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How Do You Choose a Place For An Unforgettable Event? We’ve Been Answering That Very Question For A Half- Century. W W W . L E O N A R D S C AT E R I N G . C O M
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I
s August here already? I hope you are enjoying this summer as much as I am. Bring The Boulevard with you to the pool, beach or backyard for some enjoyable reading. We have finally recovered after a great party at the Hawaiian Tropic Zone with the cast of Rock of Ages. For this issue, we have once again gathered exciting and informative features for our readers. For our cover, we have the very beautiful and talented Regina King, who sat with The Boulevard for an intimate interview. She has been seen in some great films such as Enemy of the State, Jerry McGuire and Ray, and will be starring in NBC’s Southland in September. Next up is Bruce Greenwood, another master of the arts, who recently played Admiral/Captain Pike in the blockbuster hit Star Trek and is starring in the upcoming film Mao’s Last Dancer. Read the interview to find out what he had to learn for his latest part. Our profile lineup continues with Reshma Sheety of Royal Pains, Cheap Trick’s Rick Nielsen, Paul Ben-Victor from In Plain Sight, and baseball legend Gary Carter. The Boulevard also ventures to Europe for an exciting biking tour of Germany, a visit to The Alchymist Hotel in Prague and a personal journey with The Boulevard’s own Tina Guiomar through the Mediterranean’s bestkept secret – Portugal. Enjoy the rest of the summer and enjoy your time with The Boulevard.
Angela Susan Anton Publisher The Boulevard
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WHEATLEY PLAZA ARCHMEDIASTUDIOS™
Wheatley Plaza is delighted to announce the opening of Salon Pop, a sophisticated and contemporary hair salon with a touch of fun mixed in. The sleek, modern, 1,400 square foot space gleams with cobalt blue, chrome and white fixtures offset by iconic Pop art. The custom-designed cutting and styling stations mirror the salon’s circle-in-the-square motif. Salon Pop offers a full range of hair care services for men and women including haircuts, blowouts, color services, conditioning treatments, straightening and special occasion styling. Salon Pop uses only the finest hair care products including Kérastase Paris, Shu Uemura and Goldwell. For more information or to book an appointment, call 516.626.7444.
Contact our complimentary Personal Shopping Service at 800.818.6767 or info@wheatleyplaza.com
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Design
Showcasing The Beauty of a Home By Ruth Bashinsky
W
hen Michelle and John Camus moved into their 1950s colonial in Manhasset two years ago they were eager to decorate, but could never seem to find the right items to define their personal style. Their spacious 5,800 sq. ft. home that boasted three bedrooms, an office, four bathrooms, a formal dining room, living room, kitchen, den and finished basement was sparse and only partially decorated. The couple wanted their home to feel warm and inviting without looking ostentatious.
“When I decorated I couldn't find the things I wanted to put in the house that would show the beauty of it,” says Michelle. “I don't want people to walk in my home and feel uncomfortable because they feel it is too formal and cannot sit down anywhere. I want my house to look lived in. I want our home to feel like us." Interior designer Wendy Garfield of La Strada-Meuble, Objet, Décor, a boutique-style design firm on Long Island that creates unique spaces clients “fall in love with,” worked with the couple to help them achieve the look they were striving for. A trained soprano who performs across Long Island and the tristate area, Garfield applied the same passion she uses for singing beautiful music to create a magical space for Michelle and John to treasure. The dining room, a room that had been virtually empty, was one of the rooms Garfield transformed into a spectacular oasis. She incorporated the red, green and yellow hues that Michelle favors into the design by selecting an array of interesting patterns and textures that brought the room to life. Garfield had the chairs around the French country walnut dining table painted a cream color, giving them an aged finish. She also upholstered the chairs with a gold brocade pattern on the fronts and a contrasting pattern in green on the backs. She added two wooden rattan armchairs with custom cushions, which not only balanced out the room but also made the seating more comfortable. Silk plaid panels dressed the window and a handmade Aubusson rug with a floral design brought all the colors
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together. Additional details include a French chandelier that adds a hint of glamour and an English country console to display Michelle’s ceramic plate collection. “I like to mix and match furniture and accessories. It makes it more exciting,” notes Garfield. “Michelle wanted a lived-in look and combining different chairs and patterns and accessories makes the room much more interesting visually. It looks as if the room has evolved over time.” Another dramatic point of the dining room is the hallway leading into the room. Previously it was an awkward space, but Garfield transformed it into a charming alcove by displaying French Parisian crystal sconces on each wall and placing a small oil painting beneath. The curtains that were used in the dining room were also hung on each side of the entranceway into the dining room, giving the room a flair of old-world opulence.
“I would have never thought to do this," says Michelle. “The curtains make such a statement when you enter the room. I am not a plaid person but Wendy encouraged me to mix and match and told me it would all come together in the end and she was right!” The final look is more than the couple expected. In fact Michelle, who has never entertained in the room, cannot wait to throw a dinner party. “I absolutely love it…when you walk into my dining room now you feel like you are walking into a different era,” she says. “Wendy is really helping me make the house as beautiful as it can and should be. It's really exciting.” For more information on La Strada-Meuble, Objet, Décor, visit www.lastradadecor.com or contact Wendy Garfield at 917922-2072.
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“Simply the Best” DEE SNIDER of Twisted Sister
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The Oleg Cassini Collection
Make a statement in Oleg Cassini Couture's perfectly tailored ensemble. The luxurious fabric is a shimmering ivory silk satin interwoven with gold metallic threading. Topped off with the fabulous hat it’s a 24-carat knockout look.
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Crystals and pearls on ivory satin edge the V-neck of this mystical white jersey floor-length gown.
The Stage Is Set With the Oleg Cassini Collection Trimmed in Gold, Crystals and Pearls in Jewel Tone Colors www.boulevardli.com
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Fashion
Oleg Cassini Black Tie Collection Vivid emerald green crystal bugle beads are hand-stitched on matching silk chiffon. The deep cowl back flows softly above the narrowed skirt for a most glamorous evening look.
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Oleg Cassini gown of rich silk satin and yards of ballerina tulle is trimmed with a bouquet of crystal and pearl-studded silk roses.
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Fashion
Oleg Cassini's ultimate baseball cap trimmed in pearls and crystal beading, worn with an Oleg Cassini beaded satin baseball jacket.
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Fashion
bochìc Gems Inspired By A Foreign Place Blue and white enamel circle earrings set in 14K gold and silver, with beautiful rose-cut diamonds ... 7.60 ct diamonds.
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“Stylish
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Horn cuff with elegant mother-ofpearl flower set in 14K gold and silver. Lavish South Sea pearl center and single-cut diamonds provide an elegant finish to the cuff ’s enduring beauty ... 3.67 ct diamonds.
Bochìc jewelry embodies the independent spirit. It exudes confidence, style, adventure, and a zest for life. Whether the Bochìc woman lingers over a cup of espresso at a Paris Café or fastens her safari hat for an excursion through Southern Africa.
Visit Bochìc at www.bochic.com or call 1-212-873-0707 to speak with a Bochìc Personal Shopper.
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Fashion
Foley + Corinna Moto Hobo Metallic Snake
It’s All In The 18
Bag
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Treesje
Olivia Harris
Marley Mini - Turquoise
Double Buckle Satchel Olive Lambskin
Linea Pelle
H
andbag aficionado Monica Prestia founded stefaniBags.com in honor of the two loves of her life: daughter Stephanie and the ultimate accessory, the handbag. Born in Bueno Aires, Argentina, and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Monica’s love for fashion and leather stems from her family roots. Both her parents and grandparents owned leatherwear businesses, and they manufactured and created fashion-forward leather clothing. Monica came to appreciate the stylistic and functional aspects of the handbag and understood the passion for the accessory, which she calls “an extension of every woman.” The
Dylan Zip Tote - Purple
fulfillment of her dream is an exceptional handbag e-boutique, which “offers customers something unique and special, something for every personality, as distinctive as it may be.” From boho-chic hobos, to flirty clutches, to polished and functional totes, stefaniBags.com promises to become the go-to handbag resource. Available brands include Botkier, Rebecca Minkoff, Kooba, Treesje, Cynthia Rowley, Foley + Corinna, Olivia Harris, Matt & Nat, Elliot Lucca and others; prices range from $200 to $850. Visit “THE handbag site for the coolest designers” at www. stefaniBags.com.
www.boulevardli.com
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By Tim Sullivan • Photography By Kirstin Knufmann
ReginaKing Gets Busy Giving Inspiration 20
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© Mitchell Haaseth/ NBC
he phone rings on a Saturday afternoon and on the other end is a cheerleading coach in Los Angeles. As we start our conversation, she tells me she only has until 5 p.m. East Coast time before she has to go meet her beloved Pasadena Panthers, the squad that cheers her son’s football team. I laugh because I have about that much time before I have to meet my own children at the town pool for swimming lessons. But while we may have been two parents laughing about Saturday afternoon responsibilities, my caller’s week was a bit more interesting than mine. The caller was movie star Regina King, and we were talking on a Saturday because she was busy shooting a movie all week with Forest Whitaker, America Ferrera, and Carlos Mencia with a working title of Family Wedding in which she plays Whitaker’s leading lady. Immediately after she wraps this likely blockbuster movie, she will resume shooting the new critically acclaimed NBC drama Southland, which premiered in the spring. Regina plays detective Lydia Adams, a major lead role, and the seven-episode test run did so well it was picked up for the fall lineup to air on Fridays at 9 – a coveted yet daunting spot. It’s an ambitious undertaking for NBC, as the network primetime lineups are full of police dramas. But this is no ordinary police drama, and Regina is no ordinary actress. Detective Lydia Adams went into police work to serve a higher calling – answering a hunger to makes things right and assume a role in fighting everyday injustice. While we don’t know what’s at the root of that calling, we are likely to learn in the upcoming season as her character is more drawn out. With no apologies, we are brought straight on into the
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“
I hope I am always feeling like I am ascending. Because if I feel like I am ‘finally here’ then it’s a ceiling and there is no place to go.
“
Profiles
headwinds Lydia encounters within the criminal justice system and labyrinth of city government sludge. A forensics scientist points to a 10-year backlog of unprocessed rape evidence kits and tells Detective Adams to “take a number.” Lydia is pulled off an intense homicide to the scene of a shooting at a high-profile tourist destination by the commissioner to make it look like the police have everything under control on Hollywood Boulevard. And in the most character-revealing episode, Lydia advocates against an unsympathetic child services bureaucrat for an early recovery meth addict mother whose baby was found wandering the streets. “In L.A., this city is about Hollywood and staying shiny and covering up things, so we will get to see what the police officers have to deal with when things get covered up,” Regina explains. “There was one episode we did where we got pulled off a case so that we could focus on [another] one to make it look like we were all over it when the media showed up, and the LAPD has to deal with very real issues like that. Look at Michael Jackson’s funeral; that wound up being so expensive for the city that they are asking fans to help pay for it, because they want to keep the appearance that we can keep things under control here in our city.” Southland isn’t about police corruption or compelling crime mysteries. Leave that to CSI and Law & Order. It forgoes the moral ambiguity of The Shield and the social commentary of The Wire – but it’s infused with the subtle intensity of those four marquee shows and Regina’s Lydia Adams is positioned to
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be the next boldfaced household name alongside Olivia Benson and Vic Mackey. Southland delves into the psyche of what make patrolmen and detectives tick and how they interact with one another in an imperfect system. Regina’s character is frustrated, but far from jaded. In order to study for the role, Regina spoke with many police officers and detectives, sat in on focus groups and studied research about personality trends among cops. I asked her if she came across anyone who was the driving force behind her creation of Lydia Adams. “I spoke with a lot of retired detectives and one in particular, a Latina detective, is the one that I think Lydia aspires to be like,” she reveals. “But Lydia is still on her flight to move up the ladder and she hasn’t discovered anything to discourage her yet. I feel like Lydia is the weight and you can tell the story of the broken system through her, rather than the patrol officers.” Regina speaks with her real-life detective muse frequently and has had numerous conversations with her as her character evolves. Regina started acting early; as a child she appeared on television in The Jeffersons’ spinoff sitcom 227. A stellar movie
career caught fire at an early age – in Spike Lee’s Boyz in the Hood, as Cuba Gooding’s wife in Jerry McGuire, Will Smith’s wife in Enemy of the State, and Jamie Foxx’s mistress in Ray. Her acting résumé reads like a top-10 roster of big ticket titles and the men she’s starred opposite is a list of Hollywood A-listers. When I point out that Regina has acted in some of the most coveted roles in all of cinema and that every woman wants to be her, she playfully reverses the psychology and tells me that perhaps it’s each of her leading men who were lucky to star with her. And depending how you look at it, modesty aside, she is somewhat correct. In one of her most memorable scenes (for this reporter, anyway) Regina faces off with Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles’ mistress Margie Hendricks. The couple argues and as it escalates they break into “Hit The Road Jack” in what was likely an inferred embellishment for cinematic purposes to show the birth of the iconic hit. In the scene, Regina growls the chorus and makes a grand exit. Whether that actually happened between Ray Charles and Margie is immaterial, because once Regina played the scene, it did. www.boulevardli.com
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Profiles
I asked Regina what historical figure she would love to play if she had the choice of anyone and her answer came immediately – Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman elected to Congress and the first to run for president in 1972. Chisholm’s 1973 book The Good Fight is a must-read for anyone interested in breaking racial barriers – or any barriers, for that matter. “I would like to do Shirley Chisholm’s story and I am working on it now, finding a way in this economy where it’s really tough because there isn’t money around to make movies; but it’s important to get to the people who do have money to know that her story is interesting enough to be told. It’s a story about the good fight, her story from assemblywoman to running for president. It’s better when you do a slice of her life than from birth to death.” Regina’s current role of detective Lydia Adams was originally written for a white actress. Through some savvy agent pressure and her captivating screen presence, Regina easily landed the role. This wasn’t the first time her acting ability eclipsed an intended character sketch – her starring role as Layla in the 2007 movie Year of the Dog was also written for a white actress. Now, according to Regina, directors and producers see her as an actress as opposed to a “black actress.” That’s the phenomenon that occurs when talent transcends race. That’s the good fight.
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Despite her achievements on the big and small screens and the lofty company she keeps, Regina is remarkably down to earth. Like I said, that Saturday afternoon was as much two parents talking as if we were on the sidelines of our children’s soccer game as it was interviewing this fall’s biggest TV star. That balance is intentional and as a result, Regina and her professional support network have sought out and achieved the practical. Her decision to do Southland emerged from a deliberate and realistic approach to her real-life role of mother to her 13-year-old son. “I approached my manager and I said that my son was approaching his teenage years and I needed to be around, so what should we do. So I don’t take a movie that is going to take me out of town for more than two weeks. My son is no longer at the age where I can take him with me everywhere, so I found I was turning down a lot of movies [and] TV seemed like the best option for me because I want to work,” she explained. This conscientious blend of the work/family balance meant more television for Regina. It also meant more involvement at the community level – hence the race to cheerleading practice. When her son started playing football, she showed up at a game to find a nascent cheerleading troupe unable to cheer the
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“
Sally Field inspired me to be an actress...
...In Norma Rae she was sexy and strong and made you feel if you put your mind to it you can be anything.
“
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in to help, because I never cheered. She quit, so I went and got a video and made up dance videos. Now we have more volunteers and when you inspire others to volunteer that’s a great feeling.” As the fall season fires up for Southland, the success of the show will likely propel Regina’s already brightly shining star to even greater heights. The movie she is shooting now and those that come after it will also cement her rightful place alongside her icons Sally Field and Meryl Streep. Like a real-life Lydia Adams or a next generation Shirley Chisholm, Regina King takes action where it needs to be taken – righting wrongs and inspiring others. Is there a more noble higher calling or greater act of gratitude for the actress who has achieved so much? Photographer: Kirstin Knufmann Wardrobe Stylist: Tod Hallman for thpfashion.com Stylist Assistant: Phillip Sidberry Makeup Artist: Ann Masterson Hair Stylist: Yvette Shelton Creative Director: Mike Liotta, TRUE Public Relations Special Thanks to Rob Vinokur, owner of Playhouse, Muse Lifestyle Group.
