New York Lifestyles Magazine - January 2017 by New York Lifestyles Magazine

Vol. 3 #1 | January 2017

JOAN HORNIG

A Dazzling Philanthropist Plus...

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Contents FOLLOW THE

Sun.

25 13

FEATURES 10 12 13 48 50

Publisher’s Note January 2017 Calendar Joan Hornig: 21st Century Philanthropy Through The Lens: Annie Watt Graig Weich: Superhero

FASHION & BEAUTY 18 Spring Ahead Trends 20 New Year Glow! 22 Metamorphosis Day Spa

TRAVEL 25 30 33 36 38

Caribbean: What’s Your Resort Style? Postcard from St. Lucia Destination Paradise Great Escape: The Kitano New York The Big Island: Bold & Beautiful

REAL ESTATE & HOME DECOR 42 45 52 54 56 58 60

The State of Luxury Real Estate Almost Sold Out The Chamberlain: An UWS Gem NoMad Luxury The Penthouse at 94 Thompson A Hell’s Kitchen Stunner Spotlight: Ryan Freed

Escape to the warmth of Florida’s paradise coast and leave winter far behind. Our luxury vacation homes for rent by the week, month or season are filling up fast! Sink your toes in the sand and sparkling blue water on your new favorite beach. Book your royal vacation at RoyalShell.com.

V a c a t i o n s

The treatment you expect.

The treatment you deserve.

RoyalShell.com 239.472.9111 Florida: Bonita Springs/Estero, Cape Coral, Captiva Island, Fort Myers, Naples/Marco Island, Ocala and Sanibel Island North Carolina: Cashiers/Lake Glenville, Highlands, Sapphire Valley/Lake Toxaway

LUXURY HOMES & CONDOS. OCEANFRONT. INTRACOASTAL. GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB PROPERTIES NEW CONDO DEVELOPMENTS 2016-2018

Specialist in Luxury Property.

I Will Help You Find a Great Buy.

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Mobile/Text: 954 235-8671 khschroeder@bellsouth.net Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty A Warren Buffett Company

• Member: FIABCI - Global Real Estate Federation 60 Countries which has Special Consulting Status to the United Nations • Winner of the Direct Marketing Association’s (DMA) - International “ECHO AWARD”. The “ECHO” is the Most Prestigious Worldwide Honor Awarded in Direct & Digital Marketing.

Contents PURSUE

perfection.

HEALTH & WELLNESS 62 66 67 68

Your Resolution for Healthy Skin Acupuncture: Natural Healing Best Nutrition Travel Tips The Importance of Friendship

DINING 70 Padoca Bakery: A West Side Sweet Sensation 72 Jersey Guy in Manhattan 75 Candle Café: Tasty Bites

THEATER & ARTS 80 82 84 86 88

On The Big Screen On Stage Reviews With Pat Collins Pat Collins’ Picks Of Home Entertainment A Natural Born Artist About Books

NEW YORK, NY 90 92 94 96

A Walk in the Park Entrepreneur’s Corner: Mi Jong Lee My New York Story: Beth Shapiro 15 Minutes With Jamie Drake

Championship golf. Barns and riding trails. They epitomize the idyllic country life. Here among the rolling 1,200 acres at Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club in central Florida, you’ll discover the Golden Life in stately, elegant surroundings. Find your estate at GoldenOcala.com. Exclusively Represented By

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Woodloch.

A story about bringing family together.

Providing renowned hospitality, endless activities & amenities, delicious meal plans,

and nightly entertainment - all with a contagious spirit of fun and togetherness. 800.Woodloch (966.3562) | www.Woodloch.com | Northern Pocono Mountains

ISSN 2474-770X

RuLE thE Vol. 3 #1 | January 2017 President / Publisher Bill Mason Executive Publisher Ernie Anastos

Editor at Large Nina Anastos Floyd

Vice President of Sales Lyle Seltzer

Director of Operations Kurt Nesheim

Marketing Director Phillip Anastos

Art Director Eric Duncan

Managing Editor Patricia Canole

Medical Editor Doris Day, MD

Arts & Entertainment Editor Pat Collins

Fashion & Style Columnist Miki Makrillos

Real Estate Editor Daniel J. Bollinger

Chief Photographer Annie Watt

Contributing Editor Clint Brownfield Contributing Writers Sarina Appel, Joan Bauer, Shari Bilt Boockvar, MS, RDN Kristen Carlucci, RD, Karen Feld, Judy Goss Joan Hornig, Alana Johnson, Peter Kalellis, Gretchen Kelly Caroline Mark, Kelly McFarland, Griffin Miller, Tina Mulqueen Jeannie Pawlowski, Anthony Rapacciuolo, Richie Realms Joanna Rogers, Beth Shapiro, Baruch Shemtov Bill Spadea, Patricia Stark, Leigh Stringer Jeff & Stephanie Sylva, Leslie Termuhlen Diane Termin, Dr. Michael Woodward, Christal Young Internet Presence Scott Cuollo, Richard Austin Advertising BLUE VISTA 725 Sales Bill Mason Sr. - Director of New Business Development John Miller - Director of Sales - Travel Michael Stulmaker - Director of Sales - Real Estate Janneta Abunda - Senior Sales Manager New York Sales Office (646) 259-2651

world.

For more than twenty years, Royal Shell Real Estate has curated irresistible opportunities in luxury properties. We bring the global branding and marketing expertise that will achieve the outcome you desire wherever you want to live.

$2,100,000 • BONItA SPRINGS

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Browse more listings at RoyalShellRealEstate.com.

Editorial/Sales Fax (212) 202-4888

For subscriptions, address changes or back issues, call: (646) 259-2651 newyorklifestylesmagazine.com Facebook: /NYLifestylesMag Twitter: @NYLifestylesMag Instagram: @NYLifestylesMag All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material from this issue is expressly forbidden without permission of the publisher. Printed in the USA. New York Lifestyles Magazine is published 12 times annually. © 2017 New York Lifestyles Magazine

Cover photo by Annie Watt

RoyalShellRealEstate.com 239.689.7653 Florida: Bonita Springs/Estero, Cape Coral, Captiva Island, Fort Myers, Naples/Marco Island, Ocala and Sanibel Island North Carolina: Cashiers/Lake Glenville, Highlands, Sapphire Valley/Lake Toxaway

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

“New York Lifestyles Magazine is a continuation of my passion to share news, information and lifestyle about where and how we live. This commitment reflects a positive approach to offering compelling features with the highest quality presentation. As executive publisher, I am proud of our professional staff and my family who are helping to reshape the way you read and enjoy this exciting magazine.” appy New Year to everyone! One of my best wishes for 2017 is for peace. I know we use that word so often, but it does have real significance and meaning in life. As a television anchor, I am constantly reporting news that centers on some form of violence, injustice and disharmony. So, it would not surprise you if I said that almost every day, I think about peace. I am sure we all agree, it is a subject that has many definitions. For the moment, I just want to focus on one personal thought. It is about inner peace and a purposeful quotation by an unknown writer that I want to share with you. PEACE. “Peace does not mean to be where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.” As always, I thank you for all the wonderful comments about our magazine. Your response has been overwhelming and it pleases us that our feature stories are really relevant. This magazine is about, “Our City, Your Life” and I hope you enjoy each issue. In the coming months ahead in 2017, we will keep you in touch with good stories and ideas that, we hope, will joyfully contribute to your own New York lifestyle experience. Again, Happy New Year!

