SPRING 2014
THE HEART OF EVERY CITY
EXOTIC
QUALITY TIME WITH
FASHION ICON
DAZZLING DUBAI LURES ELITE TRAVELERS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE
NORMA KAMALI
ALFRED PORTALE’S 30-YEAR RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
KEITEL
HOLLYWOOD’S BADDEST MAN IS DOWNTOWN’S BIGGEST SWEETHEART
DOWNTOWN
Issue 12
Spring 2014 5
Publisher’s Letter
6
Editor’s Letter
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Advisory Board
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Contributors
NEWS
54
12
STYLE
13
CULTURE
14
FOOD
15
TECH
INSIGHTS 18
REWIND Tammany Hall: Bringing Down The Boss
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VISIONARY Larry Silverstein: A Man With a View
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DEVELOPMENT Downtown’s New Diversity
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INNOVATION Is Downtown the New Silicon Valley?
CULTURE CODE 30
TALENT The Blacklist’s Diego Klattenhoff
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I’M TAWKIN’ Good Day New York Anchor Greg Kelly
COVER STORY 34
New York’s Finest Harvey Keitel
PASSPORT
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DOWNTOWN ON Dubai
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TRAVEL Amazing Anguilla
STYLE VAULT 48
WHITE FASHION Let There Be Light
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TIME PIECES Real Time with Million Dollar Listing Stars
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BEAUTY Illuminate Your Eyes
60
BEAUTY Put Your Best Face Forward
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GROOMING The Art of Saving Face
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FITNESS Let’s Take This Outside
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PROFILE Face-To-Face With The First Lady of New York Fashion Norma Kamali
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LITTLE APPLE 70
KIDS FASHION Spring Essentials
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FAMILY FOCUS Dishing with Downtown Moms: Tracy Anderson
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PARENTING The Top Five Reasons It’s Great To Be A Downtown Parent
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BARCLAY’S SPOT A Dog’s Eye View of Downtown
CITY BITES 78
CHEF PROFILE Alfred Portale: The Architect of Fine Dining
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Downtown Diaries
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Rearview Mirror
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Hidden Gem
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PUBLISHER’S SLUG LETTER HERE
RENEWED Being an entrepreneur is nothing like you’ve ever experienced. They say that we live and take risks, which most people cannot fathom. Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won’t so you can spend the rest of your life like most people can’t.
W
ell I’m still waiting for the latter. Father Nature has taken us on a ride over the past two winters. (It certainly wasn’t Mother Nature, because women simply let things go and move on.) Last year, Sandy struck us with a vengeance, overflowing our rivers and flooding our homes and businesses. This winter, the savage season pounded us with plummeting temperatures and ferocious snowstorms. Many of us became acquainted with a term we’d never heard before—“polar vortex”—which was the cause of some the most frigid temperatures we’ve seen in a very long time. We at DOWNTOWN were excited about our plan to roll out two additional issues this year for our loyal followers… but it was not to be. Our clients were digging out from their own struggles with the severe adversities I’ve just described and couldn’t keep up with our ambition. Still, we are not discouraged, and we will accomplish this goal sometime very soon. “Spring,” in addition to naming a season, evokes thoughts of rebirth, rejuvenation and renewal. Along with what some might call it the “resurrection” of Lower Manhattan, as well as the momentum and staying power DOWNTOWN has shown over the past four years, we have sought new partnerships that have demonstrated growing support for the thriving and resilient neighborhood we call home. Our cover sets the pace with one of our community’s most supportive citizens, celebrated actor, Harvey Keitel. He was one of the first prominent personalities to make his way south of Canal way back in the ’70s and has shared with me many first-hand observations of the growth and rebirth of this extraordinary area. His love has not waned through any of the trying times. Pick up any newspaper, and you will clearly see why Downtown is quickly becoming the place to work, live and play! Join us in reawakening after the long, dark days of winter! I’ll see you on the esplanade! This issue is dedicated to my mom, who always told me I had the confidence to overcome anything.
Grace A. Capobianco PUBLISHER
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EDITOR’S LETTER
DOWNTOWN CEO & PUBLISHER GRACE A. CAPOBIANCO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MIKE HAMMER CREATIVE DIRECTOR SUZIN KOEHLER
A TIME AND PLACE FOR
REBIRTH
S
pring is a time of rebirth, and nowhere is that more relevant than right here in Lower Manhattan. There is no place else that can rival our community’s ability not only to rebuild, but improve in the face of adversity. It goes without saying that 9/11 dealt all of America its most shocking and painful blow, but in the place where it happened, resilience and evolution for the future has been the formula for unparalleled success ever since.
Just a year-and-a-half since Superstorm Sandy seemingly shattered all of that amazing progress, there is even more growth and diversity of industry, and as our real estate piece demonstrates, more mixed-use development has taken place to accommodate the phenomenal number of families flocking here. As you’ll learn from our story penned by the Downtown Alliance’s Daria Siegel, the tech industry has also firmly established its roots in Lower Manhattan, turning it into what people are now calling “The New Silicon Valley.” The entertainment industry has always looked to Downtown as a place to showcase talent, as our feature with rising star, Diego Klattenhoff, who shines on TV’s hit The Black List indicates. The show shoots all over our area and in Brooklyn and is one of many to do so. But the best persepective of Downtown’s rebirth and meteoric growth comes from our cover subject, Harvey Keitel, who has made his home here for decades and marvels at all the expansion and new facilities for families that have sprung up around him in TriBeCa. “There is a tremendous spirit of creativity and growth here. I couldn’t see myself living anywhere else,” he says. “It’s a neighborhood reborn every single day.” Welcome home, Spring!
ASSISTANT EDITOR XAVI OCAÑA FASHION & BEAUTY DIRECTOR CHARLOTTE ROSE COLEMAN LIFESTYLE & FAMILY EDITOR DENISE COURTER FOOD EDITOR KARINE BAKHOUM ASSISTANT FOOD EDITOR JOSEPH AMELLA, JR. ASSISTANT EDITOR/SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER CHARLOTTE M. BRYANT EDITORIAL ASSISTANT ALEJANDRO RAMOS HEALTH & FITNESS EDITOR KIRK MYERS COPY EDITOR JACQUELINE GRUPE FASHION ASSISTANT FABIO CAPUANO SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER TONY SHI MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR OLZHAS BAYALBAYEV TECHNOLOGY BRADLEY KIRKLAND, NICU LORDACHESCU COLUMNISTS SUZANNE CORSO, SAMUEL A. SOUTHWORTH CONTRIBUTORS JOE ALEXANDER, JOHN “CAP” CAPOBIANCO, LANA DE DONCKER, TERRY GOLWAY, MAX LAU, KATIE MCELVEEN, PATRICK MCMULLEN, BRIAN OWENS, LUIS VAZQUEZ INTERNS FAYÇAL AALLOUCH, PARIS AMARO, JIMMY CHAN, LUIS CUEVAS, ELIZA JOHNSON, EMI KONOMI, SHERRYL LAICKA, CHLOE LEBRUN, BEINI LI, LOUISE MCKNIGHT, PATRICIA RASHIDI, ASHLYN SANABRIA, YEON YOU
SALES/MARKETING/BUSINESS EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT BRIAN KAPLAN ADVISOR TO THE PUBLISHER ANDY WHEATCROFT LEGAL COUNCIL THOMAS FARLEY TAX CONSULTANTS MATTHEW COHEN, VINCENT CUNZIO CIRCULATION DIRECTOR FRANK ROSNER EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER ELENA FABIANKOVIC DOWNTOWN MAGAZINE, INC. CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS 64 FULTON STREET, STE 501, NEW YORK, NY 10038 PHONE (212) 962-1916 / (212) 962-1522 DOWNTOWNMAGAZINENYC.COM
Mike Hammer EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
COPYRIGHT 2014 BY DOWNTOWN MAGAZINE, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED DOWNTOWN (ISSN2164-6198) is published four times per year for $23.96 per subscription by DOWNTOWN Magazine NYC, Inc., 64 Fulton Street, Ste 501, New York, NY 10038. Application to mail at periodical postage is pending at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: send address changes to DOWNTOWN Magazine NYC, Inc., 64 Fulton Street, Ste 501, New York, NY 10038. Reproduction without permission of the publisher is prohibited. The publisher and editor are not responsible for unsolicited material. Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, photographs and drawings.
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ADVISORY BOARD
DREW NIEPORENT
FOUNDER AND CHAIRPERSON, MYRIAD RESTAURANT GROUP Former DOWNTOWN magazine cover subject, “The Mayor of White Street,” has long been a proponent of the growth and diversification of Lower Manhattan since he opened his first Downtown Restaurant in the ’80s. And while he’s grown his brand globally, he continues to anchor his operations here with such dining destinations as the TriBeCa Grill and Nobu, which he generously provided for our cover interview with our hero and his longtime friend, Harvey Keitel. “Harvey Keitel is a true citizen of TriBeCa, and a pioneer who has helped to make this one of the most vital neighborhoods in New York City. Obviously he is brilliant at his craft, playing many diverse rolls with authenticity and his own unique style. He is also a wonderful personality who dines in our restaurants, and is engaging and sharp. TriBeCa is a better place for having someone of such distinguished accomplishment living in our neighborhood.” That makes two of you, Drew.
DREW ALEXANDER
HEAD OF SCHOOL, LÉMAN MANHATTAN PREPARATORY SCHOOL Alexander came to Léman after heading international schools in Moscow and Cairo and has guided the school to a new level of community service. With more than 30 years of experience in Pre-K through 12th Grade, he is uniquely qualified to be a significant leader in New York City education, and guiding the diverse Léman Prep community. Originally from Arkansas, where he graduated from Henderson State University, Drew is married to a speech language pathologist and they have three children and four grandchildren.
ERIC BONNETAIN
GENERAL MANAGER, CIPRIANI WALL STREET RESIDENCES CLUB There is no more friendly or vital personality in the Downtown community than Eric Bonnetain. Bursting with life and passion for food, conversation and providing an unparalleled experience for anyone who walks through the doors of this iconic Wall Street institution, Bonnetain is as valued as a friend and neighbor as he is as the best GM in his industry. When not hosting Manhattan’s elite, Bonnetain can be found tearing up the Thruway on his motorcycle or drinking in cultural experiences at such far away locales, as Vietnam.
LAURA FORESE
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER & SVP, NEW YORK PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL/WEILL CORNELL MEDICAL CENTER At New York Presbyterian—currently ranked #6 in U.S. News among Best Hospitals—Dr. Forese has responsibility for programs, operations and strategic direction for 1,100 medical, surgical and psychiatric beds on two campuses. Dr. Forese graduated summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa from Princeton University and Alpha Omega Alpha from Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons. She is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and holds a degree in health services management from Columbia University School of Public Health. She is a Trustee of Princeton University and active in community and charitable organizations. She is married to Robert J. Downey, a thoracic surgeon; they have twin daughters and a son.
PHILLIP ST. PIERRE
SENIOR GENERAL MANAGER, SOUTH STREET SEAPORT, THE HOWARD HUGHES CORPORATION Phillip is a seasoned professional with a great vision and hopes for the future of Pier 17. He has over 15 years of experience managing shopping centers through major renovations and previously held several roles with Westfield including Senior General Manager, Development Director, and Regional Vice President overseeing all the company properties in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Mr. St. Pierre also served as part of the management team overseeing Westfield operations in the UK.
BENOIT LAGARDE
CO-FOUNDER, SPLASHLIGHT Benoit Lagarde is the founder of Splashlight, a visual content studio based in New York City, Miami and Montreal. Splashlight offers creative development, production, digital and studio services for top fashion brands and retailers. Benoit’s creative vision has been integral to Splashlight’s growth into a multi-million dollar corporation over a period of 10 years. Trained as a professional photographer, Benoit studied at the International Center for Photography in New York where he is now a member of the President’s council.
ALBERT M. LEFKOVITS, M.D., P.C.
ASSOCIATE CLINICAL PROFESSOR OF DERMATOLOGY AT MOUNT SINAI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE Codirector of the Cosmetic Dermatology Post-Graduate Surgical Program at Mount Sinai Medical Center, Dr. Lefkovits is listed in Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare and Who’s Who in Science and Engineering. He is on the scientific advisory boards of the Skin Cancer Foundation and the Foundation Society of Greater New York and is known for his ground-breaking work with and dedication to skin cancer detection and treatment.
LUIGI ROSABIANCA
PRINCIPAL ATTORNEY AND FOUNDER OF ROSABIANCA & ASSOCIATES, PLLC AND PRINCIPAL AND CO-FOUNDER OF WIRE CONSULTING A longtime supporter of DOWNTOWN magazine as well as Downtown, Luigi works, lives and plays in the Financial District. He serves on numerous boards throughout New York City and is frequently asked to speak at field-related conferences and academic settings on legal, as well as, real estate related matters. A native New Yorker, he is attracted to our community’s small town feel with a global affinity. A self-proclaimed historian, he is also intrigued by the area’s historical relevance. He is also an active member of the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce and serves on its Board of Directors.
JEFF SIMMONS
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, ANAT GERSTEIN, INC. Every time relatives and friends visit New York City, Lower Manhattan is one of the key places I recommend. Within one square mile it has everything from history to ingenuity. What’s amazing is how each street—and, in fact, each building—has a new identity, speaking of the past, present and future. I’ve lived in New York City for nearly two decades, worked with the Downtown Alliance, and now The Rink at Brookfield Place. During the holidays, I’ve discovered that it’s only a short brisk walk to find a cozy eatery, exquisite gift items, or a watering hole to celebrate with friends.
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CONTRIBUTORS
MARINA BARLAGE
A respected creative director, Marina has worked in a variety of high-end fashion projects in the U.S., Europe and South America. She recently expanded her portfolio to include jewelry design. She lives Downtown with her husband, photographer Philippe Reynaud, and their daughter.
MICHAEL C. BRUCK, MD, FACS
Dr. Bruck is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He has been featured on Good Morning America, The Learning Channel, CBS and ABC News, he is a senior attending in the Department of Surgery (Plastic Surgery) at St. Luke’sRoosevelt Hospital in New York.
DAVID COTTEBLANCHE
This talented Parisian hairstylist to the stars launched the concept of the late-night pampering when he opened the Red Market Salon in Miami and New York in 2005. His work has been seen in high-end fashion shows and in top titles such as Marie Claire, Allure and Elle. His talents are called on often at Splashlight Studios.
EDWARD CRUZ
At 18, Edward (makeup artist for the Harvey Keitel cover story) moved from San Francisco to work at MAC, Christopher St. in New York City. It was there that he met legendary makeup artist and deep influence, Kevyn Aucoin. Cruz’ work has appeared in such titles as Vanity Fair and Harper’s Bazaar Spain and his clientele ranges from Jennifer Lopez to Anna Wintour.