© Richard Foreman/ NBC
game because the coach hadn’t shown up or had abruptly quit. Unable to accept the chagrin and disillusionment of the middle school girls who had looked forward to cheerleading with all the enthusiasm a 12-year-old can muster, Regina immediately took on the responsibility of putting together their program and became the coach. She had never been a cheerleader herself and didn’t dance very much, but none of that stopped her. “I got into it accidentally. My son was playing football and I noticed that the cheerleaders weren’t able to cheer and when I asked one of the girls why, she said the volunteer person hadn’t shown up. So I said I would lead them in some cheers, but then I found out you have to be badged and legally cleared, etc., so these girls had spent the money to enroll and couldn’t cheer. I felt so bad. I did some research and no one was donating time. So my sister and I signed up and we got involved and it was a lot of work; and by the end of the season we decided we wouldn’t do it again. But at the end of the season some girls had lost weight, others had learned to do a cartwheel. Their mothers wrote us letters and I thought how can we not do that again next season, which is this season,” she describes, as you feel her pride glowing through the phone. “We have doubled the amount of girls who are in the program from 30 to 60. I brought someone
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Profiles
Bruce Greenwood Goes Where No Actor Has Gone Before and Keeps On Going By Jason Feinberg
I
made the mistake of keeping the television on while I started to write, or at least made the effort of turning on the computer. As you might expect, I was instantly distracted when National Treasure: Book of Secrets came on – a movie that has left me wondering what is on Page 47. Before I knew it, I was again staring at a blank page as the closing credits rolled. Rules of Engagement was up next, another movie that was convincingly real, and once again … a blank page. It was definitely time to hunker down, but another movie was about to begin – the 1986 beach flick The Malibu Bikini Shop, a movie I had never seen but knew I had to watch (it was quite funny, by the way). What is interesting here is not that I procrastinated writing; it’s the fact that the person I was writing about was in all three movies. Our interview morning started at 8 a.m. in a quiet corner of Shula’s Restaurant at the Westin Hotel in Times Square. I was waiting for actor Bruce Greenwood, who recently played the part of Captain/Admiral Pike in the blockbuster movie Star Trek; and after seeing him play the president on more than one occasion, I almost expected him to enter the room with a security detail. As we sat down for breakfast, Bruce scanned the menu as if it were a new script. “Is that all you are going to order?” he asked, questioning if a bagel would satisfy my morning appetite. “Yeah, I’m good with a bagel,” I responded, trying to remember the last time I ate breakfast, let alone before 9 a.m. Greenwood’s accomplished career started in the late ’70s and almost by accident. “I was studying economics [among other things], which made me pull out my hair and I needed three more credits. So I figured I would take acting. You couldn’t fail since it was subjective and all you had to do was show up. And I basically found that this is what I wanted to do.” One of his memorable roles early on was Dr. Seth Griffin on St. Elsewhere. I told him about my interview with former costar Ed Begley Jr. He laughed as he recalled working with Ed. “I was in a scene where I was speaking with a bunch of doctors and I thought it looked really easy for Ed. He just knew all the terminology. He would glance at the chart, very doctor-like
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fashion, and speak his lines. It turns out, he was reading the script off the chart.” Since then, Greenwood has amassed nearly 100 film and television credits alongside some of the top names in the industry: Nicolas Cage, Kevin Costner, Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, and starring in films like Wild Orchid, Double Jeopardy, Thirteen Days, IRobot, Capote and soon Mao’s Last Dancer. Bruce recently starred in the 2009 film Star Trek. “My agent called me and said ‘JJ Abrams wants to speak with you.’ I thought, did I scratch his car accidentally or something? So I called him and he said, ‘I want you to audition for this part.’ I said, ‘Okay, can you send me the script?’ He said no. ‘You have to come to Paramount and we’ll put you in a locked room with a guy outside.’” The secrecy surrounding the film was intense and not the norm of any other film, and when filming started the secrecy was increased. “We had to dress in these great big hooded parkas and were shuttled around in a blacked-out golf cart and this was on the [studio] lot! The only place anyone is going to get a picture is if someone takes out a little camera on set.” The secrecy paid off as Bruce’s Captain (later Admiral) Pike convinces a young, arrogant and defiant James T. Kirk to join the Federation, thus tying together the prequel to the world’s most well-known sci-fi title. Surprisingly, where CGI could have been used, Abrams decided to build actual sets in lieu of computer effects. “The Enterprise was all real and tacked up, but the modular Narada sets were just massive, with all the prickly, crazy, hydraulic, sinister elements that you see in the movie; and in a day or two they could move all those components around to create a different point of the ship. From a design aspect it was just phenomenal.” Star Trek grossed nearly $380 million since its release and has garnered nothing but great reviews. I told Bruce that there was something unique about what he brings to a film. Regardless of screen time, he has a talent that makes his characters memorable and likable, regardless of hero or villain status. It’s a commanding technique. “You know, some people are saying that a lot suddenly. I think it’s just that I have been visible in those parts lately.” But that is what makes his acting talent all the more remarkable. He is not a commanding
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Profiles
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characters to life in such a way that when you meet him, you can’t help but wonder which character is he really like. As our time came to an end, there was still that one unanswered question that I had to ask. That one question that has been bothering me since the movie. “Oh, one more thing, Bruce. What’s on Page 47?” He smiles and says, “I could tell you but I’d have to kill you.”
© Patrick McMullan Inc.
person. He is down to earth and has a passion for his work, a passion that makes him his toughest critic when he sees himself on screen. Bruce is taking the role of mentor once again in his next film, “but in a more complicated way,” he says. He plays Ben Stevenson in Mao’s Last Dancer, the world premiere will be at the Toronto Film Festival in September. The story is based on the autobiography by Li Cunxin who, at 11 years old, was taken to Beijing and forced to study ballet. Years later he was taken to Texas as part of a cultural exchange, where he fell in love with an American woman, defected and went on to perform as a principal dancer for the Houston Ballet and as a principal artist with the Australian Ballet. The script introduced Bruce to something he ordinarily would not have been introduced to. In order to really prepare himself he had to learn ballet. “I’ve been to the ballet before but never with an appreciation of what it takes. Anyone who goes to the gym – I go to the gym – and thinks they are in shape … they’re not. In ballet, you stand at the barre and in 20 minutes you’re shaking like a leaf. You use all these muscles you never used before. I really enjoyed it and I drove my wife crazy. I would walk across a parking lot or summon a waiter like I was in The Nutcracker.” Greenwood is more than just an actor. In his spare time, he is an outdoor adventurer, an avid kayaker, as well as a musician. We talked and talked about kayaking and scuba diving, sharing experiences. I wondered if there was anything that this particular actor can’t accomplish. I have seen him play the villain, the hero, the comedian – all so different that you might not know it’s the same Bruce Greenwood. He is talented and self-disciplined and brings his
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Profiles
Reshma Shetty By Ilena Ryan
Photography by David Giesbrecht/USA Network
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hen people think of the Hamptons, they typically think vacation, sun and relaxation. But for Reshma Shetty, this popular summer hot spot is just another day at work. The actress is currently playing the role of Divya on the USA series Royal Pains. Shetty’s portrayal of the beautiful, smart, compassionate physician’s assistant is an important aspect to the medical dramedy, as Shetty describes the show. And while her character keeps audiences coming back for more, acting was not always in her cards. Born in India, Shetty grew up in Lincolnshire County, 100 miles north of London, which explains that fantastic accent of hers. Prior to her junior year of high school, Shetty and her family moved to the United States where she completed high school in the Virginia school system. Shetty had been playing piano, classical violin and guitar from the age of 8 and continued through her teens in England. “Because I could play all those instruments, I was always in the orchestra, so I was never really asked to sing, but I knew I could,” she says. Finding herself in a school with a large choir, she tried out in
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her senior year and was invited to join Honors Choir. While signs were pointing toward a performing arts career, Shetty enrolled at James Madison University, pre-med. Yet, there was always a part of her that wanted more. “I was doing pre-med and I really wanted to try out for the musicals. I got into the musical revue and The Magic Flute in chorus and I won a competition my freshman year,” she recalls. “A teacher pulled me aside and said ‘Listen, I think you’ve got talent. I think this will be really good for you.’” After sophomore year, Shetty switched her major to music, cramming in the necessary classes to complete the major and graduate on time. She went on to the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music to study opera, where she underwent intense performance training. “It’s one of those schools that if you can get through it, New York auditions are pretty easy,” Shetty remembers. Upon graduation, Shetty moved to New York, sure of her career choice in performance. “When you’re on the stage and all the training and hard work come together and you make someone else feel something that you feel yourself, it’s fun,” she smiles. A mere two months after being in New York, a time when
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young actors normally experience rejection after rejection, Shetty was cast in the national tour of the Broadway musical Bombay Dreams. “I got to travel a lot,” she says. “I learned how you have to look out for yourself when you’re on these tours, adjusting to different places, different stages, different sound systems, and I always had to be on.” When she returned from touring, Shetty had a series of roles, including being in the off-Broadway play Rafta, Rafta … as well as the 2008 film Steam. Then came the audition for her current role of Divya, a character she was immediately drawn to, as she was the show. “I thought it was a great fresh idea – there’s nothing on TV about the Hamptons that’s been a medical drama that’s funny and has such characters,” Shetty says. “Divya strikes you off the bat. She’s mysterious. Off the page, she was different. She’s a smart, intelligent, strong woman, which I love about her.” Aside from filming in fabulous locations throughout Long Island and the Hamptons, filming is a fantastic experience in itself. The cast of Royal Pains is extremely close. Shetty calls them “some of the best people I’ve ever worked with – the crew is fabulous, my castmates are my friends.” Shetty is beginning to get recognized in New York City, where she currently resides, and recalls one experience in particular that truly moved her. “This girl ran up to me. She was Indian, a molecular biologist, and she wanted to tell me how thankful she was that there was a strong Indian woman in television, and I said to her, ‘You’ve just made my life, but you do
so much more for the world than I do, so thank you.’” As an Indian woman, Shetty values the opportunity to portray such a wonderful role. Shetty says there aren’t many options for female Indian roles, though the media is becoming more open to it. “People are beginning to understand diversity isn’t going to go away. There are more faces on television and I think that’s terribly exciting,” she says. “Entertainment is a frontier; everybody watches. If there’s change in entertainment, there will be change throughout. It’s funny how valued that little black box is. It tells us about the world and shows us our part. We have to be responsible with that.” Aside from filling a void in the television world, Shetty takes the time to give back to the world she lives in. Charity is extremely important to Shetty; and she is very active in Lend a Hand India, which provides vocational programs for teenagers in India who live in small villages and are unable to go to college. She hopes down the road to be able to help the female Indian demographic. “It’s important to me to provide for something that will help down the road, and right now anything I can do that will help people, I will.” While this interview is taking place on what should be Shetty’s day off, she is scheduled for another one immediately after, and other appointments after that. It’s a busy day for her, but Shetty admits it’s “good busy,” acknowledging how fortunate she is to go to work and love what she does. “I’m so lucky. Being an actor is such an up-and-down roller coaster ride, and when you’re given a great role with fun people, it’s something you have to appreciate every day.”
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Profiles
Paul Ben-Victor Just a Brooklyn Boy Who Can Be Anyone He Wants By Ilena Ryan • Photography By JSquared Photography
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W
hen my interview with Paul Ben-Victor came to a close, he said with a laugh, “Make me look good.” But with Ben-Victor, that’s not hard to do. The time spent talking with him was filled with laughs and stories, collected over the years of his acting career. Though he’s just finished the second season of the USA series In Plain Sight, his “break” right now is hardly that. He and his fiancée, who have been together for three years, are busy planning a wedding and buying a house. Ben-Victor says he went from the role of an actor to a wedding planner and realtor. He can’t sit back and let other people plan for him. “I’ve gotta be hands-on with everything,” he says. “It’s a flaw.” One could argue that his hands-on involvement is hardly a flaw considering the success it’s brought him. The one-time theater major with a focus in set design at Carnegie Mellon University made the transition to acting during his college years, explaining he was recruited. “A friend of mine was directing the play Short Eyes and he needed somebody to play Juan,” he says. “I was this wiry New York guy and I could play Latino people, so I guess I was the best fit for the role. It was easier than being in the catwalks, hanging lights, designing lighting plots.” After Short Eyes, Ben-Victor was involved in another play that resulted in an emotional epiphany he recalls very clearly. “I remember getting off stage and people came up to me, praising me, and it was just an overwhelming sensation. I remember running across campus in the dark, sitting down under a tree and crying— I’m a big crybaby— it was this euphoric feeling and I said ‘Oh my gosh, I’m an actor.’” He knew he had found his calling. “I never had a doubt in my mind,” he says. “I knew it was something I could make a living doing.” Like most budding actors, after graduation Ben-Victor went to New York, a homecoming for him as he grew up in Brooklyn. He started doing commercials and plays right away. His first role in the real world was playing another Latino character. His accent is phenomenal. During the interview he introduced his own character, Tony, a gay Puerto Rican man who asked me through his lisped accent, “Does my butt look if his butt look fat?” To anyone who has seen Ben-Victor’s work, from roles on HBO’s The Wire and Entourage, his performance as Moe in the television biography The Three Stooges, his appearances on Everybody Hates Chris, to his current role as Stan McQueen on In Plain Sight, it would seem the actor no longer needs to concern himself with developing his craft. But according to Ben-Victor, that couldn’t be further from the truth. “I’m still trying to learn how to do it, I watch myself and say, ‘Stop doing this! Stop doing that! Why are you looking there? Lose more weight—what’s with
your double chin? Stop making faces. Leave your hands alone.’ I just pick at myself; I’m always developing.” His key tool to developing his skills? Years of auditioning. Ben-Victor spent a great amount of time in his home office, living room, or bedroom coming up with characters for auditions. “That process has happened hundreds of times over the years, but that, for me, is a tremendous gymnasium workout for my skills,” he says. One experience he recalls in particular was preparing for the role of Moe in The Three Stooges. “Everyone always imitates Curly, no one ever does Moe, and I have a lot of wigs ’cause I’m a bald guy. It was a $3,000 wig and I cut it to the bowl cut and I stuck it on my head and I looked in the mirror and I said ‘What’s the matta’ wit you?’ I thought, holy crap, this is yours; it was just me and Moe.” It’s his instinct for characters and dedication to their development that led to Ben-Victor’s current success on In Plain Sight. He modestly attributes the show’s success to star Mary McCormack as well as to the fresh concept of a crime drama about a witness protection program, but Ben-Victor’s performance as McQueen is just as vital. He is a charismatic, devoted and intense actor who makes you want to watch. Ben-Victor has a very close group of friends, some of whom he was up with until 4 a.m. the night before drinking “delicious wine,” he says. “They joke with me and ask me, say, ‘Who are you making them believe you are this week?’ That part of my life is make-believe, it’s like Halloween every day.” Aside from auditioning for roles, Ben-Victor is writing his own scripts and roles, although his writing partner might not be one you’d expect. Ben-Victor works on scripts alongside his mother, a playwright in her mid-70s. One script has already been brought to the stage, and another is currently in early film production. He describes his mom as “a super-talented, superfunny fireball. I’m a huge fan of her work; I sit there and try to fish it out of her. One day we just started bantering about a script and there was a connection,” he recalls. That closeness with his mother extends to the rest of his family, with many family members residing on Long Island. Although he has been living in California for the past 20 years, Ben-Victor makes sure to visit the East Coast often. “I have a really fun group of aunts and uncles; we have the best Hannukah parties. I’m just your everyday Brooklyn boy.” There is no doubt that Paul Ben-Victor is enjoying his time as an actor. He’s played a wide range of roles that allow him to explore different aspects of his abilities. And with a hit series on USA, he isn’t planning on stopping anytime soon. “I just like doing it, it’s so much fun. I like to keep busy. I think most of us feel that way, we want to keep doing what we enjoy.”
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Photo Gallery
The Boulevard Magazine Rock of Ages Cover Party Hawaiian Tropic Zone Restaurant, NYC Wednesday, July, 15 2009
Photos by Patrick McMullan, Inc.
Constantine Maroulis, Savannah Wise, Jeremy Woodard, Jeff Davis, Angela Susan Anton, Angel Reed and Joel Hoekstra
Ron Claiborne and Dr. Max Gomez
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Debbie Serrano and Nestor Serrano
Mark Schoenfeld, Jeff Davis and Jason Feinberg
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The Boulevard Cover Party - Continued
Kristine Quattrone and Kristen Anton
John Basedow, Dr. Kelly O’Malley and Fran Capo
Rita and Barry Kay
Angela Susan Anton and Jean Shafiroff
Elmira Naymark, Rob Reiss and Sebastian
Jason Moskowitz and Heather Cohen
Jonathan Lovero, Angela Susan Anton and Kristen Anton
Mercedes Hall and Michael Enright www.boulevardli.com
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Photo Gallery
The Boulevard Rock of Ages Cover Party - Continued Photos by Tina Guiomar, Thomas Carroll and Ed Kennedy
Constantine Maroulis and Joel Hoekstra
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Nancy Rocker and Ernst VanBergeijk
Joel Hoekstra and John Coleman
Scott Neher, Angela Susan Anton and Jeff Davis
Michael Gates, Angela Susan Anton, Constantine Maroulis and Jennifer Tinghitella
The Cast and Crew of Rock of Ages, the musical.
Angela Susan Anton, Dr. Barbara Capozzi, Dr. Max Gomez, Karen Loeffler and Ed Cortez
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Photo Gallery
The Boulevard Rock of Ages Cover Party - Continued Photos by Tina Guiomar, Thomas Carroll and Ed Kennedy
Sam Gooley, Ross Chestnut, Andrew Blair and Jeremy Woodard
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Kenny Horn, Michael Bruno and Linda Horn
Kieran Sullivan, Mercedes Martin and Jonathan Clark
Lindsey Lockwood, Tina Guiomar and Angela Lanoce
Jeff Cohen, Jennifer Tinghitella and Josh Friedman
Rich Esposito and Jim Vitelli
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Around The Town
Experience Long Island at Tilles Center
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illes Center for the Performing Arts will host Experience Long Island 2009 from Sept. 25 -27, a three-day event in the great tradition of the Edinburgh International Fringe Festival. Produced by The Artists Group, this is a one-of-a-kind showcase for innovative music, dance, theater and visual art that highlights the work of many of Long Island’s most creative artists. The festival will be held at Tilles Center and at other venues on the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University. Experience Long Island 2009 is a trip into the world of Muse. A feast for the senses, every creative discipline is presented at venues ringing the fringe of the mainstage in the Tilles Center. It is an opportunity to taste dance, music, poetry and song, to drink in the spirit of form and space during a weekend devoted to art on
the edge. The festival opens Friday night with a Tilles Center mainstage show featuring Steve Adelson Stick-Tet. Highlights on Saturday include performances at seven venues plus four mainstage shows, one featuring vocalist Eden White in 40, a new musical. Sunday is no less packed with artistic excitement. In addition to performances in seven venues throughout the day, the festival finale on the Tilles Center mainstage stars The Suck It Easy Band in a Floyd Explosion. Tickets are available for all performances of Experience Long Island. For more information visit http://experiencelongisland. webs.com.Visit tillescenter.org or call (516) 299-3100 for ticket information.
