bar (great entertainment!), Automatic Slim’s Rock & Roll Bar, Improv Comedy Club (with top celebrity comedians), Knight Time Billiards (for indoor/outdoor billiards and arcade), Murphy’s Law (a fun Irish bar) and Passion (multilevel club, perfect for the younger crowd).

Restaurants include Renegade Barbeque, Ben & Jerry’s, Wetzel’s Pretzels, Bluepoint Ocean Grill, Johnny Rockets, Tequila Ranch, Bad Ass Coffee, The Park Sports Club, Tuscany Italian Bistro, Hoffman’s Chocolates and Hooters.

EVERYBODY have

FUN TONIGHT - Wang Chung

Gryphon: Just like the powerful mythical creature guarding his treasure, visitors to this trendy hot spot regard it as their own treasure. A combination lounge and dance club, the Gryphon features a recessed dance floor surrounded by banquettes, perfect for those who prefer bottle-service attention. The chic club offers a lavish VIP area, separated by a hedge colonnade inspired by Cirque du Soleil. The VIP area is table-service only and offers a private entranceway, bar and restrooms. www.boulevardli.com

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12/2/08 3:01:11 PM

Max Osceola, Jr.

Buying Back Manhattan, One Burger at a Time

By Jason Feinberg

“O

ur ancestors sold Manhattan for trinkets.

Today with the acquisition of the Hard Rock Cafés, we’re going to buy Manhattan back one hamburger at a time,” said a very proud Max Osceola, Jr. from the Times Square Hard Rock Café, back in December 2006. A Seminole tribe councilman for 11 terms, Max had spoken to me in detail about how the Seminole tribe had gone from hunting deer to hunting deals, in this case acquiring arguably the most successful theme restaurant and brand in history, a move that has only strengthened an already successful tribe that always had vision and optimism, even in the worst of times.

“After the Seminole government was established, they knew they had to provide services to its citizens and they would have to get into business because we don’t tax our citizens,” Max explained. “Tax is not a native word; it’s a European word.”

In order to accomplish this, the tribe was going to have to work with non-tribal members and form a corporation. Hence, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Inc. was established. The president of the corporation is the vice chairman of the Seminole tribal council, and the chairman of the council is the vice president of the corporation. Today, through the profits of various businesses, the Seminoles are able to provide major services, from emergency and health services to education. The tribe employs only about 225 tribal members out of 3,000 (only 40% of the tribe are at eligible age to work); therefore, non-members make

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up the majority of employees making the Seminole tribe a major employer in South Florida.

“In 1974 I was the second Seminole to graduate from college; today we are graduating almost 200. We believe strongly in education. This is important because now that we own an international corporation, we are going to need people with the proper education to help run our businesses.”

Why is it the Seminole tribe has seen greater success than others? It’s a simple case of geography, says Max. “If I had a Hertz dealership at LaGuardia, am I going to rent more cars there or in Rapid City, South Dakota?” The demographics and geography of South Florida allowed the tribe to take advantage of an already established tourist location. But as Max puts it, “We were always successful and always rich. We just didn’t have any money.”

Heritage is not just a part of life for Max; it is a way of life, as with his entire tribe. He is involved with many charities that conduct research to prevent health-related problems and advocate life improvement for the youth and adults. Within the tribe, he has been instrumental with his efforts toward economic, educational and cultural improvements, which ultimately was not only beneficial to the Seminoles, but to the local community. “We are very proud to be American citizens, but it’s important for people to know that we are a sovereign nation; and while some may see that as an advantage, it’s not.

It’s our right; we’re Seminoles first.”

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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12/1/08 3:36:13 PM

Noah Billie

Perserving Seminole Indian History Through Art

By Tina Guiomar

O

Seminole Warrior, 1993

Tribute To Seminole Veterans, 1988

ur culture, environment and experiences are the components that create who we are. In the case of Noah Billie, his Seminole Indian culture clashed with his American adolescence and his experiences as a Vietnam soldier. These aspects and experiences in his life integrated to create the most profound Seminole Indian works of art.

As a young boy, Noah Billie lived the dichotomy of two very incongruous lifestyles: a traditional Seminole Indian steeped in the history and traditions of the tribe, and a typical American high school football player. He experienced the clash between the practice of Seminole tribe dances and football practices. He moved from hunting to punting.

After attending McArthur High School in Hollywood, Florida, for a while, he transferred to the Chilocco Indian School in Oklahoma. After graduation, Noah enlisted in the Marines.

Like other Seminole Indians of his generation, he felt deeply touched by the Vietnam conflict. He fought during the “scorched earth” phase of the Vietnam War, from 1967 to 1970, which exposed him to deadly chemicals and caused him permanent physical damage.

Coming home from war left him in a different state of mind as well as health. Noah developed an interest in art after the war as a way to express his emotions. His talent came from a lineage of Billie artists. His father carved souvenirs and his mother was renowned for her beadwork. Noah Billie completed formal course work at the Institute of American Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico. His focus was on scenes of traditional Seminole culture.

His favorite subject was the Seminole man.

Depicting Seminole Indian culture and history became a passion. Noah’s compositions are vivid depictions of the history of Seminole Indian ways, each with a strong central Seminole Indian character. Osceola is depicted in Seminole Warrior (1993).

Portrait Of An Older Woman, 1986

The legendary war chief of the Florida Seminoles, Osceola had led a small band of warriors in the Second Seminole War against the United States, which was fought from 1835-1842. Portrait of An Older Woman (1986) depicts a traditional Seminole Indian woman in Seminole Indian dress, with an arrangement of beaded necklaces.

Noah Billie’s most profound work, Tribute To Seminole Veterans (1988), is an example of the significant differences between Seminole life and American life, his cultural history integrating with his experiences during the Vietnam War. The painting depicts a Seminole soldier dressed in governmentissued battle fatigues walking through rice paddies. Black helicopters dot the sky as a traditional Seminole warrior looks down from the clouds. This is Billie’s expression of his experiences in Vietnam, a soldier at war for modern America, whose spirit still reflects the Seminole Indian warrior spirit.

Noah Billie’s artwork is exhibited at the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum, “where all Seminole children could see where their past came from,” Brenda Billie, Noah’s widow, states. It is important for Brenda, as it was for Noah, that children never forget their past and remain proud of their Seminole Indian heritage. Through the ages, art has served to memorialize history and encourage pride.

Noah Billie created a masterful body of work that can educate future generations of the Seminole Indians. Billie’s culture, environment and experiences created the person he was: a Seminole Indian and an American, struggling to coexist in one man. He was able to express his emotions on the canvas, to express the struggle of the Seminole Indians to keep their land and their freedom, to express that one should never forget where they came from and should take that history and adapt it to their modern experiences.

www.boulevardli.com

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12/1/08 12:46:50 PM

Truly Out of the Office: Billie’s

Swamp Safari

With the Gatorman

By Tim Sullivan Photos by Tina Guiomar and Jason Feinberg

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The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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12/1/08 10:48:37 AM

A

huge man in knee-high swamp boots with hair down his back stood grinning at me in the air-conditioned gift shop of Billie’s Swamp Safari at the Seminole reservation. I looked down at the hatchling alligator in

my hands.

“He will tear your arm off in four years, but today he is as gentle as a kitten,” said Glen Wilsey, the Gatorman of the Florida Everglades. We were at the Billie Swamp Safari on the sovereign soil of the Seminole Nation. Wilsey had strode up to me seconds before and handed me the baby alligator as a greeting. I guess that’s “Hello” for swamp tour guides. The reptile wasn’t gentle as a kitten. He was actually trying to turn around and bite me but as the tiny terror squirmed in my hands, I knew this was going to be a GREAT day.

Our tour guide took us to the mess hall first, past pens of giant tortoises, cages of beautiful snakes (Yes, snakes are beautiful and I have loved them ever since I was a kid!), an

alligator wrestling pen and various exotic parrots. As we dined on a feast of fried gator nuggets, catfish, frogs' legs and hearts of palm – all Everglades native foods – Wilsey started to spin his yarns in the way that only a swamp guide can.

Wilsey loves gators. He doesn’t just show them to tourists.

He swims with them. He lives with them. He talks to them. He feeds them. He does everything that you and I should never do with alligators. But despite being a character, Wilsey is a very altruistic and serious conservationist. He knows more about alligators and swamp fauna than anyone in South Florida.

His purpose in life is to interpret nature for people who care to listen and to advocate for preservation and proper wildlife management. Think of him as kind of a Lorax that wears alligator teeth. His infectious enthusiasm makes a day at Billie’s Swamp Safari perfect for any family who wants to see wildlife or any grown-up kid like myself that wants to go hunting for snakes.

And so The Boulevard's adventure began… www.boulevardli.com

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The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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12/1/08 10:48:48 AM

Wilsey took us out to his swamp buggy, a Goliath contraption with giant wheels up to my shoulders. “Gonna get a little bumpy in here,” he chuckles. I should have heeded his warnings. I had no idea.

The swamp buggy took the six of us through a huge Jurassic Park-style gate. As the huge metal clunked closed behind us, I suddenly felt vulnerable. I was behind a 16-foot fence in a Dr. Seuss-like vehicle driven by a man in swamp boots who wrestles alligators for affection. This was a good day out of the office.

Billie’s Swamp Safari has numerous exotic game that were brought to Florida from Asia, Africa and South America. Huge water buffaloes from Australia roam freely and stare at you as the buggy roars by slowly. Wild pigs and zebras peek out of various bushes. Animals you have never seen before with names you have never heard gracefully acknowledge you as their guests across this 250-acre preserve. Birds of every kind trot everywhere. Spoon bills, ibis, various types of heron, everglade kites and numerous red shoulder hawks all swoop around carelessly unbothered by our cantankerous noise.

“Watch your heads as we get into the canopy, you don’t wanna get swatted in the face,” calls Wilsey. By this time in the tour I should be taking the warnings a little more seriously, but I learn the hard way as a palm frond slaps across my cheek. The buggy enters a narrow trail, overgrown on both sides with solid leaves for a top. For more than 90 minutes, we wind through the dense cypress swamp, looking at every leaf, bird and tiny lizard.

Wilsey knows everything in the woods. He provides anecdotes, myth and fact about everything, from how the salicylic acid in willow sprigs was chewed by cowboys to ward off headaches to how gentle sassafras was used as an early toilet paper. At every turn, he asks us to be silent lest we catch a glimpse of a gator. At every bend he reminds us that this is the territory of the Florida panther. We see neither, but it doesn’t matter. Our guide’s inherent intrigue is more than enough.

At a replica of a native village deep in the swamp we stop.

Wilsey kicks over a fire ant mound and the stinging deadly insects ooze like coffee grinds out of the sand. Safely back in our buggy, he takes a chip of rock and some cloth husk from his pocket. Every young boy knows this trick – create sparks and make the husk catch fire if you can. “My record is 13 seconds,” he says, to which I sit in silent and polite disbelief. He chips the rock, deftly directing a spark to land on the husk, and within 20 seconds, a flame emerges from his hands. This guy could survive outside forever. I would still be pounding the flint rocks together.

“Now we are going to see the animals that I live for, the gators!” says Wilsey as he revs up the engine of the airboat on the second part of our tour. We hold onto the rails and wind our way through the sawgrass and water hyacinth. The engine shuts off. The steely eyes of an American alligator coldly stare at us over the surface of the water. One comes up to the side of our boat as Wilsey sweet talks it. “Come on up, sweetheart, it's alright. The nice magazine people want to say hello.” The alligator bumps into the aluminum hull with a thud as Jason Feinberg and Tina Guiomar shoot pictures too close for comfort and publisher Angela Anton, dive buddy Brian Piece and I casually move to the other side in fear. Wilsey points out an alligator on the other side. Then another. Then another. Then another. Pretty soon everywhere you look there are nothing but alligators! Too many to count…

The fear subsides and for just one moment I realize I am truly out of the office. The novelty of being deep in the Florida Everglades surrounded by more than 50 alligators is, well, unforgettable and exhilarating. It is truly the ultimate day out for anyone staying at the Hard Rock Seminole or passing through South Florida. And for this reporter, it was a chance to be 13 again, looking for dangerous reptiles in the woods. We didn’t see a snake the whole day, though…guess I will have to go back again and go out with Wilsey.

www.boulevardli.com

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12/1/08 10:48:57 AM

Scuba Diving

Diving South Florida With AquaSports

Any Diver, Anywhere, Anytime

By Brian Peice and Tim Sullivan

I

’ve been a scuba diver for the better part of a dozen years.

Although I average 25 to 50 dives per year and make at least one annual dive trip, I consider myself a casual diver. This is probably a clue that I’m in total denial about my diving addiction. I know I’m not very different from anyone else who wants his vacation to be unique, yet painless and safe.

Divers, however, have some special needs that can completely make or break an excursion. How can you as a diver ensure that your needs are met and be sure that what you originally booked for your trip is what actually gets delivered? Here are some key questions that will help you select the best dive operator for you.

Where do you want to stay? Often the temptation is to go with an all-inclusive resort, but don’t be afraid to select your accommodations separately from your dive provider. This allows you to get the best value in both regards. For my most recent trip, I was flying to the Ft. Lauderdale Airport and staying at the stellar Seminole Hard Rock Casino Hotel in Hollywood, Florida.

The Hard Rock Hollywood is not in the dive business, but they were happy to suggest a local operator, Aqua Sports Inc. The best thing about this arrangement was that my group could

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enjoy all the accommodations at the Hard Rock when we weren’t in the water, and still go diving with a world class dive team.