-Ernie Anastos

Executive Publisher

Ernie Anastos is a celebrated author and distinguished Emmy award winning TV news legend in New York. He is recognized as a champion for promoting more positive news and an influential voice in the world of media. 10 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

JANUARY 2017 CALENDAR

40th Annual Three Kings Day Parade El Museo del Barrio elmuseo.org 17th Contemporary Dance Showcase: Japan & East Asia Japan Society japansociety.org

12 th 13 th 15

16 th 17 th 20 rd 23 th 25

Harlem Gospel Choir: A MLK Tribute BB King Blues Club bbkingblues.com

JP Morgan Squash Tournament of Champions Grand Central Terminal/Vanderbilt Hall tocsquash.com Vogue Knitting Live Showcasing knitting classes and fashions New York Marriott Marquis vogueknittinglive.com WNYCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration Apollo Theater apollotheater.org

Broadway Week Winter 2017 Two-for-one-tickets at select theaters nycgo.com Winter Antiques Show Park Avenue Armory winterantiquesshows.com

NYC Restaurant Week More than 300 participating restaurants nycgo.com New York Boat Show Javitts Center nyboatshow.com

12 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

27 th 28

New York Times Travel Show Javitts Center nyttravelshow.com Snow Jam Central Park Bandshell Arena nycgovparks.org

F O R

T H E

2 1

S T

C E N T U R Y By Joan Hornig

e are living in a time of significant and rapid change. One thing has remained constant—the growing needs and services provided by not-forprofit organizations. New York City can be proud of being the largest non-profit hub in the country with more than 300 registered non-profit organizations, as well as the home of other innovative businesses like mine which focus on working with them. More than ten percent of New Yorkers are employed by these charitable organizations. Whether one’s interest is Animal Rights, Welfare, and Human Services, or Arts and Culture, Community Development, Education, the Environment or Civil Rights, there is a registered charity organized to help. What’s exciting to me is that more of us than ever recognize that we can make a significant difference by helping others. Social enterprise is a growing trend and is often heralded as a leading business model of the 21st century. Universities, governments, foundations, and companies are investing in the spread of social entrepreneurship. We are experiencing a renaissance with creative solutions aimed at increasing awareness of needs and bringing attention to new and engaging ways to raise and put charitable dollars to work. All photography by Annie Watt AnnieWattAgency.com

JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 13

DESIGNING WAYS My “Ah-Ha” moment came when I recognized that my deep love for design could fit into this strong and growing social enterprise movement. It came to me while attending a charity event. I saw a room full of beautifully dressed and appointed women and thought about the others I knew from work, my children’s school, and my volunteer activities. I believed these smart, engaging, animated and effective community leaders would embrace the opportunity to channel their shopping dollars into charitable dollars. But I also recognized that their interests were as diverse as their personal styles and tastes. Business understood that the “female economy” was in the driver’s seat with eighty percent of consumer decisions made by women. But business had not yet asked the women to whom they were selling their products to tell them which charities they cared about supporting if given an open platform from which to choose. So, I decided I would let each customer of Joan Hornig Jewelry decide where to allocate the profit on each piece to the charity of their choice. 14 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

“While I have received wide recognition as a philanthropist, it is I who have gained so much in knowledge, inspiration, unexpected friendships, and encouragement…” JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 15

Top left: Eve Xanthopoulos, Chuck Close, Joan Hornig Top right: Susan Fales-Hill, Joan Hornig, Marva Smalls Bottom left: George and Joan Hornig Bottom right: Joan Hornig, Julie Cummings

ROOM FOR GENEROSITY Of course, I am hardly the originator of a model that combines commerce with charity. I am indebted to Paul Newman and Oprah for demonstrating how commercial platforms can be a force for giving back. Today we find more and more companies that have not only a strong social conscience but also a commitment to make outright donations of their products every time one is sold. Toms Shoes, Warby Parker Eyeglasses, and The Company Store are among the examples. The more, the merrier, from my point of view. There is always room for generosity. But my Philanthropy is Beautiful ® business model still differs significantly from those through its commitment to let the purchaser choose the charity. When I began Joan Hornig Jewelry to the outward eye, it may have seemed a bit crazy for me to undertake this. I was already in my 16 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

late 40s with two children, two dogs, and a comfortable lifestyle. My appreciation of design and the visual arts had been relegated to the bottom of my Wall Street resume under “other interests.” While my undergraduate major was in art history and my graduate degree was in business, I never worked in retail, manufacturing or fashion. But I loved jewelry. I had collected it. Just about every woman I know loves it too. We love getting it as gifts, buying it for ourselves and showing it to friends. My idea for a social enterprise business was based on a simple premise: Take something of value that is noticeable and make it even more impactful. Build around something with high enough margins to make meaningful donations. Charity functions had become shopping opportunities with donated items spanning the gamut of high-end experiences and products “sold” to raise significant dollars. Jewelry could act as a catalyst to begin meaningful conversations about giving back. When you hear “I like your necklace or earrings,” what could be better than responding with how your purchase helped a cause?

GLOBALLY SPEAKING From day one, I built Joan Hornig Jewelry around having all the jewelry produced in New York City by artisans from different backgrounds, religions, and cultures. I assembled a team of hard working, creative professionals who have been brought together to help me translate design visions into a recognized jewelry brand. Their businesses have grown along with mine and our worlds and contacts have widened as we’ve been on this journey together. With

Bergdorf Goodman, the Museum of Art and Design and online sales, my New York City access to incredible talent continues to be one of the foundations that enables Joan Hornig Jewelry to be a successful social enterprise. If I’ve learned nothing else, I know it takes a lot of dedicated individuals working with a shared vision to remain creative, agile and timely. Social enterprise has enabled me to meet people across America and the globe who are working tirelessly to make things better in this world. While I have received wide recognition as a philanthropist, it is I who have gained so much in knowledge, inspiration, unexpected friendships and encouragement to keep me going. The past 14 years since founding the Joan Hornig Jewelry have been the best of my life, and I am continually grateful for opportunities to reach out to encourage others to find their pathways for giving back. Through my designs, I have met some of the most influential people on the planet and have demonstrated the benefits that can be derived from my business model. My jewelry has graced First Ladies, been chosen by some of the greatest style makers, been gifted to visiting dignitaries through the United States State Department and is worn by celebrities of all ages. But most importantly through the thousands of Joan Hornig Jewelry customers, I have learned firsthand that so many people listen, care and respond to a call for action. They continue to prove that Philanthropy is Beautiful and there is a world that keeps the giving going. New York Lifestyles Magazine is pleased to announce Joan Hornig will be writing a monthly column on charity and philanthropy. Look for her next article in the February 2017 issue. For more information on Joan Hornig Jewelry, visit joanhornig.com. •

I recognized that my deep love for design could fit into this strong and growing social enterprise movement.

JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 17

SPRING AHEAD TRENDS By Miki Makrillos

mbrace these versatile spring trends for 2017! Make your fashion statement this year with unique and stylish outfits that would demand attention anywhere. Sheer lace and sleeveless shoulders will highlight your feminine side, while florals and metallics give you a retro throwback feel. Frayed denim has become a great daytime into evening look combined with accent accessories.