Kate Spade's
Red Carpet Fashion With Tim Gunn
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im Gunn, chief creative director of Liz Claiborne and star of Project Runway, will be at Bloomingdales in Roosevelt Field on Wednesday, Sept. 16, to officially launch the Kate Spade ReadyTo-Wear Collection. Come join Tim as he hosts a fashion presentation of the fall 2009 collection featuring feminine modern pieces. For more information, call 516-873-2772.
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Barbara and William Kissam to Host Hospice Care Network Cocktail Party
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n Sunday, Sept. 13, Barbara and William Kissam will host Hospice Care Network’s Annual Cocktail Party at their home in East Islip to help raise funds for Hospice Care Network and its many community programs. The event will honor Patricia and Augustus Nazzaro, who over the past 35 years have used their family construction business and passion for building to help the local community. Augustus Nazzaro discovered his passion for building at a young age when he worked in his father's service station in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. He married Patricia, started a family, moved to Long Island and opened a family business constructing homes for more than 1,000 families in Suffolk County. Patricia and Augustus Nazzaro continue to take an active
role in the community, including Mr. Nazzaro’s dedication as a member of the Long Island Builder’s Association and the Advisory Board for the Town of Babylon. He has also served on the building committee for the Association for the Help of Handicapped Children, where he was instrumental in building the current facility in Bohemia that serves the mentally handicapped. Hospice Care Network’s Annual Cocktail Party will take place from 2 to 5 p.m. at the home of Barbara and William Kissam in East Islip. Ticket price is $100 and includes a buffet catered by the Irish Coffee Pub, a seafood raw bar, entertainment and auction. For information, contact Chris Court, Hospice Care Network’s senior special events coordinator, at 516-2246467, or visit www.hospicecarenetwork.org.
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Around The Town
Nassau County Museum of Art On View Through Sept. 7
Dialogue: Sculpture, Alain Kirili, and Painting, Frank Olt The exhibit juxtaposes the work of two important contemporary artists: sculptor Alain Kirili and painter Frank Olt. The two artists, friends in their personal lives, share a passionate interest in materials, process, tactility and the continuity of abstract traditions. Olt is a Long Islander and a professor at C.W. Post. Kirili is Paris-born; his work is in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. The exhibition is organized by Elaine Berger.
Victor Philippe Auguste de Jonquieres The Triumphal Return of Louis Napoleon to Paris on October 16, 1852, 1865 Oil on canvas 63 3/4” X 89 3/4”
Napoleon and Eugenie This lavish exhibition conveys the story of France during the era of the Second Empire —its personages, accomplishments, international relationships and, throughout, the opulence that characterized the royal court of Napoleon III and his Consort Empress. The exhibition is also a first-class history lesson and many of the intriguing works on view are objects that were owned or commissioned by the Imperial family.
Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee Max Hergenrother Pen and Ink Copyright Max Hergenrother, 2008/09
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland NCMA’s MiniArtMuseum for Children is an indoor and outdoor fantasyland devoted to the fabulous Alice stories of Lewis Carroll. Featuring illustrations by Max Hergenrother, the Alice experience at the MiniArtMuseum includes fun clothes for dressup, art supplies for recreating Alice’s Wonderland, giant chess pieces, a croquet game on the lawn and much, much more. Frank Olt Backstop No. 34, 2007 Encaustic on linen on panel 30" x 44" courtesy of Lohin-Geduld Gallery
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Nassau County Museum of Art is located at One Museum Drive, just off Northern Boulevard (Route 25A), in Roslyn Harbor. Call 516484-9337 or visit nassaumuseum.com for information on events and current exhibitions and activities, or for charges, hours of operation and directions.
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Around The Town
Late Summer Into Fall at Old Westbury Gardens
Photography By Vince Kish
Yoga
Thursdays, 11:15 a.m. Professional Kripalu instructor Lorili Henry leads students through a dynamic, yet gentle, flow of postures and conscious breathing. Students must bring a yoga mat, yoga strap and towel.
Aug. 22 The 49th Annual Scottish Games Bagpipes, caber tossing, children’s competitions, concerts, dancing, parades, Scottish foods, gifts, clothing and much more.
Tai Chi
Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. Tai Chi, a form of “moving meditation,” calms the mind, relaxes the body and strengthens the spirit. The sessions, taught by a professional Tai Chi instructor, are designed for all experience levels.
Sundays at 2 p.m. Specialty Garden Tours
Aug. 30: Late Summer in the Garden Sept. 13: The Formal English Garden Sept. 20: Late Summer in the Walled Garden Sept. 27: Splendors of the Autumn Garden
Friday, Oct. 2 through Sunday, Oct. 4 Long Island Mozart Festival Concerts, children’s activities, demonstrations of fencing and period dance, carriage rides, food court and more. For More Information Contact: Old Westbury Gardens 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury 516-333-0048 www.oldwestburygardens.org
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Tuning in with WLIW21 New York Public Television Premiering in August – visit wliw.org for airdates:
Filmmakers traveled the world recording local musicians, both famous and unknown, to inspire peace through music and to connect diverse musicians worldwide – especially those in regions of conflict.
Extreme Animals
Frost/Nixon: The Original Watergate Interviews For the 35th anniversary of President Richard Nixon’s resignation, WLIW21 brings back the most compelling political interview ever: the May 1977 David Frost and Richard Nixon Watergate broadcast of the Frost/Nixon interviews. Never before or after would Nixon confront the issue of Watergate in a forum with no advance knowledge of the questions and no privilege to see the program before it was broadcast.
Motown Memories
Thursdays at 9 p.m. beginning August 27 In a new three-part series, intrepid adventurer Steve Leonard braves the elements - and the animals - to uncover the most incredible examples of endurance in the natural world.
Premiering in September – visit wliw.org for airdates
The National Parks: America’s Best Idea The new documentary series directed by Ken Burns was filmed over more than six years in some of America’s most spectacular natural locales — from the Everglades to Alaska — and traces the birth of the national park idea in the mid-1800s through its 150-year evolution. Burns’ inimitable style offers a biography of compelling characters and of the American landscape.
The My Music series presents a collection of archival hits and rare interviews from five Motown legends: the Temptations, the Four Tops, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Diana Ross and the Supremes, and Marvin Gaye. Mary Wilson hosts.
WLIW21 Autumn Gourmet Classic featuring chefs Lidia Bastianich, John Barricelli and Jacques Pépin.
WLIW21 Autumn Gourmet Classic
The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. Arches Natinal Park, Utah Photo By Craig Mellish
Playing for Change: Peace Through Music A new documentary tells the story of an unparalleled international musical collaboration and its remarkable power of redemption.
Experience public television chefs live at the WLIW21 Autumn Gourmet Classic on Wednesday, Sept. 9, at the Astor Center. Lidia Bastianich, Jacques Pépin, John Barricelli and other chefs will team up for an intimate evening of food, wine and culinary theater. Guests will take a photo with Lidia, see food demos from Jacques and John, taste food from the New York metro area’s best restaurants and sample wines from all over the world. Tickets are available exclusively through WLIW21 at www.wliw.org/events and space is limited!
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Lifestyles
A 60-Year Tradition ... The Artists vs.
Writers Softball Game By Daniel Simone Photography By Sonia Moskowitz
F
ormer model and current restaurateur extraordinaire B. Smith stood at home plate poised to confront the upcoming pitch. Alec Baldwin and Chevy Chase, a duet of pranksters, whistled mating calls to her with affectionate heckling. Because of her three prior insulting strikeouts, the flattery was timely and offered her a welcomed boost. On first attempt, Ms. Smith fanned wildly at the air and missed the ball by 2 feet. Pitifully, she repeated that failure twice more; and umpire Dan Rattiner, publisher and editor of Dan’s Papers, called strike three. Bert Sugar, the renowned boxing expert and colorful commentator, had assumed the self-appointed role of tormentor of anybody who came within range of his jeer. The other panelists who assisted the taunting were the dour James Lipton and the sprightly Juliet Papa. Mr. Sugar, feeling compassion for Ms. Smith’s consistent strikeouts, or perhaps persuaded by her shapely figure and angelic face, proposed that the opposing team consent to an exception and permit her a fourth chance. Naturally, they opposed. The rules are clear and simple: Three strikes and you’re out. Period. But Burt insisted and, following a rumpus from Ms. Smith’s adversaries, which the crowd’s approving chants quickly snuffed out, the team relented and begrudgingly agreed to the concession. The pitcher fired the ball, the ex-model swung, and to the onlookers’ dumbfounded delight, the bat connected. Incredible! It became a more incredulous scene when the first baseman fumbled the catch and Ms. Smith was safe on first. The opposition exploded into a heated roar demanding the nullification of the base hit. The fans cheered for B. Smith, and
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Chevy Chase, Lori Singer and Alec Baldwin at last year’s game. the umpire, bowing to public pressure, allowed the play to stand. That legendary episode took place at the 50th Artists vs. Writers Softball Game, a contest played in cheerful spirit and random tomfoolery. The annual assemblage of celebrities, politicians and myriad of media personnel has expanded a once picnic-like summer activity to a spectacle that draws the attention of the mainline press and approximately 1,500 spectators. Moreover, it has evolved to a fundraiser that has filled its beneficiaries’ coffers to an average of $40,000 per tournament. In the early days of the game, in less sophisticated fashion, the core of volunteers passed a hat for a collection that benefited George McGovern’s
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1972 presidential campaign. A coterie of artists, who had relocated to the Hamptons region of Long Island shortly after World War II, gathered at the backyard of the burly sculptor/painter, Wilfred Zogbaum, and engaged in a “few friendly innings.” It engendered a reason to socialize among peers while chomping on hot dogs and chugging beer in preparation for the evening’s serious libations, a favorite pastime among writers of that era, and, perhaps, some contemporary ones, too. The founding veterans of the haphazard series, in addition to Zogbaum, were artists William DeKooning and Franz Kline; The New Yorker art critic Harold Rosenberg; and sculptor Philip Pavia. Soon Eli Wallach and Grove Press publisher Barney Rossett tried out for the two competing teams, although at that time, there was no artistic distinction. Each squad comprised a medley of painters, authors, and even autobody mechanics. George Plimpton and Kurt Vonnegut joined the ranks and, though it is not quite clear who the instigator might’ve been, the writers amalgamated and segregated from the artists. They formed their own team and established a ritual: the Artists vs. Writers would face off every August at Herrick Park in East Hampton. For 30 years, the more aggressive Writers won the majority of the encounters. However, as of late, the Artists have been trouncing the opposition, to the extent that the scores sometimes equal those of basketball games. From the onset, the clowning during the games gained regional fame. The first to initiate the shenanigans had been DeKooning and Kline. The two, behaving like jesters, painted a grapefruit white and pitched it to George Plimpton ever so slowly to ensure that he’d hit it with all his might. The unwitting author struck the grapefruit as it exploded into fragments. Startled, if not frightened, he stood frozen and slack-jawed at home plate under a shower of yellow, sodden debris. In the ’70s, mansions sprouted in farm fields of the Hamptons, celebrities settled in, and pretenders invaded the area. Consequently, the matches between the Writers and Artists progressed to organized, star-studded happenings. Of course where you see stars, you will spot a swarm of paparazzi, and so, over decades, the press corps has increased its presence. Painter/carpenter/restaurateur Leif Hope has been a devoted coordinator of the Artists vs. Writers tournaments, simultaneously promoting the charitable theme of the event and jettisoning the first fundraiser in 1971. Mr. Hope launched the philanthropic deed for a unique cause. In those turbulent days, Charles Gwathmey and Bill Durham were under indictment for desecrating the American flag while demonstrating against the Vietnam War. Because the two Eastenders were indigent artists, they desperately needed cash for legal fees. Throughout the years, subtle flaws have plagued the
ensemble of players, officials and coaches. For example, the chief arbiter of the game, Dan Rattiner, himself an author, has hosted inclinations to rule in favor of the Writers. A more vexing subterfuge has also sparked arguments. The first base umpire, an elderly man with eyesight that isn’t as sharp as a hawk’s, grew to rely on the opinion of the Writers’ first base coach when judging plays. Bert Sugar, though his duty is merely to moderate and remark on relevant topics, more often than not meddles in the affairs of the officials by invoking his interpretation of the rules, disturbing the proceedings and instigating chaos. And let’s not forget Mayor Rudy Giuliani. He umpired the game in 2007. To everybody’s confusion, when he ruled on pitches, His Honor pumped his right arm in the air instead of the left when calling balls, and vice versa when calling strikes. The unintentional blunders have elicited memorable hilarity. On one occasion, Christie Brinkley strutted to home plate, and as the pitch came, thwacked the ball and unintentionally hurled the bat in the air. It flew farther than the softball. Everyone dove for cover as the ’70s supermodel contorted her glamorous face to a cringe, hoping the out-ofcontrol bat would spare all souls in proximity. The calamities, hijinks and lighthearted verbal jousting are the elements of spontaneous entertainment and gratification to the players. At this time, players who have been elevated to the Artists vs. Writers League Hall of Fame, which includes the hecklers, are Alan Alda, Alec Baldwin, James Bradley, Carl Bernstein, President Bill Clinton, Chevy Chase, Christie Brinkley, Eli Wallach, Lori Singer, B. Smith, Matthew Broderick, Paul Simon, Peter Jennings, Regis Philbin, Roy Scheider, Rudy Giuliani, Donny Deutsch, Rod Gilbert and Mortimer Zuckerman. This band of magnanimous individuals and the mission’s sponsors have been integral to the scope of the fundraising goals and its success. The beneficiaries – East End Hospice, East Hampton Day Care Center and the Phoenix House – are grateful for the effort the celebrities have dedicated to the cause. Debbie McEneaney, an earnest volunteer who donates her time and whatever else may be necessary to produce the show, heralds this year’s game. “The date is set for Saturday, Aug. 15 at Herrick Park in East Hampton,” she announced. “The game starts at 3 p.m. with batting practice at 1. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, it’ll be the following Saturday, Aug. 22.” For further information on the 2009 Artists vs. Writers Softball Game, visit www.artistswritersgame.com. Play ball!
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Success Made Simple By Sharon Richards
S
o what happens when you combine the talents of a fitness celebrity and the world’s fastest talking female? You get Success Made Simple, a keynote seminar that educates, captivates and motivates audiences into achieving their dreams. It’s not your typical matched set, but there’s nothing typical about either John Basedow or Fran Capo, the dynamic duo behind the popular SMS Seminars, both of whom have unique stories of self-made success. John Basedow’s life is an American dream come true; his is a rags-to-riches story. From his parents’ basement in Baldwin, NY, John has achieved international recognition and created a multimedia empire with his best-selling Fitness Made Simple DVD series. Fueled by an undying persistence and his personal motto: "Believe in yourself and you can accomplish anything," John’s motivational programs have helped to improve the bodies and lives of thousands of people nationwide. He is the author of Fitness Made Simple: The Power to Change Your Body & Life, which details his own life journey. John says, “The reason I wrote this book was to save others the wasted time, effort, not to mention money, and frustration that I went through in my own efforts to improve my body and health, from a time when he was broke and depressed, had lost direction and focus and was shaped like a bowling pin on legs, with no shoulders and a big, wide middle.” From his less-than-auspicious beginnings, John went on to be a model in many major magazines, is a frequent guest on FOX News Channel, a regular on the popular Sirius/XM Radio program Covino & Rich, the star of the web series JohnBasedow. tv, a personality on the national cooking series Taste This TV and a spokesmodel for Chamonix Skincare and Energize sports drink. A true humanitarian, John works with various charities, including the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes
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Association, for which he’ll be the honorary spokesperson at the Step Out: Walk to Fight Diabetes on Oct. 11. The flip side of the team is Renaissance woman Fran Capo, whose philosophy is “Fear nothing… but if you do, do it anyway!” Perhaps best known as the world record-holder of the “Fastest Talking Female,” documented in The Guinness Book of World Records and clocked at 603.32 words in 54.2 seconds, Fran has parlayed her exuberance and talent into a career that exceeds more than the sum of its parts. With the Success Made Simple seminars, she offers motivational speeches with John to “show people that as long as they focus on the vision of what they want in life and work hard every day to achieve it, they can live their dreams.” Fran also boasts world records for holding the highest book signing – at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, the deepest book signing – by the wreck of the Titanic; and, with Chiromission, seeing the most patients in two days – 21,695. Credits also include author of 11 books, adventurer, voice-over artist and comedienne. She’s presently the co-host of the Channel 10/55 TV show Live it Up! With Donna Drake and Fran Capo, on which John is the fitness correspondent. Her two new books, Hopeville: The City of Light and It Happened in New York City, are due out later this year. The single mom also writes a weekly blog called Fran’s World for TravelingMom.com. John and Fran met when they were both judging the 2006 Huntington Comedy Laugh-Off and became fast friends once they realized their similar trials and tribulations, albeit on different paths, to self-made success. “We just clicked,” says John. After guesting on each other’s Internet TV shows, the pair created their own series, Walking with John and Fran, which premieres in August. They also frequently do radio broadcasts, talks, 100-block walks, and red carpet appearances together.
