W42ST issue 20 - Hell's Kitchen - welcome to the family by W42ST Magazine

w42st ISSUE 20 AUGUST 2016 FREE

INSIDE

O D MAP T GUIDE AN ITCHEN HELL'S K

THE FAMILIES ISSUE

senator brad hoylman; joe iconis; the very hungry caterpillar; polyamory; gayby baby; fitness; food; real estate ... & dogs!

CONTENTS August Edition

This month we’re celebrating our Hell’s Kitchen family, in all its shapes, sizes, and shades. From the traditional to the colorful, we’re talking about what even defines family in this modern world. And for many, it’s simply the community we choose to live among. Those people who share our values and our vision and our lust for life. So, while you can’t choose your family, you can certainly choose your friends. Thank you for being ours. And remember to sign up for our editor’s weekly email newsletter for chat and giveaways: http://bit.ly/letterfromruth. THE TEAM THAT BROUGHT YOU W42ST

PUBLISHER PHIL O’BRIEN phil@w42st.com (646) 535-4407

EDITOR RUTH WALKER ruth@w42st.com (646) 847-9645

SENIOR ART ED LEE CAPLE lee@w42st.com

SALES MATT LUNETTA matt@w42st.com (646) 535-2186

SALES BOB BRUNO bob@w42st.com (929) 428-0767

SOCIAL MEDIA ED SANDRA MANGAN sandra@w42st. com

FOUNDING EDITOR SIMON KIRRANE CONTRIBUTORS

JACI STEPHEN NACHO GUEVARA MATT D’SILVA CIERA COYAN CHRISTIAN MILES IAN TD SMITH JEREMY KAPLAN ADRIEN POTIER

SAMINA KALLOO EDUARDO PATINO CLAUDIA CHUNG LESLIE WOODRUFF MICHAEL PORTANTIERE JACLYN TREINKMAN SARAH TIMMS MARY GENEVA

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be used without written permission of the publisher ©2016. Please note: Every effort has been made to avoid errors, misspellings, and omissions in this publication. However, if you spot one please accept our sincere apologies.

COMMUNITY

Just some of the results are reproduced here ... see someone you know?

6 MY HELL’S KITCHEN

50 GALLERY

Inside the extended family of Joe Iconis, his wife Lauren, cat Diane Kitten, and quasi-punk band of performers.

8 OUT & ABOUT

All the best pictures from last month’s W42ST outdoors party at Manhattan Kayak Company.

9 JACI STEPHEN

Our columnist on why she’s never had children.

10 SENATOR DAD HOYLMAN

Exclusive interview with Senator Brad Hoylman as he talks Trump, parenthood and gentrification.

15 THEN RUBY ARRIVED

What happened when our girl about town became a brand new mom.

16 A YEAR IN HK

How one Australian transplant found his perfect home here in Hell’s Kitchen.

18 FACES IN A CROWD

Hundreds of you took part in our photo booth project at the party in the park.

Anyone with an eye for a picture and a half-decent cameraphone could have their work in our mag.

64 PHOTO FINISH

When former President Jimmy Carter visited the hood ... and slept on the floor.

WHAT’S GOING ON 24 EVENTS

Our diary of happenings, from theater to dance to family fun, is the only guide you’ll need this month. Keep it close.

26 IMAGINATION TAKES FLIGHT Behind the scenes of The Very Hungry Caterpillar stage show ... and its very determined creator Jonathan Rockefeller.

28 ON YOUR FEET

The family where dance really is in their genes.

29 RAINBOW FAMILIES Gay couples having babies is

6 now mainstream ... but far from straightforward.

EATING & DRINKING 30 FAT AD MAN

The story of how the daughter of a charismatic yo-yo dieter fell in love with food – and Hell’s Kitchen.

34 PICKY, PICKY, PICKY

When mealtimes with your little one are a battleground, we have some sound advice to declare peace.

37 BEER

If you really must bring children into the bar, Ciera Coyan wants you to understand the ground rules.

39 WINE

No need to travel to the Loire – these are the exciting vineyard visits right on our NY doorstep.

40 STAFF SURVEY

The family inspiration behind Ñaño’s Ecuadorian menu.

REAL ESTATE 42 THAT VIEW THOUGH!

When all of Manhattan is spread out

52 59 THE DATING POOL

beyond your window, how do you match it (but not overpower it) with a stylish interior?

First date terrors with Mary Geneva and the man who wants to have her babies.

46 BLANK CANVAS

PETS

Moving into a new apartment is like started a painting from scratch ... so how will you make a mark on your place?

49 THE BOTTOM LINE

When your credit rating doesn’t quite make the grade, there’s no shame is getting a little help from your family to buy that dream apartment.

LIFESTYLE 52 IS THIS THE KITCHEN’S FITTEST FAMILY?

Dad is an acrobat with Cirque du Soleil. Mom is a former #1 gymnast and an Instagram sensation. And now their kids are getting in on the act too.

56 OPEN YOUR MIND

Polyamory is not as unusual a lifestyle as you might think. We talk jealousy, marriage, health, and kids with a community insider.

60 WAGGING TALES COVER Robben T. Muñoz is an illustrator currently living and working in Los Angeles. He originally majored in cinema studies at Oberlin College (a slight detour) before returning to drawing. He can be found on Instagram at @robenmunzo and at www. robbenmunoz. com.

Our favorite, most photogenic pups in Hell’s Kitchen. Get involved by emailing waggingtales@w42st.com with your dog’s vital stats.

62 PET PRESENTS

All the latest, coolest gifts for the most important member of the family.

W42ST+ THE GUIDE IS HERE!

Do not adjust your sets. W42ST is back to its original format. But don’t worry, the guide to the very best of Hell’s Kitchen is intact. Here’s where you’ll find everything from bars and restaurants, to nail salons, dog walkers, personal trainers and more. Plus an illustrated map. Want to be included? Just contact bob@w42st.com.

MY HELL’S KITCHEN

“When I describe us, it sounds like I’m running a cult. We’re like the Manson Family, but with show tunes.” 6

DIGITAL EDITION

MY HELL’S KITCHEN

Know someone cool who’d make a great subject for My Hell’s Kitchen? Put us in touch, we’ll do the rest. Email news@w42st.com

A guy

NAMED JOE

Introducing Joe Iconis, his wife Lauren, cat Diane Kitten … and extended, quasi punk-rock family Photograph Nacho Guevara What’s your Hell’s Kitchen story? I’m from Long Island originally, but my parents were from Brooklyn (mom) and Queens (dad) so the city was a huge part of my life. The theater district and Hell’s Kitchen were always my favorite areas. My grandpa used to take me to (the dearly departed) Munson Diner back in the day when the area felt like the wild west, and I would think: “Man, I wanna live here one day.” I love the history and the energy of the area. Even as I see it gentrifying, it still manages to maintain its character in a way other NYC neighborhoods sadly have not. We want to hear all about your wedding reception in the neighborhood. Go! I have a long history with the West Bank Café. Steve Olsen (the owner) and Kenny Bell (the booker) are like family. They took such care of Lauren and I and all of the ten million friends who came out to support us. The most remarkable thing about the party was that our friends put on a surprise concert for us in The Beechman – a fully rehearsed, hour-long show of our favorite songs sung by the people we love most in the world. Lauren also wrote me a surprise song called Next To You. We danced our first dance on the Beechman stage: we recreated the twist contest scene from Pulp Fiction. Music and friends and family and nothing but love – that was how we celebrated our marriage. Also, booze. Lots of booze. Swoon! OK, over to you, Lauren – what are you up to? I’ve got a few things going on. As an actor, I’ve just finished a workshop of a musical about Hunter S. Thompson (that happens to be written by a guy named Joe Iconis as

well as another guy named Greg Moss). As a writer, most huge and most this-ishappening-right-now for me is the release of my debut EP, Never Really Done With You. It’s a collection of six songs – kind of throwbacky, fun pop with a touch of country. Think Linda Rondstadt, Nancy Sinatra. I just played a big release show at Joe’s Pub and you can get the EP online. Is it easier or harder to have a partner who’s also in the business? I can’t imagine being with someone who isn’t in the business. Our lives are both so unpredictable and intense that a civilian just wouldn’t be able to handle it. Of course, the down side is that neither of us has a steady income and we frequently find ourselves working like dogs and making no money. You can’t pay your Hell’s Kitchen rent in songs. And when we’re both in a rehearsal process for a show at the same time, our poor cat, Diane Kitten, always knows: “Uh oh. These are times when everyone is yelling or crying and my feeding schedule becomes irregular.” Diane Kitten. Great name. Let’s hear from you next ... You know, my first year of life was quite dramatic. I used to live in a dumpster in the back of a convalescence home in Queens. Since relocating to Hell’s Kitchen, the drama comes in the form of humans who come over and bang on funny contraptions that make noise and bark and meow, loudly. I don’t love it, but I tolerate it. The only noisy human I ever really loved was Betty Buckley. She came over to rehearse a song with Father Master and I approved of her. She’s the most respected actor in the Cat universe.

DIGITAL EDITION

OK, Joe, what about the rest of the “family.” The family is a collection of artists who I frequently collaborate with. We’re a sparkly group of misfits who share similar thoughts about how to create and perform musical theater. The only thing we don’t tolerate is people who are “over it.” No eye-rollers allowed, ever. We love to honor the grand traditions of musical theater with a modern, quasi punk-rock spirit. When I describe us, it sounds like I’m running a cult. We’re like the Manson Family, but with show tunes. What’s the best thing about living in HK? JOE: 54 Below, flea market, Dylan Baker. LAUREN: Domus (I’m in love with Luisa and Nicki, who run the store) and the strong neighborhood vibe. DIANE: The pigeons. Great pigeons here. And the worst? JOE: The rent. LAUREN: The rent. DIANE: Uh oh. Tell us a neighborhood secret? I am fairly obsessed with the history of the neighborhood, especially all the spots that used to be porn theaters along the Minnesota Strip (aka 8th Avenue, between 42nd and 48th Street.) A lot of those buildings have been torn down and replaced with Duane Reades, but some have been repurposed in a fun way. The rehearsal space 777 Studios used to be a porn theater, and I love that you can rehearse a musical in the exact same spot where sexual deviancy once prevailed. That mix of seediness and glitz really defines the neighborhood for me.

BIO

Joe Iconis is a musical theater writer and fixture on the NY cabaret scene. His songs appeared on Season 2 of NBC’s Smash and his writing has been featured in The NY Times and The Dramatist. Current projects: The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson for La Jolla Playhouse and Broadway Bounty Hunter. He regularly performs with Joe Iconis & Family. JOE’S HK FOOD Turco, 9th Ave 43rd/44th St Casellula, W52nd St - 9th/10th Ave Turkish Kitchen, 9th Ave 44th/45th St Balkanika, 9th Ave - 47th/48th St White Oak, 10th Ave - 54th/55th St BARS On The Rocks, 10th Ave 48th/49th St Bea, W43rd St 9th/10th Ave Joe Allen, W46th St - 8th/9th Ave Dutch Fred’s, W47th St - 8th/9th Ave COFFEE Jolly Goat, W47th St - 10th/11th Ave Blue Bottle, 11th Ave - 44th/45th St

COMMUNITY

OUT & ABOUT

If it’s happening in Hell’s Kitchen, we’ve got it covered W42ST OUTDOORS LAUNCH PARTY

ittingly, to launch our July Outdoors party, we too to the great outdoors. Joining Manhattan Kayak Company at Pier 84, we enjoyed drinks from Grand Cru, food from Fresh From Hell ... and some of us even got out on the water.

IMAGES: CHRISTIAN MILES

Clockwise from above: Michael Keeler and Mark Fisher; Jaclyn Treinkman, Diana Kusko and Matthew Lehrer; Shekhar Bhatia and Keith Lindo; Jason Witcher and Jaci Stephen; capturing the sunset; time to try kayaking.

DIGITAL EDITION

JACI STEPHEN

The

STEPHEN FAMILY album Never married. No kids. Not gay. But if you’re tall and not insane, give Jaci a call …

o one in my immediate or extended family is gay – which is odd, because 95% of people in my Hell’s Kitchen “family” are. As a single, older woman, I’m often asked if I’ve ever been married, and now I have a stock answer: never been married, never lived with anyone, no kids, not gay. It’s easier to deliver the list because you know where people’s mindset is going. As they always stop short of asking the last question, I throw in the statement to save them the trouble. I have no idea why I don’t have my own family. It’s not that I was against it; it never happened. I’ve known a lot of men (in the Biblical sense), but they all turned out to be depressives, bores and lunatics. Not to mention fat, ugly, boring, humorless, lazy ... the list goes on. It’s not that I haven’t tried. I once went to an agency and was asked about my dating history and the type of man I liked. I stressed tall. Over six feet. Someone who would protect me from a bear (a must, in my book). Apart from David, the overweight, ginger cheat, I had never been out with a man under six feet in my life, nor did I intend to start (have you seen how many wild bears there are out there?). The interviewer tried to stress that sometimes life could take you by surprise and you might go for someone entirely different. This did not bode well. At this point, I knew they had absolutely no man over six feet who wanted a short, dark, clever, funny, successful, and not bad looking Welsh bird. What about Danny DeVito, she asked. Wasn’t he an example of an attractive short man? Nooooooooo, I screamed. She pushed me on the subject. Wasn’t there ANYONE under six feet I might go for? At a desperate stretch, I reckoned James Spader (Boston Legal – lawyer, albeit

Clockwise from main: No idea why Mum dressed as Brigitte Bardot for the beach – complete with hairpiece; “you don’t think I’m swallowing all this Father Christmas stuff, do you?”; infant fashion icon; the ballroom dancing years (I’m on the end in the giant hairpiece of which Mum was so fond).

“I’ve known a lot of men (in the Biblical sense), but they all turned out to be depressives, bores and lunatics.” acting one). I could do Mark Harmon (NCIS – cop, albeit acting one), too. Or that lovely Latino bloke from Law and Order: SVU (cop – OK, another acting one). But no. TALL! Are you listening to me, woman? Her sigh shook the building. Most people who have had unsuccessful relationships can lay claim to bad childhood role models in their own families. But my parents, Don (who sadly died in 1990) and Val, were wonderful (Mum still is) and I had a very happy childhood. Both were hard-working, kind, funny, and devoted to me and my brother, Nigel. We

DIGITAL EDITION

enjoyed happy family holidays and great Christmases. I have no regrets. I love my life of travel, living in foreign climes and meeting new people. I’m passionate about my work as a writer. And I’m extremely close to all my friends’ children, who think I’m super cool and wish I were their parent. My only concern is that I’ll die alone, like my Auntie Dyllis, who passed away at the age of 99 watching the Wimbledon men’s tennis final on TV, with a half-eaten yoghurt in her hand. There are worse ways to go, I suppose. And I’ll never stand trial for murdering a spouse I loathe.

FAVORITE FAMILY

The Beckhams. Can they be any more gorgeous, successful, divine?

LEAST FAVORITE FAMILY

Any Kardashian. Just because. Need I say more?

FAVORITE DEAD FAMILY

Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. I admire those who can get by without a Marriott.