LESLIE HASSLER
Leslie photographed Harvey Keitel for our cover and inside story. Originally from Los Angeles, Leslie moved to Paris to model where she discovered her passion for photography. Among the many stunning subjects in her portfolio are Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Kevin Spacey, Harrison Ford, and DOWNTOWN’S first cover subject, Ed Burns. She now lives in Manhattan with her Argentinian husband and their 11-year-old son.
DYLAN PEREZ
Chalet Chic photographer, Dylan MontanariPerez is renowned in the world of fashion and beauty. Born in Santa Cruz, California, and raised in Sag Harbor, New York, he spends his free time painting, training in Brazilian Jiujitsu and surfing. His work has been published in such prestigious titles as, Tatler, Marie Claire and Instyle.
PHILIPPE REYNAUD
Discovered by famed photographer, Mario Testino in Paris, Philippe has modeled for top global brands, including Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren, Rolex, Calvin Klein and more. He has become a top photographer learning from such luminaries as Bruce Weber, Peter Beard, Patrick Demarchelier and others. He has shot several features and covers for DOWNTOWN.
DARIA SIEGEL
The Downtown Alliance’s Director of Research and Planning (Is Downtown the New Silicon Valley?) also heads up LaunchLM, an initiative designed to promote the growing technology sector in Lower Manhattan. She also launched the Hive at 55 which has helped to spur business development and growth in the community.
FIONA TEDDS
A product of England, Fiona (who interviews Norma Kamali) moved to Los Angeles and worked for a designer for Dolly Parton and Divine. When she returned to England she mastered the difficult task of (un) dressing such British stage luminaries as Jude Law and Sir Ian McKellen at the Royal National Theater.
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THE MET’S REVITALIZED COSTUME INSTITUTE
The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute reopens on May 8, after two years and $40 million in renovations, with a new name (The Anna Wintour Costume Institute) and a spectacular exhibit (Charles James: Beyond Fashion). The iconic editor-in-chief of Vogue has helped raise more than $125 million for the Met’s new fashion wing, which now features a freshly designed 4,200-square-foot gallery, an improved conservation laboratory, and larger study and storage facilities. The Charles James exhibit will showcase more than 75 of the couturier’s ballgowns that were so influential in the mid-20th century and remain so today. —CHARLOTTE BRYANT
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NEWS
STYLE | CULTURE | FOOD | TECH
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TOPSHOP
NEWS | STYLE
TOPSHOP CONTINUES U.S. INVASION
MODEL CARA DELEVINGNE DESIGNS FOR MULBERRY
British retailer Topshop is continuing to expand its presence on this side of the Atlantic. The brand leased a 400,000-square-foot location on Fifth Avenue near Rockefeller Center for a flagship store slated to open this fall. In addition, new Topshop stores are opening within a year in Atlanta, San Diego, Houston and Washington, D.C. Should we expect Americanized stores or a bit of jolly old England spotted across the country? Sir Philip Green, the company’s founder, told WWD, “We’re discussing doing an ‘edited’ section of merchandise, showcasing things in a slightly different way, and doing [our own] product for the American market.” —CB
21-year-old model Cara Delevingne just designed a new line of bags for her British homeland’s luxury brand, Mulberry. The collection, launched during London Fashion Week, is made in England (a phrase Cara has tattooed on her foot) and retails starting around $1,400. The bags come in three different sizes and types of leather, all with the option of adjusting the straps into a backpack style, appropriate for Ms. Delevingne’s signature tomboy look. One limited edition bag is adorned with lion studs, in homage to another of the model’s tattoos. These bags are specifically Cara, but, like the model, have universal appeal. —CHARLOTTE BRYANT
J.CREW
As of spring 2014, J.Crew will offer everything a girl could want when it launches a new collaboration with the British shoe designer Sophia Webster. Twelve styles will be available, and Webster’s shoes are a far cry from the streamlined, more androgynous styles for which the brand is known. Imagine crazy colors on pointed pumps, sharp stilettos and Webster’s signature Aztec sandals. Jenna Lyons, J.Crew’s creative director, describes them as “a beautiful world for your feet to spend the day in.” Besides its own products, J.Crew also stocks accessories, including jewelry from Lulu Frost, sunglasses from Ray Ban and satchels with a twist from the Cambridge Satchel Company. There are also jackets from Barbour and Authier and separates from Comme Des Garçons. J.Crew is becoming a one-stop shop for the whole stylish family. —FIONA TEDDS
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ALEXLOVES.COM
ONE STOP SOLUTIONS AT J.CREW
LAGERFELD TAKES CHANEL TO DUBAI
Whether it’s haute couture sneakers, fanny packs, elbow pads or avant garde designs, Chanel’s creative director, Karl Lagerfeld, likes to keep his faithful followers guessing. At 80, Lagerfeld, who also designs for Fendi and his namesake label, shows no signs of slowing down. The German designer’s latest move is bringing Chanel’s 2014/2015 Resort Collection Show to the United Arab Emirates. This isn’t his first exotic exhibition. He’s previously staged shows in such far-flung destinations as Singapore and Saint-Tropez. Now he’s turned to Dubai for a May 13 show, when temperatures average over 100 degrees—a perfect setting for resort-wear shopping. —CB
CULTURE | NEWS
THE UNKNOWN KNOWN
Academy Award-winning director for the Best Documentary of 2003, The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara, Errol Morris, is back with another rousing and thought-provoking film. In The Unknown Known: The Life and Times of Donald Rumsfeld, Morris analyzes the life, career, politics and persona of America’s controversial former Secretary of Defense who served under four presidents. In frank and open interviews, Rumsfeld offers up a detailed perspective of those men, along with his own thoughts, actions and decisions and their consequences. The documentary will be released this month. —ALEJANDRO RAMOS
JEANINE OLESON, NEW EXHIBITION
Brooklyn-based artist Jeanine Oleson begins a five-month residency at SoHo’s New Museum on The Bowery. The exhibit’s broad range of media includes photography, performance, film/video and installation work. Jeanine Oleson: Hear, Here is open to the public from April 22 through July 6. During her residency, she will develop an experimental opera to be performed June 13 and 14. The set and props for the opera will be present throughout the exhibition, serving as a stage for other performances that reflect the theme. The exhibit includes an exploration of different kinds of voices—from the musical to the political. All ask the questions, what is the importance of language and what does it mean to listen? —LOUISE MCKNIGHT
THE RETURN OF OF MICE OF MEN
John Steinbeck’s classic story Of Mice and Men returns to Broadway for the first time in 40 years. The story of two migrant farm hands trying to realize their personal dreams in Depression-era California is reinvigorated with the casting of James Franco and Chris O’Dowd as George and Lennie. The new production will premiere at the Longacre Theatre on April 16 and have a limited run through July 27 and be helmed by the 2007 Tony Awardwinning director of August: Osage County, Anna D. Shapiro. Also starring in the play will be Tony Award winner Jim Norton (The Seafarer) and former Gossip Girl star Leighton Meester. —AR
THE FALL OF THE EMPEROR OF NEW YORK
For most New Yorkers, Tammany Hall was and remains a symbol of corrupt government. But historian Terry Golway’s new book argues that there was another side to Tammany that immigrants and their children appreciated even if elite reformers and muckracking journalists did not. His book, Machine Made: Tammany Hall and the Creation of Modern American Politics, has been hailed as a major revision of Tammany’s colorful history. In Golway’s telling, the story is far more complicated than cartoon images of Tammany’s most infamous leader, William M. “Boss” Tweed. Golway notes that Tammany produced two of New York’s greatest politicians, Al Smith and Robert Wagner. Machine Made was released by W.W. Norton. —MIKE HAMMER
TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL
The 13th annual and biggest cultural event in Lower Manhattan—sponsored this year by AT&T—spans 11 days from April 16 through April 27. This year, participants and online observers can look forward to more opportunities for interactive participation and public events. Among them will be the Chanel-sponsored Artists Awards Program for the top films and filmmakers, and the TriBeCa Interactive & Interlude: A Music Film Challenge, sponsored by Lincoln Motor Company, where filmmakers are challenged to make videos based on the work of three different artists. There is also the 2014 launch of TriBeCa Innovation Week (April 21-26), which aims to further the exploration of technology, media and art in the digital age. —LM DOWNTOWNMAGAZINENYC.COM
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NEWS | FOOD
JEAN-GEORGES.COM
A TASTY READ
JEAN-GEORGES TO OPEN ABC HOME GROWN
Respected chef, blogger and author of several successful cookbooks, David Lebovitz, is back with his seventh course, My Paris Kitchen: Recipes and Stories, published by Ten Speed Press and featuring savory dishes and tales from the kitchen. Lebovitz started working in kitchens at 16 and eventually became a pastry chef with executive chef Alice Waters of Berkeley’s renowned Chez Panisse. He has since moved to Paris to become one of the most successful food writers in the world. DAVIDLEBOVITZ.COM —JA D PRESS TEN SPEE
The Jean-Georges Flatiron empire continues to expand with the opening of his third and latest venture this spring. ABC Home Grown’s cuisine will feature an all-vegetarian and vegan menu with a “global perspective,” utilizing farm-to-table produce and a variety of styles incorporating Middle Eastern and Asian flavors. This new green venture will span 4,000 square feet and will take root across the street from Vongerichten’s longstanding ABC Kitchen at 38 E. 18th St. JEAN-GEORGES.COM —JOSEPH AMELLA, JR.
PICKLE PICK
RANDOMHOUSE.COM
Hugh Acheson, a judge on Bravo’s Top Chef and author of the James Beard Award-winning book, A New Turn in the South, is set to release a new cookbook, titled Pick a Pickle, on March 25th from Potter Style publishing. This comprehensive guide includes 50 recipe cards for pickles, relishes and fermented snacks, including tips for safe storage and proper equipment. Acheson is the chef and partner in two Atlanta restaurants—Five and Ten and Empire State South—and the cookbook will showcase such Southern staples as pickled shrimp, brandy peach butter, and bread ’n’ butter Pattypan squash. RANDOMHOUSE.COM —JA
RETURN OF THE SMORGASBURG MARKET
The wildly popular open-air market, Smorgasburg, reopens April 5 after its annual winter hibernation. Brought to you by the creators of the Brooklyn Flea Market, this spin-off occurs every spring and summer, Saturday and Sunday, at two locations—Saturdays at the Williamsburg Waterfront between North 6th and 7th Streets, and Sundays at Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 5. With more than 100 vendors, this event is a foodie mecca offering a wide array of delicacies at reasonable prices. Favorites include goodies from such top eateries as Asia Dog, Crazy Legs, Dough, La Esquina and Mighty Quinn’s. SMORGASBURG.COM —JA
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The Dream Downtown Hotel is replacing its venerable steakhouse, Marble Lane, with an imported version of the London hot spot La Bodega Negra (now called Bodega Negra). Tao Group’s Executive Chef, Michael Armstrong, will offer a trendy spin on Mexican food similar to the already red-hot SoHo hipster destination, La Esquina. They both offer a simple street facade with a subterranean lounge that courts New York night crawlers in the wee hours. DREAMHOTELS.COM —JA
BULLFROG & BAUM
SMORGASBURG.COM
A GREAT DREAM MADE BETTER
TECH | NEWS
THE ULTIMATE TECH-CESSORY
For people who depend on their tech devices, this Burberry Prorsum Sartorial Alligator Leather iPad case is a necessity. Now your portable office can truly travel in style and elegance. The case is made in Italy from 100 percent alligator leather and is compatible with iPads and multiple other tablets. The leather is slightly padded to provide extra protection for your device while maintaining its sleek silhouette. It secures with a fold-over snap-button closure. The case is a steal at $2,500. US.BURBERRY.COM — CB
LUXURY HEADPHONES
Sound engineers Bowers & Wilkins have collaborated with Italian luxury car designer Maserati to create state-of-the-art headphones, combining top technology with extraordinary style. Maserati, a luxury brand, made sure that no expense was spared in the creation of these headphones, which feature the natural grain leather found in the cars and the company’s famous trident logo. They also come with a quilted-leather pouch and a dedicated made-for-iPhone cable. The P5’s closed-back design, with rigid metal faceplates and sealed ear-pads, ensures listeners the sharpest sound while still keeping them in touch with their surroundings. The phones are priced at $399. BOWERSWILKINS.COM —AR
STRIKE UP THE BROADBAND
Downtown got a lot more tech friendly with the recent launch of the NYC Broadband Map. The map is designed to provide an up-to-date view of the availability of broadband infrastructure in the city’s commercial buildings. It crowd-sources information from businesses and building owners around New York City and will display relevant broadband availability information such as speed available, type of technology and providers, as well as consumer demand information such as desired connectivity and service types. NYCBBMAP.COM — MH
THE BIG PICTURE
Talk about home entertainment! LG has released a 55-inch, curved OLED Smart TV with Cinema 3D. The company is at the forefront of the new curved-screen trend, which, along with OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode), makes for an enhanced experience and improved picture quality. The TV is pencil-thin at 4.33 mm, but still firmly built. The Smart TV allows access to video streaming, social media accounts and TV apps. It also allows for 3D images in high def, and comes with four pairs of 3D glasses. LG.COM —CB
TURN SIGNAL GLOVES
Spring has arrived and so has the chance to get back on your bike and ride! As enjoyable as that may sound, you need to protect yourself from automobile traffic and other bikers. With Zackees turn-signal gloves, avoid the fear of an accident by giving sufficient notice to others on the road. The LED-powered light signal on both hands is easily visible and makes your trip a safer one. Simply extending your left or right hand will make your presence known, allowing space for you to make turns and lane changes safely. The three-month-long battery life should last you through the summer, even with daily usage. The price ranges from $75 a pair. ZACKEES.COM —AR DOWNTOWNMAGAZINENYC.COM
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INSIGHTS
REWIND | VISIONARY | DEVELOPMENT | INNOVATION
NEW BEGINNINGS Just as we celebrate spring as a time for renewal, Downtown is a place where that celebration rings especially true. Lower Manhattan has always been a place of rebirth and new beginnings. After the devastation of the attacks on the World Trade Center more than a decade ago, this community bounced back with a vengeance. New industries have been flooding toward Lower Manhattan, diversifying the commercial landscape and bringing more people looking for residential opportunities. To accommodate this diverse influx of people and families, the real estate industry is transforming beautiful former commercial buildings like this magnificent structure at 5 Beekman Street (seen here) into mixed-use palaces that provide beautiful havens for business and people looking to build a real community. Welcome to the new and ever-evolving Downtown…a true 24/7 neighborhood of real people and the businesses that serve them.