Who will I dive with? You should find the dive operator that will best meet your specific needs. It's hard to judge; in this case we took the recommendation of the Hard Rock staff in choosing Aqua Sports. Hotel referrals are usually a good way of ensuring quality of service and safety. Operators have an incentive to keep the business relationship healthy by accommodating guests. Aqua Sports' website, aquasportsinc.com, gave a really clear overview of what was available to us. Listening to recommendations and reviewing what a shop, boat or operator has to offer, whether online, in print or on the phone, is usually the best way to find real quality.

Where do you want to dive? In my case the answer was easy – the ocean. I was simply trying to get some dive time. Dive time is a near transcendental state where all worries are left behind.

Are my feelings about George Bush misguided? Should I get out of the market or should I be buying? Did that guy who wants my corner office cut my brake lines? I can forget about all that while I’m diving. If you have specific needs that are different

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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from mine, for instance, if you want to “Baby” the Friendly Moray dive a shipwreck, see large sea animals or explore a reef, you need to make sure that your dive provider is going to do that for you. Most dive providers will customize an itinerary for a large group, but if you are only going to represent two out of 22 people on the boat you need to be sure that they’re going to go where you want to go.

Who will save my life in the water?

My dive partner Tim and I met in a tank of sharks at the New Jersey State Aquarium in Camden and have traveled all over the world, diving together for 10 years. The only buddy issues we have are whether to eat at Denny’s or Applebee's afterward. We intuitively know how the other will handle himself in any eventuality underwater. We train together at the Pennsylvania Quarry regularly throughout the summer months. Every diver should seek to develop a long-term dive partner. If none of your friends dive, there are numerous recreational clubs that always dive together. You need a buddy who is as skilled as you are, is trained in rescue techniques and won't push the limits.

They should know your gear and you should know theirs. Lastly, you should have someone who will never make you feel guilty if you call off a dive in the first 10 feet because your sinuses hurt. especially when they are professionally done.

However, they are welcome to ridicule you if your seasickness What I took away from my trip with Aqua Sports was even makes you vomit on some big dude’s dive gear back at the better than a vacation; it was more like an education. What surface. These requirements are optimal and the safest buddy a great outcome! I learned some things about myself while I circumstances you can strive for. Aqua Sports has an excellent learned about the ocean life in southeast Florida. Aqua Sports is team that can act as buddies if you are alone and can also assist now highly recommended, by me. - Brian Peice with training that can be customized to suit you.

Do I want to see anything special while I’m diving and what Snake Eel will I take away? “Take only pictures, leave only bubbles” is often repeated as the mantra of the eco-dive crowd. Conversely, New Jersey and New York scuba divers are often unfairly tagged with a “take everything that will fit in my goodie bag” mentality.

There is a happy medium. Personally, I often like to take shellfish, legally, in season, in places where it is allowed. Since our Aqua Sports trip was often in a marine park and I was unsure of the local regulations, we were definitely operating under the “pictures only” rules. Aqua Sports provided us with world class photography and I’ll be honest – there isn’t much I enjoy more that forcing my friends to page through my travel pictures –

Aqua Sports Team www.boulevardli.com

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12/1/08 12:24:27 PM

Scuba Diving

Diver’s Log

By Tim Sullivan

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The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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12/1/08 12:24:32 PM

Friday, 5 p.m.

Brian and I get back from all day outing at Billie’s Swamp Safari and do a full-on gear check. We confirm with dive operator Colum Sullivan of Aqua Sports. We get directions, load address into GPS, load gear in car, meet The Boulevard editorial staff for dinner at Council Oak and try to sleep.

Saturday, 6 a.m.

We wake up and eat breakfast at the Blue Plate Diner in the hotel. We then drive 30 minutes to the marina, meet our fourperson dive host team, sign waiver, load boat. Our six-person dive team splashes at 10 a.m. The first dive is a double wreck at 60 feet. The six of us break off from the larger group at depth and use our compass headings to find a second wreck. On the swingback, we fight a very strong current. Current swimming requires exertion and we burn so much air there is no exploring of second wreck.

Stingray - Sunday Ship Wreck Adventure The second dive is a drift. The boat drops divers while moving and we gather at the surface with dive master who will float a flag, and we fly with the current for 500 yards at 50 feet, over Our second night dive is a drift. Drifting at night is a bit nervecoral. This type of diving involves very little exertion, but you racking if you are new to either diving at night or drifting. At do need excellent buoyancy control for a floating safety stop 60 feet we followed a similar pattern as that morning, yet the at 15 feet on the ascent. We wait on the surface after giving the underwater fauna is drastically different. Lobsters, stone crabs, OK sign for the boat to return and throw us the “Jesus line,” a nocturnal squid are seen in abundance. The fascination with thick rope that extends 25 yards off the back of the boat with a these critters gives way to a heightened sense of awareness as mooring ball attached. The Jesus line is the main method of boat I remember they are favorite food of bull and tiger sharks that re-entry for drift diving. Drift diving covers the most distance on prowl in large numbers through South Florida. The highlight of the sea floor of any type. this dive is the snake eel. This beautiful, slow-moving serpent fish is purple with white spots and seen on only one in every 200 dives.

Sunday, 6 a.m.

Nocturnal Squid - Saturday night dive.

Saturday, 6 p.m.

After an afternoon relaxing, Brian and I are back at the marina at dusk for an evening departure. Night diving is one of my favorite dives. We splash into significantly choppy water and descend 100 feet into pitch black to a large cargo wreck. Because we were doing multiple dives that day we filled our tanks with 32 percent nitrox. This enriched formula mixes more oxygen into what you breathe so there is less diver fatigue and less nitrogen buildup in your bloodstream. All divers should seek a nitrox certification to have the option of using different mixes and increasing both their bottom time and decompression safety margins. No big animals were seen on this dive, just the ghostly rusted corals and sleeping fish.

Today is the big animal encounter day. As Brian noted, we met years ago in a tank at the NJ State Aquarium with a dozen huge sharks swimming around us, so we love to be around big creatures. The team takes us to a wreck where an enormous 100+ pound southern stingray swims up to be fed. We pop open some cans of sardines and the huge slimy pillow nudges over my hands and I can feel his hairbrush-like mouth.

Seemingly out of nowhere, a huge 9-foot green moray swims over and between my legs. Colum had told us that he knew this eel well and that he had rehabilitated her after she was hurt in a fight with another eel. An eel this size could easily end your life or tear off an appendage if it were in the wrong mood. For all my years of close encounters with sharks, I still get anxious around big morays. I calmed myself down and remembered this one was supposed to be totally tame. For the next 45 minutes, she swam around the dive team playfully looking for more food. She and Colum seemed to have a relationship, but she wasn’t short on the affection with any of us. It's paradoxical anomalies like this one that make diving with the right team key to unlocking the secrets of the ocean's inhabitants. It was an experience that I will never forget, and can't wait to do again. For those recreational divers reading this and for prospective divers and snorkelers – all types of moray eels are dangerous and should never be touched or harassed! Unless a master instructor briefs you on an animal prior to an encounter, LEAVE IT ALONE! There are plenty of opportunities to arrange animal interaction with teams like Aqua Sports where you can experience sharks, eels, dolphins, manatees and giant turtles close up in a respectful and safe way. www.boulevardli.com

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12/1/08 12:24:41 PM

Around The Town

Fall Into Winter At

Old Westbury Gardens

Season Closes with Holiday Celebration Photos by Vince Kish Dec. 13 and 14, and 20 and 21 Holiday Celebration 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Period rooms exquisitely decorated with wreaths, mantelpiece drapes, topiaries, plants and other horticultural arrangements. Also on display will be antique clothes and toys from our collection. Local music groups will perform in the Red Ballroom. Bring the children to share their holiday wishes with Santa. Call or visit www.oldwestburygardens.org for program schedule.

Friday, Dec. 12 Toast & Tour 6 to 9 p.m.

After a hectic day at work, plan a visit to enchanting Westbury House. Following an elegant tour, enjoy wine, desserts and live holiday music in the Red Ballroom. Reservations required. $18; $15 for members and groups of 10 or more.

Saturday, Dec. 13 Holiday Tea 6 to 8 p.m.

Experience the time-honored tradition of an English tea, including a presentation on traditional teatime customs, tea with scones, finger sandwiches and desserts, as well as a guided tour of decorated Westbury House. Reservations required.

Saturdays, Dec. 13 and 20 Children’s Holiday Crafts 10 a.m. to 1p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 20 Children’s Holiday Tea 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Create ornaments to decorate Santa’s tree.

After our Holiday Celebration, the decorated tree will be given to an emergency shelter for children operated by the Interfaith Nutrition Network (INN), a Long Island-based organization that provides food, shelter and other services.

Join us for a special tea complete with British holiday customs. Reservations required.

Monday - Thursday, Dec. 15-18 Tea & Tour Seatings at 11a.m., 1 and 3 p.m.

A guided tour will follow tea and light refreshments. Reservations required.

Discounts for groups of 10 or more and members. Call Angela Savino at 333-0048 ext. 310 for more information.

Holiday Concerts Festive performances fill Westbury House with music during our Holiday Celebration.

Concerts are included with admission; but seating is limited.

Kende Trio: Dec. 13, 1:30 p.m.

Suzuki on the Island: Dec. 14, 1:30 p.m.

Holy Name of Mary Church Bell Chorus, Valley Stream: Dec. 20, 1:30 p.m.

Girl Scouts of Nassau County Chorus, Dec. 21, 1:30 p.m.

Old Westbury Gardens 71 Old Westbury Road Old Westbury, NY 516-333-0048 www.oldwestburygardens.org

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At the Nassau County Museum of Art by the award-winning author. Adding to the joy of this interactive exhibition, the galleries will feature music by Seeger’s relative, the legendary Pete Seeger, and items to encourage children’s responses to the work on view.

Tee Ridder Miniatures Museum through Jan. 4, 2009 Pop-Up Holiday Magic Stories pop off their pages in this Tee Ridder exhibition devoted to the holidays.

Leah Fiterstein, a native Long Islander, shares objects from her extensive collection of pop-up books and other treasures.

Events Family Sunday at the Museum Sundays, Dec.14, 21, 28 from 1 p.m.

Tiffany - Pond Lily Library Lamp

Exhibitions Main Gallery through Jan. 4, 2009 Tiffany Lamps: Articles of Utility, Objects of Art and Tiffany and the Gilded Age Tiffany’s stained glass, replete with luscious depictions of poppies, grapevines, lotus, daffodil, dogwood, wisteria are shown in magnificent lamps and windows.

Aya Uekawa - A Team Player Candidate (The Charm Lover)

Contemporary Gallery through Jan. 4, 2009 Feminine Image Works by photographer Tina Barney, sculptor Donna Rosenthal and painter Aya Uekawa are featured in an examination of issues such as social acceptance, fashion, beauty, conformity and individuality.

Laura V. Seeger - One Boy Cover

Second Floor Gallery through Jan. 4, 2009 Laura V. Seeger: Children’s Book Illustrations This is the first museum exhibition of works

by Rockville Centre artist Laura Vaccaro Seeger. The exhibition includes beautifully rendered illustrations for children’s books

Each Sunday the museum offers a 1 p.m. docent-led family walkthrough of the exhibition and at 1:30, supervised art activities for the whole family. Special family guides of the main exhibition are available in the galleries. Family Sunday at the Museum is free with museum admission.

Holidays With the Kende Trio Sunday, Dec. 14 at 3 p.m.

The remarkable Kende Trio of Locust Valley presents a program of holiday music. A string ensemble consisting of Alexis on violin, Christa on viola/piano and Daniela on cello, the acclaimed trio has appeared frequently on Long Island as well as at major international music festivals and before Pope John Paul II in Rome.

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 exhibitions 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; 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 events, days/times and directions call 516-484-9337 or visit www. nassaumuseum.com.

Pop-Up Holiday Magic Snoppy Xmas. www.boulevardli.com

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12/3/08 10:48:56 AM

Around The Town

Tuning In with WLIW21 New York Public Television

Business Ethics in the 21st Century

Make 'Em Laugh

Dr. Bill Baker, author of Leading With Kindness, profiles corporations working on making money, helping society and helping the environment and discusses Columbia and Harvard's new MBA.

A six-party comedy miniseries showcases the most hilarious men, women and moments in American entertainment and why they make us laugh. Billy Crystal hosts.

Limelight: Long Island's Scholar Artists

Beyond the TV Set

The Long Island Arts Alliance (LIAA) showcases exceptional high school students from the visual arts, music, theater, dance and media arts, with founder Roger Tilles and Dale Lewis of Usdan.

WLIW21 has your chance to see some of public television's favorite performers and chefs live, including exclusive dinners with Lidia Bastianich and a "Taste of Italian NY" event at DiPalo's and Ferrara's in Little Italy. Visit wliw.org/vivaitalia or call 800-7672121 for tickets in support of your local PBS station.

Monday, Dec. 22 at 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 23 at 9 p.m.

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Coming in January

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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The Gift of Art at the Heckscher Museum of Art Adult Programs Art History 101: Fernand Léger, Master of Modernism Wednesday, Dec. 17, 7 to 8 p.m.

Curator Dr. Kenneth Wayne will discuss the life and works of the legendary French painter, sculptor, and filmmaker. Free admission Art History 101: The Power of the Press Wednesday, Jan. 21, 7 to 8 p.m.