FRAYED DENIM

PAIGE Julia Vintage High-Rise Step Hem Jeans $269

rag & bone/JEAN Frayed Denim Skirt $225

PAIGE Rowan Raw-Edge Denim Jacket $249

VINTAGE FLORALS

Rebecca Taylor Silk Mixed Print Top $375

Michael Kors Collection Floral Deep V-Neck Dress $1995

18 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

Michael Kors Collection Floral Silk Jumpsuit $2350 Saks Fifth Avenue & Saks.com

FEMME DRESSES

Cushnie et Ochs Cold Shoulder Dress $1595

MILLY Italian Cady Double Ruffle Selena Dress $500

IRO Hanie Ruffle Cold-Shoulder Dress $355

BOUDOIR LACE

KOBI HALPERIN Brady Lace Hem Culottes $498

Kay Unger Metallic Floral Lace Dress $525

Teri Jon by Rickie Freeman Embroidered Lace Overlay Dress $580

METALLIC SHIMMER

Rachel Zoe Deven Silk Gown $995 Saks Fifth Avenue & Saks.com

Cushnie et Ochs Metallic Cropped Tee $595

BCBGMAXAZRIA Valari Metallic Bell Sleeve Top $198

JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 19

NEW YEAR GLOW! By Miki Makrillos

tart your New Year with a fresh reset that will give you a lasting glow. Change up your beauty routine with these new beauty products to jump start a new you!

LUMINOUS RADIANCE LAURA MERCIER Candleglow Soft Luminous Foundation/1 oz./$48 A sheer to medium foundation that gives skin a lit from within glow. A mosaic of nature’s most luminous natural ingredients gives skin a candlelit glow at any time of day or night. A calibrated blend of radiant pearl mica, embedded in an ultralightweight formula, mimics the reflective glow of just lit candles. This mica mélange mingles with refreshing purified water to give skin a burst of hydration and help foundation glide onto skin for lasting smoothness and natural luminosity. A luxurious blend of lightweight oils locks in this moisture to leave skin balanced, soft and beautifully ignited. Made in USA. KIEHL’S SINCE 1851 Pure Vitality Skin Renewing Cream/1.7 oz./ $60 A 99.6 percent natural formula that balances ingredients from Eastern and Western traditions to boost skin’s natural resilience. Revitalizing Korean Red Ginseng Root accelerates cell renewal for a vibrant glow, and fortifying New Zealand Manuka Honey infuses skin barrier layers with the supple strength to smooth creases and fine lines. With newfound strength to bounce back against the visible signs of aging, skin is smoothed, refined, and glows with more youthful vitality. KOREAN RED GINSENG ROOT: A botanical highly regarded and praised for its health benefits, it has been used for centuries in Asian traditional medicinal practices. It works to help increase cell turnover rate and skin vitality, and improve skin texture and glow. NEW ZEALAND MANUKA HONEY: selected for its widespread use in Western medicine, it is produced from the nectar of the Manuka Tree and is composed of the highest polyphenol content found in honey. It helps strengthen and fortify the skin barrier, increase skin’s resistance to aging, improve skin’s defense against aging and increased recovery over time. Made in USA. GIVENCHY L’INTEMPOREL Global Youth Silky Sheer Cream/1.7 oz./ $155 Harness the beneficial energy of light to offer your skin a timeless youth effect Supreme comfort and relief for the driest skin. This extraordinary rich cream with its innovative texture offers a unique application experience. Perfectly smooth and firm to the touch, the cream melts into the skin to fully release its skincare ingredients on application without the slightest greasy feel. With each application, the appearance of wrinkles is improved, the complexion is more even, and the skin’s elasticity, density and firmness appear enhanced. The skin is deeply nourished and looks visibly smoother, suppler and more luminous, regaining its beauty. Its rich, subtle texture and ideal creaminess bring a customized response of comfort and relief needed by the driest skin. Made in France.

ALLURING EYES

GUCCI Opulent Volume Iconic Black Mascara Set/$62 Gucci Eye Opulent Volume Mascara defines and frames the eye using exclusive brush technology for exceptional separation and volume. Set of 2. 0.23oz. Imported.

LANCÔME Hypnôse Drama Mascara Set/$36 Get the perfect holiday party look with this limited edition makeup gift set. Lancôme, #1 in luxury mascara, brings you three lash must-haves to create bold and dramatic lashes. Set includes: Hypnôse DramaInstant Full Body Volume Mascara in Excessive Black, 0.23 oz. ArtlinerPrecision Point EyeLiner in Noir, 0.04 oz. Bi-Facil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover 1.7 oz. Made in France.

20 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

MAC Limited Edition Eye Lashes/$18 Two sets of limited-edition lashes. One pair is wispy with a winged outer edge reminiscent of a butterfly, while the other is dense and full for drama. If properly cared for, lashes can be reshaped or adorned if desired. Luxurious packaging in champagne gold accents and Mariah’s signature. Imported. SAKS.COM

HIGH-IMPACT LIPS

TOM FORD

CHANEL

DOLCE & GABBANA

NARS

TOM FORD Soleil Lip Foil/.10 oz./$53 Three-dimensional, ultra-fine mica reflects a vibrant mirror foil finish in a range of stunning shades, from bronzed neutral to shimmering peach and pink, to sparkling plum. Glides on lips with smooth, even application for brilliant, luxurious vibrancy. Presented in signature soleil packaging. Made in USA. CHANEL Rouge/Double Intensité Ultra Wear Lip Colour/$37 Glorious long-lasting colour paired with high-shine gloss delivers full-coverage colour that lasts all day. Glossy top coat imparts brilliant shine and superb hydration, while the innovative fluid texture of the base colour coat applies smoothly, comfortably, with perfect adherence to lips –and no transferring or feathering. 0.1 oz. Made in Italy. DOLCE & GABBANA Wild About Fall Shine Lipstick/$36 From the Wild About Fall Collection. Enhance the natural color of the lips with Shine Lipstick. Shine Lipstick imparts a look of ethereal sensuality, with a nod to ultra-feminine glamour. The range of semi sheer color high shine lipsticks adds luster and volume to the lips. The perfect balance between lipstick and lip-gloss, this ultra-light formula combines color and light. .12 oz. Made in Italy. NARS Moon Matte Lipstick/.05 oz./$28 Opulent. Original. Otherworldly. Shift lips into soft focus with Moon Matte Lipstick. This new, high pigment matte formula features innovative, soft-matte powders filled with hyaluronic acid to deliver velvety payoff and improved hydration for supple, lavish wear. Developed to intensify with a diffused effect, the richly evocative range channels the dream-like work of Sarah Moon. Limited edition. Innovative soft-matte powders for diffused intensity. Hyaluronic acid and Vitamin E deliver comfortable wear and hydration. Creamy, high-impact shades. Made in USA.

CITRUS RELAXATION L’ARTISAN PARFUMEUR Oranger En Fleurs Candle/8.8 oz./$69 The South of France when nature is in full bloom. The scent of blossomed flowers, vibrant like neroli, luminous and soft like jasmine. Burn time 60 hours. Made in France. SAKS.COM

KIEHL’S SINCE 1851 Classic Scents Grapefruit Edition Duo/$45 Cleanse and hydrate your skin with these luxurious scented formulations from Kiehl’s. Available together in a limitededition duo, the all-over cleanser and body lotion leave your skin refreshed, soft and moisturized. Set includes Deluxe Grapefruit Hand & Body Lotion with Aloe Vera & Oatmeal, 16.9 oz. and Grapefruit Bath & Shower Liquid Body Cleanser, 16.9 oz. Made in USA. • JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 21

METAMORPHOSIS DAY SPA By Griffin Miller

or anyone who’s dealt with New York’s January bluster face first, lugged a handbag/briefcase/backpack through slush covered streets, or feebly nursed a pulled muscle for one too many post-workout days, there is salvation and it can be found five floors up on East 56th Street, just steps from Lexington Avenue. Metamorphosis Day Spa is a study in gracious, first-class attention to the sort of wintertime woes that come with stress, the elements, and misadvised physical exertion. And while my spa service was a facial, rave reviews on social media assured me that the estheticians and therapists moving about on little cat feet in this intimate, soothing oasis are equally skilled in a delivering a formidable collection of massages, body treatments, peels and beyond.