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INSIGHTS | REWIND
BRINGING D OWN
THE BOSS STATE SENATOR WILLIAM TWEED WAS RIDING HIGH IN THE EARLY MONTHS OF 1871
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ust a few months earlier, he had pushed through a new charter for the city, creating a four-member board that oversaw the city’s finances. Tweed himself was a member of the new board, along with his allies, Mayor A. Oakey Hall and the city’s comptroller, Richard Connolly, known to his friends and critics as “Slippery Dick.” Tweed’s control over the city was just about complete. Not only did he have allies in high places in City Hall, but he ruled the Democratic Party of New York County, headquartered in a new building on 14th Street called Tammany Hall, on the northern edge of Lower Manhattan. A new courthouse was under construction on Chambers Street behind City Hall, and Tweed and his friends were growing rich on fraud and graft. A friendly carpenter raked in more than $300,000 for a month’s work—some of that cash no doubt was kicked back to Tweed and his friends.
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There was one powerful institution in New York that Boss Tweed did not control: the press. More specifically, The New York Times. And beginning in the summer of 1871, The Times began printing story after story showing how Tweed and his friends were looting the city of millions through bribes and corruption. Thanks to a disgruntled clerk, The Times obtained access to the city’s books, and what they found was shocking. The city was borrowing millions for capital projects, but much of the money went to Tweed and his Tammany cronies. The extent of Tweed’s thievery was astonishing. Although Tweed had an unsavory reputation, many civic elites, like the legendary reformer Peter Cooper, thought Tweed’s charter was a step forward for good government. But they never suspected that Tweed would use the city’s new powers to enrich himself, his friends and the organization he led, Tammany Hall.
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As The Times stories continued, Tammany and Tweed sought to buy off the paper’s publisher, George Jones, to no avail. Adding to the media onslaught was a brilliant cartoonist for Harper’s Weekly named Thomas Nast, who drew memorable pictures of the corpulent Tweed as a common thief. The city’s creditors were outraged. Bankers made it clear to the governor, William Hoffman, and to other city officials that the credit markets would be off limits to New York as long as Tweed and his cohorts were in charge. In essence, the bankers told the city to get rid of the rascals in charge. A hundred years later, when
PREVIOUS PAGE: SARAH ROSSI; PHOTOGRAPHS: COURTESY NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
BY TERRY GOLWAY
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Thomas Nast denounces Tammany as a ferocious tiger killing democracy.
Tammany Ring by Thomas Nast; “Who stole the people’s money?” / “’Twas him.”
the city’s finances collapsed in the 1970s, the message from the banking community was very similar. Tweed was up for reelection to the state senate in the fall of 1871. He campaigned vigorously, charging that the press was out to get him. Just a few days before Election Day, fellow Tammany man and Sheriff of the City and County of New York, Matthew T. Brennan, officially placed Boss Tweed under arrest. Tweed remained free on $1 million bail. Despite all that, Tweed won reelection in 1871, but Tammany was devastated. It lost nearly every other election in Manhattan, allowing anti-Tammany Democrats like railroad
lawyer Samuel J. Tilden to take charge. Tammany soon took the hint. The organization expelled Tweed and replaced him with the son of Irish immigrants, John Kelly, who became the first in a long line of Irish-Catholic Tammany bosses. As for Tweed, he tried to escape to Europe but was recaptured in Spain and returned to New York. He made a public confession of his crimes during a series of hearings held by the Board of Aldermen, but if he hoped his cooperation would help him, he was wrong. The boss was sentenced to prison and died there in 1878 at the age of 55. But Tammany
lived on and later nurtured the careers of two of New York City’s greatest politicians, Al Smith and Robert Wagner. n Terry Golway’s new book, Machine Made: Tammany Hall and the Creation of Modern American Politics, was published in March by W.W. Norton.
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INSIGHTS | VISIONARY
LARRY SILVERSTEIN A MAN WITH A VIEW
THE MAN BEHIND THE NEW WORLD TRADE CENTER OPENS UP ABOUT HIS GREATEST PROJECT BY JASON STAHL
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LEFT: AP PHOTO/MARK LENNIHAN; RIGHT: DBOX, COURTESY SILVERSTEIN PROPERTIES
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here he is, Larry Silverstein, the man famed for rebuilding the World Trade Center and one of the most powerful individuals in this city. He is crouched at his desk, pounding on a computer and impeccably dressed in a multi-striped blue and red shirt and a perfectly matched tie. He is Mr. Big Picture, thinking three projects down the road and answering questions I haven’t yet posed. The mercurial developer’s Silverstein Properties is also driving construction of several new buildings on the site, including towers 2, 3 and 4 of the new Trade Center. The 72-floor 4 World Trade Center recently opened to critical acclaim, and the others are planned to be even bigger. Silverstein believes that the mixed use of the properties on the World Trade Center site, along with its many amenities, including a transit hub connecting more than a dozen subway lines and trains from New Jersey, will make it more vibrant than it has ever been before. “You’ve got mass transit, which is what business looks for,” he says. “You’ve got firstclass space, which is what business looks for. You’ve got a first-class neighborhood, which is what business looks for. All in all, you’ve got an unbeatable combination,” Silverstein crows. We had the opportunity to sit down with this architectural icon to hear his thoughts about how he built his empire and to listen to him share his grand vision for the future, as he peered out at his great accomplishments from his office window overlooking Lower Manhattan.
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What goes through your mind when you overlook the Trade Center site? I think of the enormity of the travail, the challenges, the diversity of opinion, the joy of dealing with six governors of the states of New York and New Jersey. There has been one mayor, five or six chairmen of the Port Authority, five or six executive directors of the Port Authority involved in the process. It exacted a whole range of people saying ‘Stop, I want to look, I want to understand, I want to be sure we’re doing the right thing.’ It caused an enormous amount of delay. Are you surprised by these delays? I expected it to go much faster. I was totally naïve. Why not build the Twin Towers the way they were? I felt that there were disadvantages to the site that existed, and it was an opportunity to remold, rework, redesign and come up with something that the public would like even more than that which existed before 9/11. Why not choose just one architect? I asked David [Childs] if he would ever consider doing all the buildings, and he said it would be an architectural challenge of 10 lifetimes. He said, ‘The best thing you could do is to choose different architects, because you’ll have a diversity of interests,
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you’ll have a diversity of design, it will be much more exciting for the public to look at and enjoy. How has Downtown changed since 9/11? Totally for the better! Everything is connected down here with the Fulton terminal. And now you have the people. The residential population has doubled here in the last 10 years. Sixty thousand families are living down here. It’s a new environment, a totally new place to live. My daughter moved out of her beautiful home in Scarsdale, came down here, put together a condo in one of the older buildings—she loves it. There are young people, wonderful restaurants, shops, whatever you want. This place has just changed totally. Why do you think that is? About 15 million square feet of office space has been converted into residential use. These are now rental houses and condominiums. Wall Street used to be one high-rise office building after the other. On the south side of the street from Broad, over to Water, guess what? All of those buildings without an exception are residential. How is the leasing going for the towers? About 60 percent of the Freedom Tower is occupied, and Condé Nast is the biggest occupant. Half of Tower 4 is occupied by the City and the Port Authority. [Seven World Trade] is 100 percent leased. You’ve got the creative trade businesses taking space in the base of the World Trade Center, and now we’ve got an ad agency taking the lead position in Tower 3. So, creative, technology, communication, branding... you name it, it’s all here.
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What pressures are you facing to complete this project? Well, I am 82, so my greatest pressure is my desire to see this thing completed. That’s the pressure. Lack of time. Do you foresee someone trying to build taller than the Freedom Tower? Absolutely. This is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. It’s going to stay like that for about 10 minutes, and someone’s going to build a taller one. It’s inevitable. Bragging rights. I don’t know what the purpose is, but that’s going to happen. What other projects is Silverstein Properties developing in New York? We’ve got the Four Seasons Hotel a block north of the Trade Center. That’s going to be, I think, 82 or 83, maybe 84 stories. There will be a luxury Four Seasons Hotel at the base, and then luxury condos at the top. It’s a thin building, but a very tall building, so the views will be spectacular. What do you think will be your legacy to the city? People will think of me in connection with rebuilding the Trade Center. That’s something that will bear my mark. But fame and recognition are fleeting, and so in a few years, people won’t know who the hell I was. I see a range of people who were very prominent in the field 10 years ago that you don’t hear of anymore. It’s been a privilege to have been involved doing what we did, and my only hope is that people look back and say, ‘Hey! You did a terrific job!’ Do you think you’ll ever retire? Oh sure! I mean, in a hundred years. n
PHOTOGRAPH: DBOX, COURTESY SILVERSTEIN PROPERTIES
What does the World Trade Center symbolize to you? The 16-acre site is the most major, and certainly complex, public-private partnership that could have been devised. It’s taken us 12 years to get to today, and we should be done by 2018. It’s been a long haul.
| DEVELOPMENT | SLUG INSIGHTS DT INSIGHTS
DOWNTOWN’S
NEW D IVERSITY
THE INFLUX OF NEW BUSINESSES AND FAMILIES HAS LED TO EXCITING NEW DEVELOPMENTS
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ust a little more than a year ago, newspaper accounts were claiming that the growth of Downtown had been derailed by Superstorm Sandy. Now look how far we’ve come. New industries have been pouring into Lower Manhattan, diversifying the commercial landscape and bringing more people looking for residential opportunities. Long gone are the days when Downtown was dominated by the financial industry and the sidewalks were rolled up at 5:00 p.m. after the final call of the day. New businesses like Condé Nast, Splashlight Studios, AMI and BMI have brought a vibrant, young and family-focused workforce with them. The Fulton Center subway hub will open next summer as the city’s third largest train station after Penn and Grand Central Stations, serving 300,000 people daily. All have helped to change the face of Lower Manhattan into a fully realized community. “The Financial District and Lower Manhattan are in the midst of an exciting transformation
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period that will improve daily life for the growing number of residents, visitors and all New Yorkers,” says a spokesman for the Howard Hughes Corporation, which is in the midst of its own mixed-used redevelopment of the South Street Seaport with retail, hotel and condo facilities. As a result, new construction is flourishing on a wide variety of projects that are as diverse as the people they are intended to serve. Just months ago, the doors swung open for the first time at 4 World Trade Center, and the soaring new 1 World Trade is scheduled to do the same next year. In total, the World Trade Center, when completed, will deliver 10 million square feet of mixed-use development, which will include 500,000 square feet for retail, a museum and a performance arts center and will be served by a spectacular transportation hub. In addition, Silverstein Properties has partnered with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts to develop the city’s second Four Seasons. The Four Seasons Hotel Downtown and Private Residences at 30 Park Place is being designed
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by world-renowned architect Robert A.M. Stern. The project is expected to be completed in 2016. The 90-story limestone tower will be anchored by a 189-room hotel, while the upper floors will feature 157 condominium units. “In a few short years, Downtown will have completed its incredible transformation into the world’s most vibrant, integrated mixed-use destination on a scale not seen in New York City since Rockefeller Center opened in 1939,” says the iconic developer. Further evidence of that comes just up the block—at 233 Broadway—at the historic Woolworth Building. Now known as Woolworth Tower Residences (right), the FiDi building will hold residences starting at 350 feet above the ground level. The top 30 floors will feature 36 luxury apartments, mostly three- and fourbedroom units, along with a five-level penthouse of around 8,000 square feet, which will be housed in the copper-clad cupola that tops out at 792 feet. Originally designed as a public observation area, the cupola has a wraparound
ABOVE: DBOX, COURTESY SILVERSTEIN PROPERTIES; RIGHT: THE PICTORIAL NEWS CO.
BY LUIS VAZQUEZ
outdoor deck reached by a private elevator. With the sales office anticipated to open in May, prices are expected to top $4,000 per square foot. Not far away, at 140 West Street, is a stunning piece of Art Deco architecture that’s been mostly hidden from public view for decades. It has served as the headquarters for Verizon, but last fall, the communications company sold the top 20 floors to Magnum Properties, which converted them into high-end condominiums. Once again, the lower floors will be retained as offices, but the base of the tower will be converted to retail to entice the millions of people who will be visiting or working in the Trade Center, directly across the street. Closer to City Hall stands the magnificent and stunning landmark building at 5 Beekman Street that dates back to 1883 and was Lower Manhattan’s first skyscraper. The breathtaking architecture features a spectacular atrium and, incredibly, stood abandoned for more than 30 years. It will reopen as a luxury hotel, and the
site behind it is being developed by Thompson Hotels into a 40-story, 85-unit condominium tower that will connect to the hotel from Nassau Street. At nearby 70 Pine, arguably the city’s most beautiful tower, which dates back to 1932, there is a similar transformation from office to residential property. Rose Associates is building 644 rental apartments, 132 corporate housing units, 35,000 square feet of retail at the base, and a members-only Panorama Club in the 3-story Observatory which tops the 66-story gem. It is expected to be the most expensive rental building in Downtown when it opens its doors in late 2014. “You’re going to continue to see conversions [of buildings] that no longer serve the needs of commercial tenants to residential use,” says Larry Silverstein, who says the influx of new businesses and families means that this is not your father’s Downtown. “I think it’s wonderful, and it excites the hell out of me to see it.” n DOWNTOWNMAGAZINENYC.COM
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INSIGHTS | INNOVATION
IS DOWNTOWN THE NEW
SILICON VALLEY?
LOWER MANHATTAN EMERGES AS THE CITY’S BUDDING TECH HUB
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ower Manhattan is in a transformative era. Change is everywhere, from new, game-changing retail and restaurant options to spectacular new transit hubs and office towers to a revitalized waterfront—amazing things are happening in every corner of the neighborhood.