A historical retrospective of printmaking through the ages. Free admission

Flutissimo! Flute Quartet Friday, Jan. 2, 7 to 8:30 p.m.

An Evening of Art, Music, Food and Wine Saturday, Dec. 13, 7 to 9 p.m.

Non-members $10, members $8 Advance registration is recommended.

Midday Music Presents Island Chamber Ensemble Monday, Jan. 12, 12 to 1 p.m.

Take a noontime musical coffee break with Island Chamber Ensemble. Free Admission

Children and Family Programs Family Fun Days Saturdays, Dec. 6 and Jan. 3, 1 to 4 p.m. (ongoing) Huey, the museum's children’s mascot, will host an exciting art.

General admission fees apply.

ARTree Celebration and Gingerbread Workshop Saturday, Dec. 20, 1 to 3 p.m.

Children aged 8 and up will sketch gingerbread houses and turn them into ornaments to decorate the museum’s ARTree. Nonmembers $10, members $5 Advance registration is required.

Voices and Visions: Tonito Valderrama Thursday, Dec. 18, 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Artist Tonito Valderrama presents works that deal with environmental issues and the importance of the relationship between man and nature. Non-members $5, members free.

Voices and Visions: John Clement Thursday, Jan. 15, 7 to 8:30 p.m.

John Clement’s discussion will focus on his unique creative process in the geometry of the arc and his magnificent installations. Non-members $5, members free.

Book Group The Rescue Artist by Edward Dolnick Monday, Dec. 15, 1 to 2:30 p.m.

A real-life whodunit account of the theft The Scream by Edvard Munch. Non-members $14, members $12 (each session).

Music at the Museum

First Fridays

Celebrate the first Friday of every month with free admission after 5 p.m. Musical entertainment and light refreshments at 7 p.m.

Cupcake Art Children’s Workshop: Edible Animals Saturday, Jan. 24, 1 to 3 p.m.

Children aged 9 and up will create their own original animal design cupcakes. All materials will be provided. Non-members $10, members $5. Advance registration is required.

The Heckscher Museum of Art is located in Heckscher Park on Main Street (Route 25A) and Prime Avenue in Huntington Village on Long Island’s North Shore. For further information, visit www.heckscher.org or call 631-351-3250. www.boulevardli.com

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Around the Town

FOTA Presents Concerts At Coe Hall

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riends of the Arts is pleased to announce its Concerts at Coe Hall series for the upcoming season. The Coe Hall Mansion at Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park in Oyster Bay is the perfect setting for these intimate chamber music concerts.

Feb. 8, 2009 Four Nations Ensemble: Violinist Krista Bennion and harpsichordist Andrew Appel, two members of the Four Nations Ensemble, perform an all-Bach program that is “perfectly balanced… wonderful to hear.”

March 1, 2009 Damocles Trio: Pianist Adam Kent, violinist Airi Yoshioka and cellist Sibylle Johner. Called “a trio with perfect harmony, courtly elegance and great virtuosity.”

March 29, 2009 Biava Quartet: Violinists Austin Hartman and Hyunsu Ko, violist Mary Persin, and cellist Jacob Braun. Praised as "an ensemble of unusual communicative powers" with “a sensitivity beyond its years."

All concerts take place on Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Individual tickets are $35. A subscription to all four concerts is $105 per person. To order tickets, visit www.FOTApresents.org or call 516-922-0061.

Biava Quartet, playing March 29, 2009

Sid Jacobson

JCC’s Auction for Excellence …

Prizes You Just Can’t Get Anywhere Else

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here’s only one place where you can bid for a walk-on role on the hit HBO Series Entourage or an Americana Manhasset Shopping Spree – Sid Jacobson JCC’s 14th Annual Auction for Excellence, set to take place on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009 at 7 p.m.

These are just two of the fabulous, exclusive prizes guests can bid for at many different price levels. The auction is guaranteed to be an evening of fun and fundraising, set to a disco theme.

More than 620 guests attended last year’s event, which raised over $900,000 through live and silent auctions. All of the money raised goes directly to support Sid Jacobson JCC’s crucial social service programs.

So save the date and get ready to boogie – and don’t leave home without your funky, psychedelic threads and far out go-go boots! Tickets are $90 per person and include cocktails, dinner, dessert and entertainment. Reservations can be made by calling 516-484-1545, ext. 136 or 141.

For more information visit www.auctionforexcellence.com.

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At last year's Auction for Excellence, Stephanie Simon bid on and won a walk-on role in the award-winning HBO Series Entourage. She is pictured here with actor Jeremy Piven, who plays Ari Gold.

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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Tilles Center For the Performing Arts DECEMBER

For $110 tickets, call the LI Philharmonic box office at 631-293-2222.

Irish Holiday Music Sunday, Dec. 14 at 7 p.m.

JANUARY

Leahy Celtic Christmas Headlining their first U.S. Christmas tour, the Leahy siblings bring a scintillating program of original and traditional seasonal music to Tilles. $65, $45, $30 (seniors: $62, $42, $27)

Pop Music Saturday, Jan. 3 at 8 p.m.

Back to Bacharach Much in demand, Steve Tyrell, a smash hit in two "Club T" cabaret seasons and most recently on the main stage, made his Manhattan cabaret debut at Feinstein's at the Regency. His first CD, A New Standard, reigned at the top of Billboard's jazz chart for more than 18 months. $75, $50, $35 (seniors, $72, $47, $32)

Recital Hall, 6:45 p.m., $5.

Dr. Genevieve Chinn, Professor of music and director of music history, C.W. Post Campus, Long Island University Cabaret Friday, Jan. 23 at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., Hillwood Recital Hall In the Cool, Cool Evening Cool renditions of favorite tunes by Tony DeSare, one of the cabaret world’s most well-regarded singers.

7:30 p.m.: $40 9:30 p.m.: $30 Children’s Theater Sunday, Jan. 25 at 3 and 6 p.m.

Magic Tree House: The Musical Based on Mary Pope Osborne’s beloved series of children’s books, this musical transforms Merlin Missions into a theatrical event for the entire family. $30, $20

The Nutcracker Dance for the Family Saturday, Dec. 20 at 2 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 21 at 12 and 5 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 22 at 5 p.m.

The Nutcracker Long Island’s own professional dance company, the Eglevsky Ballet, presents its spectacular full-length production of the perennial holiday favorite, choreographed by the company’s artistic director, Ali Pourfarrokh. $60, $50, $35 (seniors: $57, $47, $32) Pop Music Wednesday, Dec. 31 at 7:30 p.m.

Broadway Goes Hollywood!

Maestro David Wiley and the Long Island Philharmonic ring in 2009 with a spectacular program filled with music from some of Broadway’s biggest hit musicals that have made their way to the silver screen (or vice versa). Joining the orchestra will be bass soloist Charles Temkey, a rising opera star and Long Island native. $85, $70, $55.

Cinderella Classical Ballet Friday, Jan.16 at 8 p.m.

Cinderella Prokofiev’s Cinderella as audiences have never seen it before, performed with the bravura of the State Ballet Theatre of Russia. $65, $52, $40 (seniors, $62, $49, $37) Classical Music Saturday, Jan. 17 at 8 p.m.

New York Philharmonic under the direction of conductor Gustavo Dudamel with Pinchas Zukerman on violin perform Knussen's Violin Concerto and Mahler's Symphony No. 5. $110, $82, $52 (seniors, $107, $79, $49) Performance PLUS! Event in the Hillwood

Dirty Rotten Soundrels Broadway Theater Friday, Jan. 30 at 8 p.m.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels “A knock-out punch to Broadway’s funny bone” raved critic Clive Barnes about this lively, uproarious musical tale of two con men on the make on the French Riviera. $75, $60, $45 (seniors, $72, $57, $42).

www.boulevardli.com

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Lifestyles Events

Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation Salutes Honorees at Spectacular Luncheon

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he Long Island Chapter of the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation hosted nearly 400 guests at the dazzling Vision of Hope Luncheon at the Crest Hollow Country Club. Three outstanding honorees received awards for their contributions to CCFA’s mission: Allison Luckman of Roslyn Heights accepted the organization’s prestigious Vision of Hope Award; Rebecca Hollander, marketing director, Americana Manhasset and Wheatley Plaza, accepted the rarely presented Corporate Angel Award, given only to those corporate partners whose work has gone “above and beyond” in serving the community; and Lauren Mendelson, 2008 Youth Ambassador, received the Shining Star Award for her service as a youth leader and Take Steps Walk Captain.

Angela Susan Anton, publisher, Anton Media Group with Mistress of Ceremonies and NBC News anchor Carolyn Gusoff

Honoress Lauren Mendelson, Allison Luckman and Rebecca Hollander are flanked by chapter president Mitchell Carron and ex-director Edda Ramsdell.

Rebecca Hollander, Rita, Frank and Catherine Castagna

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Chapter president Mitchell A. Carron and Shining Star Lauren Mendelson

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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When You Wish for Nigel Barker, Dreams Come True

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e all know Nigel Barker, top fashion photographer and judge on the hit TV show America's Next Top Model. What many might not know, however, is that Nigel is a strong and spirited supporter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He has shot groundbreaking ad campaigns for the foundation and regularly grants wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions who wish to be a model for a day and/or to be photographed by him. Nigel's next opportunity to work his magic for a Wish Kid is on Jan. 27, 2009 and The Boulevard will be on hand to cover and report to its readers on another dream come true. To learn more about how you can be a part of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, visit wwww.metrony.wish.org or call 516-944-6212.

Nigel with Wish Kid Mercedes and her mom during Mercedes’ photo shoot.

Wish Kid Amanda

Wish Kid Mercedes

Wish Kid Mercedes during her photo shoot. www.boulevardli.com

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Lifestyles Events

Making Changes for Domestic Violence Victims

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he sixth About Face: Making Changes Gala to benefit Face to Face: The National Domestic Violence Project and the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence was held Oct. 23 at the Carltun on the Park.

Face to Face is a program conducted under the sponsorship of the American Academy of Facial and Reconstructive Surgery through which plastic surgeons offer pro-bono consultations and reconstructive surgery to victims of domestic violence who have suffered facial disfigurement and scarring. Facial plastic surgeon Andrew A. Jacono, M.D., FACS chaired the event that honored those who have made an ongoing commitment to improving the lives of women in the Long Island community.

The honorees were author Susan Isaacs, Lidia Szczepanowski-Goldsmith Esq, Janie Whitney and A.B. Whitfield. More than 200 guests helped make the event a resounding success. During the evening Howard Weitzman, Nassau County Comptroller, presented citations to the honorees from the office of Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi, for their commitments to our community.

Emily Francis, Dr. Andrew Jacono and Ronna Reich

Dr. Andrew Jacono and Jesse Wasmuth

Scott Neher and Ted Gossman

Women on the Job Celebrate Lillian McCormick Photos by Pat Dillion

A

celebratory dinner honoring Lillian McCormick, co-founder and executive director of Women on the Job (WOJ), was held on Sept. 17 at the Manhasset Bay Yacht Club of Port Washington. Hosted by the Long Island Fund for Women & Girls, the event highlighted Ms. McCormick’s 26+ years of accomplishments as an advocate and educator for women’s workplace rights.

Guests enjoyed a montage of photos, anecdotes by WOJ Co-Founder Charlotte Shapiro, children dressed in workplace uniforms and tributes to Ms. McCormick by women who have been helped by the WOJ Task Force, including Suffolk County public health nurses, Nassau County 911 operators, a woman plumber and women on corporate boards. Ms. McCormick was presented with a memory book of photos and notes.

Angela Susan Anton with Guest of Honor Lillian McCormick

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Friends from Port Washington dress to represent “women on the job.”

Former WOJ board members and staff invite guests to join in singing a tribute.

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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11/30/08 7:03:04 PM

Partners Council for Women’s Health

Benefits Katz Women’s Hospital

T

he Partners Council for Women’s Health held its 16th Annual Fall Luncheon & Fashion Show on Sept. 12 at Old Westbury Gardens. The glamorous afternoon, sponsored by Americana Manhasset and featuring the fashions of Bottega Veneta, attracted 560 guests and raised more than $475,000 toward the establishment of the Katz Women’s Hospital, a new initiative of the North Shore-LIJ Health System. NBC-4 news reporter and Today in New York co-anchor Carolyn Gusoff served as mistress of ceremonies. The Partners Council for Women’s Health is dedicated to raising funds to ensure that cutting-edge care, facilities and technology are available to all women of the community.

Members of the luncheon committee of the Partners Council for Women’s Health Fall Fashion Show & Luncheon.

A model wears Bottega Veneta on the runway.

Paula Marks; Susan Wiener, associate trustee, North Shore-LIJ Health Rita and Frank Castagna with Mistress of Ceremonies Carolyn Gusoff.

System; and Kerri Wiener.

www.boulevardli.com

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11/29/08 6:18:52 PM

Lifestyles Events

Nelson DeMille's The Gatehouse Book Launch October 28, 2008 Union League Club, New York City Photos by Tina Guiomar

Jason Feinberg, Mike Barry, Nelson Demille, Angela Susan Anton and Jim Parise

Carol Higgins Clark, Harlin Corben and Mary Higgins Clark

Sid JCC Golf & Tennis Outing is Great Success

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id Jacobson JCC's 23rd annual Golf & Tennis Outing was its most successful to date, raising $600,000 to support its social service programs, including $40,000 for scholarships. The July 29 outing took place at Old Westbury Golf & Country Club.