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So exactly what is Success Made Simple? It’s a combination of John’s “Power to Change Your Body & Life” talk with Fran’s “Dare to Do It” talk that concludes with a noholds-barred question-and-answer segment. Their mission, as they passionately put it, is “to lead a national crusade against a widespread epidemic that we call ‘settle-itis.’” As John says, "We want people to know that if they dream it, they can do it. Too often people settle for less than what makes them happy. When they do this in one area of their lives it spreads like a cancer throughout every other aspect. Then these people wake up years later wondering whatever happened to their dreams." Fran adds, "The bottom line is if you want to do something you find a way. If you don’t, you find an excuse. We try to get people to remove the excuses from their lives and have fun doing it…just like we are.” John and Fran have mass appeal because they exude incredible energy and honesty. Their mission is simple – to help people become healthier in all aspects of their lives, to become more confident, and to have fun doing it along the way. Since they have overcome many of the same obstacles their audiences are now facing, John and Fran are able to break down self-imposed limits people erect by speaking directly from the heart, with a splash of humor. Their accomplishments are living examples of the feats and dreams they can inspire others to achieve. Together, they make Success Made Simple Seminars a truly life-changing experience.
John & Fran’s Tips For Success… Even During Tough Times 1. Start every day with gratitude. If you focus on the things you are thankful for, you will put yourself in a better frame of mind to tackle new goals. 2. Do what you love. If it’s grounded in good, it’s destined for greatness. If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, you probably won’t be successful at it. 3. Take baby steps. Keep focused, do one positive thing each day to reach your goal; and by the end of a month you’ll be 30 steps closer to achieving it. 4. Quiet your “negative inner voice” and surround yourself with positive people. 5. Start small…build big…and keep control along the way. You are responsible for your own success. Plan a way for you to achieve your goals without dependence on outside investors. 6. You have to be your own No. 1 cheerleader. Practice positive affirmations; the more you say them, the more they become part of your being, and the sooner they’ll become reality. 7. Think out of the box. Don’t be “sheeple,” just following the herd. Successful people stand out. They don’t follow; they lead. 8. Never quit. You won’t lose if you don’t quit. Persistence pays and sometimes you win just by outlasting the competition. Success doesn’t have a time limit. 8. Don’t fear failure. Every successful person has failed multiple times. They used those failures to learn the tools needed for success. 10. Visualize, visualize, visualize! You achieve what you believe. Think of where you want to be, what you want to do, work hard every day, and then whatever you imagine you’ll attain.
The duo mingles with sea lions on a Walking With John & Fran Internet TV episode. www.boulevardli.com
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Lifestyles
American Cancer Society Celebrates Hope in 2009 More than 230 people attended the American Cancer Society’s Gala of Hope on Friday, June 5, at the Garden City Hotel. The successful event raised over $212,000 for cancer research, early detection and prevention education, advocacy efforts and important services for patients and their caregivers in Nassau County. Dr. Francisco Garcia-Moreno and Dr. Jonathan Marsh were named 2009 Physicians of Distinction, and Dr. Daniel B. and Karen Yarosh were the 2009 Corporate Caring Honorees. Dr. Garcia-Moreno and Dr. Marsh are founding partners of Nassau Hematology Oncology in Lake Success. The compassionate physicians were honored for their high level of dedication to their patients in addition to their commitment to the fight against cancer. Dr. and Mrs. Yarosh developed AGI Dermatics, a skincare company focusing on DNA repair for the prevention of skin cancer, in addition to formulating the skincare product Remergent. Dr. Yarosh’s scientific dedication and Mrs. Yarosh’s own personal battle with cancer serve to draw them that much closer to the mission of the American Cancer Society.
Photo Courtesy of Anthony Joseph Photography
2009 Gala of Hope Honorees: Dr. Jonathan H. Marsh, Dr. Francisco A. Garcia-Moreno, Karen Yarosh and Dr. Daniel B. Yarosh.
CMA Grosses Highest Funds to Date at Golf & Tennis Tournament
Event co-chairs Gerry Levy, Mark Engel and Jerry Pinsky with CMA’s Executive Director Julie P. Samkoff and Director of Development Diana Guerin
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Community Mainstreaming Associates Inc. (CMA) raised in excess of $310,000 at its 15th Annual Golf & Tennis Tournament, making the event the not-for-profit organization’s most successful tournament yet. The two-day tournament presented an opportunity for key business leaders in the Long Island, Bronx and Manhattan areas to enjoy a day of leisure, playing golf or tennis to help a great cause. James C. Romanelli, senior vice president with the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, was honored at the event. Additionally, CMA’s High Gross Award, which celebrates and honors the memory of Bob Kipnes, a founding tournament member, was presented at the May 11 tournament. Joseph Caracappa and Arnold Waldman received the award for their unselfish dedication and commitment to men and women with intellectual and developmental disabilities. CMA’s 16th Annual Golf & Tennis Tournament is scheduled for Monday, May 10 and Monday, May 17, 2010 at the Muttontown Club in East Norwich. For information, contact Diana Miceli-Guerin at 516-683-0710, ext. 203 or Dguerin@ communitymainstreaming.org.
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Laugh ‘Til It Stops Hurting
Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation Looks on the Bright Side to Raise Funds Taking a fresh approach to raising money in challenging times, the Long Island chapter of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America turned to the best cure of all – laughter – with a standout standup performance by comedian Robert Klein. Three hundred of the chapter’s supporters were in attendance to honor Francine and Laurance Nagin and their sons Matthew, Jason, Jonathan and Adam for their consistent dedication to finding a cure for Crohn’s and colitis. Matthew, who was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease as a young boy, is a writer and, as luck would have it, an emerging comedian. With a comedy routine focused on the absurdities of living with Crohn’s or any chronic illness, he entertained the audience before turning serious to present his parents with the chapter’s prestigious Mission Award. Among the guests were New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, CBS-TV medical reporter Dr. Max Gomez, Anton Community Newspapers and The Boulevard publisher Angela Susan Anton and former Men of the Year Award recipients Richard Kleinman, Peter Cosentino and James A. Pappas. More than $330,000 was raised in support of CCFA’s mission to find a cure and improve the lives of the 1.4 million children and adults who suffer with Crohn’s or colitis.
Headline comedian Robert Klein with Angela Susan Anton at the after-performance meet and greet.
Committee members Kenneth and Lois Kirschenbaum and Drs. Karen and Paul Bonheim with Matthew Nagin
Chapter President Mitchell A. Carron, Laurance and Francine Nagin and Chapter Executive Director Edda Ramsdell
Jason, Matthew, Francine, Laurance, Adam and Jonathan Nagin, recipients of the CCFA Mission Award www.boulevardli.com
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Lifestyles
Sports Celebrities
Hit the Links at the Clark Gillies Invitational On Monday, June 8, Hockey Hall of Famers Bryan Trottier and Pat LaFontaine, Baseball Hall of Famer Gary Carter and NY Ranger great Ron Duguay joined Hockey Hall of Famer and NY Islander great Clark Gillies to raise $100,000 in support of the Clark Gillies Foundation.
NY Islanders Steve Webb, Bobby Nystrom, Pat LaFontaine and Gerry Hart
Hall of Famer NY Islander Clark Gillies and Ranger great Ron Duguay
Thomasth Hartman Foundation
Hosts 6 Annual Cure for Sure Dinner More than 700 people attended the Thomas Hartman Foundation for Parkinson’s Research 6th Annual Cure for Sure Dinner on June 9 at the Crest Hollow Country Club to celebrate the work of seven scientists who are moving the field closer to a cure. Warren Newman was recipient of Father Tom’s Spirit Award, given to a person affected by Parkinson’s who has contributed to public awareness of the disease; and John A. Danzi was this year’s Hartman Philanthropic Leadership Award honoree.
David C. Chan, M.D., Ph.D.; Michael Kaplitt, M.D., Ph.D.; D. James Surmeier, Ph.D.; Rajiv R. Ratan, M. D., Ph.D. and Father Tom Hartman
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Fr. Tom Hartman presents the Hartman Philanthropic Award to John Danzi.
Fr. Tom Hartman with actress Susan Lucci
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The Don Monti Memorial
Research Foundation Legacy Continues Three years ago, Tita Monti, founder of The Don Monti Memorial Research Foundation, passed away, followed a year later by her husband Joseph Monti. Today, the work of The Don Monti Memorial Research Foundation carries on under the leadership of their daughter, Caroline Monti-Saladino. "I have three angels on my shoulder," Mrs. Monti-Saladino says. "My parents and my brother Don, who died in 1972 and in whose memory my parents created the foundation. With the legacy left by my parents and the generosity of our donors, we've been able to further the cause of patient care, research, clinical trials and education." Along with the North Shore-LIJ Health System, The Don Monti Memorial Research Foundation has created the Tita and Joseph Monti -Vincent Vinciguerra Professorship in Oncology. The foundation donated $500,000 for this endowed chair, honoring the memories of Tita and Joseph Monti and the lifelong work of Vincent Vinciguerra, MD, chief of North Shore University Hospital's Don Monti Division of Medical Oncology/Hematology and a longtime partner of the foundation. The foundation also recently donated $500,000 in support of research for the development of more effective cancer therapies at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. "My parents served the cancer community on Long Island with great passion and dignity," says Mrs. Monti-Saladino. "We are so pleased to carry on their legacy, and proud to help further the important work in cancer research going on at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory."
(L to R, clockwise) Michael J. Dowling, president and CEO, North Shore-LIJ Health System; Vincent Vinciguerra, MD, chief, Don Monti Division of Oncology/Hematology; Saul B. Katz, chairman, North Shore LIJ-Health System; David Battinelli, M.D., Chief Academic Officer and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs, North Shore-LIJ Health System, Richard Monti, co-chair, and Caroline Monti-Saladino, president, The Don Monti Memorial Research Foundation.
EAC Aloha Golf Classic
and Tropical Evening Is Overwhelming Success
Honoree Leonard T. D’Amico, Frank J. Dehler, Honoree Peter Florey; and Bruce Peterson
The Education & Assistance Corporation’s Aloha Golf Classic and Tropical Paradise Evening took place on Monday, June 22 at the North Hills Country Club in Manhasset, continuing EAC’s yearlong 40th birthday celebration. Honorees for the outing included Gerald Kaiser, Esq., founder and director of Madison National Bank; Kathy O’Malley, director of business development and marketing, JRS Architect, PC; and Leonard T. D’Amico and Peter G. Florey, principals of the D&F Development Group. Mother Nature blessed golfers with the first clear spring day in weeks, after which all enjoyed a fabulous Tropical Paradise Evening featuring a raw bar and entertainment. Proceeds from the event will help fund EAC’s work in the community. EAC is proud of its many programs that address many of the same societal problems that existed at its inception. It continues with initiatives that protect children, create opportunities for seniors, promote healthy families and communities, empower people through employment and education, and provide alternatives for people with substance abuse and mental health needs. EAC’s dedicated staff helped more than 58,000 people last year.
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Lifestyles
Chefs Cook For Kids Event
Raises Funds for Schneider Children’s Hospital More than 300 food and drink aficionados packed the Delano Mansion at the Woodlands in Woodbury in May for Chefs Cook for Kids, an epicurean event that raised more than $100,000 to support the Child Life & Education Services Program at Schneider Children’s Hospital (SCH), a member of the North Shore-LIJ Health System. Chefs and representatives from over 20 local restaurants and vineyards provided samples of their wares, and a number of exciting prizes were offered through a live auction and raffles. The Child Life & Education Services Program at Schneider Children’s Hospital is designed to alleviate the trauma experienced by children who are hospitalized. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked Schneider Children’s Hospital among the best children’s hospitals in the nation for the second year in a row.
Joann Flick, associate director of development for pediatrics, North Shore-LIJ Health System Foundation; Ralph A. Nappi, president, North Shore-LIJ Health System Foundation; Tom Schaudel, Long Island chef and author; Chantal Weinhold, executive director, Schneider Children’s Hospital; and Ed Chernoff, chairman, NLD for Pediatrics.
TNA, The Facial Pain Association
Celebrates New Research Initiative
Harry Crosby and Kathryn Crosby
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Dr. Ramish Babu and Chairman, Board of Directors, Roger Levy
TNA, The Facial Pain Association, and Kathryn Crosby, national spokesperson for the organization, hosted a special dinner and performance to acknowledge the launching of a new research initiative at the McKnight Brain Institute at the University of Florida. The initiative will be entrusted to Dr. Lucia Notterpek, chair of the department of neuroscience at the University of Florida and a member of the McKnight Brain Institute. In attendance were TNA board members, including Roger Levy, chairman of the board; CEO Susan Cupp; Michael Pasternak and Mike Hirsch. Other guests included Nathanial Crosby, Harry Crosby, Mary Crosby, Mr. and Mrs. Sandy Montage, Dr. and Mrs. Ralph Raphaelson, Mrs. Martin Richter, Dr. Jeffrey Brown, Dr. David Sirois, Dr. Ramish Babu, Marianne Cassini, Li-Lan Gee, Anne Slater and Mr. and Mrs. Julian Robertson.
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Holocaust Center Announces Students Contest Winners Recently, the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County presented awards to more than 50 students from 30 middle and high schools in Queens, Nassau and Suffolk counties who were winners in its annual Art, Music and Literary Competition. This year’s theme was Stolen Childhoods: Children’s Lives During Genocide and War. The purpose of the competition is to reinforce the center’s Tolerance Workshops which, using the lessons of the Holocaust, encourage students not to be bystanders when witnessing acts of intolerance or injustice. The depth of understanding expressed in the submissions is a testament to the level to which these students have been positively affected by the lessons of the Holocaust. The theme is at the core of what is taught at the Holocaust Center: not only to understand tolerance, but also to effect positive change in today’s society.
A Gathering to Promote Tolerance Education Carlyle on the Green was the setting of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County’s annual Tolerance Benefit Dinner and Auction. Roz Abrams, former WABC-TV and WCBS-TV news anchor and tolerance advocate, was the guest speaker. Michelle Raitzin, a Great Neck high school student, performed a selection dedicated to the memory of the children lost in the Holocaust; and the event’s co-chairs read from the poem I Never Saw Another Butterfly by Pavel Friedman, a young man who perished in Auschwitz. Ms. Abrams spoke of the need for tolerance education to obviate incidents of hate and bias crimes and school bullying. She praised the Center’s tolerance workshops for the positive impact on the more than 40,000 students and adults who learn from the testimony of local survivors. Money raised at the Tolerance Benefit will provide funding for student tolerance workshops, which are offered to schools free of charge. Thanks to the enthusiastic support of the attendees, this year’s event surprised the board by exceeding their expectations during these tough economic times.
Dinner co-Chairs Erika Witover and Andrea Bolender with guest speaker Roz Abrams
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Lifestyles
Sid Jacobson JCC Honors
Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, Natalie Morales, and Debbie Sutton at Friendship Circle Luncheon More than 300 guests attended Sid Jacobson JCC’s sixth annual Friendship Circle Luncheon that honored three exceptional women. Princess Yasmin Aga Khan was honored for her work as president of Alzheimer’s Disease International and as honorary vice chair of the board for the Alzheimer’s Association in the United States. She is the daughter of actress Rita Hayworth, who suffered from young-onset Alzheimer’s disease, and is the founder of the Rita Hayworth Galas, which raise money for Alzheimer’s research. The Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World) Award was presented to Debra Sutton, a founding member of the Friendship Circle Luncheon committee and co-chair of the Yellow Rose Society, for her work with the JCC and its social service programs. Ms. Sutton’s father suffered from Parkinson’s disease. The JCC’s Communications Service Award went to Natalie Morales, national correspondent and coanchor of NBC’s Today Show, for her work as a celebrity champion for the Alzheimer’s Association’s campaign to educate the public. Ms. Morales’ mother-in-law suffers from young-onset Alzheimer’s. The luncheon raised money to benefit The Friendship Circle, a social adult day program which provides services for those who are functionally or memory impaired as a result of aging, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease or other related conditions. The luncheon also benefits the Fay J. Lindner Foundations Let’s Do Lunch program, the first-of-its-kind day program for individuals with young-onset Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementias.
Seated: Ruth Slade, Dayle Katz, Debra Sutton and Randi Lehman; standing: Jeannie Cardali, Gloria Beck, Donna Schlessinger, Denise Silverberg, Debra Buslik, Susan Rucker, Karen Leipziger, Rebecca Hollander and Beverly Gelb
Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, Debra Sutton and Natalie Morales
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Rita Castagna, Denise Silverberg, Ruth Slade, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, Natalie Morales and Dayle Katz
Frank Castagna, Luigi Caroggio and Deirdre Costa Major
Donna Schlessinger, Lisa Bretschneider and Adriana Milana
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Carol Higgins Clark and Mary Higgins Clark Featured Authors at Kidney & Urology Foundation Luncheon
Nearly 200 guests wore fabulous hats at the 2nd Annual Hat & Author Luncheon to benefit the Kidney & Urology Foundation of America (KUFA). The fashionable fundraiser featured remarks by best-selling authors Carol Higgins Clark and Mary Higgins Clark and was co-chaired by Angela Susan Anton of Anton Media Group and Cynthia Neiditch of Counsel Abstract, Inc. The luncheon presented models wearing haute couture hat designs by Anya Caliendo, Couture Millinery Atelier. The distinguished honorees were another fabulous mother-daughter team, Marie and Michelle Zere of Zere Real Estate Services, who received the Outstanding Leadership Award in recognition of their philanthropy and community service across Long Island. A Lifetime Achievement Award was also presented to Terry Townsend, advocate for Long Island and former publisher of Long Island Business News. The event raised funds for the Kidney & Urology Foundation of America, which focuses on care and support of patients, education for the community and medical professionals, and methods of prevention and improved treatment options.