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An important part of that change is the evolution of the area from Wall Street to Wired Street. Lower Manhattan has become a top destination for tech and creative companies. Don’t get us wrong, financial services are, and will always be, a pillar of Lower Manhattan, but with more than 600 technol-
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ogy companies now calling Downtown home, and scores more on the way, Lower Manhattan is teeming with new possibilities. This renaissance is rooted in the same reasons the area has a 400-year history of innovation dating back to the time of the Dutch: Lower Manhattan is a regional crossroads that
ABOVE: NEW YORK CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; RIGHT: DOWNTOWN ALLIANCE
BY DARIA SIEGEL, DIRECTOR OF LAUNCHLM
possesses unparalleled transportation access, readily available space with beautiful, sweeping waterfront vistas and proximity to the world’s best and brightest knowledge workers. This is why the Alliance for Downtown New York has created LaunchLM. This effort is built to champion and nourish the growing technology and innovation sector in Lower Manhattan. Developed in collaboration with a group of technology, venture capital, urban planning and real estate professionals who share a desire to help grow innovation and build community, Launch will advance cohesion and excitement in the sector through events, programming and knowledge sharing. The tech community here is growing at a rapid clip. Over the past year alone, the number of tech companies in Lower Manhattan grew by 24 percent. And, this growth is in its early stages. A recent report by Alliance for Downtown New York and LaunchLM documents the growth this sector has achieved. Among a host of other indicators, the report found that within the first seven months of 2013, Lower Manhattan firms located below Chambers Street raised a total of $231 million, accounting for 14 percent of tech start-up venture capital city wide. Our tech and innovation community is now made up of more than 100 start-ups and a diversity of firms ranging from Fast Company, Refinery 29 and Paperless Post to major corporations like Sapient and Investment Technology Group. Media and other creative companies like Condé Nast, Nielsen Media Research, HarperCollins Publishers, GroupM and Droga5 continue to increase their footprint in Lower Manhattan. Just last month, “Take the H.E.L.M.,” the New York City Development Corporations’s competition to bring tech innovators to Lower Manhattan, announced four new winners, bringing new, international
companies to New York, and growing creative and tech industry in the district. Why are we confident this evolution will continue apace? Four reasons: value, accessibility, infrastructure and community. Value: With extremely competitive office rents and proximity to mass transportation, Lower Manhattan has distinct advantages. Asking rents are on average $14 per square foot less than Midtown South, $22 less than Midtown, and $6 less than San Francisco. Accessibility: Lower Manhattan stands at the center of a bi-state, multi-modal public transportation network. It can be reached by 12 subway lines, 30 bus routes, PATH lines, six ferry landings, bike paths, and on foot. The Brain Gain, a recent report by the Downtown Alliance, shows a vast concentration of young, creative workers within a 30-minute commute to Lower Manhattan, making the area an ideal location for technology and innovation companies establishing roots in New York City. Infrastructure: The district is well positioned to nurture the booming tech industry with unbeatable accessibility, a concentrated talent pool, premier broadband infrastructure and adaptable floor plans with affordable and modern office spaces. Many of the iconic landmarks and modern glass and steel
buildings are tech-friendly and designed with flexible, scalable formats. In September, the New York City Economic Development Corporation selected the Alliance to implement a dramatic expansion of free WiFi in Lower Manhattan along the eastern portion of the district, making it easier to stay connected in and out of the office. This new Water Street WiFi Corridor is a tremendous step forward in advancing Lower Manhattan as a global hub of technology and innovation. Community and a sense of place: Lower Manhattan is host to more than 60,000 residents and 300,000 workers. It has a rich history that’s legible in its winding streets, historic attractions and harbors. It has proven that it’s the place where reinvention and renewal takes root not only in our city, but in our country. Through LaunchLM, we are helping to build community amongst the technology and creative industries and then helping to weave them into this rich history. Those industries in turn will confer new vitality, new enterprise and new excitement on our streets and in our economy. These are exciting times in Lower Manhattan, full of change and dynamism. Our one-square mile of Manhattan is well on its way to being that next big place where the future shows its face. n
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CULTURECODE
TALENT | I’M TAWKIN’
The Blacklist star Diego Klattenhoff. Paul Smith sweater Theory corduroy pant
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CULTURE CODE | TALENT
THE TOP OF
L IST CANADIAN DIEGO KLATTENHOFF HAS TAKEN AMERICA BY STORM BY STARRING IN TWO OF TV’S TOP SHOWS
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or a farm kid from Nova Scotia, becoming a big name on one of the hottest shows on American TV is an incredible long shot, but on two? “I know… it’s crazy,” says one of Canada’s most popular imports since hockey, Diego Klattenhoff. The now happily transplanted New Yorker has become a ubiquitous face in American pop culture with starring roles on two of the biggest shows in the last five years—Homeland and The Blacklist. When Homeland held the entire country hostage in its first two seasons, Klattenhoff had the key role as the best buddy of fellow U.S. Marine, former prisoner of war, eventual U.S. congressman and maybe al-Qaeda terrorist, Nicholas Brody. On The Blacklist, he can be seen as by-the-book FBI agent, Donald Ressler, shadowing a super-bad guy who maybe turned good. In both cases, there is no maybe about it— the shows are a smash. “It’s not lost on me how special it is to go from having a prominent part in an award-
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winning show and then being told you won’t be needed in the same capacity,” says the 34-year-old. “You wonder if you’ll find another girl at the party. Then I get offered Blacklist… and suddenly I’m the belle of the ball.” Albeit one with a particularly masculine edge. On The Blacklist, the former hockey and baseball player is a hard-as-nails investigator who’s not thrilled to have to compromise his values to work with James Spader’s super criminal who’s cut a deal with the Feds. In real life, he couldn’t be more thrilled. “It’s been pretty incredible to see someone like Spader who is, I think, a master,” he says. “When I auditioned, he wasn’t attached yet. They were talking to guys like Kiefer Sutherland and Joseph Fiennes. When they got James, it was almost like they had written it for him.” The resulting dynamic among the cast is electric, and the show has been lighting up both the ratings and critical award categories. “Everybody knows it’s a special experience,” Klattenhoff says of himself and his
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happy castmates. “We knew from the start that we didn’t want to screw it up. Everybody wants to do the best we can to make sure we hold on to this as long as possible.” Another benefit of being on top of the dramatic world is the fact that it’s brought him back to live in one of his favorite parts of the real world—New York. “It’s great to live and work here,” says Klattenhoff. “It’s a fantastic place filled with energy and interesting people wherever you go.” And while he’s riding high professionally, Diego prefers living a low-key lifestyle. “I was shopping in Target one day, and this kid was completely blown away that I was buying my own toilet paper,” he says. “He thought I should be acting like a Kardashian or something. Kids are growing up watching these reality stars who turn celebrity into something like, ‘I’m special, so you’d better treat me that way.’ And nothing can be further from the truth. They’re living in the clouds. I prefer New York.” n
PHOTOGRAPHS: HALEY BALLARD. STYLIST: WHITNEY MICHEL; GROOMING: NATALIE MILLER BY MAC COSMETICS; LOCATION: 100 JOHN ST, PENTHOUSE
BY MIKE HAMMER
CULTURE CODE | SLUG
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CULTURE CODE | I’M SLUG TAWKIN’
THIS JUST IN GREG KELLY CO-ANCHORING THE MORNING NEWS ON FOX 5 IS GOOD NEWS FOR NEW YORK BY SUZANNE CORSO
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There may be no face in New York more likeable and trusted than Greg Kelly’s. The popular, friendly and funny co-host of Good Day New York is everybody’s favorite anchorman this side of Ron Burgundy, but he did not take the traditional route to the newsroom.
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PHOTOGRAPH: ALESSANDRO CASAGLI, WWW.CASAGLI.COM’ STYLIST: FABIO CAPUANO
he son of New York City’s respected Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly, Greg is a Fordham grad and former Lieutenant Colonel in the Marine Corps Reserves, who spent nine years as a pilot, accumulating 158 aircraft carrier landings and flying over Iraq to enforce the United Nations’ No-Fly Zone. When his service was over, Kelly pursued a career in journalism. He landed an anchor gig upstate in Binghamton before coming home to the Big Apple to join NY1 as a political reporter, a job which found him chasing down his dad for stories. Ironically, his next job at Fox News took him back to Iraq, where he was an embedded reporter in Baghdad and caught shrapnel from a mortar shell. When he returned stateside, he did it in style, serving as Fox News’ White House correspondent from 2005 to 2007, before joining Rosanna Scotto behind the anchor desk for the morning news show. Kelly recently welcomed our Suzanne Corso into his office to talk about his long road to becoming every New Yorker’s favorite guy to have a cup of coffee with in the morning. How does a former Marine march his way from Baghdad to the anchor desk in New York? I knew I was interested in the Marine Corps, and I was definitely drawn into military service at an early age, because of my father’s experience. I realized at a very young age I could enroll in an officer program as a teen-
ager, which to me seemed a very adult thing to do. I also knew I did not want to do this for the rest of my life. I wanted to do it, learn from it and move on just like my father did. But, also while growing up, I was always interested in news and current events. I remember watching TV news as a four-year-old and reading the paper every day in grade school. Later, at college, I became involved with the radio station, WRUV, but I didn’t really consider journalism as a potential career until I was almost done with my military service. Do you draw from your experiences in the military in this role today as a journalist? My whole world view was shaped by the Marine Corps. It prepared me for everything. It was the foundation for my professional life. Obviously, having been a Marine was valuable when I was embedded with the troops from the invasion of Iraq. How would you explain the great chemistry that you have with Rosanna Scotto? Personally, I don’t see it! Ha! Ha! Just kidding. I feel as though we are cousins—some people say brother and sister. I just feel as though Rosanna is family. We can say just about anything to each other. We grew up in similar cultures; we get the same references. We’re like reflections of each other in the mirror. There is a nice diversity that just fits well and plays out on TV perfectly, except when it’s a disaster! We get each other. We like to think we truly are New York. How do you describe the balance between humor and gravity that you two share on your show? Oh, I guess there’s a time to have fun, there’s a time to be serious. We have a pretty good sense what’s called for. Come to think of it, for a show that takes a lot of risks, we are…what’s the best way to put this… emotionally appropriate most of the time. And we never fake it. We are both emotionally well adjusted and emotionally appropriate. When we do the news, we actually feel the news with the viewers as it’s received. We never fake it. Does being fellow New Yorkers play a role and do you enjoy the visibility and connection that you have to New York? It’s our chief asset. We are true New Yorkers. A lot of the
other newscasters don’t come from New York. We have that extra edge, because we’ve lived it. Your dad is one of the most respected and visible men in New York City. Do you often ask him for advice? Sometimes. But he gives it anyway, whether I ask or not. But my father is a supporter and a fan. Do you think your father’s role as a highly visible public figure made you more comfortable to be in such a public position? Not more comfortable, not less comfortable. He is who he is, and he has that role and I am so proud of him. On certain stories I have to be more sensitive and aware, because people do know the association. Do people now recognize you more than him? My father is far more visible and a hugely more significant public figure than I am. He [has been] our Police Commissioner for almost 12 years now, so of course people do recognize him more so than me, and rightfully so. He did great things for our city. Hands down, he has the more recognizable Kelly face. How do you feel about the city as we move into a new year and a new mayoral administration? I am hopeful that the city will continue to thrive. New York is a great city. Let’s hope it stays that way. I’m glad the campaign is over. I was surprised at how my father’s record and the work of the NYPD were misrepresented by some of the candidates during that time. How would you describe where you are today, both professionally and personally? I am in great places with both. But I guess everybody wants more. Human nature, right? I’d put myself in that category. Maybe the trick is not wanting more, but appreciating more. It is great to be in New York. Professionally for a long time, I traveled with the Fox News Channel and the military for most of my adult life. I was in the Middle East, Asia, and a dozen different states. So it’s nice to be in one place, especially my home. The energy, the people. This is a great gig, and I enjoy it. I am home here. n Good Day New York airs weekdays on Channel 5 from 4:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
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N EW YORK’S
HARVEY KEITEL IS ONE OF THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE FACES AROUND, BUT HIS BEST ATTRIBUTE IS HIS HEART BY MIKE HAMMER PHOTOGRAPHS BY LESLIE HASSLER
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Everybody thinks they know Harvey Keitel. He’s the quintessential tough guy; the third member of the wise guy cinema’s Holy Trinity with Martin Scorcese and Robert De Niro. He’s everybody’s favorite neighborhood gangster from Mean Streets. The bad-ass bank robber from Reservoir Dogs. Oh yeah… wasn’t he that scary cop from The Bad Lieutenant?
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as people look to catch a quick glimpse of one of the big screen’s most recognizable actors at his favorite neighborhood eatery—Robert De Niro’s Nobu. “How do we live? How do we grow? What does it mean to be heroic? How do we cope with failure? As the Buddhists say, ‘The journey is the real experience.’” Keitel’s journey reads like a movie script in itself. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he was a typical doo-wop-loving, school-skipping child of the ’50s. “They politely asked me to leave school, because I barely showed up anyway,” he admits. “I needed to do my learning elsewhere, and that’s how I wound up in the Marines.”
FASHION DIRECTOR: CHARLOTTE COLEMAN; GROOMING: EDWARD CRUZ AT TRACEY MATTINGLY; CATERING BY NOBU
ut if that’s your impression of one of America’s greatest actors and nicest guys, you’re barely scratching the surface, buddy. “No one ever became a true artist by doing just one thing,” says the iconic New York personality whose work has extended far beyond the great Scorcese, and life experience stretches beyond Mean Streets. The Brooklyn-born, long-time TriBeCa resident relishes his diverse career and life experience, and remains determined to continue to learn and evolve with each passing day. “As actors, we’re all looking for something,” he says
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That journey took him to Lebanon, leading patrols in what was an unstable region then, as it is today. “I have to smile about it, because the reality was that me and my fire team of three guys were all that stood between the Arab League and Beirut. Luckily, they never decided to attack.” But if they had, they would have had a fight on their hands with a Marine who believed in what he was doing there. “It truly is a special experience to put yourself in harm’s way in the interests of protecting oppressed people,” he says. “That was a very positive experience for me.”
Reservoir Dogs
Pulp Fiction
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The Piano
e faced a new kind of reality when he returned home without a high school diploma or many prospects. “I had to get my GED and get a job, because I couldn’t get into college,” he says. “I sold shoes for a while, and then a friend of mine hooked me up with a gig as a court stenographer. Then another friend got me interested in joining him at acting school, so I thought I’d give that a try.” “It was a tough go, at first,” he says. “I was clueless. I remember going on a shampoo commercial audition, and I was supposed to dance with this girl. Her friend was supposed to say ‘Hey! He’s got dandruff!’ And I was trying to wing it, so I kissed the girl, which wasn’t in the script. I think that got me banned from the commercial circuit for a while.” And while his friend washed out of the business, Keitel knew he had found his calling and stayed the course. “It wasn’t easy, and I didn’t know what I was doing, but I loved the journey it took me on,” he says.