This year’s honorees were Andrew and Liza Sandler, whose philanthropic leadership has made a great difference to the community. Harvey and Phyllis Sandler received the Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World) award, a well-earned honor for their benevolent work and generosity. To thank the Sandlers, the JCC's Author Breakfast and Book Signing series will be named in their honor.

A live auction included six invitations to play at the top golf courses in the tri-state area. In lieu of a raffle, 10 scholarships could be purchased to support major social service programs at the JCC, including Camp Kehilla, after-school respite for children with autism and other developmental disabilities, programs for adults with Alzheimer’s disease and children with cancer.

Denise Silverberg, Norman Schefer and Connie Wasserman

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Susan Bender and David Levy

Barry Swindler, Peter Linchitz and Steven Cooper

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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11/28/08 4:11:14 PM

Primary Stages Honors Stars at Gala Benefit

Photos by Robert and Anita Shevett

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rimary Stages, Off-Broadway’s preeminent theater company, held its annual Gala Benefit at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan on Monday, Oct. 27. This year’s honorees were Tony Award-winning actress Patti LuPone and the Baruch-RouthFrankel-Viertel Group. The intimate event began with cocktails and a silent auction, featuring, among other fabulous prizes, a private backstage tour of Gypsy with Patti LuPone. During dinner, President Emerita Sue Breger and Artistic Director Andrew Leynse addressed the guests, highlighting Primary Stages programs and its productions in the current 2008-2009 season.

After dinner, attendees enjoyed rousing performances from actresses Laura Benanti and Leigh Ann Larkin with remarks from Boyd Gaines, Mandy Patinkin and Jerry Zaks honoring the work of Ms. LuPone and the gentlemen of the Baruch-Routh-Frankel-Viertel Group.

Honorees Tom Viertel, Richard Frankel, Steven Baruch, Marc Routh with actress Laura Benanti

Marlene Freeman with Ellen Saidenberg, Angela Susan Anton and Susie Carlton

Laura Benanti, Patti LuPone and Boyd Gaines

Speaker Jerry Zaks and actress Marion Seldes

www.boulevardli.com

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Lifestyles Events

J. Mendel Fashion Trunk Show Hirschleifer’s Americana Manhasset Hosted by the Garden city Hotel Photos By Tina Guiomar

Linda Ugenti and Meitra Khordipour, wearing a mink J. Mendel coat.

Gilles Mendel and model fashioning the Spring 2009 collection.

Jennifer Weinberg, Chef Steve DeBruyn and Stella Haral of Garden City Hotel

The 4th Annual Joe Namath March of Dimes Celebrity Golf Classic October 7, 2008 Bethpage State Park, Bethpage, NY Photos by Tina Guiomar

Steve Carl and Darryl Strawberry

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Joe Namath poses with a sponsor.

Bruce Beck, WNBC sportscaster and Wesley Walker, previous wide receiver for the Jets.

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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Lifestyles Events

ACS Doctors of Distinction Golf Classic and Art Invitational Raises Awareness

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he American Cancer Society, in partnership with Dr. Randall Feingold and Dr. Ron Israeli of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, P.C., teed it up to take a swing at cancer at the inaugural Doctor’s of Distinction Golf Classic on Monday, Aug. 11 at The Creek in Locust Valley.

This first-time event featuring a fabulous day of golf followed by an incredible art auction raised more than $95,000 for cancer research; early detection and prevention education; and advocacy and patient programs. The American Cancer Society would like to thank its major sponsors, LifeCell, Banfi Vintners, ProHealth Care Associates, North Shore – LIJ Health System and Aston Martin Miller Motor Cars for their support in making this a successful event.

Dr. Herb Zaretsky, president of the Board of Directors for ACS Eastern Division; Harry Wagner; Burt Gold; and Michael Lissauer

Dr. Ron Isreali and Dr. Randall Feingold, Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, P.C.

Event at Le Visage Spa Benefits the INN Photos by Tina Guiomar

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n Nov. 6, Dr. A. Prasad, Dr. P. Singh and Le Visage Spa hosted a unique fundraising event at their luxurious surgery suite and spa on Stewart Avenue in Garden City. More than 60 women attended workshops on cosmetic surgery, dentistry and skin care. A portion of the proceeds from raffles, gift cards and other promotions were donated to the INN (Interfaith Nutrition Network), a not-for-profit organization that provides food, shelter and long-term housing to those in need on Long Island. "We were very happy with the turnout and support we received," said Dr. Prasad. "We look forward to organizing other such events in the near future."

Dr. Israel Brenner and Dr. Gerald Kaufman

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Dr. Singh and Dr. Prasad

Monica Singh and Sudha Prasad

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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Tilles Gala Honors Eugene F. De Mark of KPMG Concert Stars Chris Botti and Full Orchestra

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illes Center’s Gala has become the ‘don’t miss’ party of the year, one of the biggest and glossiest of Long Island’s philanthropic circuit. The center’s major fundraiser, the gala is a big evening that includes a cocktail party, a lavish dinner, a spectacular concert and ends up with a dessert party that gets everyone up and out on the dance floor. This year’s honoree was KPMG’s Eugene DeMark. The honorary chairs were Pall Corporation’s Eric Krasnoff and Commerce Bank’s Edward Travaglianti. The gala chairs were Cablevision’s Michael Huseby, First Long Island Investors’ Ralph Palleschi and from KPMG, Theresa Ahlstrom and Robert Arning.

Daniel, Megan and Linda de Roulet pictured with Gala ’08 star Chris Botti.

Elliott Sroka, Gala Honoree Eugene F. DeMark and Jack Bransfield.

Peter Tilles pictured with wife Dori and their daughter and son-in-law.

nuBest Bash Benefits Gift of Life’s 10,000th Miracle Child Photo by Jennifer Donadio

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uBest salon and spa’s Halloween Bash for Gift of Life’s 10,000th Miracle Child was a huge success. More than 150 clients and their children came dressed in costume to celebrate a very special Halloween with Jonathan Olunga, the miracle child from Uganda, Africa. After his successful life-saving heart surgery, Jonathan was feeling great. Dressed as Batman, he got into the spirit of the holiday, and along with the other children, gobbled up treats and enjoyed music and arts and crafts. Local author Maureen Sullivan was on hand to read her new book Ankle Soup along with illustrator Alison Josephs, and the children were treated to a special performance by magician Jen Kramer. Baseball player Paul LoDuca was there to show his support for the Gift of Life as well as for Jamie Mazzei, nuBest owner.

Jamie traveled to Uganda to meet Jonathan and his mother, and the Mazzei family played host to them through their stay in the United States. Jamie said it is an experience he and his family will never forget.

Thanks to generous donations from businesses in the community, a raffle raised funds to get Jonathan back home. The nuBest salon and spa staff gifted Jonathan with his very own video game travel kit.

www.boulevardli.com

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11/29/08 6:32:37 PM

Wine & Dine

Vine Speak

The Ultimate Wine Lover’s Holiday Gift By Heather Muhleman

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he smell of wine and oak barrels wafted through the cool air. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply to fully experience the olfactory sensation of the room. I knew I was in a winery; I also knew that outside weren’t endless rows of grape vines, but endless traffic and high-rise buildings. I was in City Winery – the first contemporary urban winery in New York City. And the best part is that one of those barrels could be mine.

City Winery is the brainchild of Michael Dorf, formerly of the Knitting Factory. With his interest in wine increasing over the past few years, he decided to combine his passions – wine, food, music and friends – and create a space where it can all happen at the same time. And not just drinking the wine, but making it.

City Winery takes up three-quarters of a block on Varick Street in Manhattan’s West Village. The space will not be just a winery, but also a restaurant, tasting room (cheese as well as wine), a club and a performance venue. All of this together makes it the perfect location for the ultimate gathering of friends, wine, food and music.

Michael and City Winery’s master winemaker David Lecomte, who hails from France’s Rhone Valley, have perfected the winemaking process in an urban setting. Ten steel barrels line the winery room and the vintners have already started the process of de-stemming, sorting, pressing and fermenting the first vintages. Fourteen vineyards from across the U.S. have supplied grapes of the highest quality in this initial harvest season for the winery. The spring season will bring in grapes from countries in the southern hemisphere, including Argentina, Chile and South Africa. The goal is to make high-quality wine with people who want to be a part of the process – from conception, through choosing the grapes, selecting the barrel, assisting in the winemaking process and of course, drinking it.

City Winery will make available 200 barrels a year for private ownership/membership. Each barrel holds about 276 bottles, and translates to anywhere from $25 to $40 per bottle, depending on oak, variety and labeling choices. The basic oneyear membership is $5,000 plus the cost of the grapes, the barrel and labeling. There is also a premier winemaking level ($15,000 with even more perks) and a corporate gifting program where the winery will work directly with you and your company to design the perfect wine for gifting. Recently added is the barrel share program where a barrel can be split between six people,

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equaling 46 bottles per person. The remaining 150 barrels made at the winery will be split among house wines and a charity component.

In addition to the already operating winery, City Winery will also open a restaurant, club, tasting bar and music venue in early January 2009. With VIP sections, private rooms and a performance stage, City Winery will prove to be a hot spot for wine lovers and music lovers alike. There will be a full wine bar featuring over 500 wines, as well as a cheese bar featuring Murray cheeses. There is also a space for private events in the main room, downstairs next to the barrel room, and even in the winery itself. An amazing lineup of musicians is planned, including Steve Earle, Suzanne Vega, Boz Skaggs and Elvis Costello’s sideman Steve Naive. That is just for starters …

What better holiday gift is out there for wine lovers than making your own wine? How about a stocking stuffer of City Winery’s VinoFile membership? For an annual fee of $50, the patrons will have access to winemaking classes through the winery as well as workshops, tastings, and special events.

A main database will collect each member’s wine-drinking history and make available a virtual “memory” of vintages.

Recommendations will be made from the information, as well as direct access via the web to the patron.

With City Winery, New York wine lovers have a plethora of choices for this holiday season. Whether you want a bottle or the full barrel, you are in charge of what it’s going to be. As always, drink what you like and in this case, make what you like.

Cheers to good wine – made by you.

Dorf and Lecomte

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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The Inn at New Hyde Park

By Barry Kay

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he Inn at New Hyde Park has been a favorite of Long Island natives for more than 60 years with its fine food and catering facilities. In recent years, the Inn was purchased by a new and enlightened management whose goal was to preserve the rich history and tradition of this elegant establishment in the heart of New Hyde Park. Under the watchful eye of managing partner Frank Marino, the Inn at New Hyde Park has been meticulously transformed into an exciting new restaurant and catering venue combining old-world charm and modern amenities.

The night we visited the Inn, we were greeted by Frank Marino and his executive chef and partner Alan Kruger, both of whom have long years of experience in the restaurant and catering field. Our dining experience that evening was in the Madison Room, the Inn's gourmet restaurant. The menu in the Madison Room offers longstanding favorites such as sauerbraten, jagerschnitzel, and Vienna roastbraten along with continental, Italian and French dishes and steak, fish and lamb. Chef Kruger designed a special Tasting Menu for us that evening and explained each dish to us.

Our appetizer was a generous Martini Salad (shaken, not stirred) with mixed greens, bleu cheese, olives, Mandarin oranges, tomatoes and raspberry vinaigrette, served in a jumbo

martini glass. We also tried two beautifully prepared seafood specialties: Louisiana crab cake and baked clams oreganato.

For our entrees, we had pan-seared chernia with jasmine rice, sun-dried tomatoes, olives and onions, and a perfectly roasted Long Island duck à l'orange, which was flambéed at tableside and served with jasmine rice and julienne vegetable.

Dessert consisted of Triple Chocolate Mousse and cappuccino. During our meal, Frank joined us at the table and told us about the history of the Inn and the exciting expansion plans he and his partners have for the future. After dinner, Frank gave us a tour of the indoor and outdoor facilities at the Inn. According to Frank, the Inn has handled affairs of 400 people or more, small intimate parties, and weddings. There is a large, beautifully appointed outdoor seating area with a garden, fountain and awnings for parties in warmer weather. The outdoor venue offers the charm and the appearance of a small Italian villa in Tuscany.

Thanks to Frank Marino and executive chef/ partner Alan Kruger for their warm hospitality and terrific gourmet food.

The Inn at New Hyde Park offers live music, catering and takeout. It is located at 214 Jericho Turnpike, New Hyde Park, NY. Call 516-354-7797 or visit innatnhp.com.

The Inn at New Hyde Park has been transformed into a magnificent turn-of-thecentury catering facility and gourmet restaurant. The award-winning Chef and partner Alan Kruger has prepared an extensive menu inspired by old Mediterranean tradition, wisely revised and respectfully embellished to delight and satisfy A myriad of emotions and pleasure.

The Inn at New Hyde Park will make your fairy tale wedding come true. A whole new catering venue has been created with one wedding taking place at a time; enjoy peaceful patios for outdoor cocktail receptions, gazebos, waterfalls and fountains where you are transported to a world of “Civilized Grace and European Charm.” All your expectations will be surpassed.

Frank Marino - Managing Partner Alan Kruger - Executive Chef

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214 JERICHO TURNPIKE, NEW HYDE PARK • 516-354-7797 • www.innatnhp.com

12/1/08 1:25:34 PM

Wine & Dine

The DayBoat Café In Roslyn Turtle Crossing Walk, Run, Drive or Sail to in a Seafood Lover's Delight East Hampton

By Barry Kay

By Barry Kay

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n a recent Saturday afternoon, I had a chance to speak with John Durkin in Diane's Bakery and Café in Roslyn. John is mayor of Roslyn and the owner, with his wife Diane, of a growing group of gourmet restaurants in Roslyn and Woodbury, L.I. Upon entering the small (40 seat) restaurant, the decorations, lighting and aromas were evocative of a small wooden fishing boat in the harbor at Cape Cod or Montauk.