THE FAM ILY MAN

Photograph: Nacho Guevara

COMMUNITY

In the first of a series of interviews with Hell’s Kitchen’s most prominent politicians, Claudia Chung talks to State Senator Brad Hoylman about parenthood, gentrification, and Trump DIGITAL EDITION

This page: Senator Hoylman with husband David Sigal and daughter Silvia. Plus bunny.

s I sit here listening to the rumble of traffic outside, I watch a yellow cab make its way down 9th Avenue. There’s a hum of the air conditioner as it cools the apartment, the lights of the high-rise buildings that encase Hell’s Kitchen flicker in the distance. It’s been quite a year. Living in my favorite city, New York, has lived up to my wildest expectations, some good some bad, and has been a real eye opener to what it has to offer. Growing up in Sydney, I knew I wanted to escape, but where? When I finally set foot in the Big Apple 19

DIGITAL EDITION

tate Senator Brad Madison Hoylman looks like your typical politician. Tall, handsome, dressed in perfectly pressed suits with power ties. His hands move with ease as he offers to shake your hand. His smile is warm, yet a tad suspicious. And he looks directly into your eyes as if he is trying to hypnotize you into believing: “Yes, friend. Trust in me.” When researching Hoylman, one can’t help but be impressed. Born and raised in rural West Virginia, the youngest of six children, he attended public schools through college, won a Rhodes scholarship, and put himself through Harvard Law School. As a state senator representing New York’s District 27th, which includes Hell’s Kitchen, he promises he wants what we want. He cares about what we care about. Better public schools, affordable housing, neighborhood preservation, more open spaces, keeping transit fares low … “Daddy! Daddy!” The spell is broken. Clinging to Hoylman’s leg is Silvia, his young daughter with filmmaker husband David Sigal. Watching Hoylman with his daughter is like a mash-up of The Candidate and Mr. Mom. Accessorizing his suit and tie is a tiny pink patterned backpack. Instead of a cell phone, he carries around a stuffed pink version of Velveteen Rabbit – raggedy with use and love. And in-between posing for our cameras, Hoylman swings his little girl around while messing up his perfectly coiffed hair. “Can you hand me the hair brush,” he asks his little girl. With giggles and a wide smile, Silvia hands her daddy a pink hairbrush that she had thrown into a water fountain only moments before. The family man. “Urban life is expensive,” he says of family living in Manhattan. “New York is one of the most expensive cities in

“Silvia, smile! We’ll get you an ice-cream sandwich later,” promise her dads. Just this summer, Hoylman joined other Hell’s Kitchen officials celebrating the reopening of Ramone Aponte Park on West 47th Street, which has which received a $1.3 million face-lift. The project opened up the space, added a spray shower, a new play unit and house, swings and benches. To top off the makeover, the works also addressed some drainage issues by installing a sustainable rain garden. “Raising a child in Manhattan is like being a kid in a candy store. There’s always something to do,” he says. “We like to explore different neighborhoods – restaurants, retail shops and parks. Hell’s Kitchen is always evolving, from its storied past to new development that’s going on right now.” His family’s favorite spots? Well, he likes all of them: long-established Amy’s Bread on 9th Avenue to newcomer Meme on 10th. He even halts our conversation about Mayor DeBlasio [more on that later] mid-sentence to say: “You can’t talk about Hell’s Kitchen and not mention Rudy’s.” He’s also a big supporter of the 52nd Street Project. And Hoylman and Sigal are frequent theater goers. “We managed to see Hamilton. We are now all Ham heads,” he says proudly of his family. And others? “I will have to ask my husband but I think it was Disaster!” “Daddy again! Daddy again!” Without missing a beat, Hoylman is on his feet and the little girl goes flying. When I ask him about the LinkNYC wifi kiosks all over Hell’s Kitchen and Broadway, and if he thinks they serve a purpose, Hoylman cautiously says they do. “We are replacing outdated payphones with wifi. Everyone is on their devices. It’s crucial to bring wifi to those who

DIGITAL EDITION

LOCATION: THE PRESS LOUNGE (WWW.THEPRESSLOUNGE.COM)

the world. The city needs affordable housing. These homes [pointing to buildings around us on 11th Avenue and 48th Street] in glass high rises just can’t be for millionaires.” A long-time advocate of tenants’ rights, neighborhood preservation and open community spaces, he notes that “neighborhoods like Hell’s Kitchen need to be defended.” He’s also a keen advocate for public transportation. “We don’t have a car. We use public transportation. It’s wonderfully convenient and leaves more money in our pockets.” One pet peeve: the new Hudson Yards station on the 7 line. “It should not be leaking already.”

don’t have access at home and to the residents. It’s free.” LinkNYC has had a rocky start and continues to be controversial. From the homeless and teens skipping school to watch porn on its screens to the sidewalk congestion caused by those camping out next to the kiosks, the first round of installments has been mostly unwelcomed by locals. [Internet porn watching has since been resolved with a new filtering system, much to the grumbling of a few patrons.] As a Hell’s Kitchen resident myself, when I say that I’ve only seen the machine properly used twice while the rest are used as home entertainment systems for drifters and homeless, Hoylman says his office has yet to receive any complaints. But he hopes his constituents will let him know how it’s affecting their lives. “As an idea, it’s good,” he concludes. “It’s too early to tell. We have to give it time. But the jury is still out.” “If you want your dollar, you will have to sit still,” says Sigal to Silvia, who is squirming in between her two dads.

“ACCESSORIZING HIS SUIT AND TIE IS A TINY PINK PATTERNED BACKPACK. INSTEAD OF A CELL PHONE, HE CARRIES AROUND A STUFFED PINK VERSION OF VELVETEEN RABBIT – RAGGEDY WITH USE AND LOVE.” DIGITAL EDITION

Elected in 2012, New York’s only openly gay state senator is still considered a newcomer, bearing in mind some senators have served for decades. But his time in the political arena coincides with this year’s presidential election, which feels more like the Wild Wild West than democracy at work. This year, along with nine other gay and lesbian New York elected officials, Hoylman endorsed Hillary Clinton. “Her experience as First Lady, Senator and Secretary of State makes her the most qualified candidate.” As much as Hoylman supports Clinton, he detests Donald Trump. “Trump belongs on a reality show, not the Oval Office,” he says. “His name is on a few atrocious real estate projects in New York City, but Trump does not represent my New York. His notion of building a wall around a country…” Hoylman pauses to collect his words. “Trump is a clown in a nice suit,” he concludes. His thoughts on His Honor? Since becoming Mayor, Bill DeBlasio held his first Town Hall in Staten Island just this past April. Hoylman would like to see him do more. “He should be holding more town halls,” he says. As public officials, we need to “hear from the city’s residents and get their feedback” to better serve the city. With Silvia safely at the toy store with Sigal and our afternoon coming to a close, I ask Hoylman if he has any final thoughts. He looks into my eyes and says: “I wasn’t born a New Yorker, but I plan on dying one.”

w42st NOW YOU CAN READ EVERY SINGLE ISSUE OF W42ST ONLINE The latest magazine – and all our back copies – are at www.issuu.com/w42st

FREE

No download necessary – just view on your browser.

LET’S GET DIGITAL ...

From our launch issue in November 2014 to the magazine you’re reading now, it’s all easily accessible on desktop, tablet or phone. My, how we’ve grown!

COMMUNITY

Mommy on

THE BLOCK

How footloose city chick Leslie Woodruff found a new kind of playground Photograph Christian Miles

iving in the city that never sleeps for six glorious years as a social butterfly was the most exciting time of my life. A never-ending barrage of happy hours, boozy brunches, Hamptons weekends, music festivals, day trips to the beach, Fashion Week shows, rooftop parties, etc. kept me busy yearround. (OK, in all honesty, I binge-watch Netflix and order Seamless during winter just like the rest of you). But then one day, everything changed. And I had no idea how I was going to survive the most demanding job on the planet: motherhood.

On becoming a NYC homeowner (in Hell’s Kitchen, of course) And then, just after my birthday, it was time for another momentous occasion. Signing a stack of mortgage paperwork (shockingly, the bank only wanted my money, not my firstborn) and receiving the keys to our apartment was beyond exciting. We could finally call Hell’s Kitchen our permanent home after renting for six years. I used to think that HK wasn’t especially family friendly, but I’ve since observed parents toting little ones all around me. It just took a change in my perception to notice.

On preparing for a baby Don’t get me wrong, we wanted to start a family. I just found it terrifying that I would be anyone’s mother. For goodness sake, I eat cereal for dinner to avoid cooking. How would I juggle a social life AND be a responsible parent? Even taking a trip to Hell on Earth, er, I mean the baby warehouse store, was mind boggling. There are SO MANY GADGETS to purchase. Yet we live in a shoebox. Ultimately, I knew that accumulating a mountain of baby items would clutter our apartment, so I decided I only wanted the basics: a beautiful crib and a top-of-the-line pram. Our red Bugaboo stroller is so vital that I named it Scarlet O’Hara.

On seeing the city through a new lens I now look at everything differently. Oh, that raucous children’s park on 10th Avenue? Now I see it as a place where mamas can take a much-needed break while the kiddos burn off energy. Even the boisterous Dive Bar Lounge (DBL) at the end of my block holds a new meaning. Yes, there are occasional vodka-marinated bargoers who skip down the sidewalk past my bedroom window at 4am, singing at the top of their lungs. But that late-night venue is a safety net for us. No shady burglars want to mess with breaking into cars or homes with so much pedestrian traffic. I can walk the dog (with baby in tow) at any hour and feel safe and secure.

The day of reckoning The juxtaposition of two scared parents headed to the hospital during morning rush hour was a sight to behold. It was December 30, Christmas was over. Everyone going to work was surely bitter about not having enough vacation time to ditch the office during the holidays. And then there was us….marching towards a new horizon full of unknowns.

Above: Leslie and Ruby ... on their way to the bar.

On turning 40 Shortly after the birth of the baby, I hit a milestone birthday. If you had seen my mini-meltdown when turning 30, you’d fear for me at 40. But by this point I didn’t have time for a breakdown – I was too busy taking care of a newborn. The universe knew I needed a massive distraction to avoid a pity party, and a baby is the ultimate diversion. Turning 40 didn’t hurt one bit.

DIGITAL EDITION

On the future I still don’t have answers to some questions that plagued me pre-pregnancy. Balancing my social life and a baby are a challenge every day for this working mommy. However, I’m older and wiser with a permanent home to put down roots in my favorite neighborhood. Come find me on the playground if you have any answers or wisdom to share.

COMMUNITY

Living the

DREAM The noise, the smells, the drama … Matt d’Silva reflects on his first year as a bona fide New Yorker

s I sit listening to the rumble of traffic outside, I watch a yellow cab make its way down 9th Ave. There’s a hum of the air conditioner as it cools the apartment, and the lights of the high-rise buildings that encase Hell’s Kitchen flicker in the distance. It’s been quite a year. Living in my favorite city, New York, has lived up to my wildest expectations – some good, some bad – and has been a real eyeopener to what’s to come. Growing up in Sydney, I was determined to escape, but where? When I finally set foot in the Big Apple

window The view from my

Below: Snapshots capture Matt’s first year in NYC.

“New York City is full of smells – but not like the ocean and eucalyptus aroma I took for granted in Sydney.”

Coffee and bagels

DIGITAL EDITION

19 years ago, I knew this was the place I wanted to live. But how could I relocate? I couldn’t simply up and move. I returned as many times as I could, but as I got older, the desire to make a permanent move got stronger … just as it became increasingly difficult. Life was getting in the way. Then one fateful night four years ago at Splash, the legendary Chelsea nightclub, I met the man of my dreams. We got married, and at the age of 36, I finally moved to New York City. The one thing about the city I first noticed while living here was

My first spring in New York City

COMMUNITY

eams The man of my dr

the noise. It’s constant. It’s never quiet. There’s always a siren, a loud conversation on the street below, or some taxi honking its horn. It’s a never-ending reminder that life is carrying on around you. This is a city full of history, and walking around Hell’s Kitchen, it always brings a smile to my face to see the rows and rows of theaters in operation; 40 in total, with some of the best actors around playing on any given night. The names of the people who have performed on these stages is astounding: Helen Hayes, Mary Martin, Carol Channing, Katharine Hepburn, Julie Andrews, Angela Lansbury … and, of course, Liza! The sheer amount of art and culture available is mind-boggling. Massive art collections of Monet, Manet, Renoir, Picasso, and Pollock. The New York Philharmonic Orchestra. The Metropolitan Opera. American Ballet Theatre and Alvin Ailey. All perform within walking distance. It’s overwhelming and amazing all at the same time. New York City is full of smells – but not like the ocean and eucalyptus aroma I took for granted in Sydney. The city smells of fresh coffee as you walk into your local bodega, eggs and bacon frying from a local diner, the pungent aroma of garbage that sits on the street on a hot summer’s day, and the scent of fresh flowers as you pass the corner market. My nose is becoming accustomed to these new sensations. Opening a bank account and starting afresh was a strange sensation. Having had a good job in Sydney and owning an apartment,

Looking out at the HK sk yline

Above: Moving into an apartment with his husband has been an education in credit ratings.

“Brunch is another thing I’ve come to realize is an important routine. Your entire weekend is planned around it.” it was disconcerting to hear that I couldn’t get a credit card and would only be able to get the most basic of bank accounts. Having a secure credit card with a $500 limit quickly becomes boring, especially when you’re trying to pay all your utility bills at once. But as I’ve come to realize,

Times Sq Love it or hate it ...

DIGITAL EDITION

having a credit rating is very important, and buying or renting an apartment without one is near impossible. Talking of which, brokers and real estate agents are just as annoying in Sydney as they are in New York. But finding an apartment is impossible without their help. Apartments that were available in the morning are gone by the afternoon, and being called out to view a place at 9pm has became customary, all very foreign experiences for this Sydneysider. Brunch is another thing I’ve come to realize is an important routine. Your entire weekend is planned around it. Brunch in Sydney would happen around 10am and didn’t include alcohol. But on any given Sunday at any given restaurant in New York, the action doesn’t start until 1pm, and comes with unlimited Bloody Marys or mimosas. Living and working in New York stopped being a novelty when I was waiting in line to file for my social security number one Thursday morning at 7am. Sitting in the office for what seemed a lifetime, I realized I was finally living the dream … New York may not be for everyone. It’s loud, brash, and constantly in your face. But it’s also alive, inspirational, passionate. The old adage “only in New York” takes on a whole new meaning when you become a resident of this amazing city.

The heart of Broadway

We are

family

At our launch party in the park, hundreds of you took part in our photo booth project. Here are just some of the results. These are the faces of Hellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kitchen. Photographs Christian Miles

DIGITAL EDITION

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT: KATHRYN STOMSVIK; SET PRODUCER: ERIC OI; PHOTO ASSISTANT: EVERETT HUERTA

DIGITAL EDITION

what’s going on in

AUGUST Every day’s a play day with our guide to this month’s events for families, kids, and big kids reliving their youth.

August 2 The Last Shadow Puppets Terminal 5

Arctic Monkeys’ Alex Turner is joined by Miles Kane, James Ford, and Zach Dawes in this English supergroup. www.terminal5nyc.com

Every day The Beast August 4 Broadway lunchtimes Bryant Park

Davenport Theatre

www.litefm.com

www.powerofpunctuationplay.com

Grab a sandwich and enjoy hits from shows including Beautiful, An American In Paris, Avenue Q, and Holiday Inn.

August 6, 13, 20 Summer Streets All over NYC

From 7am-1pm, city streets from Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park are closed to motor vehicles. Activities include a water slide & zip line. Whee!

Jenny, Fran, and Angie are best friends. They have their own rules, their own language. But if those rules are broken, does the love remain?

Ends August 7 New York Spectacular Radio City Music Hall

The Rockettes high-kick their way through a family’s magical journey, where the city comes to life, bringing them closer together.

Pier 83 New York’s only jet-powered thrill-ride speedboat sits alongside the Circle Line, but where its sister is a more leisurely old lady, the Beast tears up the Hudson at speeds up to 40 knots. Note: children must be 40” or taller and able to sit in their own seat without assistance. www.ridethebeast.com

Monday, Thursday, Saturday Ruthless! St Luke’s Theatre

The award-winning camp classic spoofs the world of Broadway, child actors, and stage mothers.