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That journey led to NYU, where he met Scorcese at an audition, and the two became instant friends and future collaborators. “He cast me in his student dissertation film, and from that moment I knew I was working with someone really special,” he remembers. “The film was a great piece of work called Who’s That Knocking At My Door, and it certainly opened a lot of doors for me.” Mean Streets, the movie that launched both of their careers, co-starred a baby-faced Robert De Niro and a gritty Little Italy setting. It established a new genre in film, and Keitel began his ascent to the heights of American filmmaking with the two men with whom he’ll forever be linked. Hundreds of roles followed on stage, the big screen and television, where he starred in the critically acclaimed Life On Mars, set, of course, in New York. And while he drew fame and acclaim for his tough guy roles, he also stood out in many other parts, including his sensitive portrayal of a lonely settler in 1993’s
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Academy Award-winning, The Piano; a role that revealed to the world the side of Keitel that people who know him love so much. “I don’t think of him as macho at all,” The Piano director Jane Campion said when the film was released. “He’s much more complex than that. He’s very comfortable with women, and he’s very comfortable being directed by a woman. It’s some sort of a heartsoul thing that makes Harvey what he is. It’s the depth of his inquiry into life that makes Harvey so interesting.” And while many people may still see him as the scary guy from Taxi Driver or Pulp Fiction, Keitel is comfortable with any way the public might perceive him, as long as he’s being perceived as putting in a positive effort. “When I went to Cannes to do publicity for The Piano, one of the journalists asked me what it was like to play a romantic part for the first time,” he smiles. “I told him it wasn’t the first time and he asked me when were the others, and I said; ‘Any time I’m in acting class.’ I’m
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“A lot of people miss the authentic myth of New York of years gone by,” he says. “The Little Italy we worked in was safe because of the gangsters, but dangerous because of them, too.…”
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nity of today, and he’s happy to have been a part of every era in between. “A lot of people miss the authentic myth of New York of years gone by,” he says. “The Little Italy we worked in was safe because of the gangsters, but dangerous because of them, too. I miss the mom and pop shops and soda fountains, but that’s progress. Bloomberg did a wonderful job creating a truly family-friendly city. When I first came here, there was only one park, and now we have this amazing waterfront with incredible facilities for our kids. The schools are fabulous and now overcrowded, because so many people have discovered this place. It’s an incredible place to live.”
Mean Streets
Taxi Driver always working on my talent, otherwise I’d be wasting my time… and yours.” His “love of the experience” that each of his roles brings, makes it difficult for him to pin down his favorites. He happily says that his “favorite” part of the work is the connection it allows him to make with people. “The work I do is in the public eye,” he says. “So everything I do is only as good as the response it gets. Among my favorite lucky experiences are probably the ones that mean the
most to you. That’s what’s important to me.” What’s also important to him is Lower Manhattan and the life that he’s built there over the course of nearly three decades. “L.A. is a wonderful place to visit and a lot of the business is there, and I’ve traveled the world because of my work, but this is my home and I wouldn’t want that to ever change,” he says. Keitel has been witness to the evolution of Downtown from the Mean Streets of the Scorcese days to the family-oriented commu-
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e can often be seen lending his time to speak about his craft at schools, feeling his experiences are valuable to share. But when asked about his charitable causes, he shyly pronounces, “To be charitable is its own cause.” Incredibly, at this moment Keitel’s cell phone rings, and on the other end is a representative for Toys For Tots. His name is Alex Kitsakos, a retired Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant, who tells the writer that Keitel has lent his time and efforts to the program for 15 years. “He has been amazing,” says the former Marine with admiration. “He goes to the schools. He goes to our events. He gives toys to the kids. He’s as heroic as he was when he was a prototype Marine.” But Keitel waves off any talk of heroism. “When somebody puts out their hand, you give,” before he wryly pauses to add, “Put your hand down, pal!” He talks about future projects, including a film he shot in India called Gandhi of the Month and another he just finished shooting in Brazil called Rio, I Love You. He’s particularly excited about a TV show he’s working on with his wife, Daphna, which reminds him it’s time to walk home to her and his son, Roman. But as he does, he sparkles once more about the good life they’ve all found together Downtown. “This place is magical,” he says. “It is infused with a neighborhood spirit that only grew after 9/11. When that happened, our neighbors only got more creative and combative, because they don’t like to be pushed around. I love it here.” As he walks home, the smiling faces that greet him along the way indicate the feeling is mutual. n
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PASSPORT
DUBAI BY BRIAN OWENS
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ew cities can compete with the sheer extravagance of Dubai. The world’s tallest skyscraper, the world’s largest shopping mall, an indoor ski resort on a beach and a man-made archipelago visible from space are just a few of Dubai’s claims. These projects—and even more colossal ones in the pipeline—are the grist for a well-oiled publicity machine that has put Dubai on the map as the go-to destination for tourists looking for the latest in over-the-top luxury. The enabler for this glitzy metropolis on the Persian Gulf is His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, a constitutional monarchy. The sheik’s visionary leadership has helped build Dubai’s unique brand of brash, western excess in a Middle East setting. A hands-on manager, he has been personally involved in many of the
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emirate’s major projects, from sketching out the concept of the wondrous Palm Islands to streamlining projects through an otherwise tricky bureaucracy. Projects get an instant green light at the snap of his fingers. Dubai is not just the name of the city but also the name for one of the seven emirates in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) federation. From a simple pearl-diving and trading post on Dubai Creek, Dubai has quickly grown in a few decades to become a global city as well as a business and cultural hub in the Middle East. Beneath the shining skyscrapers, wrap-around highways and ostentatious display of extreme wealth, Dubai is rooted in the desert-dwelling Bedouin culture noted for its storytelling, poetry, song, dance and falconry—all of which have been repackaged for the tourist trade.
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DOWNTOWN ON | TRAVEL
PASSPORT | DOWNTOWN ON
HOTELS
BURJ AL ARAB Like a giant billowing sail that reaches more than 1,000 feet into the air, the Burj Al Arab is a striking landmark in Dubai (and the fourth tallest hotel tower in the world). Inside this opulent hotel, the sweeping, modern design is interspersed with flashes of Arabian art. A suite-only hotel, the most luxurious is the Royal Suite that features a towering fourposter canopy bed on a rotating pedestal and a staircase built from marble and gold. In Dubai, when something looks like gold, it is gold. Each floor of the hotel has its own reception desk and team of butlers available to you. You can order a chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce for a tour of the town or an exquisite dinner in your room overlooking the Gulf and the glittering coastline. Or make reservations at the in-hotel restaurant Mahara, one of the best in Dubai. Don’t forget to visit the Skyview Bar on the 27th floor, where you get a real sense of the architectural achievements of Dubai.
DAR AL MASYAF AT MADINAT JUMEIRAH Inspired by the traditional courtyard summer houses of old Arabia, the standalone two-story houses of Dar Al Masyaf at Madinat Jumeirah offer visitors an exquisitely designed hideaway from the heat and crowds. Guests can choose from among 29 private or shared houses, many with their own private swimming pools. The houses are accessible by scenic waterways and paths that wind their way through lush landscaped gardens. Inside, these houses feature opulent and spacious rooms and suites, with balconies that offer views of the passing water taxis or access to the beach. The on-site Talise Spa boasts an impressive collection of relaxing and pampering spa treatments provided in a tranquil, relaxing and luxurious environment.
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PASSPORT | SLUG
RESTAURANTS
TABLE 9 When Gordon Ramsay left the Hilton Dubai Creek in 2011, food aficionados expected a deterioration of the Dubai restaurant scene. On the contrary, the selection of culinary choices has increased in quality and quantity, including at the Hilton. Today, the restaurant, known as Table 9, is a unique concept restaurant that has become a platform for talented chefs to create their own concoctions. The result is a restaurant with a reputation for high-quality, original dishes and a personalized dining experience.
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TEATRO With a motto that promises, “Where Eastern cooking meets Western Cuisine,� the dishes at Teatro provide a lively choice from Thailand, China, Italy and India, as well as an extensive sushi menu. Teatro is a well-known and popular establishment and often booked up days in advance. But its excellent fare and value for money make it a good choice.
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AL HADHEERAH Al Hadheerah in the Bab Al Shams Resort & Spa features Emerati food and entertains its dinners with actors riding horses and acting out swordplay, as well as belly dancers and henna artists performing for hours. The restaurant, in a desert setting surrounded by sand dunes, is about a 40-minute drive from the city. While ideal for families, others may find it a tad too touristy.
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NIGHTLIFE
360 Perched at the end of a man-made outcropping a kilometer out to sea, the glassed-in, circular 360 is the place to see and be seen in Dubai. Noted for hosting guest DJs such as Hernan Cattaneo, Spirit Catcher and Milton Jackson, the club has won many of the nightlife awards from Time Out and the UK DJ magazine. BOUDOIR DUBAI One of the most exclusive venues in the city, Time Out Dubai suggests that if you want to get past the door staff, you need to dress to impress and preferably arrive as a couple. The place attracts a predominantly Lebanese crowd and offers complimentary drinks for the ladies.
SHOPPING
The Dubai Mall, located at the foot of the Burj Kahlifa, the world’s tallest skyscaper, is Dubai’s biggest and most extravagant. With some 1,200 shops, a 22-screen cinema, 95 elevators, 150 escalators, an Olympic-sized ice rink and a giant aquarium with 33,000 aquatic inhabitants, even the shopping-averse may enjoy the experience. Most of the brands you find in New York are here—with a difference. The shopping experience is more fun. An elaborate, choreographed fountain along the mall’s waterfront promenade adds a fitting sense of frivolity. “They really know how to do the ‘wow’ factor —however contrived,” quipped one tourist.
HIDDEN GEM
While every conceivable aspect of this slick emirate has been amply publicized, the souks in Dubai Creek are not high on the list of the promotional literature and offer a more authentic “old” Dubai experience. If you’ve got a knack for bargaining and an eye for quality, you can find deals on ornate Arab jewelry, gold, textiles and spices. But you’ve got to work for it. n
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PASSPORT | TRAVEL
Amazing
ANGUILLA ALL-STAR ACCOMMODATIONS, FIVE-STAR FOOD AND UNPARALLELED NATURAL BEAUTY ARE JUST A SHORT FLIGHT AWAY IN THIS UNDERSTATED JEWEL OF THE CARIBBEAN
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obody will confirm it, but there’s a rumor that Lady Gaga recently stayed in the house—the aptly named Ultimacy Villa—where we’re currently having lunch. It’s easy to see why. Located off an unmarked road near Shoal Bay East, the excruciatingly private, star-worthy villa has eight bedrooms, ten bathrooms, three kitchens, a gym with two treadmills and a full-time staff that includes a butler, a security team and a housekeeper. Although there’s no beach—the home is perched on a rocky bluff overlooking the endless blue sea (and Michael Dell’s manse)—the stunning pool and tiled pavilion more than make up for it. Lady Gaga isn’t the only celebrity who’s been spotted on Anguilla, a diminutive isle located just a few miles, yet a world away, from
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bustling St. Maarten. Islanders report regular sightings of A-listers like Uma Thurman, Paul McCartney, Michael Jordan and Beyoncé. “They come because they know no one will bother them,” says our boat captain as he takes us past a villa where Denzel Washington may or may not have stayed. “We’re pretty laid back.” And why shouldn’t they be? Rimmed with billowy pale-pink sand lapped by evanescent turquoise water, Anguilla is a star in its own right, as beautiful as any island and as tranquil as a daydream. You could spend all your island time listening to the waves, snorkeling, sailing or just walking along the beach. Or you could do as we did and eat your way through the island. Some tropical locales make it easy to stay in bathing-suit shape by serving cheap industrial
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food to the masses. Not Anguilla. All over the island, in restaurants that range from elegant rooms decked out with crystal wine glasses and silver flatware to beach bars where sandy feet are welcome and the beer is pulled straight from an ice-filled cooler, local chefs are turning out creative dishes and old standbys that are hard to resist. In one eating marathon we sipped bittersspiked rum punch and nibbled conch salad, while snapper cooked on an outdoor grill at Uncle Ernie’s, a beach shack on Shoal Bay beach, and less than an hour later tucked into grilled lobster, crayfish and chicken on a patio with a view of the ocean at da’Vida’s Bayside Grill. CIA-trained chef Carrie Bogner and her husband Jerry moved from Philadelphia to Anguilla in 2006 to open Veya’s. Today, diners flock to the restaurant for butter poached lobster with
PHOTOGRAPH: VICEROY HOTEL GROUP
BY KATIE MCELVEEN
Viceroy Anguilla Resort spinach risotto, crayfish in ginger beurre blanc and shrimp in a coconut curry sauce, all served on a second-story porch tucked into a tropical garden. The night we dined at the restaurant, Omari Banks, the son of reggae legend Banksy Banx, sat under a crystal chandelier with a guitar and entertained diners with his signature soulful reggae songs; it’s worth making a reservation on a night he’ll be performing. Then there’s Blanchard’s. It’s been 20 years since Vermonters Bob and Melinda Blanchard opened their restaurant on Meads Bay, but in that time, the restaurant—with its signature aqua shutters and warm, welcoming service—has only gotten better. Don’t miss the cracked coconut dessert— a handmade chocolate shell filled with coconut ice cream and a nip of Bailey’s—or the sinful apricot bread pudding.
The island’s top resorts have also gotten into the culinary scene. The hippest spot on the island is the Sunset Lounge at Viceroy Anguilla, where creative sushi (try the signature guavastudded tuna sunset roll), salmon poke and Kobe beef sliders are served to guests sitting on low-slung couches with views over the infinity pool to the ocean. If you decide to stay the night, book one of the rooftop studios, which sport a spiral staircase to a very private top-floor balcony set with a plunge pool and lounge chairs. It would be tempting to eat at Pimm’s at Cap Juluca, but even harder to resist room service in the Jonquil Suite, the resort’s freshly renovated two-bedroom suite. Located at the very end of the resort, the serene space has its own pool and quiet stretch of beach perfect for dinner of lobster bisque, truffled asparagus and
swordfish with green peppercorns under the stars. Done in soft shades of aqua and silver, the suite also has outdoor bathrooms with Jacuzzi tubs off of each bedroom. Food is so important at CuisinArt—yes, the resort is affiliated with the kitchen products company—that the resort grows much of its own produce on a hydroponic farm on the property. The freshest choices go straight to the chef for his luxurious six-course dinners held each Wednesday in the private dining room adjacent to the presentation kitchen. The foodcentric resort is also home to a sushi restaurant, a French bistro and an Italian restaurant. Rooms have ocean views, oversized balconies and large soaking tubs; the resort’s one-bedroom villa sits away from the resort and has its own pool and entry courtyard and direct beach access. n
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STYLEVAULT
ON NICOLLE: Pamella Roland dress, $7,205 Alexis Bittar bracelet, $475 Alexis Bittar bracelet, $395 Yossi Harari earrings, $5,875 Pame Design ring, $100 LivHaley ring, $4,295
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DOWNTOW
FASHION | BEAUTY | GROOMING | FITNESS
STYLE VAULT | WHITE FASHION
LET THERE BE LIGHT Bounce into spring’s freshest fashion in crisp white looks as seen in the stunning penthouse at 75 Wall Street. This shade is guaranteed to lighten up your mood and set the tone after a brutally long winter. PHOTOGRAPHS: HALEY BALLARD STYLIST: CHARLOTTE ROSE COLEMAN
STYLE VAULT | SLUG
ON NICOLLE: Stylists own sweater tank Milly skirt, $325 Mallary Marks earrings, $13,630 Robert Lee Morris bracelet, $750 Sutra Silver ring, $450 Sergio Rossi pumps, $625 ON DEREK: Vince sweater, $285 Porsche Design trouser, $460 Stubbs & Wootton loafers, $450
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ON NICOLLE: Mathieu Mirano dress, $1,295 Judith & Charles jacket, $425 Mathieu Mirano necklace, $2,580 Manolo Blahnik pumps, $595
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MODELS: NICOLLE LOBO AT Q MODEL MANAGEMENT, DEREK KEETON AT RED MODEL MANAGEMENT; HAIR: ELIZABETH MERGLER FOR JULIEN FAREL HAIRCARE; MAKEUP: YUKO MIZUNO FOR CHANEL COSMETICS AT RONA REPRESENTS; MANICURE: YUKI MAKISHI FOR PRITINYC AT RONA REPRESENTS; LOCATION: LOFT PENTHOUSE 3 AT 75 WALL, THE LUXURY CONDOMINIUM ATOP ANDAZ WALL STREET; CATERING: CHEFJUAN ALFONSO GONZALEZ
STYLE VAULT | SLUG
STYLE VAULT | TIME PIECES
REAL TIME See how the sharply dressed real estate agents of Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing New York manage to stay on-time. PHOTOGRAPHS: NICK STOKES STYLIST: CHARLOTTE ROSE COLEMAN INTERVIEW: CHARLOTTE BRYANT
DOWNTOWN GETS PERSONAL WITH FREDRIK Where do you live in Manhattan? Chelsea How did you get into real estate? I moved to New York from Sweden by myself. I knew I wanted to be successful. I was really hungry, and my friends told me I would be good at real estate. I’m very
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number driven and analytical, but I’m also eccentric and crazy. To be successful in real estate you have to have both of those sides. I tried it out, and I did really well. What is the difference between a real estate agent’s style versus someone in a more traditional
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career? A real estate agent cannot be boring, ever. You’re out with clients all day. How do you describe your personal style? I always do really colorful socks, different color shoes, and very colorful ties. I try to mix and match. I’m currently wearing a
jean suit. I like to combine unexpected materials. Why do you love this watch? I love a big gold watch. It’s as simple as that. I like the weight of it. It’s my only accessory. I have my wedding ring, but that’s really it; I don’t wear any other jewelry.