Pictures of small boats, docks and fish are strategically hung on the walls, which were bathed in a soft, calming light emanating from quaint fixtures. The banquettes and settings are attractive, simple and perfect for the casual vibe and ambiance of this amazing new restaurant.

That evening, John was on board and prepared a bountiful cornucopia of seafood dishes, each with its own individuality.

Our menu consisted of authentic New England clam chowder, white and creamy with lots of clams, potatoes, vegetables and a hint of bacon flavoring. Next came a DayBoat Caesar salad with fresh greens, croutons and a homemade dressing. The pièce d' resistance was the main course: an incredibly delicious lobster roll, filled with over one pound of large pieces of lobster tail meat, delicately covered in a lemony mayonnaise and garnished with chopped chives on a fabulous homemade roll.

This world-class lobster roll, the best I have ever eaten, was accompanied by a large mound of "you can't eat just one" shoestring French fries.

This petite seafood restaurant is a gem, and with just wordof-mouth and great buzz, is filled to capacity. Since my visit, the reviews and accolades from major media have continued. Of course, when you have a longstanding reputation for serving exquisite and delectable fine food, it doesn't take long for food aficionados around the North Shore to find you, and they have made DayBoat a prime destination, with reservations a must! This concept restaurant will surely be expanded to larger quarters over time, and could be "cloned" in other localities after getting its sea legs in Roslyn. The ubiquitous Durkin has added another jewel to his ever-growing crown of some of the finest dining venues on Long Island. DayBoat has certainly helped liven up the old town of Roslyn with the sound of happy diners eating some of the best seafood around! Congratulations to John Durkin for his exciting new seafood restaurant.

DayBoat Cafe is located at 1361 Old Northern Boulevard, Roslyn. For reservations, call 516-621-2628

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hen you are out in the Hamptons and tired of the "face places" and the "dress-up game," why not try a funky little restaurant with great Southwestern food at really reasonable prices?

T-shirts and jeans or shorts are more than adequate attire for Turtle Crossing in East Hampton. This little restaurant has been around for a looong time and with any luck you will spot some of the Hamptons’ celebs and mega-tycoons just "vegging out. " The decor is beyond funky, the seating comfortable, and there are small off-the-wall signs on the walls. Yet this restaurant is amazingly consumer-friendly, with extra-large portions of greattasting food.

What's good at this offbeat little place? Just about everything … so let me suggest the following: We had some wonderful quesadillas and a basket of crispy artichokes. Dinner consisted of two large spicy hot corncobs rolled in Cotija cheese and chili powder, then chargrilled. Turtle Crossing is noted for great barbecue so we tried an assortment of BBQ chicken, ribs, brisket and pulled pork. Baskets of cornbread are served with the meal and they alone are worth the price of admission. Taking home leftovers seems appropriate at Turtle Crossing, as the portions are really enormous.

After all that BBQ and Southwestern spicy food, who could pass up a homemade dessert? We chose the peach cobbler with a wonderful buttery crust, fresh peaches and a pureed peach sauce that was eaten almost as quickly as it got to the table.

Turtle Crossing’s charming owner Sandy Singer was a more than gracious host and made us feel right at home. Executive Chef Arthur Wolf is a graduate of the Culinary Institute at NYIT, and after working in St. Croix and a number of fine restaurants in the Hamptons, made Turtle Crossing his home.

Forget the decor, leave the fancy duds at the door and enjoy some of the best and heartiest Southwestern food and BBQ on the Island.

Turtle Crossing 221 Pantigo Road East Hampton, NY Forget reservations, but call 631-324-7166.

Open daily for dinner and brunch on Saturday and Sundayay.

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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11/30/08 3:45:34 PM

Wine & Dine

La Pace With Chef Michael Bringing Old Traditions Into a New World

By Venus Quintana the exceptional cuisine and elegant setting.

On entering, one finds a bar area that is cozy, intimate and inviting, showcasing a beautiful brick archway and a painted mural of Roslyn Harbor. The impressive, high-ceilinged dining room has remained the same, with green and gold fabric-covered walls, magnificent brass chandeliers, beautiful wainscoting and an arresting stone fireplace. A separate back dining room has been added that can be opened up to create a larger L-shaped space, accommodating up to 160 people.

Chef Michael is constantly reinventing old classics and introducing new ideas to vary his menu. For appetizers, a display of fresh figs, melon, prosciutto and bocconcini cheese was served in a well-balanced balsamic reduction. A calamari salad was simply prepared in lemon and olive oil with marinated tomatoes. The entrees featured Gnocchi la Pace, a delectable homemade gnocchi filled with ricotta and served in a filetto di pomodoro sauce. The chicken and veal marsala served with broccoli rabe was satisfying and the rigatoni with a veal ragout was a sure winner. Desserts took center stage, arriving as an attractive display of sumptuous creations. Panna cotta was silky smooth and served in a martini glass, along with an intense dark chocolate mousse that could satisfy the most ardent chocolate lover. Warm sfogliatelle were light, flaky pastries filled with sweet ricotta - a perfect end to the perfect meal.

La Pace with Chef Michael is open for lunch and dinner.

Reservations are recommended. Live music, tasting dinners and private party room are available.

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ong Island’s Gold Coast is home to some of the finest Italian restaurants, and no list of great restaurants would be complete without La Pace in Glen Cove. For more than 20 years it has succeeded in keeping the tradition of old world Tuscan charm and hospitality paired with fine Italian cuisine.

In 2004, La Pace was purchased by Michael Mossallam, who had been the executive chef at the North Hempstead Country Club for 19 years. As a veteran in the culinary field, Chef Michael brought his talent and vision with him to create La Pace with Chef Michael. He takes great pride in carrying on the fine reputation of La Pace, where generations of diners have enjoyed

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The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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Wine & Dine

Ring in the New Year in Style at Chateau Briand The lobby of the Chateau Briand at Christmas time.

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ith the holidays fast approaching and a new year around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about how to celebrate with friends and family.

And if you’re looking to celebrate in style, nobody throws a New Year’s Eve party better than Chateau Briand.

As one of Long Island’s premier event locations, Chateau Briand sets the standard with its guests in mind. General Manager Tom Wright said, “Our New Year’s Eve Gala promises to be the best yet, with two additional rooms of DJ music and live bands. We started our After Dark party a few years ago for New Year’s, and it’s grown ever since. We’re expecting this to be one of the biggest events yet.”

Guests can choose between two different New Year’s Eve settings on December 31 ­– live music or DJ entertainment.

The special New Year’s Eve Gala will feature a cocktail hour with unlimited premium liquors, cold displays and a wide variety

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of hot buffet dishes; the live music rooms will include a seafood boat filled with raw clams, oysters, seafood salad and shrimp.

Cocktail hour will be followed by an appetizer duet, pasta course and a surf and turf entrée. After your meal, enjoy some of Chateau’s award-winning Viennese desserts, fruit platters, an assortment of Italian pastries and an international coffee and cordial table. Open bar, music, dancing, entertainment, noisemakers, hats, balloons and a champagne toast at midnight – the “whole nine yards” – are all included.

Seating times for the DJ entertainment rooms ($99/person) are from 9 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. to 3 a.m. Seating times for the live music rooms ($119/person) are from 8 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Make your New Year’s Eve celebration a night to remember at Chateau Briand. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 516-334-6125. Ticket prices exclude gratuities and tax; menus are subject to change.

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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Travel

Venturing Beyond the Traditional African Safari

By Sara Duncan Widness Photos by Dennis Coello

The bikers-with-animals shots were taken at the huge game preserve surrounding the lodge of Ant's Nest.

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The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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hen you book a safari, you expect to see exotic animals in the wild. What you’re not prepared for is the rush that comes when you actually spot them – singly, in herds or clustered en masse as in Edward Hicks’ painting Peaceable Kingdom or in the works of Henri Rousseau.

You’re also not prepared for elemental pleasures: hot tea with rusks (a cross between cookies and granola bars) before leaving your tent for breakfast, the lull of the evening campfire, the embrace of more stars dangling overhead than you’ve ever seen in your life, the landscape that extends beyond the horizon like an ocean.

A safari has the potential to place an indelible tattoo on your soul. Sure, you have the photographs, the diaries, the videos, the collectibles and the new email addresses of the nice people you travel with. But you also have rocking through your memory the elephant tendering its baby at the side of a watering hole and how tall those giraffes stripping treetop leaves actually are.

If your adventure begins in Cape Town and environs you also get a snapshot of how imperialism – it doesn’t matter which non-natives at this point – overrode the African bush cultures to create vineyards and ranches and villas close to where two oceans, the Indian and Atlantic, embrace to forge a climate

that can be likened to that of the Mediterranean or southern California.

So Cape Town is a good place to start enroute to a safari because, while a stop at Starbucks may not be on the itinerary, you’re confident that a watering hole somewhat like a Starbucks exists in this seemingly sophisticated big town and therefore, you’re still in your comfort zone.

Imagine the cable car ride to the top of Table Mountain, the panoramas, the hike along the ridge line, wine tasting in Stellenbosch, nice dinners … it could be Napa, Burgundy, or a mountaintop resort. Imagine hopping on bikes to traverse the oldest wine route on the cape, sea kayaking with a penguin colony on Cape Peninsula, boating among 50-ton Southern Right Whales and watching the antics of a 60,000-strong fur seal colony, then exploring Nelson Mandela’s maximum-security prison cell on Robben Island and witnessing the poverty of lives still lived in hope near the Cape Town airport, where millions of people define life from the perspective of corrugated tin hovels.

This is anything but the hermetically sealed world to which we’ve become inured in North America.

In fact, the absence of the contrasts of these disparate cultures comes as a relief the first night on the Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve. (It's a short flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg to the reserve). You’ve been prepped into the

We kayaked at Boulder's Beach, south of Cape Town. Proximity to the penguins is the biggest draw at this site.

www.boulevardli.com

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Travel The tour hikes along Cape Town's famous mountain wall called Table Mountain that sits above it.

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contradictions of this continent, and your first night in camp, with only the stars to keep you company against the howl of the distant hyena and the snorting of an unidentified beast just yards away, brings the kind of peace that comes when you narrow the playing field. Here it’s you, the wilderness, and its creatures … without the complications of civilized and other not-so worlds.

As the folks who organize safari tours have become more conversant with the habits of the wilderness, they’ve also become more creative in designing ways for their clients to explore the bush. Sure there’s still the traditional Jeep-style vehicle moving clients to and fro on well-worn tracks, but today guests can also hike, mount horses or ride bikes in the bush under the close surveillance, of course, of trained guides prepared to step up to the plate should anything untoward happen – for instance, a lion forgetting to play its disinterested role. On the reserves where visitors can hike, bike and horseback ride, herbivores graze seemingly unfazed by humans, and large predators are notably absent.

In other regions of southern Africa where predators do roam, guests can still extend their experiences beyond the traditional Jeep and view the landscape and its habitants by canoe, elephant, rafts on whitewater rivers, and even hot air balloons.

Austin-Lehman Adventures has scheduled three Family Adventure Safaris around the 2009 school holiday dates of Feb. 15, April 5 and July 5. These are 10-day/9-night tours with rates per adult (double) at $5,998, the first child $5,398 and second child $4,798.

A program called Safari & Multi-sport Adventure offers three 2009 departures: Aug. 23, Sept. 13 and Nov.1. The per person double rate is $7,998 for 11 days/10 nights in-country.

These rates reflect nearly all-inclusive costs of rooms with private baths; most meals and snacks; professional, first-aid certified guides and local experts; bikes; kayaks; helmets and other necessary equipment; vehicle support during the trip; luggage service; detailed pre-departure and packing information; all taxes, dining and housekeeping gratuities; and national park entrance and permit fees.

For more information on multi-sport and family safaris, contact Austin-Lehman Adventures at www.austinlehman.com or 800-5751540.

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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Travel

Nowhere Like Napa

By Barbara Capozzi Photos by Angela Susan Anton

Warren Winiarski, owner of Stag’s Leap, at the Hands of Time

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rom the moment you arrive at the boutique hotel Auberge Du Soliel in Napa, you are immediately transformed into relaxation mode. With its unpretentious, understated, sophisticated yet tranquil setting, Auberge will take your breath away. Expect to be driven to your suite via a short golf cart ride, bringing you to your private sanctuary nested in the hillside. Noting your name on the mailbox is a sure sign that your stay will be seamless.

Step inside, where your eyes fix on a welcome tray with a beautiful orchid plant, bottle of wine, fresh fruit, crackers, cheese, and table setting complete with linens, plates and glasses. Sitting at the dining room table allows full view of the guest suite with its double sofas and fireplace, as well as the view of your patio overlooking a mountain range. This is where you can enjoy a gourmet breakfast, read the newspaper and still stay in touch with the real world with your flat screen.

A fully stocked kitchen comes complete with a state-ofthe-art Sub-Zero fridge, a variety of all-natural juices, bottled water, cheese, olives and plenty of other healthy snacks, as well

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as gourmet teas and coffee. The bathroom has both a shower and Jacuzzi, and of course, plenty of luxury spa products and candles.