Thursday through Sunday Gazillion Bubble Show New World Stages

Lasers, lighting, and blow-your-mind bubble artistry as seen on Oprah. But it’s even better live!

www.nyc.gov

www.rockettes.com

August 11 Broadway lunchtimes

Not Mondays Finding Neverland

Bryant Park

Lunt-Fontanne Theatre

Terminal 5

Laurie Beechman Theatre

www.litefm.com

www.findingneverlandthemusical.com

www.terminal5nyc.com

www.westbankcafe.com

Introducing music from Phantom Of The Opera, Something Rotten, Cagney, and Ruthless! We can’t think of a better way to spend lunch.

Until August 6 The Power of Punctuation

www.ruthlessthemusical.com

Based on the movie starring Johnny Depp, the show follows playwright J.M. Barrie and the children who became his inspiration for Peter Pan.

DIGITAL EDITION

August 16 PJ Harvey The sometimes controversial, never dull performer brings her world tour to New York for one night only. This one’s already sold out – sorry!

www.gazillionbubbleshow.com

August 19 Distorted Diznee It’s a whole new world in this longrunning drag show that takes adults on a twisted journey through Disney and pop culture.

Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday That Physics Show The Elektra Theatre

This Drama Desk award winner brings experiments in momentum, friction and more to the stage. www.thatphysicsshow.com

Not Mondays Motown The Musical Nederlander Theatre

Discovery Times Square

www.motownthemusical.com

www.discoverytsx.com

The story of how acts such as Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, and Smokey Robinson created a soundtrack that transformed America.

Not Mondays Matilda

Not Sundays Wicked

Shubert Theatre

The Gershwin Theatre

www.us.matildathemusical.com

www.wickedthemusical.com

Time magazine’s #1 show of the year, based on the book by Roald Dahl. Matilda is five and super-smart … but her parents think she’s nuts!

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday Kayak lessons Manhattan Kayak Company

Learn to kayak in the safety of “Lake Intrepid.” Classes are open to beginners 12 and up. www.manhattankayak.com

Every day The Vikings See Viking jewelry, swords and armor, and full-scale ships, then compete in Viking games to test your strength.

Not Mondays Aladdin

The story of a green-skinned, misunderstood witch and her bubbly blonde friend, long before Dorothy landed in Oz.

Sundays Pop-up Maker Space Pier 84

An outdoor workshop challenging participants to design and create solutions to real-world problems. And it’s free! Through August 21. www.hudsonriverpark.org

Tuesdays Sessions at the Circle

New Amsterdam Theatre

Jazz at Lincoln Center

www.aladdinthemusical.com

www.birdlandjazz.com

Take a magic carpet ride in this stage show from Disney, featuring all the songs from the film, as well as some whole new ones.

Free jazz sessions every Tuesday lunchtime, with views over Central Park and Columbus Circle. Not sucking. Not sucking at all.

Wednesdays Family movies Columbus Library

August 24 is the John Candy comedy Cool Runnings; August 31, the supernatural baseball movie Angels in the Outfield. www.nypl.org

Every day Star Trek 50 August 25 Next W42ST out All over Hell’s Kitchen

We’re talking style for September. If you’d like to be featured in the magazine, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us on news@w42st. com.

Not Mondays The Lion King Minskoff Theatre

80+ million people. 23 productions. 70 major awards. The third longest running show on Broadway. What do you mean you haven’t seen it?

Intrepid Star Trek is 50 this year, and to celebrate, 12,000 square feet of Intrepid are dedicated to the iconic show, with tours, talks, kids’ camps, movie nights and interactive space academy experiences. www.intrepidmuseum.org

www.lionking.com

DIGITAL EDITION

“It brings out the inner child in me. If you’re ever having a bad day, just sit in a theater audience full of 200 children.”

ARTS

DIGITAL EDITION

This page: Jonathan Rockefeller with just a few of his friends.

ARTS

Where

IMAGINATION grows Jonathan Rockefeller talks Baz Luhrmann, Eric Carle, and The Golden Girls Words Ruth Walker Photograph Nacho Guevara

udging by the number of grown adults walking around the city catching small animated characters and trapping them in balls, it’s clear there is more to the world of children’s entertainment these days than I’m A Little Teapot. The modern audience demands a sophisticated level of creativity that appeals to parents as well as children. But neither should that mean the loss of innocence or the simple magic of discovery. When Jonathan Rockefeller was growing up in Australia, it was Mary Poppins, Disney, The Muppets that fired his young imagination. And a raggedy, tattered, well-read copy of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. He still has that book. Though now it’s a collector’s item, signed by the author and illustrator Eric Carle. “Actually, when I showed the book to Eric, he was like, ‘This was a bad print when it was done.’ But he still signed it. Begrudgingly.” The pair have developed a professional and personal friendship, as well as a mutual respect. For Jonathan has been granted the rare honor to translate the story that has captivated generations for the stage. But if Carle has shaped his most recent present, it was Baz Luhrmann who made an early impression, back home in Australia. “I actually approached him when I was 17 with a pop-up book explaining who he was and why he needed an apprentice,” says Jonathan. “Because all great artists throughout history always have an apprentice. “It got his attention. We met. We had a great conversation. But things just weren’t

happening fast enough. So I took it to the next level and sat in his gutter with a cardboard sign reading ‘Bazmark or bust’ until I got a job!” It was while working with Luhrmann on the Broadway production of La Bohème that Jonathan met his husband, Wilson Rockefeller. “Twelve years later, after very, very solid, long friendship, we decided to make it official. “I’d say having the last name Rockefeller and having an Australian accent makes me unique! People always do a second take as soon as I open my mouth. But it’s a good story more than anything else. I wouldn’t say it has an advantage to my career any more than me doing hard work. “And there are lots and lots of Rockefellers in the world these days. This is just who we are. And no Australian even bats an eyelid!” The Very Hungry Caterpillar has been in print for nearly 50 years, and it has lost none of its appeal. “If you think how many generations have read that book – it’s quite something,” says Jonathan. “In fact, more people have read The Very Hungry Caterpillar than have seen The Lion King. Just to put things into context. The show opened in Australia, is currently on a run at Theatre Row, New York, and a “posh English” caterpillar is just about to take the stage in London. “The puppets come out and meet the kids and it’s like being at a rock concert – every single person wants a photo. The mums go crazy too!” The audience ranges from as young as a teeny tiny six months through to around ten, meaning it’s a huge challenge to keep

DIGITAL EDITION

everyone’s attention. “One of the things we want to do is make sure there’s something new and beautiful to look at on stage virtually every minute. We have 75 puppets – it’s a 60-minute show – so on average you’re going to see a new puppet every 50 seconds. “It’s a great game the audience gets to play – what animal’s going to come up next? Or do they know this story so well they can guess what’s happening next? We don’t shush anyone. You’re meant to be excited.” There are four tales in total: The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse, Jonathan’s personal favorite; Mr Seahorse; The Very Lonely Firefly; with the climactic Very Hungry Caterpillar, complete with 12-foot wide butterfly. Talking about it, and the effect it has on its young audience, still has Jonathan welling up, “It brings out the inner child in me. If you’re ever having a bad day, just sit in a theater audience full of 200 children.” He has no plans for children of his own. His next baby will be a puppet show for adults based on The Golden Girls. He’s also compiling a book he wrote when he was just four years old. “It’s actually called I Want To Be an Artist. I think that’s why I identify so much with Eric’s books. And it’s all about when you run out of paper, what can you paint on? The wall, the dog, the cat … “It’s very much autobiographical,” he says. “I still have little notes I wrote to my brothers when I’d been sent to my room saying, ‘I’m in trouble again!’” www.hungrycaterpillar show.com

ARTS

BALLET to BROADWAY The boy can sure dance! But that’s where the Billy Elliot comparisons end Words and photograph Michael Portantiere

s a young teenager, Giuseppe Bausilio played the title role in Billy Elliot in Chicago, on tour, and on Broadway. But, whereas Billy’s talent seemed to come completely out of nowhere, Giuseppe was born and groomed to dance – and sing, and act. His parents, Sônia Melo and Alfonso Bausilio, are the founders and primary teachers of AS Ballet, a school based in the family’s home in Bern, Switzerland, and now thriving in its New York City home at 300 W43rd Street. Sônia has been her son’s ballet teacher all his life; she also taught her other son from a previous marriage, Yannick Bittencourt, and taught him so well that he now dances with the Paris Opera Ballet. Sônia, Alfonso, and Giuseppe opened the school here in Hell’s Kitchen four years ago, and the one in Switzerland just celebrated its 20th anniversary. “It was always AS Ballet – for Alfonso/Sonia Ballet,” says Giuseppe, “but I kind of came up with the idea that we could call it the American/Swiss Ballet, which also works.” Giuseppe turned 19 on June 20. After his stint on Broadway, he went on to Newsies and Aladdin, and he just completed a run as Alfie in the popular Canadian teen musical drama TV series The Next Step. He’s now in the first Broadway revival of Cats. When a fan recently asked Giuseppe about the show, this is how the dialogue ran: Fan: What part are you playing in Cats? Giuseppe: Carbucketty. Fan: What’s that? Giuseppe: It’s a cat.

“When I’m in a show and not rehearsing during the day, I still take class at 10am every morning.” “When I’m in a show and not rehearsing during the day, I still take class at 10am every morning,” he says. “And I’ll teach five or six classes a week at the school, usually two or three on Saturday morning. On Sunday, I don’t teach, I just do the show. And I get to sleep in on Mondays, because that’s the theater’s day off.” AS Ballet’s first location was in a building at W48th Street and 8th Avenue,

DIGITAL EDITION

Above: Alfonso, Sônia, and Guiseppe Bausilio.

right around the block from the apartment building where Sônia and Giuseppe live with their dogs. Alfonso visits regularly, but otherwise keeps things ticking over in Bern. When I ask Sônia what it’s like to teach in NYC compared to Europe, she answers diplomatically: “It’s a matter of adapting to the mentality. I had to adjust to a more positive way of correction here, while still maintaining discipline. Students sometimes come to class a little late, but the parents are open to letting me keep them longer, and that’s great. In Switzerland, I need to finish precisely on time.” With Giuseppe rehearsing and performing in Broadway shows within walking distance of both home and the school, mom and son rarely have to set foot beyond the confines of Times Square/Hell’s Kitchen. “We love living and working in this area because the energy is amazing,” says Sônia. “We meet Broadway artists all the time on the street, and we feel a part of it.” In Billy Elliot, the raw talent of the title character is honed and focused by the hard-bitten Mrs Wilkinson. Does Giuseppe think of her when he’s teaching? “Not so much, but there is one exact phrase of hers that I use when I’m teaching pirouettes: I say, ‘Your head is the last thing to leave and the first thing to come back.’ Of course, she says it with a cigarette in her hand. I’m very different from Billy Elliot. His mom was dead, his dad didn’t support him at all, his brother was a nut job, and his grandma had all kinds of mental issues. My family has always supported me.”

ARTS

Rainbow

FAMILIES

Modern parenthood comes in all colors but, says Matt d’Silva, be prepared for a whole lot of hard work to make it happen

ecently, during brunch with friends, a gay couple announced they were moving from Hell’s Kitchen and relocating to the suburbs. “Why?” we asked. “We want to start a family,” they told us. As we’re starting to realize, an increasing number of our friends are leaving the traditional gay ghettos behind to have kids. And while marriage equality is still being debated in some countries, here in the US we face another challenge. Because, for the LGBTQI community, as much as we’d like to think it’s possible, no matter how much sex we have, it’s not going to create a baby.

Below: The movie Gayby Baby, now on Netflix, has brought the issue of gay parenting to the mainstream.

So there are numerous organizations and charities that have been established to help with this situation. And after watching the recent Netflix release Gayby Baby, it did make my husband and I think about the options. Nothing in the immediate future, mind you, but it planted a seed that opened a discussion on the various avenues we’d have to consider. Going about deciding whether you want to start a family requires a lot of planning and research. It isn’t an easy process and requires a lot of commitment, but the determination to finally start a family proves it’s something the parents are passionate about pursuing. From the go-get, you need to realize there will be a lot of paperwork and interviews no matter what option you decide to take: fostering, adoption, or surrogacy. Unfortunately, the world hasn’t got any easier and the sad reality for some young teenagers is that they are often kicked out of home the moment they come out. The organizations that help place these young individuals in a loving

DIGITAL EDITION

home while they finish school provide an essential service. So fostering can be a great alternative to adoption, giving you the opportunity to provide the love and support to an individual who isn’t in the infancy age. Another option, of course, is adoption, whether it be from within the US or elsewhere. We’ve all seen Sex and the City and the difficulties Charlotte goes through in trying to adopt, and sometimes it is easier to go overseas. Although the laws vary from state to state, adoption is available to gay and lesbian couples. Once again, however, you do need to do your homework as it is far from straightforward. The final option is having your own

“As much as we’d like to think it’s possible, no matter how much sex we have, it’s not going to create a baby.” child. And that, for gay men, means finding someone to carry and have your child for you. Recently there have been cases of surrogate mothers suing the parents for custody and, depending on the state, this can affect whether you wish to have a surrogate or a gestational carrier. A surrogate is a woman who is paid to supply an egg and, once fertilized, carries it for the duration of the pregnancy. But, following all the legal proceedings around surrogacy, the latest option is to use a gestational carrier. The procedure basically involves purchasing an egg, fertilizing said egg, then having it placed in a third party to grow. So both the egg and the uterus are from separate people. Complicated huh? It’s incredible, really, to think how far the world has progressed, and that these options are now available to everyone. As demonstrated in Gayby Baby, or by author Zach Wahls who wrote The Son of Two Moms, the gay community continues to prove that it doesn’t take a traditional mother and father role to raise a welladjusted family. All that’s really needed is patience, commitment, dedication, and a whole lot of love. And that’s something we’re always willing to give. Follow Matt D’Silva on Twitter @MattDSilva

EATING & DRINKING

DIGITAL EDITION

EATING & DRINKING

Comfort

EATING

With recipe cards from her beloved grandmother and $20 in her pocket, Dawn Lerman learned to quit a lifetime of diets and fall in love with the flavors of Hell’s Kitchen Photograph Eduardo Patino

awn Lerman spent her childhood constantly hungry. She craved good food as her father, 450 pounds at his heaviest, pursued endless fad diets, from Atkins to Pritikin to all sorts of freeze-dried, saccharinlaced concoctions, and insisted the family do the same – even though no one else was overweight. Dawn’s mother, on the other hand, could barely be bothered to eat a can of tuna over the sink. She was too busy pursuing an acting career and exploring the “Me” generation the 1970s promised. As a child growing up in Chicago, Dawn felt undernourished, physically and emotionally, but for one saving grace: the love of her maternal grandmother, Beauty. They spent every weekend together, instilling in the young girl a passion for cooking for herself and others. When she was in fourth grade, her father took a prestigious new job in New York City with the ad agency McCann Erickson. But Beauty’s culinary education continued as she sent her granddaughter a recipe card every week with a $20 bill. Beauty’s recipe cards became Dawn’s lifeline as she navigated Manhattan on her own. In this adapted excerpt from her book My Fat Dad, she explains how she fell in love with Hell’s Kitchen – a place she would eventually call home and the neighborhood where her son Dylan was born.

DIGITAL EDITION

Opposite: Dawn learned to love good food. Left: With Mom and Fat Dad.