WATCH ON FREDRIK: Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date II 41mm 18kt yellow gold on a president bracelet, $34,850
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DOWNTOWN GETS PERSONAL WITH RYAN Where do you live in Manhattan? Chelsea
What is the difference between a real estate agent’s style versus someone in a more traditional career? I think especially now finance is very regulated. You can’t overdress, you can’t bling it out, and you have to be at the service of your clients. They don’t stand out. With real estate, most agents don’t have an office and the business is done on the street. It’s all about first impressions. Real estate agents can take more risks. How do you describe your personal style? Young James Bond meets Tom Ford. Why do you love this watch? It’s not on the market yet; it will be released in May. It’s big and manly. It has rose gold, but it also has a nice black leather band, so it’s not pure bling. You have to be careful with too much bling or you’re just a douchebag. A watch is the biggest piece of jewelry for a man. A watch is a man’s statement.
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WATCH ON RYAN: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph 44mm rose gold case on an alligator strap, $40,700
HAIR: ELIZABETH MERGLER FOR JULIEN FAREL HAIRCARE; GROOMING: EDWARD CRUZ @ SEE MANAGEMENT FOR MAC COSMETICS; PHOTO ASSISTANT: ZACK AHERN
How did you get into real estate? I had a friend who I went to college with who said that I was never going to make it as a hand model. I needed to get into a job where I could pay rent. I came to New York randomly because I was cast on As The World Turns. I did that soap opera for a while. The writers strike hit in 2008, and then I had no money. I could’ve gone home, but I took the advice of my friend who said real estate is the greatest thing in the world. It’s like gold—it goes up and up. So I got my real estate license in the summer of 2008.
STYLE VAULT | SLUG DOWNTOWN GETS PERSONAL WITH LUIS Where do you live in Manhattan? Battery Park How did you get into real estate? I was sleeping on a friend’s couch for six months. I didn’t have a job. I decided to look for an apartment, and I went onto Craigslist. There was a $2,400 with two bedrooms and two bathrooms in the Financial District. It sounded too good to be true. I went downtown and was shown the model unit. It was actually a studio that they told you to put fake walls in. The reality is I liked the apartment so much that I ended up taking it. I didn’t have the money, so I took out a loan under my dad’s name to pay six months up front. The broker who rented me that apartment said he thought I should try real estate. I took my license test and closed my first deal three days after. What is the difference between a real estate agent’s style versus someone in a more traditional career? I don’t believe that people should dress for the job they have; they should dress for themselves. That’s what personal style is all about. If I were in a different career, I would dress exactly the same. How do you describe your personal style? I’m very traditional and classic. I like simple and more 1920s-style. I’m not too flashy, and I don’t use too much color. Why do you love this watch? It’s classic. With a Patek Philippe, they don’t need to design something crazy in order to tell you that they’re expensive or grand. They just are.
WATCH ON LUIS: Patek Philippe Ref. 5123R Men’s Calatrava rose gold with silvery opaline dial on a matte dark brown alligator strap, $26,800
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Zinke bra, $95; Alexis Bittar bracelet, $225; Alexis Bittar ring, $295
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STYLE VAULT | BEAUTY
I lluminate
Y OUR EYES
BRIGHTEN YOUR EYES WITH THESE EYE ESSENTIALS
p HIGHLIGHTER: Kevyn Aucoin Eyeshadow Single in Light Bone, $30 t BROW GEL: Joey Healy Brow Structure Clear Set, $25
u MAKE-UP REMOVER: Caudalie Make-Up Remover Cleansing Water, $28 t EYELINER: Eyeko Eye Do Liquid Eyeliner, $19
p MASCARA: Makeup Forever Smoky Extravagant Mascara, $24 p
p FAUX LASHES: Laura Mercier Faux Corner Lashes, $18
PHOTOGAPHY: DYLAN PEREZ; STYLIST: CHARLOTTE ROSE COLEMAN; MAKEUP: EDWARD CRUZ AT SEE MANAGAMENT FOR C; HAIR: MARK ANTHONY FOR JULIEN FAREL HAIRCARE; MODEL: CLARE C AT MAJOR MODEL; GAFFER: PETER VERTEFEUILLE; BEAUTY EDITOR: CHARLOTTE ROSE COLEMAN
p
MUST T RY
u EYE SHADOW PRIMER: Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion Anti-Aging, $24
p EYE PALETTE: Marc Jacobs Beauty Style Eye Con No.7, $59 DOWNTOWNMAGAZINENYC.COM
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STYLE VAULT | BEAUTY SLUG
B EST F ACE F ORWARD A LOOK BEYOND BOTOX AND FILLERS TO THE MODERN STATE OF FACELIFTS BY DR. MICHAEL C. BRUCK Botox and fillers have enabled many women and men to maintain a youthful appearance and enhance their looks without having to undergo surgery. However, as aging progresses, Botox (Dysport, Xeominmore recently introduced in the U.S.) and fillers can no longer sustain a natural youthful appearance.
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PHOTOGRAPHS: ROCIO SEGURA; PHOTO ASSISTANT: ALESSIA REGGIANI; MAKE-UP: CAMILLE TOMPHSON; HAIR: KIET PHONG; STYLIST: FABIO CAPUANO; MODEL: MICHELLE @ NEW YORK MODELS; TOPS: TESS JOHNSON
PUT YOUR
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T
he aging process is complex. How we age depends on a variety of factors—genetic, environmental, and how we have cared for ourselves. Facial aging results in loss of facial volume— deflation from fat atrophy, descent of facial tissues, jowl formation, sunken cheeks, and loss of jawline definition. Over time facial shape gradually changes from heart-shaped to rectangular with loss of the gentle undulating curves of youth replaced by facial hollowing, fat redistribution and facial asymmetry. Facelifts properly, and artistically, performed can restore a soft, natural, youthful appearance that radiates health, vitality and beauty. Modern facelifts use deeper tissue layers to restore facial shape, enhance symmetry and replace volume. Facial volume is also enhanced by fat injections/fat transfer, which is often performed in conjunction with facelift surgery (fat is usually taken from the hip roll or abdomen with a modified liposuction technique). Several facelift techniques use a variant of the SMAS (supramuscular aponeurotic system)—a tissue layer that is intimately attached to the underlying facial muscles below with connection to the skin above—to restore facial shape. As the SMAS is elevated, jowls are raised, the corner of the mouth is elevated, the nasolabial fold (from nose to corner of mouth) is softened, and descended tissues are repositioned, restoring fullness to the cheeks. Another technique that uses deeper tissue to rejuvenate the face is a subperiosteal
facelift. Facial tissues are separated from their attachment to the underlying cheekbones and lifted. Longer recovery and increased risks have made this a less popular technique among plastic surgeons. Although some excess skin is removed in SMAS and subperiosteal techniques, the skin is not “pulled tight,” and there is no “operated look.” Inconspicuously placed incisions generally heal with imperceptible scars. Facelifts are individualized to meet the needs of each patient. Whether you are a candidate for a facelift can be determined during a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon. During the initial consultation, considerable time is spent discussing and understanding the patient’s goals. An in-depth facial analysis is performed and a treatment plan developed. Additional procedures may be recommended to address the forehead, eyelids and neck. It is very helpful to bring nonsmiling photos of yourself when you were in your 20s and 30s, which serve as a reference point of your inherent facial architecture. Patients should not decide which facelift technique best suits them, but rather, choose
a surgeon whom they trust and in whom they have confidence. The best technique for your surgeon to use is the one with which he or she is most comfortable and that produces the most natural result. Facelift surgery is very gratifying for both patient and surgeon. Everyone ages differently, so there is no universal age at which it is best to have a facelift. There are patients in their 40s who would benefit from a facelift, and others in their 70s and 80s who would benefit as well. Your plastic surgeon should be certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery or the American Board of Facial Plastic Surgery, have a sound understanding of the underlying anatomic changes that accompany facial aging, strong technical skills and an artistic eye. Patient safety must always be the top priority. The surgery should be performed in a certified facility, with an experienced anesthesiologist and experienced, well-trained assistants and operating room staff. Surgery is a team endeavor. So if you see your mother (or father) when you look in the mirror, it just might be time to schedule a consultation. n
KEEP YOUR CHIN UP! Very often, the aging of the neck becomes a source of anxiety. Several years ago, Nora Ephron wrote a book called I Hate My Neck. Sometimes these changes are severe enough to require plastic surgery. However, age-related changes often can be improved with minimal down time and less expense by using a combination of laser therapy, creams and, if indicated, Botox. Laser procedures, which reverse aging of the neck, include the Refirme laser, which causes only slight discomfort and no down time and sometimes is used in conjunction with a pulsed dye laser. In other cases, a sublative laser, such as the Matrix or Fraxel, may be the instrument of choice. Each of these lasers works in different ways by stimulating collagen formation in the skin and may require a series of treatments. Discuss these procedures with your dermatologist to see which approach is best for you. Prevention is always better than a cure. To minimize aging, apply sunscreen on the neck, as well as on the face and hands. Remember to use a mild cleanser or soap and a non-irritating moisturizer cream. Finally, if you are really lucky and win the lottery, a nice diamond necklace will enhance any neck.—Dr. Albert Lefkovits, Associate Clinical Professor of Dermatology, The Mount Sinai School of Medicine
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Gant shirt Ovadia & Sons leather jacket 3x1 denim jeans
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u SHAVING CREAM: Ursa Major Stellar Shave Cream, $24
u BRUSH: Art of Shaving Chrome Fine Badger Brush, $75
t MOISTURIZER: MDSolarScience Daily Anti-Aging Moisturizer, $68
MUST T RY u PRESHAVE OIL: Elmis Shave Oil, $37
t RAZOR: Harry’s Engraved Winston, $35
t MOISTURIZER: Ahava Age Control, $32
PHOTOGRAPH: HALEY BALLARD; STYLIST: WHITNEY MICHEL; BEAUTY EDITOR: CHARLOTTE ROSE COLEMAN
t
t AFTER SHAVE: Apivita After Shave Balm $35
The Art of
S AVING FACE PRODUCTS TO ACHIEVE THE PERFECT SHAVE When transitioning from winter to spring, your skin can be damaged with all the inconsistencies in temperatures. To avoid dry and easy to damage skin, ensure facial safety with proper products and shaving habits. Kick up your grooming game
to another level this spring with these shaving aids that will protect your face from razor burn, making your daily routine safer, your skin softer and supple during the spring season.
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STYLE VAULT | SLUG
M anhattan
M ANSCAPING
NYC’S BEST MEN’S GROOMING DESTINATIONS BY JOSEPH AMELLA, JR.
BLIND BARBER ALPHABET CITY, 339 E 10TH STREET $ ONLY $40 CUTS An array of old-fashioned barbers offer excellent customer service and attention to detail in an effort to provide the perfect cut and shave for the postmodern gentleman. Even better? You get a glass of beer or a cocktail, when you walk in the door.
FELLOW BARBER THE WEST VILLAGE, 5 HORATIO STREET $$ ONLY $42 CUTS, $56 BEARD-TRIMMING Formerly known as F.S.C., the barber shop boasts a vintage, no-frills experience. Friendly and personal hot-towel service and authentic straight-razor shaves provide the perfect throwback barber experience.
MORTAL MAN
COMMON S H AV IN G M IS TA K E S The shaving process doesn’t end when you put down your razor. One of the worst grooming mistakes a man can make is not having a postshave moisturizing routine. Shaving puts skin under stress, often drying and irritating it along the way. When you’ve finished, a regular treatment is needed to rehydrate, soothe and rejuvenate your face. Use a moisturizing cream or balm with SPF and soothing oils to protect and calm your face. This conditioning regimen will leave you with a glow and will make hair softer and finer over time.
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GARMENT DISTRICT, 257 W 39TH STREET $$$$ PRICEY Owner Anna Augustsson’s renowned facials and skin treatments are one-to-one, painless and personable. She offers facials, manipedis, holistic detox treatments and an unusual ionic detox footbath treatment for men only.
NICKEL SPA FOR MEN CHELSEA, 77 8TH AVENUE $$$ COMPETITIVE FOR MOST SERVICES Clubby, clean and trendy, Nickel Spa offers a wide range of spa and wellness treatments from barber services to laser hair removal and sunless tanning, as well as hair restoration treatments and its famed Morning After Rescue Gel for hangovers.
STYLE VAULT | FITNESS
BY KIRK MYERS, TANIMA SEN AND JIN LONG ZHEN OF KIRK FITNESS
LET’S TAKE THIS OUTSIDE
WOMEN’S B OOT CAMP As winter weather breaks and we head into spring, hard-working women may find it increasingly difficult to stay indoors to workout. A class at Strong Healthy Woman Boot Camp (StrongHealthyWoman.com) is the answer. The hour-long class begins with a team warm-up run along the Hudson River and through serene and beautiful manicured lawns of Battery Park and TriBeCa Piers.