Marisa Needle, event planner extraordinaire Hillary Needle, and Harriet Serota
KUFA Executive Director Shirley Baer, KUFA Associate Executive Director Murray Brower, KUFA President Sam Giarrusso and KUFA board member Cynthia Neiditch.
Angela Susan Anton and Mary Higgins Clark
Carol Higgins Clark and Mary Higgins Clark
Honoree Marie Zere and Joan MacNaughton
Three models in fabulous Anya Caliendo hats
Constance Schwartz, Jeff Davis, Karen Loeffler and Angela Susan Anton
Honoree Michelle Zere, Lifetime Achievement honoree Terry Townsend and honoree Marie Zere www.boulevardli.com
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Lifestyles
LICADD 2009 Angel Ball Has Wings Photos by Dana Harris The Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (LICADD) hosted its 22nd Annual Angel Ball and the evening was an overwhelming success. Held at the Garden City Hotel on May 7, the Angel Ball grossed more than $225,000 for LICADD’s alcoholism and substance use prevention, education and support programs for children and families thanks to an extraordinary number of attendees and supporters. LICADD honored Maureen and Mickey Brennan of Oyster Bay and Scott Clark from WABC-TV for their unwavering commitment to providing assistance to children and families in need. LICADD’s executive director, Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds, stated, “People like Maureen and Mickey Brennan and our good friend Scott Clark, through their dedicated support of LICADD, are helping thousands of Long Islanders access life-saving information, support and treatment services. None of that would be possible without our donors, supporters and sponsors.”
Frank Castagna and LICADD board chair Caryn Hirshleifer.
Curt Webster, LICADD board chair; Assemblyman Joseph Saladino; Honoree Scott Clark, WABC-TV; and Michael Schaffield, Angel Ball chair.
LICADD board chair Curt Webster with Rita and Frank Castagna.
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LICADD’s 2009 Humanitarian Award recipients Maureen and Mickey Brennan.
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Long Island Elite Gives Back to Charities Long Island Elite (LIE), an organization dedicated to promoting the development of Long Island’s young business executives, raised much-needed funds for selected Long Island not-for-profit organizations at its sixth annual medieval-themed Charity Masquerade Ball held on June 11 at the Oheka Castle in Cold Spring Hills, NY. The evening featured the Medieval Times actors and guests were disguised with airbrushed designs from costume artists. The Mentor of the Year and event Honoree was Louis J. Biscotti, CPA, MBA, CITP of Biscotti, Toback & Company, P.C., who was recognized for his outstanding contributions to both the business and Long Island communities. Monies raised at the event will support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island, Education and Assistance Corporation, Eden II/ Genesis Programs, Long Island Alzheimer's Foundation and the Joseph Foundation. LIE Founder and President Dawn Strain said, “Our mission is to take a leadership role and raise awareness for nonprofit organizations and their causes. Due to the generosity of our sponsors, LIE members and giving individuals, these Long Island charities will receive the recognition and funds they so deserve.”
Christine McCarton, Mike Gates, Gladys Aherns, Jennifer Tinghitella, Amee Bay
LIE Masquerade Ball committee
Honoree Lou Biscotti and family
LIE Member of the Year Lisa Mirabile, John Palumbo
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Lifestyles
Make-A-Wish Honors Tom Glocer at Annual Gala Photography By Michael Priest and Lisa Yen/Blue Vision Workshop More than 500 members of New York’s business and philanthropic community gathered at Cipriani Wall Street when the MakeA-Wish Foundation of Metro New York honored Tom Glocer, CEO of Thomson Reuters, for his outstanding contributions toward the foundation’s mission of granting the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. The annual gala raised more than $1 million through sponsorships, ticket sales and a live auction, making the event a resounding success. Speeches by Pat Clemency, president and CEO, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York, and Thomas A. Roberts, chairman of the board of directors, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York, emphasized the importance of a caring and generous community network that helps to create children’s magical wish experiences and acknowledged Tom Glocer and the staff at Thomson Reuters as vital members of that network. Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York Advisory Board Member Michael Klein reminded audience members that their concern and generosity has a deep and lasting impact on the lives of wish children and their families. As always, the presence and compelling stories of the Wish Kids and families in attendance were a highlight of the evening.
Mary Alice Roberts, Wish Mom Dovi, Wish Kid Carla and her younger brother with Tom Roberts.
Wish Kid Lauren accompanies Tom Glocer to the podium.
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Pat Clemency with past gala honorees Jim McCann with his wife and Vic Ascrizzi and his wife Carol.
Tom Roberts, Tom Glocer and Pat Clemency chat with Wish Kid Max about his wish.
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Lifestyles
Museum Ball: A 20-Year Retrospective a Salute to Constance Schwartz There was a great deal to celebrate at the Museum Ball 2009 – the museum’s 20th anniversary and the leadership of Constance Schwartz during most of those two decades. It was that leadership which brought Nassau County Museum of Art from a little-used facility to the largest fine art museum in the region. Ms. Schwartz saluted the many people who joined her on the extraordinary journey; chief among them Franklin Hill Perrell and the many board officers and members who provided invaluable support. Museum Ball 2009 was chaired by Sharon Cullen Schecter with vice chairs Karen Bonheim, Joan Hope MacNaughton and Corky Paston. The Ball sponsors were Physicians’ Reciprocal Insurers and Brilliant Stars. Honoree Constance Schwartz, board President Peter Tilles and WLIW’s Laura Savini who hosted the evening’s presentations.
Geoffrey Holder with Constance Schwartz. A famed dancer/ designer/artist/author, Mr. Holder’s work was the subject of a recent NCMA exhibition. Very dedicated supporters Adele Klapper, Muriel Weingrow, Joan Saltzman and Arlene Levine.
Amy and George Kane with Sharon and Stephen Cuchel. The Cuchels were the honorees of the Museum Ball 2008; the Kanes were the journal chairs. Mrs. Cuchel is a member of the museum’s board of trustees.
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Peter Tilles, president of the museum’s board of trustees, with past presidents Clarence F. Michalis and Arthur S. Levine, both of whom are presently vice presidents of the board.
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Nature Conservancy
Previews Design for a Living World Photography By Ann Watt Some 500 guests filled the galleries and garden patio of the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum – once the home of Andrew Carnegie – for a preview of The Nature Conservancy’s groundbreaking exhibition, Design for a Living World. A traveling exhibition, Design for a Living World features sustainable, natural objects of art and fashion created by 10 visionary designers from sustainable, natural materials from areas in which The Conservancy works. Featured creations included a cocktail dress by Isaac Mizrahi with matching floor length coat and a vampy pair of high heels made of Alaskan salmon skin; precious jewels by Ted Muehling were made with farmed black pearls and vegetable “ivory;” and Paulina Reyes for Kate Spade’s innovative handbags were formed from sustainable woods, cotton and jipijapa, a fiber made of palm leaves. Maya Lin, whose work tends to lean toward the large-scale (as in the Vietnam Veterans Memorial), fashioned a small table from a single tree cutting lateral stripes. The exhibition, now open to the public, will continue through Jan. 4, 2010. Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum is located at 2 East 91st Street, New York City. Call 212-849-8400 for further information.
Isaac Mizrahi and Joy LaSalle
Planned Parenthood of Nassau County Honors Alice Kaplan at Gala
Senator Craig Johnson and teen advocates Onisha Nichols and Avi Dobkin join board chair CeCe Haydock and CEO and president JoAnn D. Smith.
Planned Parenthood of Nassau County (PPNC) held its Fun & Fabulous Annual Spring Gala at Carlyle on the Green on Friday, May 1. The event attracted more than 200 friends and supporters, raised over $150,000 and honored longtime board member and philanthropist Alice Kaplan. Funds raised at the event will help provide the women, men and teens of Nassau County with the programs and services they need to make healthy and responsible choices regarding their reproductive health. Ms. Kaplan was honored with the Margaret Sanger Award, which recognizes outstanding individuals in the community who embody the vision of Margaret Sanger: to ensure that every child is loved and wanted and that women everywhere have access to family planning and reproductive health care information.
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Lifestyles
Night at the Museum Party
at the Nassau County Museum of Art Photos by Tina Guiomar On Thursday, June 18, Angela Susan Anton hosted a party titled A Night at the Museum at the Nassau County Museum of Art. Thirty women attended the soiree wearing nightwear courtesy of Lord & Taylor. They were greeted at the museum by the music of Ron Rizzo and his band. nuBest was on hand to do hair and makeup. Beds dressed by Frette were arranged in the galleries, and guests dined on grilled teriyaki chicken and Asian noodles with cucumber and spinach salads. Guests posed for pictures, then ate popcorn and watched a movie. They sang along to the music and enjoyed pink-and-white cupcakes and berries and cream for dessert. Proceeds from the amazing party went to benefit the museum, where Ms. Anton serves on the board.
Angela Susan Anton and friends enjoy the comfortable bedding presentation dressed by Frette.
Angela Susan Anton, Nan Gerson, Joan MacNaughton, Corky Paston and Connie Schwartz
Angela Susan Anton and Karen Loeffler get makeovers by nuBest salon and spa.
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A Night at the Museum attendees
Violet Mazzei and Rita Kay
Karen Bonheim and Kimberly Mark
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Red Carpet Ready Comes To Equinox Photos by Tina Guiomar
Roslyn's elite Equinox Fitness Club was transformed recently for its first ever Red Carpet Ready event. The stretch Escalade limousine, the red carpet and the models supplied the atmosphere for Pam Polestino to achieve her goal to bring together a fashion and fitness experience for members and guests. The Red Carpet Ready workout was brought to Roslyn by Dawn Parker of New York City’s Equinox Fitness. Dawn did a total body sculpting and cardio class where she targeted exercises for specific body parts – and taught her students how to strike a pose for the red carpet. Celebrity makeup artist Edward Bess of Bergdorf Goodman and stylist Linda Ugenti of J. Mendel did makeovers and restyling to enhance the looks and style of the guests. GM Edward Carrington and Ms. Polestino were thrilled at the turnout for the event. Members were filled with a renewal of energy and many remarked that they felt inspired to keep on training. After the workout, they walked the Red Carpet feeling like celebrities! Everyone is welcome to begin a Red Carpet transformation at the club; Roslyn's Equinox Fitness Club offers a complimentary guest pass.
Linda Ugenti with models fashioning the J. Mendel Summer Collection
Here Comes the Sun Celebrated by Southampton Hospital Photos by Blanche Williamson Southampton Hospital’s Annual Memorial Day Weekend party was held on Sunday, May 24, at the Westhampton Country Club. Hospital president and CEO Robert S. Chaloner offered special acknowledgment to event chairs Maureen Dinger and Vita Reinoso and the committees that worked diligently in planning the successful fundraiser. He told them, “Your hard work, dedication and your invaluable support have created an enchanting evening for all of us to enjoy. The generosity of our sponsors, those attending the event, and donors to our auction enable us to continue to provide quality health-care services to our community. We are deeply grateful.”
Helmut Huber and Susan Lucci
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Lifestyles
Ain't Misbehavin’ a Great Success On Saturday, May 16, more than 350 guests were part of a Roaring ‘20s theme party, Ain't Misbehavin', at Hempstead House at the Sands Point Preserve. The evening was the inaugural Founder's Celebration sponsored by the Friends of the Sands Point Preserve. Guests toasted the evening with giggly water, danced the Charleston and celebrated with fabulous food and good friends. A fleet of Model A Fords and other such vintage automobiles greeted the guests. The magnificent 1912 Guggenheim Estate was elegantly fashioned in the décor of the period; guests dressed in period attire added to the Gatsby-era atmosphere. A 12-piece dreamland orchestra, conducted by Michael Arenella, played popular tunes while dancers engaged and entertained the guests. Angela Susan Anton served as master of ceremonies at the event that honored Karli and James Hagedorn, lifelong residents of Sands Point, and Peter-Lawson Johnston, a grandson of Solomon R. Guggenheim. As a lasting tribute to these honorees, the Friends of Sands Point is planting apple trees in the apple orchard in their honor. Special plaques, Preserver’s Award of Distinction, were presented to Amy Hagedorn, Mayor Leonard Wurzel and Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi. Celebrity guest Oscar Brand sang a musical tribute to the honorees. Fundraising efforts resulted in more than $250,000. Save the date for next year’s event planned for Saturday, May 1, 2010.
A musical tribute was performed by singer/songwriter Oscar Brand who composed a song for the event.
Awards of Distinction were presented by Jean-Marie Posner and Angela Susan Anton to Amy Hagedorn and Nassau County Legislator Wayne Wink (accepting on behalf of Thomas Suozzi), who are pictured surrounded by family and close friends.
The décor was beautifully orchestrated by Jane Berger, State Senator Craig Johnson presented the Friends of the Sands Point accompanied by Mrs. Schmergel, for a tour of Preserve with a “big check” representing a grant for $100,000 from the the mansion. Dormitory Authority for capital projects currently under way.
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Solar One Brings the Sun’s Energy to New York City Photos by Patrick McMullan
Four hundred New Yorkers recently came out to celebrate Solar One's annual Revelry by the River. The evening was a benefit to raise enthusiasm, awareness and funds to break ground this year for Solar 2, a replacement for Solar 1 Green Energy, Arts and Education Center in New York City. Solar 2 will be the first Platinum LEED-certified public building in the city to leave a "zero carbon footprint." The building will generate more energy than it consumes, becoming a prototype for many major cities in the country. Solar One's honorees were HSBC for its leadership role in addressing climate change and Matthew Modine for his environmental activism and Bicycle for a Day program. Kathleen "Kick" Kennedy received the Young Environmentalist Award for her work on behalf of Waterkeeper.
Matthew Modine and Former Governor, George Pataki
Cari Modine and Blaine Trump
H. Hartley du Pont, Michael Hoffman, Kick Kennedy, Jane Steiner Hoffman, Matthew Modine, Christopher J. Collins and Former Governor George Pataki.
Brooke Block and Lake Bell
Matthew Modine, Brooke Shields and Christopher J. Collins
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Lifestyles
Abilities! Hosts 43nd Celebrity Sports Night Dinner and Auction
On Thursday, May 14, Abilities! hosted the 43rd Annual Celebrity Sports Night at its headquarters in Albertson, Long Island. At the cocktail reception, guests mingled with celebrity athletes and had the opportunity to take pictures with, and obtain autographs from, their favorite professional athletes. Abilities! was privileged to honor Stephen M. Ross, chairman and CEO, Related Companies and owner of the Miami Dolphins, as the Executive Sportsman of the Year. Edward J.T. Kenney, executive vice president of Mutual of America, was named Distinguished Honoree. Tiki Barber, NBC News correspondent, author, and retired NY Giants Pro Bowl running back, assisted auctioneer and master of ceremonies John Dockery. Sport celebrities in attendance included baseball legends, football greats, hockey champs and Olympic figure skating champions. The highlight of the event was a musical production of Drek The Musical produced by Olympic figure skating champion JoJo Starbuck and starring both athletes and students of the Henry Viscardi School (HVS). Proceeds from the annual Celebrity Sports Night are used by Abilities! to develop innovative training and education programs for individuals with disabilities.
Edmund L. Cortez, president & CEO, Abilities!, Karen Loeffler; Kara and Stephen M. Ross; Michael Pascucci, Abilities! board member; Iris, Abilities! board member; and Saul Katz
Meet the Mets: Bud Harrelson, Rusty Staub, John Franco and Darryl Strawberry
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Dorothy Hamill and Henry Michelle Mohan (HVS student)
Alex Garret, HVS student; Tiki Barber; and HFS valedictorian Adeline Joshua in Drek The Musical
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Tilles Center’s Swing For Kids Tournament Raises Funds For Arts Programs With the swing of a golf club or tennis racket, Long Island’s business community has raised well over $2 million to support arts education for children. Developer Peter Tilles founded the Swing for Kids Golf and Tennis Tournament as a means to fund Tilles Center for the Performing Arts’ growing commitment to provide Long Island’s schools with excellent programs of arts education. Tens of thousands of children and their teachers have benefited from Tilles Center’s live performances by world-renowned artists as well as through workshop and activities at Tilles Center and in their classrooms.
Tilles Center’s Executive Director Elliott Sroka, Swing for Kids founding Chairman Peter Tilles, Chairman of Tilles Center’s Council of Overseers Jack Bransfield
Chris Bransfield and Inga Costa show off The Certilman Balin Alder & Hyman their tennis awards. foursome: Lou Soloway, Charles Mancini, Ira Adler and Don Eversol
Opening Night at Stony Brook Film Festival Photography By Jason Feinberg Actress Lauren Graham introduced the film The Answer Man at the 14th Annual Stony Brook Film Festival on Thursday, July 23 at Stony Brook University’s Staller Center. Alan Inkles, director and founder of the festival, kicked off the event. Inkles spends the better part of the year selecting independent films to screen at the summer festival and once again, his dedication resulted in a fabulous 10 days. Unlike other festivals, the Stony Brook Film Festival trims the selection process down to the best of the best, screening 21 feature and 16 short new, independent films throughout the festival. Actress/producer Mary Stuart Masterson returned to the festival this year to debut her latest film Tickling Leo along with her husband, writer/director Jeremy Davidson. The film was screened to a sold-out crowd at the 1,000-seat theater. Other guests included Jack Hoffman, son of legendary actor Dustin Hoffman, Long Island native Ralph Macchio and John Ventimiglia, all of whom were featured in the very funny comedy Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Undead.