My best friend Jenny told me horror stories about New York City: murders, people living on the streets, and subways and buildings covered in graffiti. But far more horrible was leaving Beauty, Chicago, and all things familiar. In New York, there would be no more special weekends at my grandmother’s house, no more car rides on Lake Shore Drive, and no special noshes by the stove. It would be a latchkey, total independence, and self-survival. I was heartsick. My parents and my little sister were thrilled. April would be going to school for the first time, and I would be

continued over

EATING & DRINKING leaving the only school I knew. My mom boasted that she had landed me a spot at the famous bohemian school, the Little Red School House. “You’ll be going to school alongside the kids of famous artists, musicians, and playwrights,” she said. “This environment is different than what you are used to, but I know you’ll thrive.” How did my mom think I was going to be happy? I was leaving the school I loved. I was leaving all my best friends, and I wouldn’t be able to see my grandma for months. Besides, my Chicago parochial school had the most delicious kosher lunches and Manischewitz Tam Tam crackers with grape juice every afternoon for a treat. Not only was I going to die of loneliness, I was probably going to starve

“At Poseidon Bakery on 9th Avenue, inhaling all the fresh smells of the justrolled dough and the home-made strudel, there was a sense of comfort, reminding me of the delicious smells from Beauty’s kitchen.” to death, or get mugged, or fall on to the subway tracks. In the days before we left, I pleaded with my grandmother to let me live with her. While that wasn’t possible she assured me that every week she’d send me a recipe card and a $20 bill so I’d have a little something to look forward to. “If I’m cooking chicken soup for Papa, you can cook chicken soup for April. If I’m cooking pot roast with green peppers and sweet potatoes, you could prepare pot roast with green peppers and sweet potatoes. l’ll walk you through every step. “Just remember what I taught you. Food should taste like food. Chicken schnitzel should taste like chicken. Blueberry pie should taste like blueberries. And if you need anything, I’m just a phone call away.” The day we arrived in New York, it was extremely hot and muggy, and the sounds

Above: Dawn with her dad, and some of his most famous ad slogans.

and sights of the city were mesmerizing – delis, fruit stands, bakeries, coffee shops, and take-out Chinese food places were everywhere. It was loud, fast, and dirty – nothing like our quiet neighborhood by the lake in Chicago. As much as I wanted to hate it, something about it was intriguing and electrifying. I was excited, scared, and curious all at one time. Mom’s friend Joanne mapped out the most exciting neighborhoods to explore. Since Mom loved theater and my dad loved Thai, Greek and exotic foods and spices, we explored Hell’s Kitchen. My mom heard there was even a place that made its own spanakopita – spinach and cheese enfolded in a flaky filo crust. At Poseidon Bakery on 9th Avenue, inhaling all the fresh smells of the just-rolled dough and the home-made strudel, there was a sense of comfort, reminding me of the delicious smells from Beauty’s kitchen. Once summer was over and school started, I began wandering on my own in the afternoons, buying new ingredients with the money my grandmother sent. Beauty’s boiled meat became a Moroccan stew with the addition of cumin, cayenne and garbanzo beans from the International Grocery on 9th Avenue. I still missed my grandmother terribly, but recreating her dishes with an ethnic flair gave me a sense of pride. With each new recipe card came a new challenge, a new taste of the Big Apple.

DIGITAL EDITION

ABOUT DAWN

In her best selling book, My Fat Dad: A Memoir of Food, Love, and Family, with Recipes (Berkley Books), nutritionist and New York Times wellness blogger Dawn Lerman shares the food journey she took with her obese ad man dad, responsible for iconic fast food and beverage slogans such as “Coke is It,” “L’Eggo my Eggo” and “Once you Pop You Can’t Stop.” She counsels clients on weight loss, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other diet-related conditions. She’s a sought-after speaker and cooking teacher and lives in New York City with her two children, Dylan and Sofia. @DawnLerman, www.DawnLerman.net

EATING & DRINKING

Let battle

COMMENCE Going to war with your picky eater? Samina Kalloo has some words of advice

truggling with what to get your child to eat? You’re not alone. As a mother of two, I know how taxing it can be to have your little one turn their nose up at vegetables, or go several weeks refusing to eat anything but pasta and cheese. Fortunately, for most kids, picky eating is just a phase. But understanding why they may be refusing foods and knowing your parental role in feeding is crucial to learning how to deal with it calmly.

Breakfast at Samina’s table, with husband Sean and kids Austin and Ethan.

IMAGES: PHIL O’BRIEN

KNOW YOUR ROLE

What parent doesn’t dread a mealtime battle with their child? You plead with them to “try just one piece.” They refuse. Then comes the threat of no dessert or the promise of an ice-cream sandwich if they taste one piece of broccoli. Come on, we’ve all done it! Ellyn Satter, an internationally recognized expert in feeding, has developed a theory called the Division of Responsibility to resolve this dinnertime stalemate. She suggests that the parent be responsible for providing the healthy foods and choosing the time to serve it; the child decides what and how much to eat. Trust me, I know it sounds daunting to relinquish control, but as long as you’re doing your part by providing a variety of healthy foods, your kids will do their part of eating what they need. Your child should eat what the rest of the family is eating, so avoid replacing the entrée, but you may include one or two foods you know they’ll eat. Keep in mind that it may take up to 15 times before a child will try a new food, so don’t give up!

GET CREATIVE

Make a smiley face with fruits on a pancake. Use a fun-shaped cookie cutter

“Keep in mind that it may take up to 15 times before a child will try a new food, so don’t give up!” for sandwiches. Offer breakfast foods for lunch and vice versa. And set aside time to cook with your kids, which can also encourage them to try new foods.

BE A GOOD ROLE MODEL Try your best to demonstrate healthy

DIGITAL EDITION

Samina Kalloo is a registered and certified dietitian, freelance nutrition consultant, and mom. Connect with her on Twitter (@SaminaKallooRD).

eating and your kids will follow. Research has shown that family meal times have a positive impact on how children eat. In fact, one study showed that children who shared meals with their parents consumed more fruits, vegetables and dairy compared to kids who don’t. That’s huge! So turn off that TV and enjoy uninterrupted family meal time.

LAY OFF THE PRESSURE

One big mistake is pressuring your child to eat. Avoid forcing them to eat foods they don’t like as they may start to associate the table with an unpleasant experience. Provide the food, but don’t hover over them or tell them to take “one last bite.”

Babies are born with an innate sense of how much food they need and must learn their own satiety cues so they can stop eating when full.

STICK TO STRUCTURE

Did you know a toddler’s stomach is about the same size as his or her clenched fist? Those tiny bellies fill up quickly, so it’s important to maintain a feeding schedule with specific times for meals and snacks to help ensure they are hungry, but not starving, at meal times. Drinking juice or eating snacks all day may decrease their appetite and desire to try new foods.

Blueberry scones

Start as you mean to go on

Strawberry pancakes

Samina’s healthy breakfast recipes are a family affair Fresh banana, blueberry, oat, and flax scones With heart-healthy flax and oats, potassium-rich bananas, and antioxidant-loaded blueberries, not only are these scones low in sugar, but they get a protein boost with the addition of Greek yogurt. Ingredients 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup finely ground flaxseed 2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 3 tbsp brown sugar 6 ½ tbsp cold butter ¾ cup 2% Greek yogurt 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 medium banana, sliced 1/3 cup frozen or fresh blueberries Directions Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine oats, flour, flaxseed, baking powder, salt and brown sugar. Mix well and add in cold butter in pieces. Using a pastry blender, or your hands, cut in the butter until the flour resembles course crumbs. In a separate bowl, combine Greek yogurt and vanilla extract. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and blend until

3 4

combined, but don’t overmix. Fold in the blueberries and bananas. Turn on to a floured work surface and knead about five times. Pat into a seven-inch circle about ½-3/4 inch thick. Cut into eight triangles and place dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Note: These freeze very well and taste just as fresh once thawed.

Strawberry whole wheat and oat pancakes Light, fluffy, moist and, yes, made with whole wheat and oat flour. These pancakes are chock full of fresh strawberries and a hint of applesauce, which provide a natural sweetness without added sugar. Skip the syrup and try them with light cream cheese or tofu spread. My kids love them in pieces with a yogurt dip. Ingredients ½ cup whole wheat flour ½ cup oat flour 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda ¼ tsp salt 1 egg, beaten 2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce 1 cup low fat milk or milk alternative

DIGITAL EDITION

2 tbsp vinegar ½ tsp vanilla extract ¾ cup sliced strawberries Unsalted butter or coconut oil for the pan Directions In a small bowl, combine the milk and vinegar, then set aside and allow to set for a few minutes while you prepare the other ingredients (this will create a home-made buttermilk). In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, add the egg, applesauce, vanilla extract and milk mixture. Whisk to combine. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet mixture. Fold in the strawberries with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not overmix or you’ll end up with tough and chewy pancakes! Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add a few drops of coconut oil or a small pat of unsalted butter. If using butter, once it melts, wipe the skillet with a paper towel. Ladle about 1/4 cup batter on to the griddle for each pancake. Cook until the bubbles begin to burst on the surface – about

2 3

two minutes – then flip and cook until the second side is a nice golden brown – about two more minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter. Put the finished pancakes on a sheet tray and keep warm in the oven as you finish.

Blueberry lemon sauce This easy sauce is perfect for French toast, pancakes, over icecream or simply stirred into plain whole milk or low-fat yogurt. It’ll last for a few days in the fridge. Ingredients 1 ¼ cup fresh or frozen blueberries 1 tbsp sugar ¼ tsp lemon zest 3 tbsp water ½ tbsp cornstarch Directions Whisk and dissolve the cornstarch in the water. Combine the blueberries, sugar, and lemon zest in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Add the cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the mixture begins to thicken.

1 2

3 4

BEER

BOTTLE FEEDERS If you take your kids into a bar, Ciera Coyan might make them cry

hen you work behind a bar, most of your day is spent making people happy, and that feels great. It’s inevitable, however, that on occasion you’ll make people really upset. I once pissed a guy off so badly he chucked his pint glass at me. Fortunately, he was so drunk he missed by a good two feet. Usually I can let things like that slide, but sometimes these things stick with me, like the time I made a six-year-old girl cry. A grown woman interrupted me in the middle of a frantic moment to ask if the bar

IMAGE: ADRIEN POTIER

“Kids don’t get my jokes, flirting is lost on them, and I can’t get them drunk. That’s my basic interpersonal skill set right there”

Right: Don’t bother asking Ciera to babysit.

served ice-cream. I snapped back: “No, we serve beer!” I heard sniffles and looked down to see that the woman was holding the hand of a little girl who was certainly the intended recipient of any potential ice-cream and was now in tears. Normally I apologize by offering a free drink, but I sensed that wouldn’t help this particular situation. Kids in bars are a tricky business. To massively generalize, people with children think bringing their kids into a bar is natural and not a big deal, and people without kids are horrified. The first step towards reconciling this is accepting the fact that you’re going to annoy people. As a childless adult, I have to use my imagination here, but I assume that parents are used to their children annoying strangers in public and no longer

DIGITAL EDITION

care, which is a trait that, frankly, I envy. If a parent has crossed that threshold and is ready to bring their little ones to their favorite watering hole, the most important thing is to keep the kids corralled. More than once I’ve had a tiny person stumble their way behind the bar. It’s disconcerting, to say the least. Also, most bars are trying to cultivate a certain atmosphere, and while the atmosphere changes depending on where you’re drinking, I’m fairly certain that none would ideally include a pack of kids playing tag. I can’t speak for all bartenders here but for my own sake, a note to parents: please don’t assume that because the bartender is a young woman she has any interest in interacting with your child. As is probably clear by now, I don’t have a natural repartee with kids. A bartender should be able to talk to anyone that walks into the bar, but I’m at a loss with people who haven’t gone to middle school yet. Kids don’t get my jokes, flirting is lost on them, and I can’t get them drunk. That’s my basic interpersonal skill set right there. Talking to a six-year-old is simply not in my wheelhouse. At the end of the day, kids in bars are basically like tourists: if they’re polite, friendly, and understand that the culture isn’t designed for them, nor is it going to bend and change for them, we can all get along. Just don’t ask me to hold your baby.

EATINGCOMMUNITY & DRINKING

EMPIRE STATE

of wine

The Loire is too far; the Rhine is fine, but Jeremy Kaplan finds some wine estates right on our NY doorstep

he world is producing better and better wine every year. Not just in magical and beautiful places like the Napa Valley, Loire and Tuscany – but often much closer to home. New York State is home to three (some say four) world-class wine regions that you can visit for the day, or make a trip of it. In fact, New York ranks third in America in terms of total wine production, where 320 wineries call the Empire State home. OK, so only 12 million cases are produced annually, which is a drop in the bucket behind wine behemoth California, where over 300 million cases are produced. But while the industry here is as old as the country itself, serious wine making has only come around in the last 50 years or so. Finger Lake Riesling is king in this region, which is a three or four-hour drive from NYC. It’s favorably compared to the Rhine, but you’ll find a wide assortment of other wines here as well. The deep lakes help create a micro-climate, which is well suited for grape growing and helps prevent frost in the spring. There’s always some sort of festival – food, wine or music – here, so visit the region’s website for up-todate information and events. But if I had to choose one vineyard, it would have to be Hermann J. Wiemer. Wiemer hails from Germany, where his mother’s family made wine for generations. A pioneer of the region,

the estate has been recognized by Wine and Spirits Magazine as one of the world’s Top 100 estates. Though you’ll be able to try a wide range of wines here – red, white, rosé and sparkling – their rieslings should not be missed. www.fingerlakes.org Hudson Valley A little closer to home, the Hudson Valley is near enough for be a day trip. The birthplace of American wine making, here you can find the Brotherhood Winery, established and run continuously since 1840. But Brotherhood would not be my first choice of places to visit. I’d recommend the Warwick Valley Winery, a real family destination because they have so much more than just wine. Fruit orchards for apple and pear picking, musical performances, and a nice little café and grill makes this perfect for the family. Add to that one of the best deals in a tasting experience – $5 for six wines! Warwick is also known for quality ciders made from their own fruit, and an array of fruit cordials and spirits to try and buy. www.hudsonvalleywinecountry.org Long Island This is the most posh of the wine regions in New York State. You’ll have to deal with some pretty heavy car traffic when visiting either the North or South Fork of Long Island. And you’ll most definitely need to book a room and a car. This agricultural region was once

DIGITAL EDITION

best known for potato farming, but in 1970s and early 1980s things started to change. It’s difficult to visit both the North and South Forks at the same time, so I’d recommend Palmer Vineyards in the north. Established in 1983, Palmer is one of the oldest Long Island wineries. In fact, you don’t even need to visit. Join their club and you can have wines delivered to your door. www.liwines.com No car? No problem! You have options, believe it or not, starting right in Brooklyn. Red Hook Winery may not have vast stretches of vines to walk through (there are none) but it does make some very fine wine. Started in 2008, Brooklyn native and owner Mark Snyder convinced cult wine makers Robert Foley and Abe Schoener (later joined by Christopher Nicolson) to help produce the wine. These are some of the best brains in wine making today. You’ll find a tasting room, gift shop, and wine club as well as all the other trappings of a standard winery visit. www.redhookwinery.com And it gets even easier from there. Six different wineries showcase their wines each week throughout the city at your local farmer’s market – you may just have to walk around the corner to get a taste of the Finger Lakes or North Fork. You might not be able to buy a T-shirt, but your tasting will be free. www.grownyc.org/greenmarket/ farmers

STAFF SURVEY

DIGITAL EDITION

STAFF SURVEY

Know anyone who works in Hell’s Kitchen who’d be great for the Staff Survey? Don’t keep them a secret, share the love with news@w42st.com

Grandma’s

HANDS

From his brother’s hot sauce to his mother’s marinated steak, Abel Castro has made sure Ñaño’s menu has his family’s fingertips all over it Photograph Phil O’Brien You opened Ñaño Ecuadorian Kitchen in 2013 in Hell’s Kitchen – why here? I looked for spaces everywhere for about two years but a good friend advised that I should open in an area I knew well. I’ve been living in Hell’s Kitchen since 1990, so I knew right away I had to stay in my neighborhood. A nano is a unit prefix meaning one billionth. It’s also a music player by Apple. I’m guessing neither is the correct meaning for your restaurant? What’s the story behind the name? Ñaño means "brother" in Quechua, the Incan language. In Ecuador, this word is still used to refer to your sibling or friend, just as the word brother is used in the English language. Because of the word etymology and because I wanted a catchy-short name for the restaurant, I felt this would be perfect. For those of us who don’t know much about Ecuadorian cooking, what are the key ingredients? You’ll find flavors involving plantains, peanut sauce, and fruits such as passion fruit, coconut, and a native sour fruit called naranjilla. But there are more flavors used depending on the region. If you go to the Andes you’ll find roasted or fried pork and lots of soups using grains or root vegetables, while on the coast we consume a lot of seafood and shellfish. Many of the dishes are tried and tested family recipes, right? Yes, from my brother’s hot sauce to my sister’s tamarind sauce. But I must pay

“Aguardiente, or firewater, sounds lethal, but has the same alcohol content as tequila or vodka … although we are heavy-handed pourers.” tribute to my grandmother Inés, who was an incredible baker and cook. Her dining room table was always filled with multi-tier cakes and hors d’oeuvres. The yucca mash, the herb marinated steak, and the tortillas de verde are all hers. But the chicken stew has my mom’s hands all over it. Do they approve of your intepretation? God! My mom still passes by the restaurant after bingo every week to spot check on me. What’s the most popular thing on the menu? By far, seco de pollo is the number one seller. Most have not tried Ecuadorian food before so when customers ask me for suggestions, I tell them that, to me, it is the most authentic dish. None else but Ecuador makes that dish. You have a dish named after Rebecca. Who she?