B ACK IN THE SADDLE Biking is a fitness option that connects all of us with the city we live in. There’s nothing like getting out in the fresh spring air and getting in a good workout at the same time. Cycling is great for your heart, builds muscle and burns calories. Riding in the city can be tricky with all the traffic, so make sure to follow safety guide-
Don’t let the “boot camp” in the name fool you; this is not a military program. You will work your butt off from start to finish, because the class is designed by a physical therapist who has a passion for HIIT (high intensity interval training). The workout infuses smart metabolic training that will push you to your personal limits with minimal risk of injuries. Be prepared to use anything and everything around you, as nature is your workout equipment for this class. One minute you will find yourself doing partner bear crawl races in the grass, the next doing power jumps on benches, then finishing with ab crunches on a swing set. This workout was designed for women, by women. It is common to see a participant drop 10-15 pounds in a month, making it a big draw for those who have just given birth and are anxious to kick the baby weight! The results show quickly, because the routine is a total body workout that infuses strength training and cardio drills with short rest periods.
Laura Miranda, a physical therapist and personal trainer, started Strong Healthy Woman in 2006, when New York outdoor fitness programs were in their infancy. She decided that the best way to train all of her fitness clients was to create a team workout that would start at 5:30 a.m., before most people are awake. The program was expanded to late morning and evening classes in NYC and to an additional location in Long Island. Laura’s goal was to get people away from the same old machines and out in the real world. Women love getting away from the boring routine of the gym and the intimidation they sometimes feel in the weight room. All fitness levels are welcome, and participants have the option to join the team for a four-week program for $325 that comes with a nutritional blueprint, mindset and lifestyle reeducation, and daily accountability e-mails and social media group participation. Or participants can just take one class for $33 to supplement their current training routine.
lines, abide by the same rules as other vehicles and follow the traffic flow. Safety equipment, such as a helmet, a bell or horn, working brakes, lights and reflectors, is also important. But once you’re out on the road, you can soak in the scenery while burning calories. Here are our picks for New York’s best bike paths.
backdrop of New York City. The island is fully open to the public and completely car-free, making it an incredibly pastoral setting just a stone’s throw from Lower Manhattan. The Island has recently been completely renovated with new park attractions and can be reached by both the East River and free Governor’s Island ferries. They each accommodate bikes, and you can also rent single and tandem bikes on the island.
THE HUDSON RIVER GREENWAY Probably the most popular bike route, this path lines the West Side of Manhattan, along the beautiful Hudson River, from Battery Park City all the way to the George Washington Bridge. It can be a bit crowded with runners and tourists, so keep your head up, but the views are spectacular and there are great parks, restaurants, the Intrepid Museum and the 79th Street Boat Basin (with a great outdoor restaurant) along this marvelous ride all the way to Inwood and back! GOVERNOR’S ISLAND There is a great new bike loop that circles this beautifully serene setting with the breathtaking
CENTRAL PARK The literal centerpiece of our city provides a terrific terrain for fitness and sightseeing. The six-mile loop is closed to traffic during various weekday hours and on all weekends and holidays. The road will take you around the full perimeter of the beautiful park where you can stop at many of the top attractions, including the Great Lawn for some softball, the Boathouse for drinks and the Sheep Meadow for some sunbathing. One loop should take about 30 minutes and burn about 300 calories.
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STYLE VAULT | PROFILE
N ORMA KAMALI BY FIONA TEDDS
N
orma Kamali is ready for the day. She is chatting about her frontrow tickets to see Beyoncé, who has chosen to wear her designs in some of her new videos. Chicly dressed in a suit made of gray jersey, the designer has an energy and spirit remarkable for any woman—especially for one who has been working in the New York fashion industry for almost 50 years. Kamali describes the 1970s as “a time when fashion was at its most original… its most unique, stimulating and creative… when to walk through Central Park in the summer in a velvet dress was not an extraordinary thing!” She cites Cher as a huge influence on fashion,
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and comments, “This was when her passion for comfortable, sexy, modern clothing was born, [in] a timeless style that transcends fashion.” While she designed the famous red bathing suit worn in the iconic 1976 Farrah Fawcett image (the suit now belongs to the Smithsonian), her designs today can be seen on celebrities such as Miley Cyrus, who she dressed for the European MTV awards in a silver foil turtleneck dress, and Christina Aguilera seen on The Voice in a pair of Kamali’s studded shorts. She is known for her innovation and her remarkable skill of producing classic designs that always seem modern. The core of her affordable Kamali Kulture line are “dresses I designed in 1973 but in new
DOWNTOWNMAGAZINENYC.COM
types of fabric.” After working on a Univac computer at a job at Northwest Airlines in the 1960s, she foresaw the importance of technology in business. She became the first designer to have an online store on eBay and now has unique on-line service, where customers can “Try Before You Buy.” There are comparisons with another great survivor in fashion history—Coco Chanel. Early on, they both used soft jersey, and they are both still relevant and fashionable, 40 years later. And with her face framed by heavy bangs and glasses—like the French designer— Kamali understands how to make any woman feel fabulous. n
PHOTOGRAPH: EVA ANDRÈ; STYLIST: FABIO CAPUANO
FACE-TO-FACE WITH THE FIRST LADY OF NEW YORK FASHION
LITTLEAPPLE
KIDS’ FASHION | FAMILY | PARENTING
SPRING IS IN THE AIR
Spring is a time of new beginnings and nowhere is that more true than Downtown in New York’s “Diaper District.” The Department of Health released a report earlier this year stating that Lower Manhattan’s birth rate had increased by 10 percent in 2012 with 1,100 babies born in that year alone. According to a recent survey, 1,500 preschool/elementary students live in the Financial District. More young families are choosing Lower Manhattan as a place to put down roots. And with even more green parks and family facilities dotting our community, it looks like it’s gonna be a great place for these kids to grow up. n
ON EZRA: Stella McCartney denim, $70; Burberry shirt, $85; Burberry sweater, $100
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LITTLE APPLE | KIDS’ FASHION
u LITTLE MARC JACOBS Girls Pants, $93
S pring ESSENTIALS LITTLE APPLE-ISTAS ENJOY THE SPRING FASHION t MINI BODEN Pointelle Cardigan, $32
u JOHN GALLIANO KIDS Girls Drop Waist Dress, $154
t VANS Boys & Girls Shoes, $50
u JELLY BEANS JELLYS Shoes, $30
MUST T RY t MINI BODEN Embroidered Dress, $40
u CREW CUTS Boys Blue Shorts, $50 t JOHN GALLIANO KIDS Boys Orange Shorts, $130
t TOMMY HILFIGER Boys T-shirts, $35
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LITTLE APPLE | FAMILY FOCUS
D ishing with DOWNTOWN
M OMS
TOUCHING BASE WITH LOWER MANHATTAN FITNESS EXPERT TRACY ANDERSON
C
elebrated fitness expert and Downtown mom, Tracy Anderson, is the creator of the renowned “Tracy Anderson Method,” which features her own unique dance-cardio workout. Her fitness programs, such as Metamorphosis, have helped her collect famed clients ranging from Shakira to Jennifer Lopez. Lifestyle and Family Editor, Denise Courter, caught up with Tracy in her TriBeCa studio to talk to her about why she is so devoted to fitness and Downtown. What is your best parenting advice? Parents are obsessed with knowledge and not leaning in to their gut and imagination and creativity. Yes, knowledge is power, but it’s not more powerful than your gut as a mother.
TRACY’S FAVES Downtown Playground: Washington Market Park. My daughter loves that park and visiting with the dogs at the dog run nearby.
What are your favorite things about being a city mom? I love the access to different types of visual, energetic and artistic opportunities that come with city living. Then there’s the access to the high level of teachers, energy and spaces that are important to the development of kids in the city.
Place to get a cocktail: The Greenwich Hotel has a great living room space and is a favorite spot to cocktail with friends. But I’m most excited about Tutto Il Giorno opening up a restaurant on Franklin in TriBeCa. That will become my new favorite spot!
What are the challenges of being a working mom Downtown? Crafting the days so that they are fun and entertaining adventures for kids is a tough job. Organizing your time and plotting out the day is probably the biggest challenge.
Mommy and Me activity: My 18-month-old will be starting her first art and dance class, in TriBeCa. So looking forward to that becoming a new favorite.
What are your favorite winter and spring family activities? I love doing things that get everyone involved, whether it’s a game outside or a trip to the theater. My kids have travelled a lot with me, especially my son; he had to learn that “anywhere” is the new somewhere. Anywhere can be considered home as long as the family is together. n
Mode of Transportation: My daughter hasn’t taken a taxi or the subway yet, so for now, walking is the best way to get around the city.
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LITTLE APPLE | PARENTING
THE TOP FIVE REASONS IT’S GREAT TO BE A
D OWNTOWN
ON ELLE: Stella McCartney jumper, $80
PARENT D OWNTOWN’S NEW LIFESTYLE AND FAMILY EDITOR, D ENISE COURTER, OUTLINES THE ADVANTAGES OF B RINGING UP LITTLE ONES IN LOWER MANHATTAN
ON EZRA (left): Burberry sweater, $110 Sprout pants, $33.50
R
aising kids in New York is exciting and fun, but it also comes with
ON MICKEY (middle): Sprout sweater, $54 Sprout shirt, $35 Sprout pant, $39.50
unique challenges, square footage being the most obvious. As a FiDi
parent with two toddlers, I am constantly on
ON ELLE (right): Burberry dress, $145
the hunt for new and exciting activities in FiDi and all of Lower Manhattan. The number one question I get from friends and family is “Why do we raise kids in NYC?” My response has always been “Why not?” I created the FiDi Families website to encourage parents to explore the great neighborhoods that encompass Lower Manhattan. My goal is to keep the families of these great classes, great restaurants, new schools and daycare options, kid stores, etc. Downtown neighborhoods are fabulous, filled with facilities for the whole family, and are easily accessible by foot, stroller, scooter and the subway.
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PHOTOGRAPH: NICK STOKES
neighborhoods up to date on fun events, new
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HERE ARE MY FIVE REASONS TO BE A DOWNTOWN PARENT:
can grow up with green grass, and parents don’t
4 Public Transit! With a transportation
have to mow the lawn; it’s a win-win! Some of
system that tends to work better than in most
our Downtown favorites include the Imagina-
big cities, kids can walk out their front door,
1 Convenience! Groceries, diapers, baby
tion Playground, Thames Street Park, Nelson
hop on one of 13 subway lines from Lower
clothes, paper goods, prescriptions, wine,
E. Rockefeller Park and Pier 25. Some of our
Manhattan and take an express train to the
meals can all be delivered, 24/7. If parents are
Downtown favorite museums include the
Children’s Museum in 20 minutes or hop on
juggling kids, work, schedules and socializing,
Children’s Museum of Art, National Museum
a bus and be at the American Indian Museum
these conveniences are amazing. Pharmacy
of the American Indian and Poets House.
in 10 minutes. Lower Manhattan has a free shuttle service that connects Lower Manhat-
delivery can be found in Lower Manhattan, which is great when parents have sick kids and
3 Parents Night Out Events! The city is full
tan residents and workers via the Downtown
it’s impossible to set foot outside because you
of amazing and entertaining drop-off facili-
Connection bus. Plus, they introduced a great
have a sick kid and they need TLC. Check out
ties where kids can meet other kids in their
GPS feature that takes the guess work out of a
the Downtown Pharmacy or Kings Pharmacy.
neighborhood, have a kid-friendly dinner (read
departure or arrival time, which makes plan-
Some of our favorite online sites include
“pizza”), play organized games, decorate cook-
ning with kids in tow, a lot easier. It operates
Diapers.com, Soap.com and FreshDirect.com.
ies, do arts and crafts, watch a movie and all
daily from 10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
And don’t forget to order your wine online.
within minutes from their home, while parents
There are several retail stores that will deliver
can sneak out for a nice dinner, drinks or a
5 Caffeine! Coffee shops on every corner…
for free (just ask). But, if you are juggling
workout at the gym without kids in tow. Some
parents can get coffee and kids can get hot
kids, schedules and work, ordering online
locations conduct their own events, such as NY
chocolate. Many coffee shops have changing
may be the best way to go. Check out one of
Kids Club and Playgarden, while others utilize
tables, lounges and free Wi-Fi that, for better
our favorites, Vintry Wines, which also has a
the amazing folks from Project Playdate to
or worse, kids with their electronics are
retail location at 230 Murray Street. Shhhhh…
conduct their events at Kidville in the Financial
able to enjoy just as much as parents. Stop
wine tastings, too.
District and Citibabes in SoHo.
in for some java at Kaffe 1668 in TriBeCa, Starbucks at 135 John Street and take
2 Parks, Playgrounds and More! NYC
advantage of their upstairs lounge. Other
has more than 1,700 parks, playgrounds and
favorites include Blue Spoon Coffee on
recreation facilities across the five boroughs.
90 William Street and 76 Chambers Street.
This type of access means that Downtown kids
You can also stop into the Aroma Espresso Bar at 100 Church Street.
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ON MICKEY: Burberry shirt, $95 Stella McCartney overalls, $90
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LITTLE APPLE | BARCLAY’S SPOT
A Dog’s-Eye View
OF DOWNTOWN TAJ, PUGGLE, 1.5 YEARS
Favorite spring activity? With all the snow this winter, I have been dying to finally visit all my friends at the park, and just sitting outside enjoying the breeze by the water with my parents. Do you have a go-to park in NYC? The parks in Battery Park City are home to me, my favorite ones are on the south side of BPC. What food can’t you resist? B-A-C-O-N. nom nom nom.
AUBRE, ENGLISH BULLDOG, 5 MONTHS Favorite spring activity? Chasing the birds and playing with other dogs and humans. Do you have a go-to park in NYC? Any park that I’m allowed in, but Central Park is my favorite. What food can’t you resist? Peanut butter, it drives me nuts!
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ZEN, COCKAPOO, 16 WEEKS
DESILU, HAVANESE, 4 MONTHS
Favorite spring activity? I love being outside and playing with my ball. Favorite spring activity? I like the dog parks especially ones with things for me to climb on and water sprinklers! What food can’t you resist? My mum & dad gave me some chicken breast and it was so tasty! I also had mashed potatoes recently!
Favorite spring activity? Chasing the robins. They look so pretty when they fly away. Do you have a go-to park in NYC? Madison Square Park is my favorite, the artwork is always fun to look at. What food can’t you resist? I love carrots, they always roll off the counter when Mom is cooking.