CUSTOMIZED SERVICES Indeed, when you visit the spa’s website, the menu is such a combination of extensive and comprehensive it rather takes your breath away. Fortunately, it’s presented in an easy to navigate fashion. Still, you’ll want to take your time looking over the various offerings—all of which can be customized for the asking. And keep in mind, unlike many spas that limit themselves to one or two product lines, COLOR YOUR WORLD Metamorphosis boasts a wide variety to accommodate all their clients. Londono’s personalized approach, along with the genuine friendliness of the spa staff, elevates the experience from the moment you step off the elevator into the warmly lit According to Metamorphosis’s owner, reception area. From there you are led to a cozy lounge area where water and tea are offered Cleo Londono, when someone is a little and where colored pencils and a beautiful coloring book are set out, should you feel so vague on what they are looking for in, inclined. say, a massage, it’s probably best to call in for an appointment rather than book Introduced this past year by Londono, the artistic paraphernalia speaks to her innate creativity it online. “This allows us to determine that can also be seen reflected in two of the spa’s most popular services: the Metamorphosis the type of massage—deep tissue, stone, Signature Facial and Signature Massage, with each of these unique treatments boasting an aromatherapy, Swedish, Signature—and eclectic mastery of elements. For example, for the Facial, Londono put together a mask of to guide them to the best therapist, taking rare herbs, while her Signature Massage is a blissful amalgamation of various massage types. into account their preference for a man or woman.” But clearly, I digress because my facial—the latest to be offered by Metamorphosis—is where my January skin allegiance lies. It is a Casmara Facial from the Spanish company Casmara Cosmetics known for its seaweed formulations and for introducing possibly the most decadently surprising facial component ever, the Algae Peel-Off Facial Mask. This fantastic treatment comes with the application of a cool (both temperature and nifty-wise) dense, creamy mask that lets the esthetician—in my case the ultra-awesome Marcy—overlay one’s closed eyes and lips. As far as I know, this has never been possible before, and it is heavenly. I should mention that the mask is only part of a multi-layered treatment that includes an aromatic neck pillow, exfoliation, steam, a moisturizing facial massage and other special effects that tend to get lost when one completely zones out. Which I did. More than once. Metamorphosis Day Spa 127 East 56th Street 212-751-6051 metspa.com

For the record, Metamorphosis is known for offering monthly services, specials, and packages that tie into the season at hand. For the holidays, the Golden Glow and Berry Facials were front and center. “You have to check our website because we’re constantly updating our offerings,” says Londono, adding that while last minute bookings are do-able during the week, “For weekends it’s best if you book at least a week in advance.” • Griffin Miller, Spa Editor, specializes in spa travel and New York theater. Griffin’s resume includes writing for The New York Times, For the Bride and Hotels. She also creates promotional materials for the Metropolitan Opera, BAM and Guggenheim Museum. A member of The New York Travel Writers’ Association, she is a playwright and award-winning collage artist. She is married to Richard Sandomir of The New York Times.

22 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

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www.theislandsclub.com.ky We offer 2, 3 or 4 bedroom suites, each with its own private patio or balcony overlooking world famous Seven Mile Beach. The Islands Club is located within easy walking distance of many fine restaurants, duty-free shopping, nightclubs, golf course, a large modern grocery store and water sports and activities. On the beach, large Casuarina trees provide shade from the sun as you relax in a lounge chair by the sea.

For more information visit theislandsclub.com.ky or Call TOLL FREE 1-866-533-0934 Tel: (345) 945-5211 E-mail: islclub@candw.ky

Sandals

WHAT’S YOUR RESORT STYLE? By Patricia Canole

he Caribbean’s blue-and-green patchwork of islands and sea curve softly southward from Florida’s tip. It’s a sunny realm that beckons travelers to relax and enjoy. Some of their names may be unfamiliar, but the lesser-known islands of the Caribbean are real hideaways. These seductive islands easily live up to your highest expectations of what tropical bliss is all about. Of course, they tempt with quiet, palm-shaded coves, flourishing rainforests, towering volcanoes and cascading waterfalls. You’ll have no problem dining on lobster and other fresh seafood while musicians serenade you with calypso and reggae. And there’s no question that, as the blazing sun slides into the ocean, you can sip tall, frosty glasses of rum punch. But where to go and to stay? Take our quiz to see if your vibe is Active, Secluded, Unplugged, or Ultra-Luxurious. Your idea of beachside bliss is… a) Rum punch and reggae b) No one but you, your significant other and the occasional sea turtle c) A hammock for two, cold beers, and that bestseller d) Chilled face towels, and iced Champagne

On your getaway, you expect to… a) Socialize with others b) Hang the “Do Not Disturb” sign 24/7 c) Feel more relaxed than you’ve ever felt before d) Be treated like a Hollywood A-lister

The suite must have… a) An extensive list of daily activities b) Absolute privacy (indoors and out) c) Nothing that rings, buzzes, or beeps d) A Jacuzzi and 24-hour room service

Your ideal spa treatment would be… a) Mojitos, manicures and wedding chat with other justmarrieds b) An alfresco massage on a quiet beach c) Daily spa treats in the privacy of your room d) An entire day of indulgence in a spa suite

Your dream dining scenario is… a) A different restaurant to try each night b) A romantic torch-lit dinner for two c) Casual finger-lickin’ local cuisine d) Gourmet meals with wine pairings

Your ideal way to spend the afternoon would be… a) Playing beach volleyball b) Midday swims in your private pool c) Napping under a palm tree d) Shopping for chic resort wear

If you chose mostly A’s, you’re Active. Consider a lively all-inclusive or a resort with lots of activities and restaurants. SANDALS (Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, and St. Lucia) With 15 resorts on six isles, this all-inclusive leader offers couples-only camaraderie in a variety of tropical settings, from sexy party-scene Negril to romantic Antigua to garden-like Ocho Rios. Restaurants feature award-winning world-class cuisine, and with Butler Suites, you’ll enjoy the ultimate in pampering. Too much rum punch? Detox for an afternoon at the Red Lane Spa. Info: sandals.com. JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 25

If you chose mostly B’s, you’re Seclusion-Seeking. Consider an intimate, remote resort, where alone time is abundant.

Jewel Dunn’s River Beach Resort & Spa

JEWEL DUNN’S RIVER BEACH RESORT & SPA Jamaica Set on lush acres in Ocho Rios, you’ll find plenty to do: water sports, swimming pools, and a PADI-dive center. The resort offers adventurers excursions to explore Fern Gully with more than 550 native tropical species or Green Grotto for a boat ride on an underground lake. If all of this leaves you, both exhausted, pamper yourselves at the Spa with warmed stones from Jamaica’s Black River. Info: jewelresorts.com.

Jewel Dunn’s River Beach Resort & Spa

Spice Island Beach Resort

Jewel Dunn’s River Beach Resort & Spa

Spice Island Beach Resort

SPICE ISLAND BEACH RESORT

Spice Island Beach Resort 26 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

Grenada This island is full of small surprises, but none is as delightful as this resort nestled on Grand Anse Beach. The breezy living is effortless here and the personalized service is impeccable. Beachfront suites are one step from the sand; luxury pool suites have private gardens and swimming pools. All guest rooms are enhanced with a Balinese aesthetic touch; —think canopied king beds, private plunge pools and outdoor showers with a sea view. Add in a Balinese aesthetic and you’ll soon find your own privacy in paradise. Info: spiceislandbeachresort.com.