Alan Inkles, Ralph Macchio and Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy.
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Lifestyles
Kenny Loggins Concert
Raises Funds for Medical Research Almost 1,000 of Long Island’s most influential residents joined legendary singer/songwriter Kenny Loggins in getting “footloose” to support The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. The fourth installment of the North Shore-LIJ Health System’s annual fundraising event took place July 15 at Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park in Oyster Bay and featured a buffet dinner, cocktails and Loggins as its headliner. The event raised $1 million in support of the state-of-the-art facility. Lawrence Gottesman, owner/president of Lawrence Scott Events, underwrote the pre-concert party in celebration of his company’s 25th anniversary. In recognition of the contribution, Dr. Kevin J. Tracey, director and chief executive of The Feinstein Institute, announced that the 2009 Fellowship Award had been named in Gottesman’s honor. Gottesman presented Sun Jung Kim, Ph.D., with the award. Dr. Kim studies autoimmune disease and concentrates on special cells of the immune system that act as gatekeepers to attack invaders that enter the body. Dr. Kim’s research at The Feinstein Institute is providing new insight into diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. The award will grant her an independent research program.
Kenny Loggins in performance
Walt Whitman Birthplace Association Celebrates Its Inaugural Benefit Gala
Angela Susan Anton, Laura Porco and Danielle Campbell.
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A gathering of 150 people celebrated the 2009 Walt Whitman Champions of Literacy Benefit Gala at the Oheka Castle on June 3. Walt Whitman Birthplace Association (WWBA) held the benefit to raise funds to sustain the legacy of poet Walt Whitman, born in Huntington, Long Island in 1819. WWBA recognized three Champions of Literacy. WWBA Executive Director Cynthia Shor said, “Champions of Literacy are people or businesses that have demonstrated outstanding leadership in promoting literacy. This year, the board of trustees was delighted to honor such premier individuals for our honorees.” Honored as Literary Achiever was Philip Levine, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet; Angela Susan Anton, publisher/CEO of Anton Media Group and The Boulevard magazine, was named Individual Leader; and Jeffrey P. Bezos and the Kindle Team of Amazon.com received the Enterprise Award, accepted by Laura Porco, Kindle team director. Pianist Steve Vitoff played music of the Whitman era during the cocktail reception in the grand ballroom. Caviar, champagne and hors d’oeuvre stations greeted the arriving guests. Whitman personator Darryl Blaine Ford mingled with the crowd and shared his Whitman stories. Dinner and dancing followed. All proceeds from the successful event benefit the Walt Whitman Birthplace Association literacy programs.
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Golf Digest Challenge at the U.S. Open Bethpage Black Golf Course
Farmingdale, NY Friday, June 12, 2009 Photography By JD Cuban/Golf Digest
Michael Jordan, Ben Roethlisberger, Larry Giebelhausen and Justin Timberlake are presented with their trophies provided by Tiffany & Co. during the Golf Digest Challenge at Bethpage Black Golf Course. Justin Timberlake during the Golf Digest Challenge at Bethpage Black Golf Course.
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Wine & Dine
Vine Speak By Heather Muhleman
Summertime Sips
at Wöelffer Estates
S
ummer months on the Island bring visions of endless days at the beach, lazy Sunday brunches in town, and evenings relaxing on the water in your trusty sailboat. One activity that needs to be added to your romps to the Hamptons is wine tasting at South Fork’s extraordinary Wölffer Vineyards, conveniently located in Sagaponack, NY. One of three wineries located on the South Fork of the Island, Wölffer Estates is a leader in Long Island wines. In 1988 founder and owner Christian Wölffer dedicated himself to perfecting what he always knew was there, but wasn’t always obvious – well tended vineyards that yielded amazing wines. All the grapes come from the local land and in natural fashion. The vines offer themselves to vineyard manager Richard Pisacano and winemaker Roman Roth who develop the grapes into wines of numerous styles and tastes. As pioneers in Long Island winemaking the two men have created amazing merlots, chardonnays and a highly soughtafter rosé, among others, over the past 20 years. With close attention to what the terroir can do, these men have perfected the grape-growing process in Long Island’s sometimes finicky temperatures. Wölffer’s Premier Cru Merlot is one of the most expensive bottles on the Island at more than $100 a bottle, and their rosé is one of the most popular. The tasting room is reminiscent of a Tuscan villa, perfectly suited to a leisurely sampling of some of the Island’s very best
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wines. With a number of tasting menus available (including cheeses and chocolates), the tasting tables and bar offer up an opportunity to slow down and really enjoy what is in front of you – the wine, the cheese, the company. This summer, the Wölffer tasting room is home to Twilight Thursdays and Sunset Fridays, offering guests live music and a striking summer sunset across the vineyard. Wölffer Estates is located at 139 Sagg Road in Sagaponack, NY. For further information, visit www.Wolffer.com. Group tours of the vineyard and facility are available with an appointment.
Highly recommended wines from Wölffer: 2008 Rosé – light, refreshing and fruity, very fresh and well balanced. $16
2005 Estate Selection Chardonnay – clean, with a hint of vanilla and balanced oak. $29
2005 Cabernet Franc – dark fruit flavor with vanilla and cedar tones. $22
2004 Premier Cru Merlot – toasty and woodsy, a touch of anise with a long, smooth finish. $100
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Wine & Dine
Packs a Punch
of Flavor and Heat
I
f you’ve been searching for a hot sauce that blends the perfect amalgam of flavor and heat in every drop, Ellie’s Lip Smackin’ Sauce just might be the one for you. Founder Dave Sumersille concocted his undeniably unique sauce years ago to “offer the best of both worlds. My sauce quickly became a requested favorite among family and friends during football season and backyard barbecues,” he said. Marketed as your new go-to condiment, Ellie’s Lip Smackin’ Sauce has been featured in the Bellmore Family Street Festival and in 2008 won a Hot Pepper Award in the Most Unique Sauce category. If your appetite has been whet, visit www.ellieslipsmackinsauce.com to learn more about the sauce, Dave Sumersille and Ellie. Mention The Boulevard for a free gift.
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The Boulevard • August - September 2009
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8/3/09 2:02:49 PM
Wine & Dine
The Babylon Carriage House By Barry Kay
I
n 2003, a historic Civil War carriage house in Babylon, Long Island was reborn as a unique restaurant/catering hall. The Babylon Carriage House is slightly off the beaten path for those who confine their fine dining to the North Shore. When friends recommended that we try the "fabulous cuisine" at the Carriage House, I had second thoughts. However, the restaurant exceeded all our expectations. Housed in a large farmhouse-type building, we found a sophisticated venue created by executive chef Joseph Balbo. The interior provided intimate seating, fireplaces and a large bar. The Carriage House offers music and dancing on select nights and country and western music filled the air when we arrived. The maitre d' and wait staff were young, friendly and knowledgeable; our waiter explained each course and wine selection of our tasting menu. During our meal, Chef Balbo introduced himself, and offered a brief background of his culinary journey. He acquired a great deal of experience and knowledge in his family's kitchen in Italy and is a graduate of both the Italian Culinary Institute and the NYIT Culinary Arts School. While in Italy, he apprenticed under a number of master chefs. After working for some of the top restaurants on Long Island, Chef Joe came to the Babylon Carriage House in 2007 and he and the restaurant began attracting great reviews from diners and media alike. Our tasting menu was excitingly diverse, combining the flavors of Italy with dishes that had an Asian flair. Each of the five main courses was accompanied by Chef Balbo's choices of fine wines. Our initial treat (amuse) was a tuna melon tartare, compliments of the chef. After that we settled in for some serious dining. The first course consisted of wonderfully seasoned panseared sea scallops accompanied by cauliflower with pureed romesco sauce, crispy basil and Sicilian olive oil. Our wine – 2007 Pino Grigio/Santa Margherita, Alto Adige. The second course was oven-roasted Chilean sea bass accompanied by truffle lobster risotto, with lemon and honey-
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infused corn essence. Our wine – 2007 Chardonnay/Kendall Jackson, California. We took time for an intermezzo of lemon sorbet to cleanse our palate before our third course, a unique and delicious homemade cheese tortelloni with pancetta, shallots, roasted mushrooms and Prosecco-infused mascarpone cream. Our wine – 2006 Chianti/Ruffino IL Leo. Our fourth course was a filet mignon carpaccio with microgreens, toasted pignoli nuts, shaved melon, Granny Smith apple and Malbec vinaigrette. Our wine – 2006 Malbec/Navarro Correas. The fifth course, our final entrée, was braised short rib with butternut squash, pureed eggplant caponata and aceto di Modena. Our wine – 2005 Elements Artesa. The sixth course was dolce: nocciola affugato, Nutella crème brûlée, chocolate molten cake. Although Babylon is miles from New York City and the North Shore, the Babylon Carriage House is on a par with many of the best restaurants I have visited. I highly recommend a visit. Babylon Carriage House 21 Fire Island Avenue Babylon, NY 11702-3501 Telephone: 631-422-5161
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8/3/09 2:05:00 PM
Fun Abounds at
Playhouse on
Hollywood Boulevard
M
use Lifestyle Group, a Los Angeles-based collective helmed by Rob Vinokur and Elie Samaha, has announced the grand opening of its new nightlife and performance venue, Playhouse. Set in the heart of Hollywood, the club is the new face of the city’s historic Fox Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. Playhouse is Los Angeles’ new playground – the ultimate nightlife destination and entertainment venue. Muse Lifestyle Group and nightlife designers ICRAVE have brought Playhouse to life with a $6 million renovation of the Fox Theatre. It offers 13,000 square feet on three levels and has a 750-person capacity, four bars and intriguing design elements to keep guests captivated. Versatile truss-based lighting is designed by award-winning Steve Lieberman of SJ Lighting. A world-class Funktion One Sound System is customized by Dan Agne of Sound Investments and is perfectly suited for both club nights and live music events. The 10 p.m. weekly programming consists of Playhouse Thursdays with resident DJ Vice (Centerstage) and Tony Arzadon (The Balcony). On Fridays, the Playhouse presents Dirty Sexy House with Julian Ingrosso (Centerstage) and DJ Politik (The
Balcony). Playhouse Saturdays offer StoneRokk, Rick Rude and Gusto (all on Centerstage) and Brent Bolthouse and Jordan Masterson (The Balcony) A night at Playhouse begins with Gilbert Stafford, hailed as Gate Keeper of the Night by New York Magazine, whose keen sensibility will attract the city’s most eclectic crowd. Celebrity promoter Allison Melnick has joined the Muse Lifestyle team to bring her A-list crowd to play at Playhouse. The staff is immersed in the scene with a stunning array of costumes designed by fashion designer Kelly Nishimoto. Every guest who reserves a table with bottle-service receives complimentary shots, appropriately coined A’Muse. To further the experience, Playhouse’s talented staff doubles as performers. Your bartender may hop on the trapeze, your server could turn into an aerialist, or an impromptu burlesque show may occur right before your eyes. Playhouse gives Vinokur and Samaha the opportunity to pull from the best in nightlife from around the globe and bring a new energy and spirit to Hollywood. Having shaped the scene in New York and Miami, Rob Vinokur has launched hotspots including Goddess, Tantra, Chaos, B’lo and Crobar NY. Legendary Hollywood filmmaker Elie Samaha produced hit films The Whole Nine Yards, Laws of Attraction and Rescue Dawn and has been a key player in several of Hollywood’s most renowned venues such as the Roxbury, Sunset Room and the Green Door. Committed to customer service, Playhouse offers concierge service including VIP transportation and reservations. Discounts are offered for mass transit users and a shuttle service will transport Playhouse-goers to and from various pickup locations throughout the city. Muse Lifestyle Group plans to open a 24-hour diner, Sweet Love Hangover, connected to Playhouse and located in the front of the venue. The playful take on the classic diner will satisfy partygoers’ desires for a late night bite or breakfast at noon. Sweet Love Hangover is slated to open in August 2009. For more information, visit www.playhousehollywood.com or call 323-656-4600.
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Travel Two-Wheeling Along Germany’s Most Beautiful Waterway
Mosel Magic By Sara Duncan Widness • Photography By Dennis Coello
P
aris is to lovers as almost anywhere in Europe is to bikers. Consider Germany’s Mosel Valley. Here bicycle-specific signage, racks and lanes, and, best of all, a population that’s inherently friendly toward cyclists, combine with a paved, mostly flat and winding cycle path paralleling the Mosel River (think wine) in western Germany. The combination also allows you to take the guesswork out of an upcoming vacation. Imagine cycling for a week past vineyards that stretch up steep mountainsides on both banks of this clean, slow-moving river. Picture yourself pedaling through summer sun-drenched medieval towns of half-timbered houses, past the intricacies of Romanesque churches, glancing up from your handlebars to see a castle perched high overhead and, as you turn the corner, coming upon the resonance of townspeople and tourists enjoying local wine or beer and sausages at outdoor tables around the fountain in the town’s main square.
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The Mosel in the western region of Germany is near the border with Luxembourg. The river begins in a mountain range in France (where it’s called the Moselle) and runs umbilically northward, eventually flowing into the larger Rhine. As it flows in Germany between Trier and Coblenz, its course resembles a patient’s fever chart, spiking up and down and up and down, each shift promising visual and gustatory delights. More than two centuries ago, ancient Rome sent its armies north over the Alps to this lovely forested and watered region and tried to push beyond. The Germanic Vandals kept them from settling for long north of the Mosel, and thus its beautiful river towns became Roman frontier encampments, then settlements, and finally the largest of them true Roman towns with public baths, villas, roads, bridges, theaters, and, of course, the ubiquitous Roman vineyards – the descendents of whom prosper on its banks today. A weeklong cycling trip may begin in Trier, a town that has
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a footprint from 6 BC of Emperor Augustus and is Germany’s oldest city. Pedal or walk in one direction in this safe and fascinating town and you’ll come upon an amphitheater where 25,000 sandaled Romans and whoever was then considered German watched bloody gladiatorial contests. Make a U-turn and you’ll pass the huge 11th-century cathedral, then enter a Renaissance market area full of bustle and bratwursts, then turn down a street where Karl Marx was born 800 years later! It may require all of your two days in Trier to wrap your mind around such history and most certainly your taste buds around local delicacies. Then comes the enjoyable river ride through picturesque Trittenheim to Neumagen, a fascinating town of Roman ruins, statues and reconstructed villas, plus, as in most of Europe today, all the modern creature comforts. At the height of the Roman Empire, a massive fortification of two enormous gates and 14 towers existed here, overlooking quiet streets of flower-potted shops. This is still the ancient Roman Road but today reflects a tranquil passage compared to all the wars it has witnessed between then and now. Continuing the riverside course along the Mosel leads from the Romans to the Middle Ages and the Renaissance in calendar-pretty Bernkastel with its gabled and half-timbered houses, bustling 400-year-old market square and Landshut Castle high above the vineyards scrambling up the steep hills. This path provides close-up views of the vineyards and glimpses of people working in the fields. Other small towns are across the water where ferries and pleasure boats come and go. After drinking in Bernkastel’s visual delights and perhaps some local wine, named Bernkasteler Doktor because of its purportedly curative qualities, comes Cochem sporting a lofty
castle, fountain-flocked market area and a history that includes its founding in 1332, completion of town hall in 1620 and a sacking and burning by the French in 1689. Today its Reichsburg Castle is still visible for miles and illuminated at night. A hike of a mile or so through a valley resplendent with trees reveals the medieval wonder of multiple tall, slender turrets called the Burg Eltz Castle. This trip that begins in Trier ends in Coblenz where the Mosel meets the Rhine. Although a burg of 100,000, it’s still bike-friendly. Here’s where folks may ponder if they should pedal back to Trier so they can sample the Mosel’s fortifications, beauty and wines all over again. All touring arrangements including bicycles, hotel accommodations, most meals and the services of knowledgeable guides who share the lore and history of the region and keep folks going in the right direction are available through Austin-Lehman Adventures (www.austinlehman.com). The company also accommodates other cycling itineraries in Germany and elsewhere in Europe. For information call 800-5751540. Five biking days are included in the seven day/six night itinerary with multiple mileage options offered each day ranging from 20 to 50 miles over mostly paved and flat bikeways with sag-wagon vehicle support (average biking per day is 35 miles). This trip is rated easy to moderately easy and suitable for adults and families with children age 7 and up. Rates for 2009: $2,498 per person, double occupancy ($480 single supplement); children: $1,998 to $2,248.
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ANTIGO PAÍS
History, Culture and Culinary Delights Photography & Article by Tina Guiomar
T
he drive to Fátima along winding streets offers a gorgeous view. The aromatic smell of eucalyptus trees flows through the warm Mediterranean air; the valleys and hills of rustic landscape are reminiscent of Tuscany. To me, these moments bring back memories of childhood summers spent in Portugal. A trip to Portugal is like coming home. It is a diverse geographic and cultural experience of land, gastronomy and warm people. Each visit to Portugal enriches the exploration of my culture and the history of this beautiful country. About twice the size of New Jersey, Portugal’s beaches, hills, valleys and mountains are all within a day’s reach. The trip begins with a flight to the capital city of Lisboa, followed by a drive to Fátima, excursions to Batalha, a weekend in Nazaré and a ride up the coast to Porto. My mother owns a home near Fátima in a small hillside village called Valle de Seite, a remote area perfect for tranquil relaxation. Access to Fátima, Batalha and Nazaré is about a 30-minute to an hour’s drive. The excursions reveal the diversity of Portugal’s landscape. The country is about 90 percent Roman Catholic and Fátima is one of the most important centers of pilgrimage in the Roman Catholic world. In 1917, it was the locale of the miracle of six apparitions of the Virgin Mary to three peasant children. A church has been erected in the area of the miracle, and every day thousands of people visit as pilgrims or tourists, enjoying the unique spectacle of a beautiful church and religious souvenirs. In front of the church there is a marble slab pathway for thousands of kneeling parishioners during a time for prayer and healing. History is everywhere; there are many UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Batalha, a city filled with history. Batalha means Battle Abbey and the abbey was built to commemorate the battle that sealed Portugal’s independence after decades of Spanish oppression. The abbey has French Gothic and Portuguese Manueline influences with flying buttresses and pinnacles. The abbey is the center of town, but there is much surrounding it to explore. Every Wednesday there is a grand farmer’s market filled with anything imaginable, from Portuguese ceramic pots and clothes to fresh fruit, vegetables, cheeses and an amazing variety of fresh seafood.