DIGITAL EDITION

Opposite: Abel's mom still checks on his version of her chicken stew to make sure he's doing it right.

When we were the new kid on the block, Ñaño was not this popular. My neighbors really were my only fans. Andrew was one of those who believed in me and kept coming back. He would come alone or bring friends. Once, he brought his girlfriend Rebecca, who asked for a vegetarian dish. I quickly put together all of my vegetarian sides and composed this essential part of our menu. They still come around and when they come, they get royal treatment. They are also happily married and stayed in Hell’s Kitchen. Your cocktail list sounds powerful. Should we handle it with care? No need to fear. Aguardiente, or firewater, sounds lethal, but has the same alcohol content as tequila or vodka … although we are heavy-handed pourers. If you could cook for anyone, alive or dead, who would be at your fantasy dinner party? I really LOVE cooking for my partner, friends and family, but Lidia Bastianich really excited me about cooking and taught me how to simplify things. Where else do you eat/drink in the neighborhood when you’re not at Ñaño? We used to eat or order in from Empanada Mama and Renaissance but we still do Leon Bakery, Lali, Puff Cha, Arriba Arriba, Pio Pio, or 44&½.

ÑAÑO ECUADORIAN KITCHEN (646) 649-4678 691 10TH AVE - 47TH/48TH ST www.nanobarhk.wix.com/nano

PROPERTY

DIGITAL EDITION

REAL ESTATE Things are

LOOKINGUP When this is the view outside your window, how can you match it inside?

IMAGES: NACHO GUEVARA

s there a skyline more WOW! than ours? Endlessly recreated on everything from candles to jigsaw puzzles to silk scarves, it’s the very definition of iconic. That view, seen from above, couldn’t fails to catch the breath of even the most cold-hearted cynics. But to have that view as your own personal wallpaper? It’s the sort of stuff New York dreams are made of. So when the top floors of the 63-story MiMA Tower, occupying the block of W42nd Street between Dyer and 10th Avenue, were converted from rental to luxury condos, the name came naturally. Manhattan View. Floor-to-ceiling windows pull the eyes across the city, from the Freedom Tower and Statue of Liberty in the south, west across the Hudson, north up to the George Washington Bridge, bringing in the Empire State Building, the New Yorker, Chrysler Building, Hearst, Time Warner … heck, on a clear day, you can even catch a glimpse of Long Island Sound. And on chief interior design duty?

DIGITAL EDITION

“I was inspired by the continually exhilarating, effervescent spirit of the great city I call home and love so much.” Who better than Chelsea-based, Interior Design Hall of Fame member Jamie Drake? A man who’s designed an LA pad for Madonna, as well as numerous projects for Mayor Michael Bloomberg (the most recent renovation of Gracie Mansion has his fingerprints all over it). “I was inspired by the continually exhilarating, effervescent spirit of the great city I call home and love so much,” he says. “With icons of the skyline sparkling and glittering outside every window, I wanted to bring that same

Opposite: Now that’s not a bad view to wake up to in the morning. Above: More muted colors in Michael Gabbellini’s room design.

continued over

REAL ESTATE

excitement and elegance inside. Each and every residence has its own uniquely stunning view and my design for the interiors celebrates that.” Michael Gabellini – who refurbed The Rainbow Room in 2014 – and Alexandra Champalimaud – whose work includes The Carlyle and the Waldorf Astoria – also bring their own elegant signature to selected apartments. The wide-plank brushed oak flooring is softened with oodles of color pop and texture – rugs your toes sink into, fuchsia occasional chairs, turquoise and vibrant print pillows, yummy velvet sofas, soft wool throws. In the kitchen, there are Gaggenau appliances, and a “smart home” automation system allows residents to unlock their door, control the temperature, set the mood lighting, and select the evening’s soundtrack, all from their phone. Add to that mix environmentally stellar LEED Gold certification (those huge double-glazed windows allow fresh air in but filter out street noise – how about that?), marble countertops and flooring, and you could almost be tempted to draw your eye away from that view. www.manhattanview.com

THE BOTTOM LINE Originally opened in 2011, MiMA began with 500 rental units on 49 floors, topped with a further 151 across the top 13 floors. Then last year, Kuafu Properties and SCG America bought those premium top floors and set about turning them into luxury condos. The new units range from studios (starting price: $1.46m), through one-bedrooms ($1.73m and up), twobedrooms ($3.49m), and three-bedrooms ($4.86m).

DIGITAL EDITION

PROPERTY

This page and opposite: Jamie Drakeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design is all wide-plank oak flooring with textured furnishings and a pop of color.

DIGITAL EDITION

REAL ESTATE

“Like a fine oil painting, we’ve spent months, sometimes years, perfecting it, analyzing it, changing it, loving it, and, yes, sometimes hating it.” 46

DIGITAL EDITION

REAL ESTATE

The art of

LIVING

Moving into a new home is like starting with a blank canvas. Jaclyn Treinkman gets creative

y interest in art started long before I even knew what real estate was. As a child, I’d fill my days with drawing, painting, and designing. My nights were filled with trips through the East Village admiring graffiti, or visiting galleries in Chelsea with my grandparents. My two first loves were, without a doubt, art and New York City. Thirty years later, I stumbled into a career that would perfectly merge my favorite worlds: real estate. As both a real estate agent and an artist, I find myself making many parallels between the roles. I get to fill my days with creativity while helping people realize their artistic visions in their new home. Not to mention all the amazing artwork I get to see on the brick walls of a Soho loft or along a spiral staircase in an Upper East Side townhouse. Beautiful homes usually have beautiful artwork to compliment them, so I take that as an added bonus of a trip to a “gallery.” Our homes are a representation of ourselves. A place we go to relax in a space we’ve created. The colors, shapes, and designs that make up our composition are all individual displays of our artistic vision. A new home is a blank canvas waiting for us to leave our mark. During the search for a place to live, we brainstorm all the components we’re looking for, a wish list of elements that will combine to create a beautiful whole. We soak up inspiration from our surroundings, past experiences, the people in our lives, our culture. Perhaps parts of our last home will spill over into this new space: a favorite antique candelabra that

once lived on a side-table might now be placed on your fireplace mantle, giving it a new lease of life. It may take a while for ideas and fluid concepts to materialize, but when we walk through the door of our picture-perfect new apartment, our dreams can start to become a reality. Once we’ve found our muse, decided on our style and picked out our medium, we’re ready to sign on the dotted line. We stare at the four walls of the blank canvas we can finally call our new home. We’re entering new territory in which we can now fill with representations and expressions of ourselves. Like starting any new piece of art, the beginning can be both thrilling and overwhelming. The move-in date arrives, the freight elevator is reserved, and we’re ready to throw some color on that blank canvas. The background becomes our choice of shade, our foreground is the interior design decisions, the middle ground is made up of all the individual aspects of your life, experiences, and personality. In time, our new home becomes a

DIGITAL EDITION

Opposite and above: Think of your new home as the canvas, your choice of furnishings and personality as the paints ...

robust piece of art we can’t wait to show off at our first cocktail party. We’re proud to call it ours – and even prouder that we created it. As an artist, I’m constantly exposing my own personality through my work. Whether it’s working on a new piece or giving one away, I’m either beginning a new chapter or closing another. This same vulnerability translates when buying a home. We’re about to embark on something new and are not quite sure how things will turn out. When it comes to selling, we leave behind a finished masterpiece, a place we’ve spent so much time in. The place in which we rearranged the furniture a million times, decided to re-paint the living room after one too many glasses of wine, the place of our first home construction project. The kitchen where we shared the first meal with our spouse, the bedroom where a child lost his first tooth, the second bedroom addition when child number two was on their way. Like a fine oil painting, we’ve spent months, sometimes years, perfecting it, analyzing it, changing it, loving it and, yes, sometimes hating it. We’ve poured every ounce of ourselves into this work of art, and when it’s time to move on, we know a piece of us will always be in those walls; and we hope that someone else will love it the way we do. About Jaclyn Jaclyn Treinkman is a real estate agent at Halstead Property and has spent the last eight years living in Hell’s Kitchen. She’s currently working on a series of portraits of neighborhood characters, to be featured in W42ST. jtreinkman@halstead.com

REAL ESTATE

The parent

TRAP

When your credit score doesn’t quite hit the spot, there’s no shame in turning to your nearest and dearest for help, says Ian TD Smith

IMAGE: NACHO GUEVARA

his month our magazine is dedicated to families. And no matter how complex these relationships can be, there’s absolutely nothing in life more important. Of course, one of the best things about family, especially when you live in NYC, is getting help from them when it comes to buying your first apartment. Here’s the advice I gave my little sister when she decided to take a plunge. Know how you’re going to pay for the apartment you’ve set your heart on. I know this sounds obvious, but the first rule is Cash is King. Meaning if you can bring more cash to a closing, it gives you a negotiating advantage and makes my job as broker easier. Many people take loans from parents to buy a house or apartment. It’s a big investment, so don’t be ashamed if this applies to you. A few years ago I was working with a client who told me they’d have no problem paying that 20% down payment required in most NYC buildings. Only after months of asking and working with her, I found out that it was, in fact, her father who’d be signing the check. So always be 100% upfront with your agent – we work for you! The next decision is whether you target a condo or a co-op. Condos typically allow more flexibility on how you secure financing, so money from relatives shouldn’t determine your ability to secure the apartment. Conversely, coops can be more restrictive. You need to make sure the building allows “gifting” or “purchases for children” as a number do not, for myriad reasons. After you’ve made sure it’s permissible, you need to ensure the purchaser is ready to reveal the very personal information requested by boards, and is available to be interviewed. Figuring out who’s going to legally own the property is another thing to

“Real estate is a lot like dating. Choose wisely and consider your options before investing.” consider. This depends on whether the child has the credit score to buy the unit (in my sister’s case, yes) as well as the income required to pass board muster (here she fell a little short). If you have neither, a bank might not pre-qualify or pre-approve you, which means bye-bye to owning and hello renting. One solution is to have your father or mother as the owner and you as the approved occupant, but it all comes down to the rules of the condo or co-op.

DIGITAL EDITION

Above: Ian advice? Always be upfront with your agent; they’re working for you!

Husbands, wives, girlfriends, and boyfriends are another interesting addition to the mix. If you have two married buyers, things are pretty straightforward. They get much more complex if you’re dealing with an unmarried couple investing together; even more so when two unmarried people bring in their respective families. In cases like this, I typically recommend everyone forms a legal entity, like an LLC, to hold the asset or shares and create a legal framework that accounts for any possible break-up or change in the relationship. Real estate is a lot like dating. Choose wisely and consider your options before investing. Ian TD Smith is a licensed real estate broker. Contact him at ian@adomee.com

GALLERY

#W42ST Hashtag your Instagram pics and they could star in the mag! Things have been steaming up a little lately. But you’ve been keeping cool by getting out on the river, the rooftops, and restaurants. And, check it out – even the pups are getting into Pokémon Go! Remember, anyone can get involved -- just tag your images #W42ST and you might be the one whose photograph ends up in the next issue.

DIGITAL EDITION

GALLERY

DIGITAL EDITION

LIFESTYLE

DIGITAL EDITION

LIFESTYLE

Defying

GRAVITY

Staying fit and flexible is all part of the circus of life. Gaukhar Akhmatova-Atherton shows how it’s done

t the rooftop pool of Mercedes Club, balancing upside down on the ladder handrails. While doing the splits. Because she can. Balancing, one-handed, on the back of a friend’s neck. Who also happens to be balancing, horizontally, on his hands. A bendy pose, atop a phone booth outside Chipotle. Handstanding on a bicycle rack on W53rd St … while a passerby’s face says: WTF? No wonder Gaukhar AkhmetovaAtherton’s Instagram feed currently attracts 121k followers. But it is the shots with her cute-as-kittens kids that have really made her a social media sensation, her mini-me’s gripping on to Mommy and playing along in the background as she performs eye-popping contortions from her Hell’s Kitchen home. As you’ll have already gathered, Akhmetova-Atherton, aka Gasya, is no ordinary mother. Originally from Kazakhstan, she began gymnastics when she was just four, rising to become #1 in her country. Then, at the age of 17, she gave it all up to run away with the circus. Cirque du Soleil, to be exact, performing in the show Varekai. “I loved it so much and did five years in total,” she says. “And Varekai holds a special place in my heart as it is also where I met my husband.” Her husband is former British athlete Andrew Atherton who, together with his identical twin brother Kevin, performs straps with Cirque. Daughter, Kamali, who’s three, and oneyear-old Kaysen make four. To see her chiseled body, the strength in her limbs, it would be easy for new moms to feel intimidated. But even Gasya admits

DIGITAL EDITION

“They see what we do – especially my daughter. And when she sees me doing handstands or stretching, she likes to copy me. It’s very cute.” to letting things slide after Kamali was born. “For a couple of months while I was breastfeeding, I started to feel I didn’t want to do anything,” she says. “They say that the less you do, the less you want to do, and that was how I started to feel. To be honest, I started to be very lazy, and that wasn’t an option.

Above: Andy, Gasya and Kamali get the work/life balance about right. Opposite: Little Kaysen loses interest.

continued over

IMAGES: NACHO GUEVARA

LIFESTYLE

“So I started to push myself, just to go to the gym and do a little bit of cardio, and that was enough.” Now, with Gasya a full-time mom and Andy performing in Cirque du Soleil’s Paramour on Broadway, she stays fit by working out whenever she can. And by walking. This woman walks everywhere. “We walk my husband to work, then we walk all over the city. “Sometimes it’s difficult to get motivated. It takes time – especially having two kids. I train at home, usually when they go to sleep. Mostly I do abs, I do back exercises, and stretching is important.” And with two such active parents, the kids are learning fast about the value of movement. “They see what we do – especially my daughter. And when she sees me doing handstands or stretching, she likes to copy me. It’s very cute. She says, ‘I want to be like Mama.’ “She’s very talented. Absolutely. She’s

“Staying fit puts you on your A game, physically and mentally. And it gives you more energy to handle the kids.” so flexible. We know how much work it takes to be a professional athlete, so we don’t want push them into it, it has to come from them. But if they want to do it eventually, we’ll support them.” Equally, they could end up doing something completely different. Kamali has already moved on from gymnastics and is currently enrolled in tae kwon do and musical classes “just to give her a little bit of everything to see what she’ll prefer.” Andy says: “We tried every sport

DIGITAL EDITION

Above: Andy and Kevin on a roll. Right: Cuteness overload on Gasya’s Instagram feed.

when we were younger. Our parents enrolled us in everything. But when we came back from gymnastics they could tell on our faces and in our eyes – they knew that was it.” Gasya had a similar experience. “We did so many different things. Then we tried gymnastics and I fell in love right away because I was really competitive and wanted to be the best. I was very serious about it.” Now, she says, she’s ready to go back to work. “I know I’m physically ready to step in. But for me, my lifestyle is to stay fit. It’s not because I have to, it’s because I want to. “Staying fit puts you on your A game, physically and mentally,” adds Andy. “Sometimes I just go to the gym for mental reasons, to unwind. “And it gives you more energy to handle the kids. Sometimes Gasya will look at me and she can see me getting stressed and she’ll say, ‘Andy, go to the gym.’” @gasya

LIFESTYLE

“It wasn’t like I woke up one day and was like, ‘Wooo, I’m polyamorous!’ it was more like, ‘Ah, there’s a word for what I’m doing.’”