If you chose mostly C’s, you’re Unplugged. Consider a low-key resort without TVs and phones.

KA’ANA BOUTIQUE RESORT Belize Opened since 2007, this intimate sanctuary, cradled in the Maya Mountains, fills the niche for those who’d like to explore such wonders as the Rio Frio cave (where stepping stones lead into a massive cavern of waterfalls and ancient Maya artifacts). Upon return to your haven in the jungle, soothe your body and soul at the spa before indulging in a candlelight dinner for two. After all, there are limits to roughing it! Info: kaanabelize.com.

Ka’ana Boutique Resort

Ka’ana Boutique Resort Jakes Hotel, Villas & Spa

Jakes Hotel, Villas & Spa

JAKES HOTEL, VILLAS & SPA

Jakes Hotel, Villas & Spa

Jamaica Here is where to escape for quiet time—even if it’s just for a long weekend. Located on Treasure Beach, Jakes is a member of the trendy, luxury hotel group Bespoke Hotels and where guests come here especially to unplug. The resort is about getting in sync with the sound of the sea while snuggling in a hammock or enjoying herbal massages at Driftwood Spa. By your second day, you’ll find its charm and personality irresistible. A peaceful setting to wish upon the stars that seem so much brighter in this laid-back corner of the world. Info: jakeshotel.com.

JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 27

Petit St. Vincent

If you chose D’s, you’re Ultra-Luxury. Consider a five-star resort known for its superb service and upscale amenities.

PETIT ST. VINCENT

Petit St. Vincent

The Grenadines This lush private island resort is so secluded, there’s no need for room keys. Also not included are phones, TVs, and Internet access (though if you require to contact the outside world you can pick up a signal from the bar). Should you find yourselves hungry during your stay, unlimited room service is available wherever you may be on the island. Info: petitstvincent.com. Sandy Lane

Le Guanahani & Spa

Sandy Lane

Le Guanahani & Spa

LE GUANAHANI & SPA St. Barths Glitz and glam go hand in hand on the Caribbean’s très chic French isle. But this lovely resort is raising the bar with luxury and where you’ll find breezy white meets dreamy pink, yellow and blue accents. All rooms and suites offer private terraces, and many feature private pools. Hidden amongst the lush vegetation, the Spa by Clarins comes complete with rejuvenating signature treatments. No matter where you stay, the chef and his crew will prepare the ultimate dining experience (opt to have it beachside). So intoxicating is this resort... you just may not want to leave! Info: leguanahani.com. 28 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

SANDY LANE Barbados Arguably the most opulent resort in the Caribbean, this haven boasts pure relaxation. From the chauffeured airport pick-up and the lavish Romanesque spa to the restaurants and golf courses, it’s all about fivestar gratification. The attention to detail is carried to the beach: the Evian misting; the sunglass cleaning, and a towel handed to you after a swim. The spa is just as spectacular. Enjoy the signature ritual of foot soak in a candlelit room side by side followed by a massage for two—along with treats and drinks by a private hydrotherapy pool. Info: sandylane.com. •

Your Luxury Barbados Escape Awaits

Discover Elegant Hotels Group, featuring a collection of six awardwinning beachfront hotels, all located on the beautiful Caribbean island of Barbados. From classic to contemporary, family to adults-only and traditional to premium all-inclusive, Elegant Hotels offers a style to suit every taste.

Book your Elegant Barbados getaway. reservations@eleganthotels.com 888.996.9948 eleganthotels.com

COLONY CLUB

TA M A R I N D

THE HOUSE Adults Only

C R Y S TA L C O V E

Premium All- Inclusive

TU RTLE B E ACH

Premium All- Inclusive

WAV E S H O T E L & S PA Wellness All- Inclusive

POSTCARD FROM ST. LUCIA By Patricia Canole

HEAVENLY RESORTS Anse Chastanet This award-winning resort boasts spacious art-accented suites tucked into steep green hillsides above a secluded beach and marine reserve. Doze in hammocks on the volcanic sands or learn to scuba dive at the resort’s modern dive shop, one of the largest in the Eastern Caribbean (ansechastanet.com).

Ladera With private plunge pools in open-air suites, magnificent sunsets over the twin Pitons in the bay beneath you and the serenade of amorous tree frogs in the air, this gem rates over-the-top in accommodations and service. Small wonder it’s repeatedly been called the best resort in the Caribbean (ladera.com).

Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort This luxurious resort is a favorite with repeat guests: its flowery paths, swaying palm trees and slices of emerald-green rainforest are hypnotic. For a real treat, be sure to book a Bamboo Massage at the Rainforest Spa (viceroyhotelsandresorts.com).

BEST COCKTAILS

The Bar There’s nothing like sitting back and taking it all in on Ladera’s veranda, perched some one thousand feet above the Caribbean Sea, where the daily drink specials are as intoxicating as the view. Our favorite? The luscious Down and Out, a blended concoction of peach Schnapps, coconut cream, ripe banana and fresh strawberries. There’s live music as well.

The Palm Court Lounge Savor a touch of sophistication at this elegant setting while viewing the dramatic sunsets. Located within the Sugar Beach Resort, it serves up nightlife entertainment along with a good selection of cocktails, mixed drinks, wines, and beers. The Tea Mojito is a relaxing blend of white rum, tea essence, lime juice, mint and soda water.

30 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

SPECTACULAR BEACHES

BEST ACTIVITIES

All of the beaches on St. Lucia are public, but access can sometimes be a problem. In general, it’s best to stick to those on the west coast; the windswept east side of the island faces the Atlantic Ocean, and the surf can be rough. Most of this volcanic island is lined with dark sand, but there are notable exceptions.

Pigeon Island This small, uncrowded beach adjacent to this national historic park is the perfect spot for a picnic. A little café next to the beach sells snacks and drinks if you don’t want to bring your own.

Barre de L’isle Trail St. Lucia’s mountainous center is covered with rainforest (19,000 acres of it, in fact), home to bromeliads, wild orchids and the brilliantly hued (and endangered) St. Lucia parrot. This relatively easy hiking trail takes you through the center, with paths that veer off to panoramic views overlooking where the Caribbean meet the Atlantic. Several companies offer guided hikes, but it’s well-marked enough that you can do it on your own if you prefer. Choc Beach This beautifully sandy beach north of Castries looks like something out of a postcard, with lots of coconut palms and clear, tranquil waters that are ideal for an afternoon swim.

Anse la Raye Friday Night Fish Fry This weekly street party hosted by this small fishing village is a perfect place to enjoy just-caught lobster or snapper, yes, but it’s also an excellent way to check out St. Lucia’s culture. Locals and visitors alike dance and have fun at this noisy, festive openair event.

For more information on these beaches, visit stlucia.org.

For more information on these activities, visit stlucia.org.

BEST OCEANVIEW DINING

Dasheene at Ladera This open-air restaurant is the most romantic place to watch the sunset over the twin Pitons and lovely Soufriere Bay. Accomplished chef Nigel Mitchel whips up fabulous dishes to accompany the dramatic views.