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Top Left: A parishioner kneeling on the pathway. Top Right: Our Lady of Fátima Church Above: Batalha’s Abbey
With seafood in mind, there is no better place than the fishing village of Nazaré. We spent the weekend exploring and reminiscing about childhood summers spent at this special seashore. While not as well known as Algarve, Nazaré is still a geological treat marked with a large cliff called O Sitio along the edge of the village. The picturesque village offers culture, nature and culinary delights. Along the town, there are the fishermen’s wives, called the Sete Saias (seven skirts), who wear the traditional dress of seven layers of skirts, clogs and a predominantly black headscarf. They sell fresh nuts and allow
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Top Left to Right: 1. Night scene in Nazaré 2. Sete Saias Woman 3. Riverside in Porto. Bottom Left to Right: 1. Nazaré beach cabanas 2. Igreja de S. Ildefonso 3. Sardinhas Assadas 4. Pastéis de nata.
boats originally transported the port wine across the river. The tourists to take a picture with them. You can find delicious seafood anywhere in Nazaré, but I would recommend staying tour rides past the vast array of wine shops and takes a trip past away from the boardwalk since it’s a bit too touristy and the Pont de Luis I (Dom Luis I Bridge), an arch bridge that spans overpriced. Just a few blocks in from A Praia is Restaurante Sete the Douro River between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia that was Saias, my family’s favorite. The grilled shrimp was perfect – large engineered by Teófilo Seyrig. My favorite part of the city would portions and giant shrimp. All the dishes are accompanied by have to be the Igreja de S. Ildefonso. It’s not a well-preserved fresh Portuguese bread, a simple salad and azeitonas (olives). church but I fell in love. Inside, the church is adorned with goldMy mother has lived in Portugal all her life, but she has gilded statues; but to my mind, the beauty was in the outdoor never ventured much outside the small community she knows. blue tile façade. Since this was a mother-daughter experience, I Detail of 17th-century tilas de azulejos inside the Porto train station. coaxed her outside her safety zone. I had done some research about the country and decided to visit Porto, another beautiful, historic city at the mouth of the River Douro, known for its Porto, a delicious dessert wine named after the city. UNESCO declared the center of Porto a World Heritage Site in 1996. The city is filled with baroque churches and medieval alleyways and boulevards lined with stately beaux-arts edifices. The Tower of the Igreja dos Clérigos is an 18th-century symbol of the city. Along the riverside in Ribeiro Square, beautiful, old building façades are decorated with tilas de azulejos (blue tiles). The riverside is where the action is, with boat tours on barcos rabelos that tour the Douro River. These flat-bottom
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The gastronomy of Portugal is a trip of its own. In addition to the wine, the staples of the Portuguese diet include fish, chicken, pork, goat, rabbit and quail … did I mention fish? They eat a lot of that. The specialties are sardinhas assadas (charcoalgrilled sardines), pastéis de bacalhau (cod fishcakes) and caldo verde (a soup of cabbage and potatoes). If you are unsure, you can’t go wrong with caldeirada, a fish stew of scallops, shrimp and mussels, potatoes, tomato and onion. If you are a meat lover, try the bitoque - a pan-fried, marinated, thin beefsteak served with French fries and an egg (the only thing I would eat as a child). And, of course, there are the desserts. A family favorite is pastéis de nata, a rich custard tart in a flaky pastry cup
best served warm. If you have a chance to tour Belém (Lisboa), try the factory of Pastéis de Belém, the creators of this treat. You can’t just have one. Portugal has so much more to explore but I had only a week to spend. With the chance to go back, I would love to visit Coimbra, a university city filled with more beautiful and historic architecture, or travel down the coast to Lagos. As a child, I remember Lagos seeming like the end of the earth where the water was clear and traveled for endless miles. Portugal is a country that not many Americans have visited, but if you go, you will always come back with wonderful memories and a full belly.
Ferragudo
The Beaches of the Algarve By Kristine Quattrone • Photography Larkin Young
A view of the white-washed buildings in Albufiera, once a thriving fishing village, now dominated by tourists and a vibrant night life.
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e were recently offered a stay at a friend’s private villa at Concierge Vila Costelo, a private resort in Ferragudo, Portugal. Ferragudo is a beautiful little fishing village in the western Algarve, approximately 45 minutes from the Faro Airport. As we felt the warmth of the radiant sun embrace us by the Mediterranean shore, we realized we were in for an exotic treat. Ferragudo is rising in popularity as a favorite holiday destination with its exciting restaurants, cafés, clubs and beaches and our anticipation grew as we neared the location. We were going to be staying with friends in a beautiful gated home with three large bedrooms, four bathrooms and a private pool and garden (jardim in Portuguese). We could see the beach, Praia Grande, from the upstairs balcony. It was a mere two-minute walk from where we stood. At the beach were many cliffside cafés offering fresh seafood and local wines, and a beautiful castle overlooking the water. On our first night, feeling jetlagged, we decided not to venture too far from home and headed down to the town square. We became acquainted with the neighborhood as we strolled to the Praça Rainha Dona Leonor Square. We walked up and down the maze of cobblestone alleyways and steps and admired the architecture and various colors of the attached houses. Many of the houses were tiled on the outside with patterns designed in the 17th and 18th centuries. Vibrant flowers and trees lined the streets. Restaurants with outdoor tables and umbrellas were plentiful and we decided to go with the hidden O Barrill. The waiter was handsome and friendly; the food was tasty and fresh. We even received complimentary liquor, figs and nuts when we paid our bill. Suzanne, whose family owns the villa, also owns a beautiful
The Ferragudo Castle on the River Arade, view from Niki Beach
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boat and we took full advantage of the extravagance during our visit. Our captain piloted us up the Algarve coast where we saw sandy beaches and seaside villages. We experienced the amazing cliffs of the Algarve that have been created by wind and water over the course of thousands of years. We ventured into a large cavern named Algar Seco with a sense of awe. One cannot travel to Portugal without visiting the capital city of Lisbon. We decided to put our trust in the hands of the experts and took a guided tour. Through the Mega Tur travel agency, we were picked up early in the morning and we embarked on a four-hour drive through the country. When we finally approached the city, we saw the Cristo-Rei (Christ the King) - a world-famous Catholic monument inspired by the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro. We drove over 25 de Abril Bridge, the 20th largest suspension bridge in the world, which was built by the same company that built the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Our first stop in Lisbon was the Jerónimos Monastery. More than 500 years old, this Manuelinestyle monastery is classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. From there we visited many more historical monuments, including the Belem Tower and the Monument of Discoveries. We spent the remainder of the day leisurely shopping, then eating and drinking plenty of Vinho Verde – a satisfying end to a great day in Lisbon. We arrived back in Ferraguda quite late. However, as it was our last night in the Algarve, we decided to make the most of it and went to Praia de Rocha. For our first five days in Ferraguda, we had thought the locals were saying “pride of Russia” but we learned that night that Praia de Rocha is the Beach of Rocks. Surrounded by locals and other tourists, we danced to a DJ and live drums ’til 7 in the morning.
Amêjoas - steamed clams from the famous restaurant on stilts, Praia Grande Restaurant in Ferragudo.
8/3/09 4:45:35 PM
Travel
Seven Stars and Stripes…
The Alchymist
Grand Hotel and Spa By Thorsten Buehrmann
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nce upon a time, Swiss International Airlines carried a Seven Stars and Stripes review team from Zurich to Prague, where they landed on an unseasonably mild evening in February, their destination - the Alchymist Hotel and Spa. At the end of the 16th century, when Prague became the center of occultism, alchemists from all over Europe came to Prague to take advantage of the generous backing of the Imperial Court. Rudolph II employed more than 200 alchemists in the hope of discovering the secret formula for converting basic metal to gold. Considering Rudolph’s love for gold, the surreal, beautiful Alchymist Hotel could easily have been one of the homesteads of the eccentric emperor or his court. Today, gold once again dresses the historic walls of this oh, so gracious storybook estate. Our Topas Gold Rimowa luggage, easily recognizable for its quality and style, were well suited to these
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splendorous surroundings. Our arrival was dramatic; excited, we stepped onto the almost unreal historic cobblestone street where we were welcomed with gracious, unpretentious hospitality – a feeling that would not leave us during our entire stay. Prague’s Alchymist Hotel and Spa is privately owned, and proprietor Giorgio Bonelli is passionate about his mission to preserve history through innovation and creativity. Guests are treated as royalty and welcomed as friends, clearly extending the spirit of the historic, fascinating city of Prague. Prestigiously located in the heart of that city, the Alchymist Hotel and Spa is ideally placed to discover all major tourist attractions, shopping, dining and of course, entertainment and business centers. We settled into the famous Alchymist Suite, a unique, elegant one-bedroom suite with a luxurious, spacious living room, a fairytale bed and a huge marble bathroom featuring
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Travel
Rolls Royce Luxurious Transportation embroidered terry robes and slippers. My wife committed her a claw foot bathtub, placed in the middle of the expansive feet to Miss Jessica for “cultivation” and “to achieve lovely nails bathroom. A private terrace allows a romantic view of the through a unique technique and use of exceptional products” inner courtyard. The furnishings resemble a blend of 16thwhile I got to indulge in Ecsotica’s Bathing Ritual described to 19th-century, almost eccentric, and feature sumptuous as “Calming yourself in a soothing, heavenly-scented bath as decorations in luscious Renaissance red. Other suites, some water jets pamper your body while you delight in the pure in royal blue, include living rooms and intimate dining areas; pleasure.” The entire lavish setting of rose petals surrounding the some have balconies or terraces with private, little gardens. All bathtub with aroma-infused, therapeutic, sweet water and jets accommodations feature high-speed Internet access and other massaging my body in every direction was indeed a delight. essential gadgets, nicely hidden but anticipated by the modern I then had a body wrap while my wife got to experience a luxury traveler. Some suites and halls feature dramatic restored one-hour Darphin Facial Treatment, which she described as a 15th-century vaulted ceilings and walls and are officially highly pleasurable aromatic treatment with a deep cleansing accredited for authenticity by the National Historic Society. The magnificent work depicts gaming events and other scenes carved and painted on the sides of the main beams and along the frieze. The Alchymist’s hidden oasis is the Ecsotica Spa, entirely dedicated to one’s well-being, rejuvenation and relaxation. The spa is a sparkling wonder, attracting guests with luxurious comfort, cutting-edge, hidden technology, world-class facilities and intuitive, traditional service. The spa includes several private treatment rooms, where guests may experience skillfully administered massages and body scrubs and wraps, and indulge in exotic bathing rituals. The spa also features a spacious suite designed for couples wishing to share a more intimate spa experience. We highly recommend it. The Ecsotica Spa began as Giorgio Bonelli’s dream many years ago. An extensive traveler, Bonelli visited numerous spas to develop the feel for his spa’s personalized experience. Our Seven Star spa experience began with amenities such as luxurious, plush, white Alchymist Bedroom Suite
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Ecsotica Juice Bar effect and an instant lift that was felt long after. The body wrap cocooned me in a promised “weightless enclosure” for my body to absorb the active ingredients that “indulge the senses with exotic scents” while I got to rest, and rest I did. At 1 o’clock we reunited, with glowing faces, at the Escotica Juice Bar for a “Light Bathrobe Lunch.” Not everything was light on this luscious spa lunch buffet - but so far, it was the most unique and elaborate spa lunch we have experienced without leaving the actual spa facilities. I must mention the superb, fresh oysters, served with the water of the sea in the shell, succulent and delicious, although I do suggest having the lemon served on the side. There were exquisitely designed raw plates of sushi and sashimi and vegetables, as well as fruits and salads to die for. We had a full, long hour for this one-of-a-kind spa feast (that one should definitely make part of one’s spa day), so we were able to spend relaxing quality time together. After our feast, we were scheduled for a 90-minute traditional couple’s massage, Balinese-style – a deep-tissue technique using thumbs and long strokes to stimulate blood flow and muscle relief. We looked into each other’s eyes and smiled. While our spa day was a couple’s experience, single guests can refresh in the spa's adjoining men's and women's facilities. We received not only fantastic service by a gracious team of Balinese experts but also an amazing display of mood, or soulful, food at the spa feast. The Alchymist Hotel as destination spa makes for an ultimate spa experience and could be a perfect
retreat for executive meetings as well. The Alchymist’s elegant, intimate banquet facilities offer an opportunity to celebrate life’s most precious moments in its historic halls. The lavishly decorated ballrooms are tastefully furnished and make a prestigious place to dazzle guests at social gatherings or executive retreats. The ballroom is the ideal place for a dream wedding, combining expert event planning, service experience, deep tradition and superb cuisine. The Alchymist Grand Hotel and Spa is universally recognized for its overall commitment to guest satisfaction and attention to detail. The staff is clearly proud to be part of a fine team dedicated to professionalism, quality of service and appearance. We long to return. For more information on Seven Stars and Stripes go to www.sevenstarsandstripes.com
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Health
Care for the Caregiver By Barbara Capozzi, DO, CNS
C
aring for a loved one is a natural thing to do. In our society, women more often find themselves in the caregiver role. However, many find that it’s as easy to be nurturing, compassionate and supportive as it is to feel guilty for taking time for oneself when caring for another. But this is one of the most important elements to being a healthy caregiver. The caregiver’s own well-being is just as important as the receiver’s. A caregiver starts out feeling invincible, capable and determined to handle all needs. A daily routine may now include driving to doctors’ appointments, administering medication and providing physical and emotional comfort in addition to fulfilling regular family and work responsibilities. But eventually, continuing a normal work and social schedule while coordinating the needs of two people becomes challenging. Adapting a new lifestyle that focuses on the needs of the loved one first causes the caregiver to place her own needs second. This can cause caregiver stress. It can manifest as physical exhaustion, depression, anxiety, anger or resentment. The goal is to balance time for giving and time for receiving.
Communicate Communicate your thoughts, feelings and emotions with friends. Speak with others who have been caregivers; their insight is invaluable. Develop a strong support network and attend services of your belief. Most important, have the person you are caring for share feelings, suggestions and concerns. Continue to invite both your friends and their friends to visit.
Arrange
Arrange a schedule and keep a list of things to do. Accept offers from those who are willing to help. Allow someone to stay with your loved one while you run errands. Take advantage
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of local respite. Try to have meals prepared in advance or cook extra to freeze for another day. Anticipate what you will serve for lunch. Organize medication to be dispensed.
Relax
Start the day with a positive outlook. Relaxation techniques are an ideal way to lessen tension. Before getting out of bed, close your eyes, take a deep breath in, smile, then open your eyes and go look out a window. Read material about your loved one’s illness so that you understand what to expect and how to best assist. When your charge is resting, so should you. Take a nap, read a book or listen to soothing music. Keep photos on display that will trigger happy memories. Use lavender or your favorite aromatherapy.
Embrace
Set aside time to be alone and time to be with others. Surround yourself with people who make you smile and laugh, but know that it is okay to cry! Keep appointments and accept invitations. Try a yoga class, tai chi, or massage therapy. Remember that your health is a priority. Keep your medical appointments. If you don’t feel well, see your doctor. Stay physically strong and get seven hours of sleep per night. Eat healthy meals at regular times. Before going to sleep, spend a few minutes practicing guided imagery or visualization. In a quiet place, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths in and out. Allow your mind to drift to a peaceful place, soak in the peacefulness, the quiet and the calm. Embrace each day and its outcome. Board Certified in Family Practice, Certified Nutrition Specialist, Associate Professor of Family Practice, Clinical Coordinator at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, Guest on Cable Television “Ask the Doctor,” CNN, Channel 55 News, Channel 4 News and Channel One-Live.
The Boulevard • August - September 2009
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8/3/09 2:13:41 PM
Health
Facial Plastic Surgeon Andrew Jacono Offers Care and Hope to Colombian Children
F
Dr. Jacono performs cleft lip repair on a five-month-old Colombian boy.
rom April 25 through May 2, Long Island facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Andrew Jacono traveled to Colombia to perform more than 45 reconstructive surgeries on children with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities.