The master bedroom features double doors for privacy, which also open to let guests share conversation as each enjoys his or her own domain; each has its own flat screen and separate entrance to the patio, furnished with lounge chairs and umbrella table.

Meals at the hotel are all four-star. Choose to have lunch on the famous Restaurant Terrace at Auberge, where tourists come from all over to catch a glimpse of the magnificent view.

The California–Mediterranean cuisine is a perfect fit for this venue. We chose tuna niçoise, paired with Schramberg sparkling white wine. Schramberg was the first American wine served at a White House or state event, at home or abroad. It was chosen by President Nixon in 1972 for the "Toast to Peace" dinner in Beijing.

Although evenings may be chilly, the heating lamps at the outdoor restaurant will keep you toasty as you dine. We feasted on a great dinner and decided to stay with the Schramberg.

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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Suite at Auberge du Soleil

Guesthouses at Auberge du Soleil The appetizer was foie gras, followed by an entrée of slowcooked salmon with avocado, and in between, we were served two items compliments of the chef: a clear broth with lobster and eggplant ratatouille and potato gnocchi seasoned with mushrooms. A delight for any palate! The same place is great for a mid-afternoon or pre-dinner cocktail, which are always accompanied by the most flavorful, locally grown olives.

After settling into the Napa groove of R&R, it was time to do what Napa is best known for - wine tasting. Our first stop was the 845-acre Spring Mountain Vineyard. Here we enjoyed a tour of the vineyards, the estate and a brief intro to wine tasting which was so convincing we selected our favorites and arranged for shipment home.

A private tour of Stag’s Leap with owner Warren Winowski left us with both a new appreciation for wine and an appreciation for the dedication that’s required to harvest a crop. The tour was educational and fun as we learned about the volcanic soil that enriches Napa. Fields of gold are yellow mustard flowers that are not only pretty but serve as a good cover crop for erosion control.

In between there’s time for shopping, as Silverado Road leads to town and offers access to all the wineries. Roads are traffic-free, so stop for photos as you go.

Shop, Sip and Spa The Spa at Auberge has extensive services including signature treatments that feature massages from grapes, herbs and flowers, olives, and mud and minerals. Whether you choose Reiki, a body movement class, or nail care, the end to a perfect day is marked by sipping sparkling wine as you dangle your feet in the infinity pool that sits on the edge of the mountain. You can almost touch the sky.

Go Fish’s owner Cindy Pawlcyn isn’t exaggerating when she says they offer the best fresh fish selection. Sushi with warm rice was hands-down the finest that these New Yorkers have ever indulged on. The experience was fun and enlightening. Bruce Merolio and his wife, the couple at the next table, invited us to share a bottle referred to as “a shiner.” This is a bottle without a label that has not been released yet. As we sipped a new Reserve 2006 Cabernet served from a Chablis shaped bottle, we learned

Auberge Spa’s Infinity pool more about the fascinating Napa Valley offerings. We met Julie Williams, former Frog’s Leap owner, and her husband John, who now own Tres Sabon in the town of Rutherford. We followed the advice of our new friends and the next day we visited Castello di Amorosa, a castle in Calistoga - with a genuine torture chamber in addition to its wine cellar.

At Nickel and Nickel Single Vineyard Wines we attended Spring Release 2008, where 10 wines were poured and a spread of the most amazing cheese offered. We shopped and visited a well-kept secret, Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson’s Silverado Museum.

Boulevard Meets Boulevard An hour car ride leads to San Francisco, via the Golden Gate Bridge, and on this night The Boulevard dined at the Boulevard Restaurant. Dinner featured seared day-boat scallops with chestnut and mushroom, and for dessert, butterscotch toffee pudding with chocolate and local ruby grapefruit and blood orange. A post-dinner mini-tour of San Francisco wouldn’t be complete without driving up and down the world famous zigzag, steep Lombard Street, known as a quick street.

On our last night, The Boulevard and 16 couples were guests of Tom Tuburzi, sparkling winemaker at Domaine Chandon; we dined at Restaurant Etoile. A meal prepared by executive chef Christopher Manning included a smoked steelhead trout, beautifully presented and served with Etoile Brut 2 (sparkling white) and a tasting of spring lamb - cannoli of lamb tartar, seared lamb with mustard sauce, and braised lamb chop - accompanied by Newton Vineyard the Puzzle Napa Valley 2002 (sparkling white). Ending on a sweet note, we enjoyed caramelized pear tart with vanilla bean ice cream and butterscotch sauce, and Chandon Riche (red dessert wine).

Returning to Auberge Du Soliel, our home for the past few days, we toasted to Napa and the best vacation ever with a glass of Zinfandel. As we sipped, we enjoyed the fire, burning logs of coffee bean (environmentally friendly), and snacked on crackers with artichoke parmesan tapenade (all compliments of the boutique hotel) while we listened to the sound of the nighttime valley as we packed and vowed to return to Napa ASAP. www.boulevardli.com

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Travel

Falling Rock, A Boutique Hotel A Seven Stars Review- Global Award Recognition

By Barry Kay

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estled in the picturesque and unspoiled Laurel Highland Mountains of western Pennsylvania and located in what once was a fishing and hunting preserve, Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa offers the ultimate vacation for families, nature lovers, golfers and spa enthusiasts. This was our second visit to Nemacolin Wood land and this time our team was here to review Nemacolin's latest addition, The Falling Rock, a boutique hotel.

We expected to experience the 24-hour private butler service and rediscover the critically acclaimed Nemacolin Spa. Falling Rock's name refers to Fallingwater, one of Frank Lloyd Wright's most renowned and widely acclaimed architectural works, designed in 1936 and easily accessible through Nemacolin's backyard. Falling Rock hotel offers over 40 distinctive luxury suites, a gourmet restaurant, an awesome ‘PGA’ locker room, an infinity edge Wright-style pool and access to all that the Nemacolin Resort has to offer. Falling Rock is a luxurious intimate hotel within a highly successful family resort.

Loftus Engineers designed Falling Rock in the Frank Lloyd Wright tradition and style in seven weeks, and it was subsequently constructed in nine months. Loftus, Inc. was the proud recipient of the IIDA award for this Frank Lloyd Wright inspiration.

The International Illumination Design Award recognizes extraordinary lighting designs and indeed, the premises stay delightful after dark.

Our team’s arrival at Falling Rock was a perfect show, wellrehearsed, impressive and perfectly executed. Check-in was done the old-fashioned way, but our personal butler service set in from the moment the bell staff opened our car doors.

Impressive water features in the arrival hall set the tone to

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relax, offsetting Wright's use of stylish sharp angles with earthy hues to emphasize the setting of Wright's Fallingwater house and the waterfall over which it was built. Our corner suite was rustic yet stylish, with glorious views of the Mystic Rock Golf Course, designed by the famous Peter Dye. Our lady butler, Miss Neely Conn, was delightful, trained by one of the Old World butlers from one of the good butler schools of Great Britain. We knew that we would be cared for superbly, and quickly realized that 24-hour butler service could easily become a habit.

The furnishing of our elegant, well-appointed rooms were accented in polished mahogany and were spacious and carefully designed. The bathrooms were elegant, with a large eco-friendly tub surrounded by candles and ready to be drawn. The beds were plush, covered with English cotton sheets and chenille duvet covers and proved hard to resist. The butler service was unobtrusive and included unpacking our suitcases, steaming our jackets and slacks, serving afternoon and evening snacks, and more. We took advantage of the room service menu as well as the shoeshine service, and enjoyed the soothing background music after turndown.

Falling Rock's guests are able to utilize the Nemacolin Spa that has made this resort so famous. The spa remains the favorite of the ladies, while the award-winning 18-hole golf course is every man's golfing dream. Mystic Rock's links sprawl majestically throughout Nemacolin's wooded acreage. This 6,832-yard course promises golfers a challenge like no other.

The overall Nemacolin experience is also unique because of its priceless $50 million art collection, of which the most significant pieces are found at the Chateau. The Nemacolin Gallery features the private Hardy Family art collection,

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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which is recognized for its many museum quality pieces.

This eclectic collection ranges from a 17th century portrait of Queen Elizabeth, to original vintage posters by Henri de Toulouse Lautrec, original artwork by LeRoy Neiman, and of course, Nemacolin's adorable mascot … Fat Bird. Fashionably in style with the Botero sculpture at the resort's entrance, Fat Bird is a plump little fellow with short legs and has grown close to the hearts of many returning guests. Fat Bird supposedly loves to swim, ski, shoot skeet, shop, golf, ride horses and especially loves to spa. So do we, and we were there to discover one of America's most recognized spas.

As we entered the spa facilities we heard and saw the relaxing sounds of cascading water, which gave off a feeling of serenity, as we were surrounded by the aromas of herbs and clean, contemporary lines originally designed by Clodagh.

We had read that the Woodlands Spa is a cell phone-free environment, and we were delighted that the guests seem to follow these directions. We were started off with a classic full-body massage using long, smooth strokes that resulted in an immediate release of tension. This was followed by a quick Woodlands Body Polish, consisting of essential oils of pine mixed with grains of salt to exfoliate the body and leave the skin vibrant and very smooth. We then took a break for lunch at the Elements Cafe. On the menu were a variety of salads, fruit smoothies and wraps. After a light, delicious and healthy lunch we went into a session of Acutonics, which is a vibrational massage. We had been encouraged to wear loose, comfortable clothing to reach the full effect. Acutonics, which is said to be similar to acupuncture, uses meridian and source points to allow vibrations to travel through the body. Tuning forks were

strategically placed on our acupressure points. The tools enable one to address ailments, stress, anxiety, headaches, digestive issues and others. A final classic Woodlands personalized deep cleansing facial with a heated hand and foot treatment followed.

We all truly appreciated and complimented the standard of personalized butler service at Falling Rock. Mr. Brian McAlister and Miss Neely Conn understand their professional butler trade expertly. General Manager Trey Matheu oversaw the opening of Falling Rock himself after he joined Nemacolin Woodlands in 2002. Before that, he worked in senior positions as food and beverage manager at the Keystone Resort in Colorado, resident manager at Jackson Lake Lodge and resident manager at Snake River Lodge & Spa, both in Wyoming. Under his hands-on management, Falling Rock resort has the potential to reach for the stars.

Lobby

Falling Rock Pool www.boulevardli.com

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Health

Cosmetic Surgery Today

By Stephen T. Greenberg, MD Have Questions?

Dr. Greenberg Has the Answers …

Dr. Stephen T. Greenberg is 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.

For a complimentary consultation, call 516-364-4200. If you have a question for Dr. Greenberg, please email docstg@aol.com or listen to his radio show on Saturdays nights at 10 p.m. on WKJY 98.3 FM. Call 516-364-4200 for an appointment.

Visit www.greenbergcosmeticsurgery.com

Q

. What are the most common cosmetic procedures today?

A

. The three most common procedures performed around the country by plastic surgeons are breast augmentation, liposuction, and nose reshaping. These also happen to be some of the most satisfying procedures for patients to have.

If you are thinking about having breast augmentation, you need to know which procedure will have the best results for you; this is done by first choosing the right type of implant. Silicone implants have a more natural look and feel than saline implants because silicone gel has a texture that is similar to breast tissue.

Saline implants have some advantages over silicone implants.

Breast augmentation is an in-office procedure taking less than an hour, with patients returning to normal activities in 24 hours.

Thinking about removing unwanted fat? Liposuction (lipoplasty) is a procedure that can help contour your body by removing unwanted fat from certain parts of the body, including the abdomen, hips, buttocks, thighs, arms and chin. Liposuction is not a replacement for diet or exercise, but it helps selected patients get rid of stubborn areas that do not respond to other weight-loss methods. With weight loss, the fat cells in your body only shrink - they do not disappear. Liposuction surgery actually removes the fat cells from your body. The newest smart liposuction allows for a better body.

If you are considering rhinoplasty (nose surgery), keep in mind that this surgery is best to correct the size of the nose, remove the "dorsal hump" or bump on the nose, change the width of the nose, and define and correct the tip of the nose. It can also help correct structural defects that may cause breathing problems.

. What should I know before I undergo breast augmentation?

Q A

. Breast augmentation (augmentation mammaplasty) is a surgical procedure to enhance the size and shape of a woman's breast. It serves to correct and enhance the body contour of a woman who feels that her breast size is too small, correct a reduction in breast shape or volume after pregnancy, balance a difference in breast size or lift the breast in a patient with only a minimal droop. I am able to perform breast augmentation in most patients with minimal or no visible scars! There are a variety of incisions that can be used for the procedure, including under the breast (infra-mammary),

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around the nipple (peri-areolar), under the arm (transaxillary), and through the belly button (transumbilical). The short inframammary incision has the advantage of the scar healing exceptionally well. In the majority of patients, the incision cannot be detected. This incision also offers better long-term results and perhaps lower overall complication rates.

. Are there choices when thinking about having liposuction?

Q A

. Yes, there are many different ways a cosmetic surgeon can perform liposuction, including ultrasound assisted lipoplasty, the tumescent technique, power-assisted lipoplasty, and smartlipo. I utilize a unique combination of tumescent liposuction and smartlipo. When used together, these methods provide the patient with a smoother contour and a quick recovery, with minimal pain or bruising. There will be a noticeable difference in your body contour almost immediately after liposuction surgery. The small amount of swelling will continue to subside for a few months after the procedure. Your new contour will remain permanent as long as you maintain a healthy lifestyle. If you gain weight after your liposuction surgery, the weight will distribute itself evenly throughout your body and will not settle in the same problem areas.