Rainforest Hideaway Go ahead and splurge! Take the three-minute ferry ride to Marigot Bay to this favorite restaurant on a dock in the bay. The menu is eclectic (from chops to pasta), but we’d recommend one of the locally caught fish dishes prepared Caribbean style (rainforesthideawaystlucia.com). • JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 31

DESTINATION PARADISE By Jeff & Stephanie Sylva

mmediately upon entering the spacious lobby of the Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort in Hollywood, Florida, where a giant blue flip-flop and pop-top are prominently displayed, we were quickly taken with the “no worries” tropical vibe inspired by the lyrics of Jimmy Buffet. We knew that if the rest of the resort reflected the laid back, relaxing atmosphere found in the lobby, which sported many plush couches and swinging, hammock-styled lounges, we were in for a good time. Parrotheads (aka devoted Jimmy Buffet fans) will revel in the numerous references, inspirations, and renditions of Buffet’s lyrics and music in the lobby and throughout the resort. A huge chandelier with hanging margarita glasses and private lobby cabanas titled with lyrics such as “Nibblin’ on Sponge Cake” set the tone for that “5 O’Clock Somewhere” attitude that pervades the resort.

JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 33

QUINTESSENTIAL FLORIDA The Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort is a $175 million centerpiece of a revitalization effort taking place in this classic beach community located between Fort Lauderdale and Miami that has often been described as quintessential Florida. Built on the site of the original Hollywood Beach Casino, the resort (the first Margaritaville Resort to achieve an AAA Four Diamond rating) is now a focal point of the famed Hollywood Boardwalk. In fact, the resort purchased the Hollywood Beach Bandshell and continued a commitment to bringing live entertainment to the public with a weekly schedule of free concerts. With fabulous views of the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Intracoastal Waterway on the other, the resort offers a wealth of activities. We took advantage of the complimentary bicycles to cruise the Boardwalk each day of our stay. Two beach chairs and an umbrella are included in the daily resort fee, so enjoying the expansive Hollywood Beach is easy. A state-of-the-art fitness center offering fitness classes (also included in the resort fee) is open 24 hours. Paddle board and kayak rentals are available across the street on the Intracoastal. If you’re looking to up the ante on relaxation, visit the 11,000 square-foot St. Somewhere Spa to enjoy one or more of its many spa services. Three pools provide plenty of swimming fun and relaxation. Two pools are located right at the Boardwalk and the third—the adults-only “License to Chill” pool—is located on the 11th floor and offers expansive views of the beach and the Atlantic Ocean. One attraction that gathers a crowd of spectators of both guests and locals walking the Boardwalk is the Beachfront FlowRider Double—a surf simulator that creates the “perfect” ocean wave.

FAMILY FUN IN THE SUN The resort’s recreation staff is eager to engage kids and adults with a daily schedule of games and activities by the pool and on the beach. From family hula hoop and limbo contests to poolside bingo games and beach water balloon toss, the recreation staff looks to keep guests involved in all the fun. We challenged two of the staffers to a competitive corn hole (bean bag toss) game and ended up winning free margaritas. The Parakeets Kids Club gives parents a chance to enjoy some alone time, while the kids are entertained with a variety of games, arts and crafts, and other activities. (A fee is charged for the Kids Club.) Accommodations at Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort are luxurious. With colors of the sea, sand, and sky creating a relaxing setting, rooms and suites reflect the tropical, maritime influence associated with Jimmy Buffet. All suites and rooms offer a balcony overlooking the Atlantic Ocean or the Intracoastal Waterway. 34 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

DINING & LIBATIONS The resort boasts eight various bars and restaurants, many offering live entertainment. The Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville Restaurant, overlooking the pool and beachscape, is a lively, fun spot for food and drink. Live entertainment nightly is an essential ingredient to this tropically-inspired venue. The Landshark Bar & Grill, which overlooks the boardwalk and beach, offers great people-watching opportunities including front row views of the FlowRider. We loved the 5 O’clock Somewhere Bar & Grill for happy hour. Relaxing in the Adirondack chairs set out in the sand, we sipped our margaritas by the fire pit and took in a glorious sunset over the Intracoastal. A key ingredient to the resort’s Four Diamond rating is its upscale dining venue—JWB Prime Steak and Seafood. JWB (the singer’s initials) is the first of the brand’s new upscale restaurant concept. What we liked about this place was its high-quality cuisine and attentive service, coupled with the relaxed, laid-back attitude that is the hallmark of the Jimmy Buffet brand. No pretentiousness here—diners in shorts and flip-flops are more than welcome.

LOTS TO DO Area attractions include the shopping and dining area of Downtown Hollywood, which is easy to get to on the community’s Old-Fashioned Trolley for just a dollar. Adults looking for some action can visit Gulfstream Park for its horse racing and casino. Serious shoppers will love world-famous Las Olas Boulevard in nearby Fort Lauderdale. Getting there can be fun if you take the Water Taxi which you can conveniently board at the 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar & Grill’s dock. It’s a great opportunity to take in some great sights during the ride up the Intracoastal to Fort Lauderdale. Jimmy Buffet’s music has been varyingly described as “shrimp boat rock,” “calypso country,” and “gulf and western.” His music can be heard throughout the resort. We don’t claim to be parrotheads (although Stephanie does have her car’s XM Radio glued to the Margaritaville station), yet we marvel at the incredible marketing empire created by Jimmy Buffet. In addition to the Hollywood Beach Resort, there are five other Margaritaville Resorts with a seventh to open soon in Grand Cayman. The Margaritaville brand also operates three casinos and numerous restaurants including Landmark Bar & Grill, 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar, and Cheeseburger in Paradise in addition to Margaritaville Restaurants throughout the U.S., Mexico, the Caribbean, and on some Norwegian Cruise Line ships. The brand also markets a wide assortment of apparel (flip-flops being a favorite item), food, drink ingredients, home goods, bicycles, furniture, and much more. For more information on Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort, visit margaritavillehollywoodbeachresort.com. • JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 35

GREAT ESCAPE: THE KITANO NY By Clint Brownfield

et’s face it—New York is without a doubt the center of the entire world. Visitors from all over come here to view the treasures in our museums, attend our incomparable theaters and sporting and cultural events. Dining? We’re the food capital of the world, too. Visitors may even do a little wheeling and dealing while in town since New York also happens to be the business capital of the world. But sometimes we New Yorkers want to take a breather from all the hustle and bustle. If you find yourself in need of a break, then amble over to the southwest corner of Park Avenue, and 38th Street at the apex of Manhattan’s tony Murray Hill neighborhood and enter the serene atmosphere of The Kitano New York, which describes itself as New York’s first and only Japanese-owned boutique hotel.

AN URBAN OASIS Entering the hotel’s lobby, a calm, and soothing atmosphere helps ease whatever inner turmoil might be coursing through your system. But make no mistake, this is not a stodgy cartoon-like a version of an old-timey men’s club. Polished marble flooring, rich mahogany paneling, original works of art and a sweeping staircase up to the second level pave the way for the sleek, understated tone that makes the hotel unique. A whimsical touch, via Botero’s imposing sculpture of a big happy dog greets all who enter. The name of the sculpture is simply Dog. The lobby also features an inviting lounge where you can sip a cocktail or perhaps savor cup of tea—very relaxing. All of this is available, whether you’re staying in the hotel or not. It’s an oasis. Jazz At Kitano - PAUL JENKINS “Phenomena Seen But Not Heard”

Kitano Lobby Sculpture 36 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

ALL THAT JAZZ

Kitano Lobby

But, if you want to rev it up a little, that’s no problem at the Kitano. Just head toward the door at the back of the lobby and slip into Jazz at Kitano. One can also enter through the entrance on East 38th Street. New York used to have lots of jazz clubs—but not so many these days. Darkly lit smoky joints, usually in basements, were the places to enjoy jazz in the city. Jazz at Kitano isn’t like that. Located in an 1896 landmark townhouse that was acquired by the hotel in the mid-1990s (it formerly housed members of the Rockefeller family), the main room, with its soaring atrium, is home to the world’s best jazz artists and promising up-andcomers. Several nights a week jazz patrons can behave like cool cats and bop along with the cool cats on stage. Check out the kitano.com/jazz-schedule for weekly schedules and to see if there is a cover or minimum for a particular performance. In addition to music, Jazz at Kitano also offers a Sunday jazz brunch buffet ($40); daily lunch and dinner featuring Asian, Continental, and American classics.