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Dr. Jacono donated his time and expertise as part of a mission coordinated by Healing the Children, a nonprofit volunteer organization dedicated to providing donated medical care to children in need. “Perhaps nowhere is this lack of medical attention more
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Before And After: Cleft lip surgery performed on a five-month-old Colombian boy. acute than Colombia,” said Dr. Jacono. The World Bank estimates that 65 percent of the country’s population lives below the poverty line. What’s more, thousands of Colombian children have been displaced by armed conflict and kept out of the government’s formal system due to drug-related warfare. In a country rife with social and economic woe, access to medical care is an uphill, oftentimes impossible, battle. In the face of these obstacles, Healing the Children strives to help children throughout the world receive medical care unavailable to them due to a lack of medical and financial resources or health insurance. To date, more than 75,000 patients have been helped through their efforts. This was Dr. Jacono’s first trip with Healing the Children. He and Drs. Manoj Abraham and Benjamin Strong performed surgery on 70 children over the weeklong mission. Oral facial clefts, such as cleft lips and cleft palates, are birth
Dr. Jacono with a three-month-old Colombian girl.
defects in which the tissues of the mouth or lip do not form properly during fetal development. According to Dr. Jacono, in the United States alone, one in every 1,000 children will be born with clefts, making it one of the most common major birth defects today. While treatable with reconstructive surgery, when left unattended oral facial clefts can cause difficulty breathing and eating, recurring ear infections, potential hearing loss and speech defects. “Reconstructive surgery to fix facial deformities like cleft palates can be life-changing,” Dr. Jacono said. “And it’s more than just the physical deformity – although that’s a part of it. Surgery to fix cleft lips and palates early on has a drastic, positive impact on these children’s quality of life. There’s no reason why these children can’t lead normal lives. It’s just a matter of getting them access to proper medical care. That’s why a trip like this is so important. It gives these children a chance for a normal, healthy life – a chance they Dr. Andrew Jacono with Healing the Children volunteers. might otherwise miss.” www.boulevardli.com
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Health
Health Watch
By Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum
The Lipstick Check
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hen I was in training, I loved teaching. When I began my first year of residency, I was in charge of younger doctors-to-be and was an integral part of their education and their perception of their patients, as well as their views on careers and other facets of their own lives. I loved not only explaining medicine, but also teaching the nuances of being a good clinician. We took blood pressures and heart rates, checked oxygen levels, did blood counts and liver tests, read EKGs, and did a “lipstick check.” This check was less clear in its diagnostic specificity, but was a very telling predictor of how well a woman patient was feeling. Some think of putting on makeup, getting dressed and styling hair as elements of vanity, but for most women it is part of their instinct. My older women patients often tell me that they don’t even recognize their own bodies and that they mourn the loss of their younger selves. Yet many, if not most of them, come in wearing lipstick. One of my most precious patients was named Lily. I often think of her in her large sunglasses, fur hat, leopard print scarf, fur coat, jewelry and bright red lipstick, sitting in her wheelchair. Her blue eyes projected her inner diva. She was filled with the spirit of theater and music and a sense for the dramatic; her innate sense of beauty radiated from the makeup she carefully applied every day. The first time I saw her without makeup she was in the hospital in congestive heart failure and struggling to get oxygen. She had no makeup on, no lipstick and no desire to look better. I knew that this was a bad sign. Several days later I saw her sitting up, makeup done and lipstick on, waiting for her discharge from the hospital. Before even checking, I knew her blood pressure and heart rate were going to be normal and that she would be ready to go home. It was then that I understood the degree of her illness was based on how well she applied her foundation, eye shadow and lipstick. I remember my grandmother’s two rules: Never leave the house without clean underwear and never leave the house without lipstick. These two tenets seem to be part of many
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women’s consciousness. And therein lies the “lipstick check.” When too debilitated to take care of oneself, the first thing that goes is one’s vanity. The survival mechanism clicks in and all a person can focus on is summoning energy to get better, to be well. Often when a person starts to feel better, survival is less exhausting and the vanity mechanism clicks in. The first thing to come out of their purse is lipstick. Entering a woman patient’s room during morning rounds, I check blood pressure, heart rate and temperature. Then I explain to my students the most important sign that the patient is improving – a dab of red or pink paint on the mouth. The desire to feel beautiful, and an innate and healthy sense of vanity, has returned. It is a no-brainer. Red stains on the sheets don’t always mean blood. Sometimes it means that the patient is almost ready to go home. Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum is the director of Woman and Heart Disease at the Heart and Vascular Institute at Lenox Hill Hospital, New York
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Cosmetic Surgery Today By Stephen T. Greenberg, MD, FACS
Quick Fix Plastic Surgery
O
ne of the important secrets to beautiful skin is taking care of the issues you can control – getting adequate sleep, drinking plenty of water and making time to exercise. What many of us find, however, is that the quest for a beautiful complexion can be frustrating and often times out of our control. Genetics plays an important role in how your skin appears and stress can significantly impact your appearance by causing breakouts, blemishes and dry skin. If cosmetic surgery is not the best plan for you at this time, look to available alternatives that combine laser treatments, skin care treatments and injections for a younger-looking you. We are bombarded by the media with alternatives to improving our appearance and the quality of our skin. The important thing is to secure a professional, medical-grade skin care program. Injectibles, including Botox Cosmetic, Dysport, Juvederm and Restylane continue to grow in popularity and work well to eliminate facial lines and wrinkles. Botox Cosmetic and Dysport will smooth frown lines, forehead lines and crow’s feet. Restylane consists of hyaluronic acid, a natural substance present in the body, that creates volume in the ‘marionette’ lines in the nasolabia folds, adds volume to the
lips and enhances cheekbones. Juvederm is a safe and effective filler method to temporarily erase facial wrinkles, smile lines and skin folds. The use of the latest and most effective laser system available successfully removes unwanted hair from all areas and can be used on all skin types. Matrix IR Wrinkle Reduction uses fractional technology and effectively removes mild to moderate wrinkles while making skin texture smoother and more elastic. Many times the combination of laser services such as IPL Photo-Rejuvenation, Refirme Skin Tightening and Matrix IR Wrinkle Reduction is extremely effective for those patients who are not quite ready for a facelift. The services, known as the Trinity Series, work to smooth fine lines, tighten and firm lax skin, and even out your complexion by working to eliminate dark spots caused by the aging process. Performed in a series of six treatments, your skin will never look better! Additionally, VelaShape Cellulite Reduction System works to massage away those unsightly cellulite dimples, smoothing the area and losing inches in the process. A simple way to help improve appearance and reduce signs of aging is my revolutionary skin care system, Cosmetic Surgeon in a Jar. The products are specifically designed to reverse sun and free radical damage, enhance elasticity and dramatically improve your appearance. With today’s technology, there are several effective approaches to improving your appearance without surgery. By developing and following a customized plan for each person, the proper mix of each of these procedures guarantees a successful improvement in appearance and a younger, more vibrant look. Dr. Stephen Greenberg is a board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in cosmetic surgery. He is 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 e-mail him at docstg@aol.com or listen to his radio show on Saturday nights at 10 p.m. on WKJY (98.3 FM). Visit www.GreenbergCosmeticSurgery.com
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Health
Fitness Corner By Pam Polestino
Exercise Is Your Best Prescription
F
or those of you who have not made your commitment to exercise, now is the time! If you focus on all the various health benefits that come from being physically active, it may help you get
started. Coronary heart disease is a leading cause of death but there are many things one can do to help prevent the disease. Physical activity can reduce your risk of fatal heart disease and reduce conditions that put a strain on your heart, such as high cholesterol, diabetes and high blood pressure. Another factor that can prevent heart disease is keeping a healthy body weight. Cardiovascular exercise can assist in managing a healthy weight. Lowering your body weight by even 10 percent can lower blood pressure and reduce cholesterol. Eating a wellbalanced diet contributes to heart health. It is not only limiting the intake, but quality choices that can make the difference. Including fiber, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and legumes is important, too. Avoiding high sodium, high cholesterol and fatty foods are a must.
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Cigarette smoking significantly increases your risk of heart disease. If you are a cigarette smoker, quitting must be your No. 1 priority. Exercising regularly can help manage stress, which can in turn would help you quit. Your exercise program will be much less difficult when you are a non-smoker. Always consult a physician before you begin any exercise program or step up the one you already have. Low to moderate exercise is great to start. Walking, stair climbing and dancing are all beneficial. Vigorous activities like running, jogging and swimming are even better for improving the fitness of your heart and lungs. Increase the length and intensity of your exercises as you go, according to how you feel. Muscle soreness 24 to 36 hours after exercise lets you know you had a great workout. Most people who exercise regularly love the physical changes that occur. But never overlook the tremendous health benefits that accompany these changes. Exercise alone can improve cholesterol levels, keep weight under control, improve circulation throughout the body, prevent bone loss and increase muscle strength. If you use weights for resistance training, you can reshape your body and improve posture. For older people, daily activities such as walking can prevent chronic illness and disease associated with aging. Exercise can also maintain quality of life for a longer time. Exercise will make you look and feel your best at any age. Dayto-day activities become easier with exercise, and the old saying “You’re as young as you feel” will ring true. The 40-year-olds who run on the treadmills next to the 30-year-olds can keep up because they've been training long and hard. Having regular health screenings is essential to maintaining heart health. If you have a family history of heart disease, you should be tested more often. Please follow your physician's recommendations. Any way you take it, one of the best prescriptions for maintaining a healthy heart is exercise.
Call Fitness Professional at 646.261.3350
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Body Contouring Center Water Jet-Assisted Lipo Radiofrequency-Assisted Lipo Smartlipo MPX® (Laser-Assisted Lipo) Cellulite Treatments Fat Transfer Breast Implants (Silicone / Saline) Breast Lift Breast Reduction Tummy Tuck Buttock & Thigh Lift TriActive® / Endermologie
31 Northern Boulevard Across from Wheatley Plaza Greenvale, NY 11548 516.484.9000
625 Park Avenue New York, NY 10065 212.794.4000
www.cosmetiqueMD.com Congratulations to Dr. Gotkin - Voted one of NY’s “Top Cosmetic Doctors” 2009! (Castle Connolly) Complimentary Consultation page 099 SarnoffAd.indd 99
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Music
Cheap Trick’s
Rick Nielsen Gives Us The Latest
T
hirty-five years together as a band and still together? Cheap Trick, that little old band from Rockford, Illinois, has just released studio album No. 17 entitled The Latest. One of the earliest purveyors of power/pop/punk, the Japanese press calls them the “American Beatles,” a moniker given to them even before their seminal Cheap Trick At Budokan (a live album the band recorded at Japan’s famed Nippon Budokan Arena) was released in 1979. That’s the album that gave us “I Want You To Want Me,” a song that to this day plays constantly at karaoke bars and on radio stations, jukeboxes, satellite radios, computers and iPods, probably even elevators, all over the planet. We can’t forget the other huge hits, too, like “Surrender,” “Dream Police,” “The Flame,” and even the theme song to the Colbert Report on Comedy Central. The band has performed no less than 5,000 times, sold 20 million plus records, has had its songs on 29 movie soundtracks and has received 40 gold and platinum recording awards. The man responsible for most of these amazing songs is lead guitar player and chief tunesmith Rick Nielsen, a man who has owned 2,000 guitars, including a few of the now infamous Hamer Five-Neck axes. I sat down with him for a typically humorous discussion but I had to know first what it was like for him and Cheap Trick drummer Bun E. Carlos to play and record with John Lennon on his Double Fantasy album. Rick Nielsen – It was Aug. 12, 1980 and I remember that because
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By Jonathan Clarke Photos by Mike Graham
my son was born that day. When I walked in, I think he thought I was Ricky Nelson at first but [producer] Jack Douglas and John told me to play whatever I wanted on the tracks. I think he knew of us because that was right when Budokan was really popular. We talked about guitars and I actually gave him one of my Fender Telecasters to use; I got it back three years later. I also had a guitar made for him which I gave him and that guitar is now at the Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame. I got to play his Rickenbacker with the set list from Shea Stadium scotch taped to the back of the guitar. I had some cigars that I smuggled in from Canada so we smoked and toasted to my new son and to Sean Lennon who was just a baby then, too. Bun E. got the chord charts that we were working on that day signed by John. It really was like musician to musician. Here I was giving him advice on guitars. It really was quite an honor. Jonathan Clarke – You guys were models for designer John Varvatos during the last album, Rockford? RN – Yes, I thought, are they trying to not sell clothes by having us as the faces of the campaign? And I figured if my face was ever going to be on a billboard or a bus stop that it would be an “America’s Least Wanted” poster or graffiti or something, but yeah, John’s been great. To be in an ad from the GQ Designer of the Year was pretty amazing. We were honored to be asked. The photo of us on the new album is from an outtake from one of the ads they did.
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JC – There is a song on the new album, “Sick Man of Europe,” which was actually the name of a band you were in pre-Cheap Trick? RN – Yes, Robert “Stewkey” Antoni (Naz) was the lead singer with Tom Petersson on bass and Bun E. Carlos on drums and it was such a horrible name that we thought we would have a song with the same name. JC – And the genesis of that title comes from the country Turkey? RN – Yes, Turkey has been called the Sick Man of Europe; it was a term for the country that I read in the International Herald Tribune in the late ’60s. Basically, [it means] that Turkey is the poor, twisted, SOB, whatever-can-go-wrong-will-go-wrong country. The name just resonated with me for some reason at the time so I thought, let’s call the band that. It’s like what I said about the John Varvatos campaign. Was I trying not to become popular and not sell records by naming the band that? If you can tolerate Cheap Trick and a song named “Sick Man of Europe” you are, like, the ultimate fan.
Slade. They never were really huge in the States, but we used to play some of their songs live. One of my favorite lead singers is Noddy Holder. I always liked those lead singers with that pirate swagger. Singers with that crazy blown out-sounding voice like Noddy, Bon Scott and Steve Marriott. JC – The Latest is going to be released on CD, vinyl and 8-track? RN – We just thought it would be fun really, why not? Everyone does the same thing so let’s do something a little different. Let’s have something that people don’t do anymore. Almost like album artwork. JC – And you want someone to develop a Rick Nielsen Checkerboard 8-track player? RN – Yes, Checkerboard is a must, but streamline it a bit. It would be okay to update the technology a little, but not too much – two RCA plugs in and two out, maybe a USB connection and a plug in too, maybe. See, I’m like a phony/faux inventor – I make stuff that I want, like a power strip with the on/off button on the other end of the power strip as opposed to the way they make them now. It just makes more sense.
JC – You also cover a Slade song on the new album, “When The Lights Are Out.”
JC – Rick, it’s always a pleasure.
RN – I always loved Slade. And let’s not forget that “Cum On Feel The Noize” was not written by Quiet Riot, it was written by
RN – I’ve got so much more to talk about, but I can’t remember any of it, so it’s perfect!
www.boulevardli.com
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Sports
Gary Carter
The Kid Has All Credentials
By Jules Rabin
U
CLA may have missed out on a probable AllAmerican football star when Gary Carter decided to pass on his letter of intent to play the pigskin sport there and signed with the Montreal Expos in 1974, but Major League Baseball and Carter have no regrets. After 19 star-studded seasons, (including 11 as an All-Star), a pair of All-Star games, two Most Valuable Player awards, a World Series ring and a steamer trunk full of prestigious awards and citations, the current manager of the Long Island Ducks is virtually a legend in his own time. In 1961, at age 7, Carter won the national championship of the NFL Punt, Pass and Kick program. From that auspicious beginning he has continued to march gloriously ahead as one of America’s most accomplished and well-known athletes and sports personalities. His baseball career is latticed with records. He led the National League in RBIs with 106 in 1984, clouted 324 career home runs and won three Gold Glove awards and five Silver Slugger awards.
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Nicknamed The Kid, Carter played with, and against, most of baseball’s great players in the ‘70s and ‘80s. And he has little fear in stepping to the plate to name his “best” list. For topposition players, he picks Pete Rose, Johnny Bench and Mike Schmidt. When it comes to pitching, The Kid votes for Dwight Gooden and former Expo Steve Rogers as the best he has “battery-ed” with. Opposing pitchers who rank as his most elite are Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan and Steve
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Carlton. Who could argue? When queried as to how today’s game has changed, Gary is quick to point out the “pitching roulette” on the 21st-century diamonds. “It’s a parade of specialists moving to the mound these days,” comments Carter. “Now we have a middle reliever followed by a set-up guy who flips the ball to the closer. Virtually nobody pitches a complete game anymore.” Another key difference from Carter’s playing days is the paucity of “strategic managerial maneuvering. There are fewer bunt plays, there are fewer hit-and-run plays, and the exciting squeeze play is almost extinct. The fans love the home run and that is where today’s emphasis is.” As for personal, favorite achievements The Kid gets pumped when he talks about the Mets and his role in winning the 1986 World Series … and of course, his induction into Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 2003. He neglects to mention this writer’s favorite: Carter is the only player ever to hit two home runs in an All-Star
game and a World Series game. Carter also may have overlooked what many Met fans never will – his first game as a Met in 1985. On that momentous occasion he slugged a 10th-inning, walk-off home run off St. Louis Cardinal pitcher Neil Allen to give the Mets a 6-5 opening day victory. In addition to his Major League Baseball Hall of Fame credentials, Carter has been elected to the New York Mets Hall of Fame and the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. During the ‘80s, while playing for the Mets and living on Long Island, he was a unanimous selection for the Long Island Sports Hall of Fame Post-retirement, Carter did a stint from 1993 through 1996 as an analyst for the Florida Marlins. He also appeared in the movie The Last Home Run released in 1998. But Carter has a zealous desire to manage at the major league baseball level. In 2005 he was manager of the Gulf Coast Mets. A year later he was promoted to be the A-league St. Lucie Mets manager. In 2008 he managed the Orange County Flyers of the Golden Baseball League where he guided the team to a league championship. Wife Sandy and their quartet of youngsters – Christy, Kimmy, Douglas and James (D.J.) – enthusiastically back Carter’s dream to manage in the “big show.” His impeccable playing credentials and respected minor league managerial work augur an opportunity for him to be the Skipper one day in the not too distant future. This Kid sure seems to have earned a shot. www.boulevardli.com
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