. I have been considering having rhinoplasty. What are the key facts I should be aware of?

Q A

. Nasal surgery can be performed either under general anesthesia or with local anesthesia, depending on what needs to be done. Rhinoplasty takes about one hour and the patient usually experiences only mild discomfort while recovering. Most often, a "closed" technique is utilized, in which incisions are made inside the nostrils and all work is performed through the nostrils only. The incisions are closed with dissolving sutures at the end of the operation. The underlying bone and cartilage is reshaped, giving the nose a natural contour. Many times, your nasal passage may need to be opened in conjunction with the rhinoplasty. This is called septoplasty. In many cases, very slight changes to the structure of the nose — sometimes as little as a few millimeters — can produce drastic and pleasing results. Slight bruising and swelling may occur, but will reside in a few days. Usually you are bandaged for about four days and normal activity can be started in a short period of time.

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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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.

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11/29/08 7:51:41 PM

HEALTH

Health Watch

By Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum

The Economic and Physical Meltdown Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum is the director of Woman and Heart Disease at the Heart and Vascular Institute at Lenox Hill Hospital, New York

W

hen he came in during the summer, he explained that things hadn’t been great. The market wasn’t doing well; he combined two apartments and was paying for both of them. He and his wife were accustomed to a certain way of life and he was certain that if it had to change, she would leave him. He had chest pain and palpitations. I listened. He really was missing the truth. The fact was that if he had a heart attack, he wouldn’t be able to continue this crazy life he set up for himself and he would lose it all anyway. If you don’t have your health, your wellness, your soul and your heart intact, you truly have nothing.

So months later, the market not only crashed, it imploded and the world, on some level, has been turned on its axis. We have no security, no full understanding of what tomorrow may bring, no sense of how things will improve or what we should do to get us there. The only thing we do have is a choice – a conscious contemplation of how to proceed and what to do about it. And we have absolutely no control over it … at all. We can only control our response, our reaction, our understanding. And that’s it.

For the first time, we are collectively having trouble. We are all in the same position on some level.

Those with the most might be losing the most and those who have been struggling continue to live their financial struggle. The only difference is a blurry line between the “haves” and the “have nots.” There has to be some consolation knowing that we are collectively dealing with the same turmoil, the same lack of control, the same inability to make things better, to predict the future, to not know our fate.

We do have choices to make. We can get chest pain, be rocked to the core, knocked to the ground, live in fear and worry, allow the angst to reach our hearts and break them, seep into our souls and make our bodies sick. Or, we can look around and know that none of us is alone, that our neighbors are having trouble, our friends, our enemies. We are all struggling.

We all are trying to keep it together. We are all scared and forced to make concessions, some of them small, some of them big.

It’s your moment to reach deep inside and find out what you are made of; to breathe, to tap into your resiliency and find your center, your grounding, and to be remember what the most important parts in your life are so you can let the “small stuff” just roll off your back. There is nothing any of us can do. We are in this together and we all have to deal with it. So deal with it.

Stop, breathe and know “It is what it is.”

Things have been so bad that my office has been filled

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with many people whose hearts haven’t been able to weather the storm. I have spent many days suggesting the benefits of exercise, of spending quiet time with family and friends, playing games, laughing together and remembering the importance of having each other.

I've thought a lot about the patient I had seen over the summer lately. The day he showed up, I told him I was expecting him. He smiled. I smiled back, a knowing smile. His heart hurt.

I understand. We all could understand. And, in some way, that made him feel just a little bit better.

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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Health

John Basedow A

Man on a

Mission

By Pam Polestino

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The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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J

ohn Basedow, creator of Fitness Made Simple (F.M.S.), is a real life success story. A native Long Islander, John grew up in Baldwin and admits that as a young adult, he had no direction, no focus and he struggled with his own body image.

After trying every diet and multiple exercise program he could find, John was still unsuccessful in changing his body. He was extremely thick in the waistline, had bowling pin legs and a very small, sunken chest and shoulders. John wanted to get into top shape to reach a personal goal ­­– being photographed for a fitness magazine. Determined to succeed, he began formulating his own exercise program and carefully monitored his eating.

There it was – the beginning of Fitness Made Simple. The self-developed and completely self-promoted program John created not only got him into several fitness magazines, but also launched a series of workout videos. On the heels of his famous infomercials, his many videos and his motivational lectures, John's next venture was to write a book, The Power to Change Your Body and Life, that encourages, educates and motivates.

Read it and you are inspired to the commitment to get control of your destiny and make success happen. John is also featured on the Covino & Rich radio show on Sirius Radio channel 108 each month. The program is one of the top-rated shows on satellite radio and gives listeners the opportunity to call in and ask John fitness or motivational questions.

John’s program involves exercising every other day, so that you have 24 hours rest in between workouts. Although John believes in rest between workouts, he insists that movement every day keeps you healthier and more energetic. For example, park your car at the farthest spot in the mall parking lot so you can walk 30 extra steps and take the stairs instead of the elevator, just to keep the body moving.

John's greatest claim to fame is that he lives the lifestyle he promotes. He believes that you should find out what you love to

Heart Walk, Sept. 9, 2007 - John speaking to the crowd.

do in life and then figure out how to get paid to do it. He insists that no one should settle for less than what will ultimately make him or her happy and one of his John-isms is “act as if and then you will be.” I love that idea!

Many people recognize John Basedow's name from those infomercials where he is seen topless with sculptured abs. Not a bad way to be remembered, but as I have gotten to know John, I have learned that he is so much more than image. John is very funny, extremely personable, and a genuinely caring person.

He exudes energy and truth. I think most people who meet him sincerely believe in him and that's why they fall in love with and trust his programs.

The big question is, just how does John keep his physique?

Well, he works out three days on and one day off. He carefully watches what he eats. His diet consists of lean proteins, vegetables and fruits. Each day he enjoys two to three small pieces of chocolate as a reward for yet another great day. John believes you should never deprive yourself of any certain kind of food – just learn moderation. When beginning a new eating plan, it is a good idea to keep trigger foods out of the house for at least four weeks.

Both John and I agree that there are no quick fixes or magic pill. Success involves exercise, eating well and supplementing to reach exceptional fitness goals. The energy you will acquire when you combine these three tools will keep you moving toward success.

Even with his videos, books and radio show keeping him busy, I knew there must be something else going on in John's future. Sure enough, he told me he is currently in development of a reality TV show. Way to go, John!

To learn more about John Basedow and Fitness Made Simple programs, visit him on the web at fitnessmadesimple. com or myspace.com/officialfitnessmadesimple.

Fran Kap and John www.boulevardli.com

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The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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H

igh in a hotel room above Manhattan, The Boulevard sat hunched over a laptop computer with legendary rock superstar Dave Stewart, watching a video. He was narrating the main story line of the short for his new song “Let’s Do It Again,” which is yet another terrific piece of music written by one of rock music’s most prolific songwriters. Unlike the purple cows and cellos of his most famous video for “Sweet Dreams,” this video was, well, dirtier. A singer named Sierra Swan fights with her boyfriend on the street before she ducks into a bookstore and purchases a volume with a rather naughty surprise inside. And so begins the infectious marketing conceit for Dave’s latest venture, a collaboration between his Rock Fabulous fashion line and erotic products company Jimmyjane. A stretch? Not in the least. As Dave explained to us over the course of his lunch, nothing beats a good idea. When it comes to sex and music, there may be no better idea.

The world knows Dave from his days as co-founder and songwriter for '80’s icons the Eurythmics, but unbeknownst to many, Dave Stewart is one of the most respected and trusted artists in the music industry today. A prodigious producer of music, film and photography, he is a “musician’s musician” – an all-around multi-media entrepreneur and in Bob Dylan’s words, “a fearless innovator.” His career spans more than 25 years, commencing with the creation of the Eurythmics and extending into collaborations with the biggest names in the industry, including Bono, Mick Jagger, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Gwen Stefani and countless others. He has sold over 100 million records which he either performed himself or wrote for other people. Few songwriters generate the reverence for talent you get when you drop Dave’s name. He now lives in Los Angeles where he has launched his idea factory and business incubator, Weapons of Mass Entertainment, described by the Los Angeles Times as a “media company for the new world.”

Dave wrote and directed some of the most pivotal videos

in the history of music videos – the abstract Sweet Dreams ushered in an entire era, casually defined a generation, and set the bar in video production at the dawn of an art form. He and Annie Lennox were two of the most recognizable faces from that period, and the opening heavy synth melodic riffs remains one of the most memorable four beats in all of rock and roll.

Dave also wrote the song “Don’t Come Around Here No More,” a huge hit for Tom Petty in the 1980s and directed the classic video where Petty is the Mad Hatter in an Alice in Wonderland theatrical “trip.” Dave made it look easy.

But we weren’t there to talk about '80s videos, as much as I wanted to. We were there to talk about his work as an entrepreneur, specifically his work with the Jimmyjane company.

In addition to being a brilliant musician, Stewart is master brand developer. The Eurythmics were as much a mega-brand as they were musical geniuses. His line of products with Jimmyjane is the latest in a series of ventures that he has either created or collaborated with since becoming an elder statesman of rock royalty. Dave owns two erotic stores in Los Angeles which were the starting point for his interest in the erotic products world.

“I rang up Ethan (Imboden) because Jimmyjane was shoulders above all the other products and I said, 'I have an idea were we can collaborate with music and create a new line that is parallel to what we both do.' So we talked about it extensively and got to know each other, and I said, 'I have this song, and we can build around that. We put it in a book, call it The History of Sex and Music and I will write the book.' The vibrator has the lyrics of the song etched into it,” at which point he shows me a device that does in fact have song lyrics etched around the stainless steel. So why the erotic products business? Did cows and cellos lose their appeal?

“The sex industry was always the first off the mark in any industry – it was the first real moneymaker on the Internet,” he explains. “The orgasm is one of the few ego-less states where for just a few seconds you forget who you are and you are truly

www.boulevardli.com

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in the present – that’s why it feels orgasmic. In addition to the physical feelings, it’s a great relief to not have to remember who you are and be bogged down with all this stuff. So you want to do it again, and I have this song, ‘Let’s Do it Again.’”

And so play the video again we did. Dave is involved in corners of industry that most business executives spend their lives aspiring to reach. He carries a business card from Nokia that simply lists “Change Agent” as his title. In reality, Dave is their go-to guy to ask how various new technologies and products should interface with art. It’s a lofty title for a lofty thinker, yet the congruity between songwriting and business acumen seems so obvious to Stewart. ”I do a lot of business talks and I often talk about writing a melody. Often with a melody, when it's good, people can even think they have heard it before because it's so good it seems familiar to them. It's catchy. That’s what a hit is. Usually people who can write one can write lots. They instinctively do. When you analyze it, and then analyze business, the companies that have a great melody line are the ones that stand out. They are all singing the same chorus. They lead you into their world and you think it's pretty cool, then they don’t let you down – BOOM – here comes the chorus. It's just like writing a song. Born to Run, Satisfaction – those beginning riffs are precursors to what's coming,” he reflects.

And his Rock Fabulous collaboration with Jimmyjane is exactly that – a great brand and a great “melody” for topics that you likely can't talk about over Christmas dinner. The first launch from the Jimmyjane + Rock Fabulous collaboration will include two special editions of Jimmyjane's iconic Little Something precious metal vibrators. Both styles are adorned with the handwritten chorus of Stewart's songs – think of it as a semi-lucid love note, scrawled around the circumference of the vibrator. But Dave has made it more than cool – he has made it intriguing and respectful. Instead of trying to be overly sexy and erotic, The Little Chroma Tonight vibrator comes in a book that is hollowed out to satirize a spot to stash liquor.

The book that Dave plans to write with Ethan will be called The History of Sex and Music and date from the ancient Egyptians right to the present. It’s a topic that Dave knows quite a bit about, as he is the poster child for pushing the limits.

“When I came to America in the early '80s with Annie, we were on the David Letterman show and we were dressed

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in full bondage gear and she had this short red cropped hair and dramatic makeup right across the eyes and we sat across from him and he thought we were such weird freaks and we were talking about sexuality and androgyny openly on TV and afterwards we [got] reprimanded. We didn’t understand what the big deal was,” he laughs.

Dave flips through a coffee table volume called The Songbook, which has an autobiographical analysis of all his work and how his most prolific work came to be. It's an unbelievably interesting and candid testimonial about the most important music of the last 30 years, with incredible photography. Dave recently re-arranged and re-recorded many of his early songs with a huge orchestra and is touring as Dave Stewart’s Rock Fabulous Orchestra. I never thought that a song like "Sweet Dreams" could sound any better if its essential element of electronic synth tones were replaced by a string section, but the new version rocks harder and sounds better than the original.

Ditto for "Don’t Come Around Here No More."

As if being a composer and a capitalist weren’t enough, Stewart is also an advocate for social change. His beautiful and moving song “An American Prayer” was written five years ago with Bono, but emerged in this election season to remind voters what ideals make up the American dream. The song invokes one of Dr. Martin Luther King’s most famous speeches and the line “When you get to the top of the mountain, will you still remember me?” The irony of an Englishman opining about American ideals and values wasn’t lost on Stewart nor on a significant portion of his audience as he describes how some people took issue. “I live in America, I have kids in school here, and the rest of the world is pretty concerned about what happens here,” he laughs. “Everywhere you go outside the U.S., the world is paying very close attention to what happened here now.”