DIGITAL EDITION

RELATIONSHIPS

Modern

FAMILY

Maintaining relationships with multiple partners – hard work, or just doing what the majority of the world is doing naturally? Sarah Timms asks the questions

IILLUSTRATION: SKYDESIGN - FREEPIK.COM

he has several casual partners of both sexes, and her committed girlfriend is married to someone else. They, in turn, share a boyfriend, and he’s married with children. To traditional eyes, such complex multiple relationships might seem daunting. Some of us find it challenging enough to maintain one relationship. Yet it’s estimated that around 85% of the world’s population practices polyamory in some form or other. When Levy Gette was growing up in the South West, she didn’t have a name for how she lived; she just knew she wasn’t the monogamous type. “Even from the time I was very young, before I had words to describe what I was, I always had desires to live like this. It’s similar to when I knew that I was bisexual, but I didn’t then have the words to describe it. “I’ve been aware of the word polyamory for about 11 years, but I’ve been practicing for much longer,” she says, “I just didn’t know the terminology for it. It wasn’t like I woke up one day and was like, ‘Wooo, I’m polyamorous!’ it was more like, ‘Ah, there’s a word for what I’m doing.’ “For me, becoming polyamorous was kind of an accident. At age 18, I exited a relationship and fell into a relationship with two people who, unlike me, had the words to describe what we were doing.” The 30-year-old is now president of Open Love NY, the Hell’s Kitchen-based organization that was created to serve and support the polyamorous community.

Opposite and above: Multiple relationships with both sexes is not as unusual as you might think.

“For me personally, it’s about the ability to have multiple romantic and sexual relationships at the same time,” she explains. As with all relationships, each one is different. But when things get serious, it’s time to sit down down and talk it out. “My girlfriend and I had a conversation about what we need, want, and expect from each other,” says Levy, “and we agreed to those terms. “It’s all about meeting somebody who shares the same specific expectations and requirements of a relationship as you do. I don’t start relationships out that way. It’s more something we grow into and at some point we have the conversation – as do all couples.” Unlike monogamous couples, however, Levy’s committed girlfriend is also committed to someone else. “It was all super exciting,” she says. “I’m in love with her wife – she’s a wonderful woman. The two of them have a boyfriend, who is also married and has a wife and kids. “I’ve met a few of her partners,” she adds, “and they’ve all been great. She has great taste in people … but maybe that’s just me being biased.” So, how does it work exactly? How do you choose who you see? Who do you put first? In other words, is there a partner hierarchy? “I don’t practice hierarchy,” says Levy. “I’ve actually been with my girlfriend longer than her wife has, so it doesn’t work in tiers at all. ‘Second best’ has never come up – not as much as I think people fear it will.”

DIGITAL EDITION

Yes, but deep, deep down, someone must get jealous sometimes …? “Of course. Jealousy is an emotion. It’s like any emotion, and I experience it often. I take it as an opportunity to stop, think, and figure out what’s going on with me and my relationships and what I want to do. “I get very jealous of her partners because they’re so much closer, geographically, to her than I am. However, when I live in Chicago, I’ll be nearer so some of that jealousy should disappear.” So, not even jealous of the marriage? “God no! I actually proposed to her twice – before she became engaged to her wife. “I’ve never been jealous of the marriage – I’ve always wanted her to be healthy, happy, and here. In that order. So whatever she chooses to do, as long as those things are happening, I’m aces and I couldn’t be more thrilled.” As with all relationships, it’s important everyone’s on the same page. In other words: rules. “We have some basic personal rules that everybody adheres to,” says Levy. “Those might vary depending on my partner and what they’re comfortable with. Some people, for instance, have certain don’t ask, don’t tell policies. “I’m pretty open, but I don’t go into explicit detail about exactly what I have done with different people – it’s just not necessary. But big stuff is important: my partners get health checks regularly so they keep me informed on their sexual risks. Just being responsible and communicative is crucial. ” Her family has grown to accept her choices, she says. “It’s been a process. Much like when I came out as bisexual, it took some time for everyone to kind of jive that with what they had in their head already. But over time, most people have been really supportive.” Kids would, of course, change things significantly. “In terms of logistics, there would be an extra human we would have to consider in everything we do. My partner and I would have to have a conversation about co-parenting and whether I would be a co-parent or an aunt – what level of that circle of parenting am I involved in? “In terms of myself having children, never say never – life can surprise you. We’ve all collectively talked about adoption, how we would help to raise children. There are actually lots of children in our polyamorous family, so to some degree we are already kind of raising this tribe.” www.openloveny.com

Tighter core, better sex ...

SPONSORED BY

IT ALL FITS IN AT THE FIT CO

’d had my daughter, Sophia, just the day before. A fitness enthusiast, I had exercised my entire pregnancy. Laying in my hospital bed, I reached for my once chiseled abs to find mush. I had always told myself: once I was a mom, I was NOT going to lose my identity, who I was at my core. Growing up in Manhattan, I always wanted to do “it all.” A three-sport varsity athlete and captain, while also playing jazz at Lincoln Center, I was never one to shy away from challenges, nor did I fear the road less traveled. Therefore, it was no surprise to those who know me that, after graduating from Cornell, I completed four marathons, news produced at CNN, studied International Affairs and Arabic at

“New moms saw that they could get their body back and feel sexy.” Columbia University, worked at the NYPD as an intelligence analyst, started two fitness companies, got married, had a child, and got divorced all by the age of 38. But what – if anything – has tied this all together? Fitness. Through exercise, no matter what sort of challenges I was facing, I felt stronger, more independent, and more grounded. When I had Sophia, I was determined to turn this passion into a career. Being fit was engrained in me to the core; just because I was now a mom, why should I not still have the abs or body that I wanted? Why should I feel like something that was such an important part of who I was no longer mattered?

OF THE BEST

Each of these exercise should be done for 30 seconds. Do all three then repeat two more times to spike your heart rate.

Above: Being fit has always been an integral part of Laura Kovall’s life Answer: time. I quickly learned with a newborn that it wasn’t that I shouldn’t, but more specifically a matter of when. In April 2013, I created a class where moms could bring their babies and get a good workout. Empowered, these moms saw firsthand that they could get their body back, feel sexy, and not have to choose between themselves and their little one. I soon realized that it wasn’t just new moms who struggled with time. I created The Fit Co in Midtown with this in mind. We specialize in efficient, small group, total body workouts that can be done during your work day. No shoes necessary, our classes are all under 45 minutes. Our signature class, No Sweat, is offered throughout the day and caters to those with more unique schedules, such as actors, dancers, and freelancers. We also see residents in the area in our morning and evening fusion class. Recently, a client who is an actress told me she wanted to lose 12 pounds in a month. Not a believer in quick fixes, I told her that we specialize in efficient workouts that will fit into your life. So, while a month later she was

not 12 pounds lighter, she was able to wear a pair of shorts that she hadn’t been able to for a long time. Her abs were tighter than they had ever been before. My client was pleased; she felt more confident on stage, on camera and in her dating life. People often want stronger abs to look better in clothes, at the beach, and in more intimate encounters. But few know that a stronger core actually leads to better sex. Through work, I came across a British Company which sells The Elvie, a device that measures the strength of kegal exercises. When a representative from their company came to The Fit Co to speak to my team, this is the first point they made. A stronger pelvic floor leads to stronger abs which, in turn, leads to better sex. When I first felt my abs day one as a mom, having better sex was certainly not top of mind. But once I started working out again, my core (pun intended) came back, as did my desire to be intimate. Yes, at The Fit Co, our workouts are total body. But since your body is a kinetic chain and the core is at the center, this is where our program starts.

The Fit Co, 39 W56th Street, www.thefitco.nyc, (917) 685-8032

DIGITAL EDITION

Plank oblique dips/knee taps. From forearm plank position, dip your hips to the right then left then tap right knee towards ground then left.

Criss cross mountain climbers. From extended arm plank position, as quickly as possible cross your right knee towards your left elbow then switch.

Scissors. From back, extend right leg straight above and left leg slightly lower. Keep the distance and lower both legs together then bring back up. Repeat other side.

DATING

Tales from the

SHALLOW END Mary Geneva continues her adventures in the Manhattan dating pool. This month: The Family Man. Or TFM for short

t was a beautiful Sunday afternoon and I had no plans. I had just flown home the day before from my friend’s destination wedding where I caught the bouquet and I wanted to get out and show off my Caribbean tan. Just as I was giving up hope that my Sunday afternoon would be filled with sitting around watching Lifetime movies, I received a message on (sometimes not) OkCupid. It was an invitation to grab a drink that very same day. His profile seemed decent enough for me to accept. Why not live in the moment a little, right? My newlywed friends met on Tinder; if love on Tinder is possible, there might be hope for me on OKC. TFM was a bit older than me – 44 to my 34 years old. Dating guys in their thirties hasn’t been working out so I figured I would try trading up a decade. TFM

“He said he was looking forward to retiring so he can receive his pension and travel to a faraway island where he can use drugs again.” was also a government worker. A guy in uniform who lives in Manhattan, is not married, and has no kids is a huge turn on! TFM was already half a glass of vino in when I arrived; then he drank the last half like it was a shot of tequila. A little weird, I thought, but I let it slide. I shook TFM’s hand and it was sweaty. He was clearly very nervous. It was a bit charming until he started to talk – about all the drugs he did prior to taking a government job. TFM admitted that he’d tried every type of drug except heroin before taking an oath to serve our great country. He said he was looking forward to retiring so he can receive his pension and travel to a far-away island where he can use drugs again. His drug of choice: ‘shrooms. TFM suggested I give them a try one day. Three words popped into my head as I listened: too much information! TFM then chugged an entire glass of wine. Seriously. TFM admitted he was very nervous. I told him to chill out but then his left eye started twitching. He pointed it out and said he was not

DIGITAL EDITION

winking at me every 30 seconds. He had a tic in his eye that is triggered when he’s nervous. I was still on my first glass of wine when he ordered a third for himself. I knew I had to somehow figure out a way to end this date. Once he said I would “enjoy speaking with [his] mother” (on a first date?) along with that he “could picture making babies with [me],” I knew I had to hightail it out of there. His nickname was born: The Family Man, or TFM for short. It gets better. TFM said he had a second bedroom already set up for when he does have a baby and that we would make beautiful kids together. Perhaps I should have let the other women catch the bouquet at the wedding. I tried to communicate to the server that I needed an out – that this date had gone down the tubes after the first ten minutes – but the waiter kept bringing TFM more wine and I thought the date would never end. Finally, I said it was time to call it a night. “Phewwwwww!” I felt as we settled the bill. The End, right? Wrong! TFM started walking with me. He was like a leech on my back. I made it to my front door, TFM in tow, and we finally said our goodbyes. Again. He apologized for acting so weird. He said he wanted to take me out again. I nodded, thanked him for the wine, went upstairs, and deadbolted my door. I wasn’t even halfway up my fourth floor walk-up when he sent me a text message begging for a “second chance.” He must have sensed I wasn’t into him. I wonder what gave him that idea? I was six days in after catching the bouquet at my friend’s wedding so there will be more dates in my future. I hope this is my year to find my partner in crime and I hope TFM finds his future baby’s mother.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mary Geneva is a sales professional by day and semi-reformedhopelessromantic serial dater by night. Married at 21, divorced at 26, she and her rescued pets, pup Valentino and kitty Diva, were left to learn how to balance their checkbook. In her book Nicknames, Mary tiptoes back into the dating pool accumulating many late-night, drunken scraps of paper and text messages outlining unbelievable – yet totally true – events. Knowing she couldn’t make this shit up, she stored the memories away to finally share with you. Undaunted, Mary lives, works, and plays in New York City, and calls Hell’s Kitchen home. Follow her adventures on Twitter and Instagram @marygeneva nyc. You can buy Nicknames on www. nicknamesnyc. com. Stay tuned for Mary’s next adventure in the October issue of W42ST.

PETS

Wagging Atticus

Humans’ names: Gregory and Thomas. Breed: Miniature piebald dachshund. Age: One year. What makes me bark: Skateboards make me crazy in the best way possible, and checking out other “hot dogs” in Hudson River Park. Three words that describe me best: Strong, determined, loyal. Confession: I may act tough when I’m strutting around the park, but I’m really a cuddly little baby when I’m not in the public eye.

Frank Human’s name: Fran. Breed: Pug. Age: Six years old. What makes me bark: Unexpected guests knocking on the door. Especially the mail guy. Three words that describe me best: Playful, sleepyhead, and charming. Confession: I love to chew on pillows. Any pillow I see on a bed or a couch, I’ll chew on it. I also love licking the couch. Instadog: @Frank_the_pug_nyc

DIGITAL EDITION

Pup Daddy Human’s name: Rob. Breed: Havanese. Age: Two years old. What makes me bark? The Monday morning Peapod delivery. Three words that describe me best: Can’t stop, won’t stop (that’s only three words – I used one of them twice!) Confession: Don’t leave your snacks on the coffee table. Just like my namesake Puff Daddy, I’m a bad boy for life. Instadog: @TheRealPupDaddy

tales

PETS These camera-happy canines took a time out from the morning stroll for a quick Q&A with W42ST

Take a

bow-wow

S Maggie Humans’ names: Brian and Kevin. Breed: Schnoodle. Age: One year. What makes me bark: Children! Three words that describe me best: Adorable, quiet, well-traveled. Confession: I love going to the vet’s office, and going to work with Dad on Fridays. Instadog: I don’t have my own account, but my dad @brianmelleby posts many of my selfies.

Maddy Human’s name: Shari. Breed: Standard poodle. Age: 11 months old. What makes me bark: I bark when Mommy isn’t paying enough attention to me. Three words that describe me best: Caring, friendly, and above all mischievous. Confession: I love to steal clothes from the hamper.

DIGITAL EDITION

o many of you have contacted us, asking how your own happy hound can be included in Wagging Tales. Well, we’ve heard your pleas, duly considered them, and thought, hey, what the heck, why not? (We must have been barking mad not to have thought of it sooner!) This all means, of course, that you can now send us the finest photograph you can find of your furry best friend, answer the questions below, then cross your paws you’ll be included in our monthly column of local canine celebrities. Your name: Dog’s name: Breed: How old? What makes your dog bark? Three words that describe them best: Naughty confessions (dish the dirt – not literally, of course!): And are you an Instadog? Send it to waggingtales@w42st.com and we’ll do the rest.

PETS

Creature comforts

And now for the most important members of the family ...

WELLNESS PETMATS

NATIONAL PARK COLLECTION

www.wellnesspetmats.com

www.pendleton-usa.com

KALE CHIPS

INSECT SHIELD CLOTHING

www.dogslovekale.com

www.insectshield.com

This therapeutically cushioned yoga mat for pups distributes his weight to reduce pressure points while responding to his body temperature to keep him cool. From $99.95.

Help get them lean and give them some green! This healthy dog snack is gluten free, full of antioxidants, and helps keep your dogâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coat soft and shiny. Flavors include peanut, apple crisp, and pumpkin. $8.99.