Hakubai Seating

EAST MEETS WEST But the hotel’s food offerings do not end at Jazz at Kitano. On the lower level of the hotel a spectacular (and possibly under-discovered) Japanese food temple awaits—Hakubai Restaurant, considered by many to be the finest Japanese restaurant in the United States. Here, Executive Master Chef Yukihiro Sato offers his take on Kaiseki, a centuriesold Japanese cuisine with roots in Zen Buddhism and the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. The main dining room seats 49; there are three private dining Tatami Suites, which feature traditional sunken dining tables. Guests must remove their shoes before entering the private suites. Bamboo and other natural materials, in addition to tatami, shoji screens, and ikebana floral arrangements set the tone for the authentic, and serene, Japanese decor. More than a half-million dollars has been invested in its collection of Japanese dishes and serving pieces, all providing an understated platform to make way for the real stars of the room—the food. Kaiseki was developed more than 500 years ago. According to legend, Buddhist priests in strict Zen training would store a hot stone (seki) in their kimono pocket (kai) in order to make their fasting more bearable. The Kaiseki was originally served during traditional tea ceremonies and offered before the elaborate ritual. It was thought that the tea would taste better if the people weren’t hungry. So the word ‘Kaiseki’ is used for the light meal served during the tea ceremony. But dinners at the restaurant are far from the ‘light snacks’ served at those tea ceremonies. Served at dinner, the eight-course (or more) Kaiseki is as much an art form as it is a cuisine. Diners start off with an appetizer, which might include minced young fish and vegetables—served on hand-painted porcelain or pottery. A light soup follows in a lacquer bowl, perhaps with soybean cake, mullet row, and udo. Next, a rare lacquer box is presented containing sashimi or another delicacy. After that comes hassun an array of delicacies such as fish, bamboo shoots, sushi or asparagus rolled with salmon, which is typically followed by a boiled or simmered dish, perhaps with vegetables and fresh fish. Several courses later, diners will have experienced one of the most authentic Kaiseki meals one can savor in New York City. All comprised of the freshest seasonal ingredients available on the market that day. So forget dinner and a show. This is a show! Tatami Suite Bedroom

BEAUTY EVERYWHERE Another thing you’ll notice all over the Kitano, in the public spaces and also in the restaurant, rooms, and suites, is a proliferation of beautiful flowers. These are Ikebana floral arrangements and are changed weekly under the supervision of Mr. Noritaka Noda, president of Ikenobo Ikebana Society, New York City Chapter. These living works of art are another reason to periodically drop into the Kitano to unwind, relax and get away from the hustle and bustle in the center of the world—New York City. If you or your out-of-town friends would like to book a room, the 18-story Kitano New York offers 150 guestrooms, including 18 suites, each featuring custom-made mahogany and cherry furniture, custom-made mattresses and original artwork. Windows open to views of historic Murray Hill, Grand Central Terminal, the Empire State Building and other New York landmarks such as the Morgan Library and Museum across from the hotel on 38th Street. Private meeting rooms are available as well as a business center and an in-house fitness center. The Kitano owes much of its success to the high percentage of guests who return, time and again, making it their serene and calming New York home-away-from-home.

Kitano King Superior

For more information, visit kitano.com. • JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 37

BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL By Patricia Canole

wice the size of all the other Hawaiian Islands combined, the Big Island is home to 11 of the world’s 13 climatic regions—not just tropical rainforests and arid desert lands, but also verdant upcountry and snow-capped tundra at the summit of Mauna Kea. Amazingly, you can experience the Big Island’s micro-climates in a single visit—all you need to do is go holo-holo (that’s Hawaiian for “take a spin”). Here, some adventures that will take you through most of the climate changes.

SUN ‘N’ SURF

Four Seasons Resort Hualalai

One of the things that makes the Big Island so unique is that you can choose a beach according to the type of waves you like (rolling waves, perfect for surfing, or more placid ones, ideal for snorkeling) or the color of sand you fancy—white, green or black, for instance. The western portion of the island is home to a corridor of white sand beaches, which stretch from the Kailua, just south of the Kona airport, up to the Kohala coast, home to the isle’s most luxurious resort properties, including the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai (fourseasons. com). It’s no wonder it’s here: The Kailua-Kona region is sunny and warm, with just enough breeze to keep the temperature comfortable. The drive along Kaahumanu Highway (Highway 19), from the airport towards the resort area, takes you through an eerie landscape of arid black lava fields. Although the twisted branches of scrub brush and ohia trees sport spiny, bright red blossoms, visitors invariably compare the area to a desert moonscape. Not exactly what you’d expect, but that’s the beauty of the Big Island. A quick left onto intersecting access roads leads to the shoreline and the island’s prime beaches. Hailed by locals and visitors as one of America’s best beaches, the state protected Hapuna Beach is a great spot for boogie boarding and body surfing. The sand at this palm-protected cove is so soft; you’ll feel as though you’re walking on powder. Windsurfers flock to Anaehoomalu Beach located near the Waikoloa Beach Marriott, while the expanse of Ka’Upuliehu Beach is perfect if you’re looking for a secluded spot. Some of the island’s best snorkeling can be found at Kahaluu Beach Park, located at the southern end of Kailua-Kona. On the Big Island’s southern coast, you find the black and green sand beaches that this island is famous for. Spread a blanket beneath a towering coconut tree and lounge with the friendly Hawaiian sea turtles that come to sun themselves on the volcanic black sand. If you’re looking for a more active beach day, tackle the four-mile roundtrip coastal hike to Papakolea, one of the only two green sand beaches in the world.