So if you are looking for the next big thing or a gift for your loved one, jump into Dave’s rock fabulous world on the Jimmyjane website at www.jimmyjane.com. Watch the video and listen to the song before you peruse the products. It will help set the mood. And after you are well acquainted with the Jimmyjane + Rock Fabulous brand, you may want to ‘do it again’ just like his song says, because as Dave confidently stated at the start of our interview – nothing beats a good idea.

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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Music

MEET GLEN CAMPBELL

By Jonathan Clarke Photos by Dax Kimbrough

M

eet Glen Campbell? Wait, we already know Glen Campbell. Yea, “Wichita Lineman”, “Galveston” and “By The Time I Get To Phoenix”, that Glen Campbell.

He’s only released what, like 70 albums? Sold 45 MILLION of those albums, by the way. He’s the recipient of many awards including an Academy Award a Golden Globe, a couple Grammies and both CMA and ACM awards. He co-starred in big movies, including one in which John Wayne hand-picked him for, True Grit. And let’s not forget the Glen Campbell Good Time Hour on CBS Television. He’s recently released a new album on which he’s recorded his versions of songs from some of today’s biggest artists, ironically called Meet Glen Campbell. So I asked him, what’s the deal on the title of the new album?

JC- You have this amazing new album out featuring you covering great songs from U2, Green Day, Foo Fighters, Tom Petty, Jackson Browne and John Lennon among many others, and ironically, the album title is Meet Glen Campbell.

GC- Yea, I know, the real Glen Campbell (laughing) JC- As far as I know, you didn’t go anywhere and we all know who Glen Campbell is.

GC- I think Julian (Julian Raymond-producer) just wanted to make people wonder what it was JC- I think this CD could win you some more Grammies to put on your mantel.

GC- Thank you! That would be good, I haven’t had one in a long time!

JC- How did this whole project get started?

GC- Julian came down and saw me at a gig on the Colorado River, and he’s a very nice guy, and very talented, too. So, he was with Capitol Records and he asked me would I like to do an album? I said, yea, but, just tell me what you want to do, because I just wanted to hand over the producer reins to someone else for this album. I had heard some of Julian’s work before and it’s just fabulous. I also told him that the reason I hadn’t made any new albums in awhile was because I used up most of my brain over the past 30 years. So, he told me what he wanted to do, and he kept bringing me these great songs that were blowing my face off.

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And I told him, these are awesome! I had so many great songs to select from.

JC- And on the album, the songs, for lack of a better term, have that late 60s classic Glen Campbell sound, and maybe what I am hearing is the “wall of sound” sound?

GC- And the musicians on the record are very good, so that definitely helps a lot too, they can play these songs upside down.

And Julian really knows what he’s doing. He and his engineer get everything flawless, it’s amazing.

JC-Had you heard the Johnny Cash version of the Nine Inch Nails song before, the one Rick Rubin had produced?

GC- Oh yes, definitely, that was great wasn’t it? Just incredible.

JC- I love your version of The Foo Fighters’ “Times Like These” on this new album.

GC- Well, honestly, that was one of my favorites on this album, but, really, I was blessed by just having so many great songs to choose from to record and, I get to live long enough to record some of them.

JC- I look at the incredible career you have had with the all the awards and success, from my perspective though, one of the coolest things about your career was that you were a session musician in the early days where you got to work with people like Bobby Darin, Frank Sinatra, The Monkees, The Beach Boys and many more. I remember the first time I saw you was on a TV show and all I remember is that you were playing this ridiculous guitar riff that left my jaw on the floor. In those days you could turn on the radio and hear Glen Campbell singing background vocals, playing bass and guitar on so many different songs.

GC- Well that’s very kind of you to say, it was a lot fun in those days. The late Tommy Tedesco (another renowned session guitar player once described as the most recorded guitarist in history) recalled to me a story once about a Jan & Dean session, and Jan always had everything written out on sheet music and charts, it was amazing. So Tommy came in and started playing the sheet music that was on his music stand and it was a strange riff so Jan said, “Stop, what are you doing, that sounds crazy?” And little did Tommy know that Jan had purposefully turned the sheet music

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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upside down and Tommy was playing it backwards! I thought that was the most remarkable thing.

JC- You’ve had some of your biggest hits recording the songs of Jimmy Webb (“By The Time I Get To Phoenix”, “Wichita Lineman” , “Galveston”) and I read you might be doing a record together?

GC- Yes, Jimmy has so many great songs and I want to do another album with him because he’s such a great writer.

JC- The U2 song on the new album “All I want Is You” is amazing.

GC- Isn’t that a great song? What more can I say than that really.

I’m just so lucky to be able to 1. Experience listening to some of these songs for the very first time and then, 2. To record them with Julian has just been a truly rewarding experience. He and I just picked them together and it’s been fantastic.

JC- Are there other songs that you liked that, for one reason or another, did not make the album?

GC- Oh yes, definitely, we might even have a Meet Glen Campbell II. JC- Will we see Glen Campbell live in New York anytime soon?

GC- I definitely want to come back to New York and play, for sure!

JC- No pun intended Glen but it’s a pleasure to Meet You! GC- Same here and thank you, and I really enjoy talking to people with taste and know what they’re doing and you got it!

www.boulevardli.com

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Sports

Sean Landeta

By Jules Rabin

Off the Gridiron and On the Record Photography by Tina Guiomar

132

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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kay, Long Island pundits and armchair quarterbacks, here is a perplexing pigskin puzzle you can exercise in your cerebellum. What Island resident is that rare talent who was specially chosen for two All Decade Teams by voters tied to the National Football League? If you didn’t choose Manhasset’s Sean Landeta, the former great, longtime punter for the New York Giants, you weren’t even close.

Actually, there are no other football stars on the Island who fit the profile for longevity and exceptional talent.

Landeta, who grew up in Towson, Maryland, idolizing the legendary Johnny Unitas of the Baltimore Colts, did not start playing organized football until his senior year at Loch Raven High School. In truth, he had no teacher to teach him the technique of punting long, high and with precision. It was years of kicking a football over a volleyball net in the backyard for personal fun that eventually paid the dividends as friends and neighbors marveled at his ability and finally pushed him into trying out for the high school team.

From there his All-Metro statistics (1978) set up an easy transition to Towson College, where his booming punt statistics were routinely among the very highest in the nation regardless of college size.

Landeta has enough personal awards, plaques, trophies and honors to fill the proverbial Trophy Room at home after an incredible career that covered a quarter of a century exercising that marvelous right leg on professional gridirons across America.

The play-for-pay football journey started in the old USFL. He punted for the Philadelphia Stars for three years … and upon his retirement from the pros in March 2008, Sean became the last USFL player to retire.

Fame and fortune really came Landeta’s way when he was invited to the New York Giants training camp in 1985 and won the competition for the team’s punting job. His first-time stint with the Giants lasted eight years and included winning two Super Bowl rings (XXI, XXV) and being named an All- Pro selection four times plus the Pro Bowl nominee both in 1986 and 1990. His second home on the NFL merry-go-round was in Los Angeles (he loves to play in big cities) where he sojourned from 1993 to 1996 with the Rams. There were also highlight seasons with Tampa Bay, Green Bay and St. Louis plus two separate gigs with Philadelphia and two more with New York. In a league where over 30,000 football players have paraded and the average career is measured at 3.8 years, Landeta’s 25 years of collecting a paycheck is remarkable.

Actually, his punting statistics in 2005 were better than in 1989 when he was an All-Pro selection.

At the end of the 2005 season Landeta had totaled 1,401 punts for 60,707 yards and an aggregate, per punt, average of 43.3 yards. Add to that 381 punts cradled within the 20-yard line and 166 touchbacks. His punts, punting yards and punts landing inside the 20-yard line are all among the NFL's top five leaders in each category for all time!

What’s Landeta up to now? (He says all he needs is a month to get back into top punting form.) There are a variety of media tasks that keep him deeply involved in the NFL while practicing pigskin punditry. Channel 5 in New York and Channel 12 on Long Island are regular stops, as are Landeta’s post-game analysis gigs with the Fox network. Also, football enthusiasts find Monday nights from 6 to 8 on 660-AM radio a terrific place to relax.

In his adopted hometown of New York, Landeta is somewhat of a punting icon, unusually well known to fans, and appreciated even more to NFL insiders. In December 2006, when the Giants faced serious reservations over a lingering sore right knee developed by their punting specialist Jeff Feagles, they turned to Landeta as an insurance policy, even assigning him No. 5, the same number he emblazoned during his first tenure with the team. He appeared on Dec. 3 but only roamed the sidelines as Feagles competed in his 300th NFL game against the Dallas Cowboys. Sean was the last active player on the New York Giants’ 1986 and 1990 Super Bowl teams.

“The Giant organization is where I spent most of my time as a professional. Their ownership, front office and fans were so instrumental in many of the great things that happened to me then, and even to this day,” commented Landeta on retirement day, March 6, 2008. “To be part of two Super Bowl teams with a franchise that has their history is very special to me.”

And when not hanging out with 11-year-old son Joey or visiting with fiancée Donna in Philadelphia, Sean is pursuing an ever-busier schedule of motivational speaking and general sports talks at events and dinners throughout the metropolitan area and greater Philadelphia. Did someone say there is no life after a professional sports career? www.boulevardli.com

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134

The Boulevard • December 2008 - January 2009

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lthough the excitement of the 2008 presidential election is beginning to wane, there’s a low hum underlying everyone’s political thoughts. Americans are anxious about the state of the country and people rely on the media to break the major issues. Some listen to the radio, read the newspaper or watch the evening news; others turn to the morning shows to get their dose of current events before starting the day. Brian Kilmeade, from Fox News’ Fox and Friends, helps keep viewers informed as part of their morning routines as to what’s going on in the country and the world.

Kilmeade wanted to be on television since he was a ninthgrader at Massapequa High School on Long Island. Initially, he used his extensive sports knowledge and experience—he’s a former soccer player and current soccer coach—to break into that world. When he first signed with Fox 11 years ago, he was a sports guy, hosting a weekend show on Fox News.

Then the world started getting more serious. Kilmeade recalled the war in Bosnia, the election mess of 2000 and the 9/11 attacks, and said his show went from “this is the sports guy” to being involved in the bigger stories.

Because he was so passionate about the news, covering it was an easy transition. Proving himself to others was the initial issue. “It was a gradual process; thankfully, Fox gave me the opportunity. Some people would say, ‘Too bad we only have the sports guy. Let’s wait for the news guy to come in,’ but Fox allowed me to do it,” he said.

About three years ago, Kilmeade also started his radio show Brian and the Judge that goes on air immediately after Fox and Friends. Here he covers news stories from a different perspective, working with Judge Napolitano, who Kilmeade says is like having a full-time lawyer—every story has a legal end to it. It’s during this time he’s able to give a freer opinion on the stories he covers.

Naturally, as a person heavily involved in the news, Kilmeade found himself smack in the middle of the election whirlwind. On Nov. 6, just two days after Barack Obama won the presidential election, Kilmeade was still reeling from the excitement of the election results. He joked that maybe by the time the weekend was through he’d get to relax a little bit. Kilmeade’s concept of relaxing might involve more sleep deprivation than most of us can imagine. He wakes up at 2:30 a.m. on workdays. With two teenagers, a 12-year-old, a 7-yearold, and a 5-year-old, he’s an extremely devoted family man.

His job usually allows him to hop on a 2 p.m. train home and “I actually get to pick my kids up from school,” he said. The only thing he sacrifices is sleep. He’s a big fan of double lattes.

Kilmeade, who was just as involved in the 2004 election, got to experience what made this election so different and exciting for people. “This time, Americans really got to know both players,” he said. As opposed to the 2004 focus on Iraq, the campaigns this year took voters from oil to the economy, with a little break from Georgia and Russia, according to Kilmeade. “I think Barack Obama brought a lot of excitement to it,” he added.

Obama won due to circumstances involving the economy, as

well as his charisma, confidence, and his ability to communicate, Kilmeade explained. He also noted Obama’s “ability to run a tight ship.” With two years of campaigning, Obama’s campaign rarely had a misstep.

Now the Republican Party is looking for leadership, Kilmeade said. Upcoming politicians, this is your time. “Barack Obama showed that you can go from nowhere to everywhere quickly if you have the right message and the right team behind you. It’s a good opportunity on the Republican side. I mean, how long is John McCain going to be the man, and at 72, how long does he want to be the dominant Republican? There’s a huge opportunity there,” Kilmeade said.

The new president doesn’t have the luxury to sit back and see how things turn out with the economy. Obama “has got to find a way to have the revenue and stability to put together all of these programs, like national health care and middle-class tax cuts,” Kilmeade said. Instead of talking down the economy, Kilmeade believes Obama is going to talk up the economy. “His message will change,” he said, “and I think he’s got everybody’s attention.”

Joe Biden warned that the world will test the new president, and while Kilmeade agrees and said we are seeing that already, he also said it’s an opportunity. “I interviewed President Bush a month ago. He told me that this job has been a blessing and I asked, even with all this stuff going on from the election, both sides criticizing you, the Katrina issue, the stock market issue? And he said it’s been unbelievable to have this responsibility.” The president added that he appreciates how lucky he has been. Kilmeade believes Obama feels the same way.

“It takes a very special person to want that job,” he said.

Now, Kilmeade is looking to the country’s political and economic future, saying the next big thing is going to be the inauguration, as well as the state of the stock market leading up to the holidays. “If people are buying, things will get a little bit better; maybe things will begin to turn around.”

And Kilmeade will be there to tell the public when those stories break. www.boulevardli.com

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