DIGITAL EDITION

Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, a portion of sales from this collection of leashes, tees, and beds goes to the National Park Foundation. Yay! From $29.

We love summer, but hate what comes with it. This range of clothing, including bandanas and tees, puts our pooches on the defense, repelling bugs and preventing them ruining you and your day out. From $9.95.

PETS

DAPPER DOG VEST

PANORAMA DOG SCOOP

WOOF MINTS

www.mistermigs.com

www.flexrake.com

www.woofmints.com

PET SUNSCREEN

PUFFSTERS SNACKS

BALCONY GUARD

www.epi-pet.com

www.petflow.com

www.balconypets.com

Using repurposed denim, Mister Migs creates designer dog wear, from ruffle dresses, to this dandy denim and plaid vest. It even features a tiny tailored pocket and double rain flaps. Even better, Mister Migs is a non-profit. Yay! $88.

It’s 2016 and we’re no longer disillusioned about the dangers of tanning. But many of us still don’t think about the effect oon our dogs. Epi-Pet is the only FDA-approved sunscreen for pets. $17.95.

Scooping up your pup’s poop isn’t glam, but it has to be done, so let’s at least look the part. Flexrake’s scoops come in a variety of sizes, and are equipped with a lightweight handle and non-slip grips. Phew! From $28.99.

Puffsters are part of the pet snack food revolution: low fat, air-puffed treats come in flavors including apple and chicken, banana and chicken, cranberry and chicken, and sweet potato and chicken. Yum! We think. $4.99.

DIGITAL EDITION

We love them, but our dogs can get pretty stinky breath sometimes.These all-natural dog breath fresheners dissolve in the stomach, releasing yummy peppermint and parsley oils. From $26.80.

A simple solution that allows your pet to head on to your balcony while you’re not home, to do its business. The Balcony Pets panel has a secure lock so it’ll stay in place, and takes minutes to install. Genius. $145.

LAST WORD

PHOTO FINISH

Metro Baptist Church, W40th St - 9th/10th Ave (1985)

n 1985, Hell’s Kitchen was not exactly a neighborhood that could be considered presidential. But in the July of that year, just four years after he had left The White House, former US president Jimmy Carter arrived on W40th St, not for a state dinner or high-powered negotiations, but to sleep on the floor of a church. He and his wife Rosalynn spent a week in total staying at Metro Baptist Church during the launch of Habitat for Humanity, an organization dedicated to building low-cost housing for the poor. The Carters traveled with 36 friends from Georgia to help repair an 80-yearold, six-story brick building on East 6th Street. “It was 3:30 on Sunday afternoon

“He and Rosalynn had been offered a private room, but they turned it over to a newly married couple.” when the bedraggled group arrived at the Metro Baptist Church in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen, a seedy neighborhood just south of Times Square,” reported The People at the time. “Dressed in shirt-sleeves, khaki pants and Topsiders, Carter hoisted his bags up four flights of stairs to a sparsely furnished dormitory in the

DIGITAL EDITION

Above: Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter with Metro pastor Gene Bolin.

men’s quarters, where he and four others spread out over three double bunks. “He and Rosalynn had been offered a private room, but they turned it over to a newly married couple. ‘This looks just fine,’ the former President of the United States said with a grin as he swung his suitcase onto an upper bunk.” True to that original vision, Rauschenbusch Metro Ministries, which has its home at Metro Baptist Church, has just launched its 12 In 21 campaign to raise $12,000 in 21 days. The money will go towards its work with the most vulnerable in New York City: after-school groups, teen centers, the Hell’s Kitchen Farm Project, life empowerment classes and more. www.12in21forrmm.causevox.com

w42 st + TCHEN • I K S HE ’ L L LL E H

EN • HEL H C L T I ’S K K HELL’ K I T EN • C H CH E IT

’S

AUGUST 2016

THE GUIDE N

NEW YORK

K ELL’S ITCHEN •H •

Fold-out illustrated map; guide to all the best bars, restaurants, sights, and shopping, plus essential local businesses and services

w42 st +

GUIDE LISTINGS

The essential guide to Hell’s Kitchen, from working out to eating out (and in) – it’s the business!

EAT CHILL DINNER At Nine Restaurant

Friedman’s

Gotham West Market

10th Ave - 35th St 11th Ave - 44th/45th St

9th Ave - 42nd/43rd St

Hourglass Tavern

Bar Bacon

W46th St - 8th/9th Ave

9th Ave - 54th/55th St

Ñaño Ecuadorian Kitchen

White Oak 10th Ave - 54th/55th St

10th Ave - 47th/48th St

It’s worth the effort to walk a few

Ecuadorable! Quaint, Ecuadorian

more blocks! Home of the ALL

eatery serving traditional dishes with

DAY Happy Hour + Oysters. Craft

some modern flair. Family recipes

cocktails - Elevated “Pub Grub” -

make Ñaño a special experience.

Raw Bar - Daily Specials.

www.nanobarnyc.com (646) 649-4678

www.WhiteOakNYC.com (646) 692-9247

Skylight Diner

Theatre Row Diner

W34th St - 9th/10th Ave W42nd St - 9th/10th Ave

Tick Tock Diner 8th Ave - 34th St

Bourbon Street Bar W46th St - 8th/9th Ave

Noodies

Feel like you stepped into New

9th Ave - 54th/55th St

Orleans’ French Quarter with gas

Oovina

lamps, wrought iron balconies, hurricanes and delicious Cajun fare.

9th Ave - 37th/38th St

(212) 245-2030 www.bourbonny.com

9th Ave - 55th/56th St

Established in 1988, this is

Siri Thai

a family owned and operated

Carbone W 38 St - 8th/9th Ave

Dafni Greek Taverna W42 St - 8th/9th Ave

El Azteca

North River Lobster Pier 81, W41st St - 12th Ave 1st floating lobster shack. Dine

Tulcingo Del Valle

& unwind on 1 of 3 decks while

10th Ave - 46th/47th St

taking short cruises on the Hudson up to 7 times per day.

Kodama Sushi & Japanese

(212) 630-8831 www.northriverlobsterco.com

W45th St - 8th/9th Ave

v{iv} Thai Restaurant & Bar Esanation Thai Street Food 9th Ave - 50th/51st St The newest and unique Thai restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen featuring Thai street food and specializing in Northeastern Thai dishes.

(212) 315-0555 www.esanation.com

9th Ave - 48th/49th St

TIME FOR BRUNCH

Cosmic Diner 8th Ave - 52nd/53rd St

Rustic Table W42nd St - 10th/11th Ave

9th Ave - 43rd/44th St

you’ll always see a familiar

The Marshal 10th Ave - 44th/45th Ave

Westway Diner

restaurant. A local favorite,

10th Ave - 45th/46th St

North River Lobster Co. is NY’s

Il Forno 8th Ave - 44th/45th St

Route 66 Cafe

9th Ave - 52nd/53rd St

face enjoying the food and the atmosphere.

www.westwaydiner.com (212) 582-7661

COFFEE & COOKIES

Amy’s Bread

Frisson Espresso

Green Nature Coffee House

Kahve 10th Avenue

Kahve 9th Avenue

Kava Cafe

9th Ave - 46th/47th St W47th St - 8th/9th Ave W42nd St - 10th/11th St 10th Ave - 46th/47th St 9th Ave - 51st/52nd St W42nd St - 9th/10th Ave

Contemporary interior with

Enjoy a rustic selection of

classic Thai and traditional

Mediterranean breakfast and

Northern Thai dishes. Everyday

Kee’s Chocolates

lunch, fine espresso, homemade

happy hours with drink specials.

W39th St - 8th/9th Ave

pastries, fresh juices & refreshers.

Truly fun and vibrant place to be.

A unique hidden gem on 42nd.

(212) 581-5999 www.vivthainyc.com

DIGITAL EDITION

(212) 244-0744 rustictablenyc@gmail.com

Little Pie Company

Poseidon Greek Bakery

W43rd St - 9th/10th Ave 9th Ave - 44th/45th St

REX Coffee

Hell’s Chicken

Merilu Pizza Al Metro

10th Ave - 56th/57th St

10th Ave - 45th/46th St

9th Ave - 52nd/53rd St

Schmackary’s Cookies W45th St - 8th/9th Ave

Snax Spot 9th Ave - 39th/40th St

The Cafe Grind

Jonny Panini NYC

New York Sal’s Pizza

9th Ave - 37th/38th St

10th Ave - 48th/49th St

Kung Fu Little Steamed Buns Ramen

EAT

Uncle Mario’s Brick Oven Pizza 9th Ave - 49th/50th St

8th Ave - 48th/49th St

HERE FOR THE BEER

Lansdowne Road

La Panineria

The Jolly Goat Coffee Bar

W36th St - 9th/10th Ave

10th Ave - 43rd/44th St

W47th St - 10th/11th Ave

Le Bon Choix

This neighborhood sports bar

Think Coffee

10th Ave - 45th/46th St

W42nd St - 11th/12th Ave

Underwest Donuts 12th Ave - 46th/47th St

LUNCHBREAK Aaheli Indian Cuisine 9th Ave - 54th/55th W 39th St - 8th/9th Ave

Atomic Wings 9th Ave - 39th/40th St

Azuri Cafe

pub food, wings and a wide selection

Manganaro’s Hero Boy

of beers while watching your favorite

9th Ave - 37th/38th St

team. Back bar available for parties.

www.lansdowneroadnyc.com (212) 239-8020

Paradigm Cafe 9th Ave - 35th/36th St

Sushi Star 9th Ave - 35th/36th St

AS IS

Taqueria Tehuitzingo

10th Ave - 50th St

Better Being 940 9th Ave - 39th/40th St

9th Ave - 51st/52nd St

China Xiang W42nd St - 8th/9th Ave

Chirping Chicken 9th Ave - 42nd/43rd St

City Kitchen at Row NYC 8th Ave - 44th/45th St

Curry Hut 9th Ave - 39th/40th St W45th St - 8th/9th Ave

Tehuitzingo Deli & Grocery

speciality foods with happy

9th Ave - 49th/50th St

hour weekdays 3-6pm.

Mr. Biggs Bar & Grill

10th Ave - 47th/48th St

www.asisnyc.com

Vintner Wine Market

W44th St - 8th/9th Ave

Zoob Zib

Beer Authority

9th Ave - 35th/36th St

BURGERS AND PIZZA

W40th St - 8th Ave

Beer Culture W45th St - 8th/9th Ave

42ND STREET PIZZA W42ND ST - 11TH/12TH AVE

Capizzi Pizzeria & Wine Bar 9th Ave - 40th/41st St

Blue Ruin 9th Ave - 39th/40th St

Brickyard Gastropub

Dave’s Tavern

10th Ave - 37th/38th St

9th Ave - 41st/42nd St

Daisy May’s BBQ

Authentic, 40 year-old Irish dive bar,

11th Ave - 46th St

steps away from Times Square.

(917) 475-1473

9th Ave - 48th/49th St

Kitchen. We offer delicious food, live music every night, happy hour,

Holland Bar

great sport - it’s all here for you.

8th Ave - 36th/37th St

House of Brews

10th Ave - 45th/46th St

Featuring 20 specialty brick oven pizzas and a high quality selection of rotating crafts at fantastic prices.

juices, prepared in a friendly, neighborly way.

(212) 956-4355 www.freshfromhell.com

W51st St - 8th/9th Ave

Iron Bar 8th Ave - 44th/45th St

Ivy

Always interesting draft cocktails

8th Ave - 55th/56th St

and wine on tap. Comfortable vibe.

Juniper Bar

www.kiabaccabar.com (212) 649-4675

Lucky’s Famous Burgers W52nd St - 8th/9th Ave

DIGITAL EDITION

9th Ave - 38th/39th St The best Irish hospitality in Hell’s

8th Ave - 40th/41st St

Houndstooth Pub

Kiabacca

Scallywag’s Irish Bar & Restaurant

Heartland Brewery

9th Ave - 39th/40th St

W47th St - 8th/9th Ave

Rudy’s Bar & Grill 9th Ave - 44th/45th St

9th Ave - 43rd/44th St

Clyde Frazier’s

Fresh, delicious food and

W39th St - 8th/9th Ave

Dalton’s Bar & Grill

10th Ave - 51st/52nd St

Fresh From Hell

Rattle ‘N Hum

9th Ave - 52nd/53rd St

City Slice

10th Ave - 43rd St

New York Beer Company

Gazala Place

Molloy’s Irish Pub

Craft beers & cocktails,

www.scallywagsnyc.com (646) 490-4803

Social Bar, Grill & Lounge 8th Ave - 48th/49th St

Stitch Bar & Lounge W37th St - 7th/8th Ave

The Jolly Monk 9th Ave - 48th/49th St

The Waylon

W35th St - 7th/8th Ave

10th Ave - 50th/51st St

Landmark Tavern

Tir Na Nog

11th Ave - 45th/46th St

W39th St - 8th/9th Ave

Lincoln Park Grill

Valhalla

9th Ave - 56th/57th St

PETS

El Rancho Burritos

W55th St - 7th/8th Ave

LIVING

Bombay Grill House

McGee’s Pub

9th Ave - 42nd/43rd St

9th Ave - 46th/47th St

W51st - 9th/10th Ave

is a great place to gather for tasty

OUT

Aleef Coffee House

STYLE

10th Ave - 36th/37th St

9th Ave - 53rd/54th St

Hell’s Kitchen

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

FLEA MARKET Forget the snow globe, these are REAL NY take-aways

1 2

his summer millions of tourists will arrive in New York City looking for two things: tickets to Hamilton and some serious swag to take home. Sadly, we can’t help with the tickets. But when it comes to finding authentic and affordable souvenirs, it’s never been easier at the Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market. Why settle for a plastic Statue of Liberty or an Empire State Building snow globe? Here are some of the best souvenirs found last weekend. Rose-colored glasses. We all know someone who could really use these! Wonder Woman Masks. Because sometimes people need to be reminded just who they are dealing with. Leather jackets worthy of Patti Smith. For the price of massproduced hoodie, you can get a custom leather jacket that will delight your inner Chrissie Hynde. They’re available in every color imaginable from silver

“We can’t help with Hamilton tickets. But when it comes to finding authentic, affordable souvenirs, it’s never been easier. Why settle for a plastic Statue of Liberty?” to neon orange to lime green. Robert Palmer’s reaction: Simply. Irresistible. Early 20th century lockets. Explain to the millennials you love that in the olden days before cell phones, people once took photographs of their BFFs and put them in little pendants they wore around their necks. Once they grasp this concept, we fully expect the term “lockets” to trend on Facebook.