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DIESEL, ENGLISH BULLDOG, 2 YEARS Favorite spring activity? Long walks to see Lady Liberty and watching the geese play in Battery Park City! Do you have a go-to park in NYC? I love visiting the TriBeCa Dog Run on the Hudson! What food can’t you resist? Crunchy Peanut Butter. n
CITY BITES
CHEF PROFILE | DINING OUT
Gotham Bar & Grill AMERICAN CUISINE Gotham’s Seafood Salad
The birthplace of American cuisine has just turned 30! When the Gotham Bar and Grill opened its doors in 1984, New York owners, Jerry Kretchmer, Jeff Bliss, Rick Rathe and Robert Rathe set out to create a Downtown restaurant experience reminiscent of a
bustling Parisian brasserie. Today, thanks to the nowcelebrated architectural presentations of fresh food cooked to culinary perfection, as conceived by legendary chef Alfred Portale, the restaurant has become one of Downtown’s renowned dining destinations.
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CITY BITES | CHEF PROFILE Roasted Red & Yellow Beet Salad
T he Architect of
F INE DINING ALFRED PORTALE HAS BUILT A REPUTATION OF EXCELLENCE OVER THREE DECADES AT GOTHAM BAR AND GRILL BY KARINE BAKHOUM; PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOSEPH AMELLA, JR. The first time I ate at Gotham Bar and Grill in the 1980s, it changed the way I looked at American food. I distinctly remember the dish— a Yellowfin Tuna with a Pinot Noir sauce and Gigante beans—and it was refined, beautifully presented and luscious. This was every bit as good as any of the Michelin restaurants I had experienced in Paris or the South of France. Then I met Chef Alfred Portale and instantly became a groupie, which is unusual for me. His dedication to sourcing the best quality ingredients, even before it was the thing to do, was apparent in every dish. Whether it was his legendary “skyscraper” seafood salad or his impeccable risottos, every dish had star quality. No one had ever seen the likes of his “architectural” presentations, a term coined by then New York Magazine restaurant critic Gael Greene. Even the simplest of dishes were transformed into works of art. This March, Gotham Bar and Grill celebrates its 30th anniversary, and among the countless accolades, the restaurant has received five three-star reviews from five different New York Times critics. This crowned jewel of New York restaurants has definitively changed the way the world looks at American food— elevating it to American cuisine. You started your career making jewelry, what made you change to the culinary arts? I was always interested in art. I studied drawing and painting and sculpture. The interest in jewelry came because I wanted to turn my passion into a living. A couple of years into designing jewelry, I found a copy of a French cookbook called Modern French Culinary Art, and it had magnificent color photos of grand buffets and ice sculptures and carvings. I thought, “Wow!” That’s edible art, and that’s what I want to do.
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Sounds like that was your epiphany. At the same time, I learned about the Culinary Institute, so I thought—“Hey! A school I could go to for two years and graduate a full-blown chef and be making ice carvings and these beautiful platters?—I’m in!” I just loved what I was doing at the time and fully emersed myself in it. Was there good food in your household? I grew up in an Italian-American home where dinner was very important. My mother was a great cook. We had big dinners and parties and she made everything and I helped her make Christmas cookies and raviolis. She canned her own tomatoes to make sauce—I have very, very good childhood memories about food. How did your parents react when you told them you wanted to become a chef and go to cooking school? At the time my brother was a doctor, my sister was a teacher and I was going be a chef and I think they thought... “Two out of three ain’t bad?” Yes exactly… Have they been here to eat? Sure, many times. They must have been very proud. I think they didn’t want all of my early success to go to my head so they were not that outspoken, not to me anyway, but they were to friends and relatives. To me, I think they played it down hoping to keep me modest. So you went to the Culinary Institute, you graduated at the top of your class and then what? I moved to New York, and my goal at the time was to go to France and work in a three-star Michelin restaurant.
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Which you did ultimately do. Yes, when I was at the Culinary Institute, they were interviewing for a position that was kind of vague, but it was to work with Michel Guérard to help him open Comptoir Gourmand, so I applied, hoping that would be my ticket to France. It was an incredible experience. I learned how to cure meats and to make charcuterie, terrines, pâtés, rilletes and jambon de Paris. It was fabulous! Then after a year-and-a-half I went to France, spent half of the year with the Troisgros brothers and the other half with Guérard. And that changed your life? It did. When I returned to New York, my first job was at the Polo Club. There were quite a few famous people that came out of there. I was hired to replace Daniel Boulud who was the sous chef at the time but had just been hired to be the chef at the Plaza. I was there a year and I got a call from the chef at Tucano and I went there and was the sous chef for a year, and then I came to Gotham Bar and Grill in ’85. Was that when you really emerged as a celebrity chef? You know, in ’85 they called us American regional chefs, but our cuisine was more eclectic, borrowing from various cultures and traditions. I was excited to put all of my training to work at this magnificent restaurant, and I introduced fine dining into it without any of the stuffiness that came along with it at the time. We wanted it to be an American brasseriestyle restaurant with top-quality food.
You really brought something luxurious, yet approachable to the table. How did you conceive of something so unique and signature? It’s about being passionate and focused about what you’re doing. I used to lecture young cooks that there are two ways to be successful. One is to be brilliant and smarter than anyone else. Two…work harder than anyone else. But you have to love what you do. I was interested in creating my own personal style.
You’re about to celebrate your 30th anniversary at Gotham! Well, that is what I am most proud of, not that we survived for 30 years, but [have] gotten better. The restaurant today is still as vital and important as it was then.
How did you do that? I had references from my time in France, but I wanted everything to be unique and represent my own style so I worked at it and it just happened.
Where do you draw your inspiration? I’ve always looked for some principle to organize the creative process, whether it be seasonal, cultural, geographic or some such thing. I also have a talented team of chefs, and I’m a good teacher and mentor, so we work at it on a weekly basis. We have creative meetings and talk about new dishes and new menus, and we are constantly creating and trying things. It’s a lot of fun.
It must have been exciting when it was so well received. It was a thrill and still is! Brian Miller, who was very influential and very smart, I truly respected him as a critic, came into the restaurant seven times, once with Pierre Franey, and I had a lot of very French things on the menu back then and we received three stars and I remember it certainly changed everything in New York because no casual American restaurant with a young chef had three stars.
What makes a great dish? I think if you have great ingredients you are halfway there. Execution is very important, by that I mean technique and the way you season. Then after that, I think you need an intelligent combination of flavors on the plate—things that make sense and don’t confuse the diner. Lastly, we think about presentation. We happen to have very beautiful food. It isn’t our primary focus, but it is important.
Would you say that your early career in jewelry influences the presentation of your dishes? Very much so. Back in the mid-’80s, food was sort of flat and salads were limp on the plate and you know I thought—food is robust, it stands up, curls and is full of different elevations in the garden, so why not on the plate? So I started to build plates with different elevations. And that’s how you became known as the father of “Architectural Cuisine”! In the case of the seafood salad, we offer the freshest, best-quality seafood there is and simply dress it in lemon juice and virgin olive oil. The ingredients speak for themselves, and we cook it and make it look pretty. When Gotham Bar and Grill first opened, it was pretty far Downtown for such an upscale restaurant. Do you still consider yourself Downtown? Gotham was supposed to be a casual, brasseriestyle American restaurant, and it felt cool to be on 12th street off Fifth Avenue. So nothing has changed from that perspective. I don’t know if this is considered “Downtown” anymore, but it’s still a great neighborhood and I have loved being here for the past 30 years. n
Karine Bakhoum sits down with Executive Chef Alfred Portale
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OUT AND ABOUT
YOUR VIP PASS TO THE FINEST CULTURE, PERSONALITIES IN LOWER MANHATTAN AND BEYOND BY JOE ALEXANDER; PHOTOGRAPHS BY PATRICK MCMULLAN Princess Charlene of Monaco and ABT’s Skylar Brandt at the Princess Grace Awards
Orlando Bloom and Emily Mortimer at BPM Nightclub in the OUT NYC
Hairstylist Angelo David and Aviva Drescher celebrate his new Hair Detox collection at his Midtown salon
Misty Copeland, Heather Georges and Marcelo Gomes at the Youth America Grand Prix kickoff
Jessica White, Angela Martini and Alicia Roundtree at Denise Rich’s Angel Ball, benefitting cancer research
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Michele Riggi, president of The National Museum of Dance in Saratoga
Orlando Bloom helped present an award to Michael J. Fox at the Artios Awards at BPM Nightclub, the new hotspot in the OUT NYC. The hard-bodied hunk told the room full of casting directors, “This is every actor’s wet dream.” Celebrity hairstylist Angelo David and NYC Housewife Aviva Drescher launched his new Hair Detox and Vol Volumizing Trio collection at his chic state of the art salon on East 43rd Street. American Ballet Theatre stars Misty Copeland, Marcelo Gomez and Skylar Brandt, who just
Karl Lagerfeld at the Lincoln Center Corporate Fund Dinner
won a Princess Grace Dance Award, will all appear at the Youth America Grand Prix Gala at the David Koch Theatre on April 10th. Sugar Ray’s Mark McGrath performed at Wall Street Rocks Battle of the Bands, which benefited the Wounded Warriors Project. Hugh Jackman presented an award to his wife Deborra-Lee Furness’ mother, Fay Duncan, at Denise Rich’s Angel Ball. He joked, “I have a wife and a son, but the gay rumors have started. I guess it’s a sign that I’m moving up the ladder.”
Lighthouse International Gala co-chair Jean Shafiroff and Erik Bottcher
Rocker Madame Mayhem and Sugar Ray’s Mark McGrath at Wall Street Rocks
Annabelle Dexter Jones and Charlotte Ronson at the Sanctuary Hotel
Christian Lacroix with Alyona Osmanova and Vlada Roslyakova in Paris
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The late L’Wren Scott and Daphne Guinness at Café Royal in London
Jessica Chastain at Lincoln Center Corporate Fund Dinner
In Paris, Chef Alain Ducasse is creating culinary magic at Le Jules Verne, his Michelin starred restaurant in the Eiffel Tower, while in the Marais District haute courtier Christian Lacroix has designed sexy rooms for lovers and models in the Hôtel du Petit Moulin. In London, Mick Jagger quipped, “I got nasty habits; I take tea at three,” at a party he gave for his lady love L’Wren Scott at the über chic Café Royal hotel. Across the street in Piccadilly Circus, Mary J. Blige had a white truffle the
Mary J. Blige at Cicchetti in London
Le Jules Verne Executive Chef Alain Ducasse and chef Gordon Ramsay in NYC
size of a baseball shaved over her Pecorino Ravioli at Cicchetti, the capital’s hottest Italian restaurant. Daniel Craig, Victoria Beckham and Nicole Kidman are all fans of chef Raymond Blanc and his romantic hotel, La Manoir, in Oxford, England, that can boast of having two Michelin stars for the last 29 years. “Always say yes,” said the savvy chef. Karl Lagerfeld confided, “I wasn’t born to be an assistant. You can only be an assistant for a short time. After that, it’s hopeless.” n
Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey exiting Le Jules Verne in the Eiffel Tower after renewing their vows in Paris
Michelle-Marie Heinemann, Jennifer Piranesi, and jeweler Michel Piranesi at Hank and Brando Freid’s Sanctuary Hotel
Mick Jagger and Ronnie Wood at Café Royal in London
Justin Thoreaux and Jennifer Aniston after lunch at Le Jules Verne in the Eiffel Tower in Paris
Nicole Kidman, a fan of England’s Le Manoir
Michelle Gerber-Klein and R. Couri Hay at the New Museum
Lydia Hearst and Morgan O’Connor at the Sanctuary Hotel
Quinn and Lisa Jackson at the launch of LJ Cross Jewelry DOWNTOWNMAGAZINENYC.COM
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REARVIEW MIRROR
Before the World Trade Center, and even before the Empire State Building, Manhattan was the land of the skyscraper. Among the first was the majestic 22-story Flatiron Building, which proudly stands above the triangular crossroads of Fifth Avenue, Broadway and East 22nd Street. It was, in fact, the city’s most unique skyscraper and was designated a New York City landmark in 1966. Opened in 1902, its singular Greek
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BY MIKE HAMMER
columns and Chicago-style architecture, along with its signature triangular shape, make it distinctive among the buildings in the growing metropolis around it. Over its century of existence, the Flatiron Building has boasted tenants as varied as the Fuller Company and Tin Pan Alley composers. Today it is the home to MacMillan Publishing, among other businesses, as it presides over the district that bears its name. n
PHOTOGRAPH: TONY SHI
THE FLATIRON BUILDING
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HIDDEN GEM
P reserving
THE SPECTACULAR REBIRTH OF THE ELDRIDGE STREET SYNAGOGUE BY BRIAN KAPLAN
O
ver the centuries, Lower Manhattan has established its position as a rich destination for cultural history of many ethnic groups, and Jewish history is as rich as that of any group in New York’s melting pot population. More than two years ago, we directed you to the historic First Shearith Israel Cemetery in Lower Manhattan, which dates back to the 1600s and was attached to the oldest Jewish settlement in the United States. Just a few blocks away is the breathtaking and equally historic Eldridge Street Synagogue, itself a National Historic Landmark, between Canal and Division Streets. It opened its doors September 4, 1887, and served as a gathering point, place of worship and haven for hundreds of newly arriving immigrants
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attempting to build a community in the New World. Significantly, it was the first time in America that Jews of Eastern Europe had built a synagogue from the ground up. The synagogue was a magnificent declaration of the Jewish population’s newly found religious freedom in the United Status and was emblematic of its economic aspirations. With its soaring 50-foot ceiling and exuberant Moorish-style interior, Eldridge Street provided an inspiring contrast to the squalid tenements, factories and shops that surrounded it on the Lower East Side. However, membership began to dwindle in the 1920s, as immigration quotas limited the number of new arrivals. This decline continued through the Great Depression of the 1930s, affecting the congregation’s fortunes, along with the physical upkeep of the synagogue. After World War II, many of its worshippers fled the city for the suburbs, and the great synagogue fell on hard times. “It was as though the synagogue was held up by strings from heaven,” said Roberta Brandes Gratz, founder of the Museum at
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Eldridge Street who first saw it at its lowest point in the 1980s when pigeons roosted in the balconies and benches were covered with dust. Gratz and others formed the non-sectarian Eldridge Street Project in 1986, pre-cursor to the Museum at Eldridge Street, and a 20-year, $18.5 million project to restore it to its original grandeur was begun. By 1996, the structure was designated a National Landmark. The guiding ethos behind the restoration was to return the synagogue to its original splendor while retaining elements that revealed its rich, 120-year history. All of the synagogue’s original 1887 wood furnishings were saved in the authentic restoration, which was completed in December 2007, the synagogue’s 120th anniversary. This was a building that was handcrafted by people, used by people and restored by a new community, in keeping with the sentiment immigrant worshippers would have felt 100 years ago. Today, The Museum at Eldridge Street offers an intimate, authentic portal to the past for people of all backgrounds. n
PHOTOGRAPH: PETER AARON; INSET: KATE MILFORD
A SACRED STRUCTURE