THE ART OF COMMUNITY New York City has always drawn artists from all over the world. But living and working here is increasingly challenging. Hell’s Kitchen Foundation’s visual arts grant program was established for exactly that reason. And the first three winners have just been announced. Jessica Maffia, Judy Negron, and James Seffens – all local visual artists in Hell’s Kitchen – have been awarded sums from $2,000-$5,000. Established by Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market founder Alan Boss, the grants are awarded annually to

provide financial assistance to Hell’s Kitchen’s resident visual artists, with an emphasis on new and underrecognized creatives. “We know that living and working as an artist in New York City is increasingly difficult because of the rising cost of living,” says Foundation Chair Inge Ivchenko, “and it is very moving to meet these artists and learn how dedicated they are to making their art. It is an honor to support them.” Jessica Maffia, whose work Korea is pictured right, says: “I’m so honored and so humbled. Living and

working in this city as an artist is not easy. I’m a native New Yorker who has been a teaching artist for years until the fall of 2015, when I took the plunge and quit teaching so that I could pursue my dreams full-time. It’s been a struggle, but so rewarding to dedicate myself to drawing. “I am deeply grateful for this opportunity, it couldn’t have come at a better time.” Neighbors will be able to see the artists’ work when it’s exhibited at the flea market this summer. bit.ly/hkfoundation

Find us on www.facebook.com/hellskitchenfleamarket 4

DIGITAL EDITION

@annexmarkets

Trattoria Casa Di Isacco

Wine Escape

9th Ave - 39th/40th St

W44th St - 9th/10th Ave

Bricco Ristorante

Uncle Vanya Cafe

A cozy, intimate wine bar with

W56th St - 8th/9th Ave

W54th St - 8th/9th Ave

Cara Mia Chimichurri Grill

10th Ave - 45th St

fantastic American craft beer. Our 20 “world class” drafts are always rotating & our food is tasty and inexpensive.

www.theponybar.com (212) 586-2707

West End Bar & Grill

BOYS & BARS 9th Avenue Saloon

11th Ave - 47th/48th St

Hakkasan

Chez Josephine

W43rd St - 8th/9th Ave

W42nd St - 9th/10th Ave

La Vela Dining & Bar

Return to the joie de vivre of

11th Ave - 42nd/43rd St

1920s Paris, with a blue tin

Pio Pio

ceiling, red velvet walls and

10th Ave - 43rd/44th

PRINT Restaurant

Sangria 46

chandeliers lighting up Josephine Baker portraits.

www.chezjosephine.com (212) 594-1925

11th Ave - 47th/48th Ave W46th St - 8th/9th Ave

Staghorn Steakhouse

9th Ave - 45th/46th St

W36th St - 8th/9th Ave

Flaming Saddles Saloon

Taboon

9th Ave - 52nd/53rd St

Press Lounge

W43rd St - 9th/10th Ave

Social Drink And Food Yotel, 10th Ave - 41st/42nd St “Middleterranean” inspired dishes, perfectly crafted wine list.

(646) 449-7790

EATING IN

34th Street Wine & Spirits

42nd Street Wine Loft

W34th St - 9th/10th Ave

OUT

8th Ave - 48th/49th St

8th Ave - 54th/55th St

Esca

STYLE

from around the world.

Barcelona Bar

9th Ave - 43rd/44th St

Neighborhood bar serving

Mediterranean tapas & wines

COCKTAIL HOUR

9th Ave - 45th/46th St

The Pony Bar

EAT

SOMETHING SPECIAL

W42nd St - 10th/11th Ave

5 Brothers Gourmet Market 10th Ave - 47th/48th St

10th Ave - 52nd/53rd St

TO GET YOUR HELL’S KITCHEN BUSINESS LISTING IN OUR DIRECTORY

LIVING

Fish Bar Pier 81, W41st St - 12th Ave Fish Bar at North River Landing, a 3-story seafood restaurant & lounge on a 160 ft. yacht, sails

Big Apple Market

along the Hudson and is home

9th Ave - 39th/40th St

to a vibrant bar scene.

A true Hell’s Kitchen institution

(212) 630-8840 www.northriverfishbar.com

serving USDA choice meats, poultry and groceries at super low prices. Serving the

Green Fig

(212) 563-2555

Shared dishes, locally sourced ingredients,

Hell’s Kitchen

perfectly crafted wine list.

(646) 449-7790

WINE O’CLOCK Adella W43rd St - 9th/10th Ave

Get one of these in your window Email us at sticker@w42st.com

Ardesia Wine Bar W52nd St - 10th/11th Ave

Pocket Bar NYC W48th St - 9th/10th Ave It may be little, but this wine bar packs a powerful punch

www.pocketbarnyc.com

Tartina 9th Ave - 45th/46th St

PETS

neighborhood since 1991.

Yotel, 10th Ave - 41st/42nd St

Brooklyn Fare W37th St - 9th/10th Ave

Cellar 53 Wines & Spirits 10th Ave - 52nd/53rd St

Clinton Gourmet Market 10th Ave - 45th/46th St

Empire Coffee & Tea Company 9th Ave - 41st/42nd St

Esposito Meat Market 9th Ave - 37th/38th St

Grace Wine & Spirits

Grand Cru Wine & Spirits

10th Ave - 43rd/44th St 11th Ave - 43rd St

TO SEE YOUR YOUR BUSINESS LISTED IN THIS SECTION, EMAIL BOB@W42ST.COM

DIGITAL EDITION

Gristedes

SHOP IT OUT

8th Ave - 53rd/54th St

B&H Cameras

Healthy Market Deli

9th Ave - 34th St

10th Ave - 45th St

Champion Stamp Company

Hell’s Kitchen Brewtique

W54th St - 9th/10th Ave

9th Ave - 39th/40th St

International Grocery 9th Ave - 40th/41st St

Manhattan Plaza Winery 9th Ave - 42nd/43rd St

Mazzella’s Market 9th Ave - 47th/48th St

Ninth Avenue Vintner

Odyssey Wine & Spirits

Ray & Frank Liquor Store

9th Ave - 46th/47th St

Blocker Yoga

JCohen Chiropractic

www.blockeryoga.com

W52nd St - 8th/9th Ave

Get your zen on with private

Jonathan Cohen’s treatment

or group yoga classes led by

plan goes beyond adjustments,

certified instructor, Brooke

incorporating massage, careful

Blocker. Also offering worldwide

stretching and re-positioning,

yoga + wellness retreats.

cryotherapy - even exercise.

(912) 313-9911 blockeryoga@gmail.com

www.jcohenchiropractic.com (646) 657-0032

9th Ave - 48th/49th St

www.fineanddandyshop.com

W44th St - 8th/9th Ave A well-curated collection of

Simply Natural

mint condition vintage clothing

W43rd St - 9th/10th Ave

Stiles Farmers Market W52nd St - 8th/9th Ave

Sullivan Street Bakery W47th St - 10th/11th Ave

SUNAC Natural Market W42nd St - 11th Ave

The MKT @ Mercedes House

Veritas Studio Wines

Westerly Natural Market

W54th St - 10th/11th Ave

and accessories is a favorite

Cyc Fitness 8th Ave - 44th/45th St The renowned indoor cycling workout offers exhilarating, beatbased rides set to DJ-inspired playlists, energizing lighting schemes, led by motivating trainers.

(212) 256-1347 www.cycfitness.com

Manhattan Kayak Company Pier 84 - Hudson River Visit us daily for New York kayaking

haunt for stylists, costumers & girls about town.

www.CoutureduJourNYC.com (646) 595-6351

and stand-up paddleboard tours, group and 1-on-1 how-to training and SUP Yoga. A hop, skip and jump from Hell’s Kitchen.

www.manhattankayak.com (212) 924-1788

W45th St - 10th/11th Ave 8th Ave - 54th St

STYLE FIT FOR ANYTHING 10th Ave - 47th/48th St

Danny’s Cycles - Hell’s Kitchen 10th Ave - 46th/47th St

Enoch’s Bike Shop 10th Ave - 36th/37th Ave

Liberty Bicycles 9th Ave - 55th/56th St

Manhattan Plaza Health Club

Mark Fisher Fitness

W43rd St - 9th/10th Ave

Owners Luisa and Nicki work with artisans around the globe to

Hell’s Kitchen Rolfing W51st St - 8th/9th Ave Proven hands-on healing art for athletes, dancers & anyone experiencing physical pain. Enjoy a new level of well-being and physical freedom.

(212) 307-5367 www.rolfingnyc.nyc

Mid City Gym

W39th St - 9th/10th Ave

W42nd St - 8th/9th Ave

Mercedes Club

NYC VELO

W54th St - 10th/11th Ave

Domus Unaffected Living

W44th St - 9th/10th Ave

Al’s Cycle Solutions

jewelry, flasks, cards, books, gifts & more.

Couture du Jour

9th Ave - 40th/41st St

W49th St - 9th/10th Ave

Ties, handkerchiefs, suspenders, socks, hats,

10th Ave - 37th/38th St

Sea Breeze Fish Market

Fine And Dandy

source unique home decor items,

TMPL Gym W49 ST - 8th/9th Ave

TMPL includes over 40,000 square feet of state-of-the-art equipment, 25-meter saltwater

cards make it a one-stop shop.

www.domusnewyork.com (212) 581-8099

pool, virtual reality spin room,

Delphinium Home

customized metabolic program

W47th St - 8th/9th Ave

and more.

Glitz & Glory

(917) 521-6666 www.tmplgym.com

Rolates Pilates 8th Ave - 55th/56th St

W45th St - 10th/11th Ave

gifts and jewelry. Candles and

9th Ave - 52nd/53rd St

Grishko Dancewear W50th St - 8th/9th Ave

Housing Works Thrift Shop 9th Ave - 49th/50th St

TO SEE YOUR YOUR BUSINESS LISTED IN THIS SECTION, EMAIL BOB@W42ST.COM

DIGITAL EDITION

Jeunesse Hair Salon

9th Ave - 48th/49th St

9th Ave - 57th/58th St

Thrift & New Shop

Kolorbar

9th Ave - 43rd/44th St

W39th St - 8th/9th Ave

Universal Gear

9th Ave - 48th/49th St

READY FOR YOUR CLOSE-UP

Massage Envy

(212) 473-3689 W38th St - 9th/10th Ave

Ilona Lieberman Photography

Rafik Barber Shop

www.ilonalieberman.com

9th Ave - 50th/51st

An authentic NY experience, one of the city’s oldest flea markets. Year round, each weekend. Antiques,

info@hellskitchenfleamarket.com www.annexmarkets.com

W54th St - 9th/10th Ave

based in New York. She shoots

W35th St - 8th/9th Ave

West Vibe Hair Salon W46th St - 9th/10th Ave

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Westside Highway Car Wash W47th St - 12th Ave

OUT BROADWAY BABY Ars Nova Theater W54th St - 10th/11th Ave

Davenport Theater

editorial portraits, photojournalist

W45th St - 8th/9th Ave

weddings and relaxed modern

Ensemble Studio Theatre

family portraiture.

(917) 566-6900 ilona@ilonalieberman.com

W52nd St - 10th/11th Ave

New Dramatists W44th St - 9th/10th Ave

OUT

vintage clothes, collectibles & more!

Ilona Lieberman Photography is

Skintrade Tattoos

54th Street Auto Center

STYLE

Pura Dermatology

W39th St - 9th/10th Ave

11th Ave - 51st/52nd St

W42nd St - 10th/11th Ave

massage and Murad facial services.

Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market

VROOM Cybert Tire and Car Care

National brand provider of professional

EAT

TAGG

Signature Theatre W42nd St - 9th/10th Ave

The New Group W42nd St - 9th/10th Ave

HELLO GORGEOUS

MUSICAL INTERLUDE

42nd Nails & Spa

Birdland

9th Ave - 41st/42nd St

W44th St - 8th/9th Ave

9th Avenue Barbershop Mo Lynch Photography

10 Columbus Circle

Albano Salon

molynchphoto@gmail.com

Orchestra of St. Luke’s

450 9th Ave - 35th/36th Ave

America’s Hairstyle International 445 W 50th St - 9th/10th Ave

W W

Environmental portraits, editorial,

www.alisakrutovsky.com Graphic Design, Web Design, Print & Editorial, Illustration,

Best Barber 10th Ave - 48th/49th St

David Ryan Salon

Informational Design.

lisusha@yahoo.com

features. Specialty events at Madison Square Garden, Javits Center, Piers 92 & 94. Favorite subjects--dogs and children.

www.behance.net/MauraLynch

Grum’d Barber Shop 46th St - 9th/10th Ave

Hair 2 Stay

W34th St - 11th Ave

9th Ave - 43rd/44th St

NY Waterway Ferry

M2 Organic Cleaners

12th Ave - 39th/40th St

9th Ave - 54th/55th St W37th St - 8th/9th Ave

Hell’s Kitchen Barbers

Vera’s Shoe Repair

W56th St - 9th/10th Ave

9th Ave - 45th/46th St

Hudson River Park

Javits Center

Jay Cleaners

Schwartz Luggage Storage

W44th St - 8th/9th Ave

W42nd St - 12th Ave

PETS

10th Ave - 46th/47th St

Circle Line

W46th St - 12th Ave

W43rd St - 9th/10th Ave

Erik’s Barbershop

SEE THE SIGHTS

Intrepid Museum

Balloon Bouquets of NY

W57th St - 8th/9th Ave

W37th St - 9th/10th Ave

12th Ave - 34th/59th St

W46th St - 9th/10th Ave

Dramatics NYC

Alisa Krutovsky Graphic Design

LIVING

Jazz at Lincoln Center

9th Ave - 37th/38th St

The Daily Show Nacho Guevara Photography

11th Ave - 51st/52nd St

www.nachoguevara.com

W42st - 11th/12th Ave

I’m a professional portrait and

PICK UP YOUR W42ST HERE

fashion photographer committed to producing highly creative pictures with a unique look.

iguedur@gmail.com (773) 441-9455

Tom Otterness Playground VIA 57WEST W57th St - 12th Ave

GET YOUR ART ON Sean Kelly Gallery 10th Ave - 36th/37th St

TO SEE YOUR YOUR BUSINESS LISTED IN THIS SECTION, EMAIL BOB@W42ST.COM

DIGITAL EDITION

Meet the faces

RIVER PLACE I t’s 6.30am and Alessandra Harry has woken up in her crib overlooking the Hudson River. Alessandra’s parents, Alan and Claudia, wake up to the sound of her cries of “Momma! Dadda!” and rush to comfort her. Each morning starts like this, according to Claudia. “It doesn’t matter what time the baby goes to sleep at night, she wakes up every morning at 6.30am on the dot; she’s quite the reliable alarm clock.” After Alessandra has woken the family, her mother feeds her a homemade 100% organic breakfast in their sunny living room. Alessandra has a pretty sophisticated palette for a 16-month old. Whether it’s exotic fruits or

“I feel like I’m living in a luxury hotel because the services amenities are so sophisticated.” specialty fish pre-ordered from the Chelsea Market, Alessandra is a foodie in the making. After breakfast, Alan walks down the block to pick up a CitiBike and cycles to his office Downtown while Claudia stays at home and juggles taking care of the baby and

Above: Alan, Claudia, and baby Alessandra fell in love with the familyfriendly atsmophere of River Place simultaneously running Harry’s Real Estate Trust, a property management company. The foodie threesome moved to River Place a year ago and immediately fell in love with its family-friendly environment. They love the amenities that River Place offers, like the Tom Otterness playground, the robust calendar of resident events, the children’s playroom, and 75-foot indoor

swimming pool. Alan loves the fitness center in particular, as he enjoys teaching his daughter how to swim. Swimming has always been a big part of Alan’s life. He taught his two older daughters how to swim at a young age as well. After work, if the Harrys are not swimming, they like to socialize with their neighbors through their play date group and resident

events. Bingo night and the sushi making classes are among their favorites. “What I find amazing is how generous the building is to host free events for the tenants. I know of no other building in the city that does this for their tenants. Joner is amazing and has done a great job putting together the calendar,” Alan says. In addition to the amenity spaces and sense of community at River Place, the Harrys love how close their home is to all New York’s museums and parks. Almost every weekend, Claudia and Alan like to put Alessandra in the stroller and explore the city. On their walks, they frequently discover new restaurants in the neighborhood. One of their favorites in Hell’s Kitchen is a Latin fusion restaurant called La Pulperia where Alan and Claudia are treated like royalty even though they’re not regulars. When the Harrys return home, they’re greeted with a warm smile from Michael at the concierge desk, who has worked for River Place since it opened. Michael reminds the Harrys that they have dry cleaning waiting for them and asks if they’re going to the next sushi making class. “I feel like I’m living in a luxury hotel because the staff are so kind and friendly and the services and amenities are so sophisticated. It’s the best part about living here,” says Alan.

Our residents’ view ... as seen on Instagram #OneRiverPlace

Schedule a tour to find your oasis by the river (212)719-9000; reception@riverplacenyc.com

DIGITAL EDITION

IMAGE: K CHAUVIN