TAKE A COFFEE BREAK Just a few miles from the sunny beaches of Kailua-Kona, but a world away, lies the island’s jungle-like coffee-growing region. The java beans produced here are among the world’s most delectable— and expensive. The shaded areas on the verdant slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa, boast the perfect conditions for coffee producing: in the morning the sun shines brightly on the wide green leaves of the coffee plants, and in the afternoon humidity and rain hydrate the roots. Java junkies armed with a Kona Coffee driving map (available free online at Konacoffeefest.com/driving tour) can take a self-guided tour of the more than 600 specialty coffee farms concentrated along a scenic 20-mile stretch of winding back roads. Even better—buying some beans straight from the source may save you a few bucks. 38 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

CHASING WATERFALLS Sign up for a nature tour with Hawaii Forest & Trail (hawaii-forest.com) and you’ll explore various terrains and all kinds of weather. The five-and-half-hour Kohala Waterfalls Tour takes you across the dry, sunny resort corridor and leads deep into the lush, wet windward of the island. The tour starts with a van ride from Kona up Highway 19, where cactus and scrub grass give way to guava trees and thickly growing ferns. As the road edges closer to the coastline, you’ll see double rainbows hovering above the shoreline and the splashing of spinner dolphins or, in the winter, humpback whales. Then you’ll pass through towns like Hawi, where a sleepy atmosphere belies its past as a sugarcane boomtown. Today, the laidback village is home to art galleries, small shops and restaurants. As the road winds farther up the slopes of the Kohala Mountains, the temperature cools and you’ll notice the heavy mist, fog and rain that are constant in the air. After a brief stop at the old mule station on a windswept hill that affords a spectacular view of the surf crashing against the rocky coastline, you’ll transfer to an all-terrain vehicle for the bumpy trip across the green of private ranch land to the trailhead. The rolling hills, grazing cattle and swaying grasses make it feel as though you’ve been transported to the set of a Hollywood western. After donning a rain slicker, you’ll set out on the one-and-a-half-mile hike, following a trail that snakes across wooden bridges built over old irrigation tunnels and then goes deeper into the impossibly green, improbably lush forest. Thick stands of ferns and guava and Brazilian pepper trees crowd the edges of the trail. Along the way you’ll pass several picturesque waterfalls, including one where you can swim in the chilly pool and pose beneath the cascading waters for a quintessential honeymoon photo op.

BIKE DOWN A VOLCANO

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

The most ecologically diverse part of the Big Island is found in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, located on the eastern side of the island. The park area is exposed to moisture-laden trade winds and extremes in rainfall; as a result, seven ecological life zones (seacoast, lowland, mid-elevation woodland, rainforest, upland forest and woodland, subalpine and alpine/Aeolian) all flourish within the park’s protected boundaries. Sure, you could see the volcanoes and steam vents from your car, but the best way to experience volcano country is on two wheels. Bike Volcano (bikevolcano.com) offers a Hawaii Volcanoes National Park & Wine Tasting Bike Tour that takes you from the steaming smoking rim of Kilauea, the world’s most active volcano, to the dramatic coastline. During the five-hour excursion, you’ll be treated to panoramic views of the Ka’u coast, where waves crash around a huge lava-formed archway and a molten lava shelf continues to grow, thanks to constant volcanic activity. And you’ll whiz along the mostly downhill 15-mile path through the rainforest, past volcanic steam vents, pit craters and vast lava fields. After a picnic lunch overlooking the restless Pacific, you’ll be escorted to a trail that cuts through a jungle of giant ferns and leads into the Thurston Lava Tube, a 30-foot-high, 450-foot-long tunnel formed by an underground lava flow. Then it’s time to stop at the Volcano Winery to toast all this amazing beauty. Hint: Try the specialty varietals, which feature a blend of traditional grapes and tropical fruit like yellow guava. Mauna Kea Summit

REACHING FOR THE STARS Did you know it snows in Hawaii? Yes, it’s true. During the winter and spring months, the steep slopes of Mauna Kea, rising 13,796 feet, can be covered in six inches or more of powder. With daytime temperatures hovering around the freezing mark and nightfall ushering in a sub-zero chill, the alpine climate at the summit is the least thing you’d expect on a tropical island. But that’s what makes a trip to the top a must-do experience. Book a stargazing tour with Mauna Kea Summit Adventures (maunakea.com), and you won’t have to worry about packing your parka with your swim suit; the company provides all the cold-weather gear you’ll need, including gloves. They also escort guests to the summit in heated vans, provide hot drinks and a light dinner. Shortly after your arrival at the peak, the sun dips into the clouds below you. You’ll watch in awe as the sun sets, bathing the sky in streaks of pink, orange, purple and red. After sunset, the astronomer/guide set up powerful telescopes to give you spectacular views of the Milky Way, constellations, planets and distant galaxies. • JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 39

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THE STATE OF LUXURY REAL ESTATE By Daniel J. Bollinger

ew York Lifestyles Magazine recently had the pleasure of meeting up with global real estate expert, James Harris, costar of Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing LA. The popular real estate television series (also starring David Parnes) premiered to record ratings and continues to generate acclaim. Their no-nonsense approach to closing deals and their network of high-net-worth clients have enabled them to sell over $250 million worth of real estate in 2015. They are on target to sell over $300 million in 2016. Their firm also recently sold the Playboy Mansion. How is the real estate market on the West Coast doing? It’s crazy! It’s very interesting because we feel the California market is still undervalued compared to NYC, Miami, and London. There is a lot of momentum, and we are seeing record breaking numbers with three back-toback sales that just closed in the $100 million range. There are numerous developments coming to market from The Hollywood Hills to Bel Air. This market is very confident. What’s your take on the synergy of the NY and LA markets? Even though we’re on opposite sides of the country, there are a lot of similarities. There are huge amounts of similarity between our cities. The arts, entertainment industry, top restaurants, tech and financial business can be found on either coast. Many HNWI 42 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

(high net-worth investors) own in both NYC & LA. We just took on the NYC project One West End so that we could better serve our HNWI clients on both coasts. I read that one-quarter of the worlds’ wealthiest one percent plan to purchase luxury real estate in the next three years. I know NYC is right in the middle of this trend (and the world), but what is your take on this statistic and how does it relate to both NYC and California? Statistics are interesting because they are changing every day. The one percent are so used to buying in NYC, but California is not on the map like NYC. People are considering LA—and California—as a key major city in the USA now. We’ve seen the trend up north where the tech industry has created a surge in the market in areas like Palo Alto and San Francisco, and now with the recent number of $50 million-plus sales in LA, we are not far behind.

Why do you think there is such high confidence in these statistics and trends? At the end of the day, trends are cyclical, markets go up, and markets go down, but there is value here in California. You can build a house, but you cannot create more land. California has land. There are billions of dollars in commercial development all over Los Angeles right now. People used to think of California just as a vacation state but now people want to buy, people want to own here now. What does this multi-billion dollar luxury real estate buying spree mean to the rest of us and the global economy? Globally this is a good thing. With interest rates at historically low rates right now this gives people leverage to buy real estate. It doesn’t matter where in the world right now as long as it happens for the right reason then it stimulates the economy. In London during the 2008 financial crisis, it was a very attractive market, the ultra-wealthy were buying non-domicile residences, but it wasn’t stimulating the economy. Now when the luxury real estate goes up, it creates confidence: hotels, restaurants, and high-end retail stores develop too, and that creates momentum for other players’ confidence. Having worked in the commercial real estate industry in NYC, I know currency fluctuations factor greatly in international buying and investing. What are your views on the current financial climate in relation to currency fluctuations? Currency fluctuations are a key component to the international investor no matter where. Right now a Londoner would have to look carefully at the currency conversion in order to buy in the USA, because of the currency exchange but an American might be more apt to buy in London. When you are trading currencies to buy real estate it is a major factor. It’s hard to tell what is going

to happen with all that is going on in the world right now like BREXIT and Donald Trump’s presidency. But most people base their decisions on converting their money to U.S. currency. Let’s talk amenities: In NYC they are real “in” right now. From The Sound Lounge designed by Lenny Kravitz at The Kent to the most state-of-the-art parking facility at 252 East 57th— amenities in NYC buildings continue to get bolder and more luxurious. What are some of the amenities that your clientele seek and why? Developers are always looking to be bigger and better than their competitors to set themselves apart from the pack. In California amenities are for single family homes. In NYC amenities are included for buildings. But in California, we have seen bowling alleys and IMAX Theaters. We have even seen a Jellyfish room (a room dedicated to jellyfish) and an ice room for chilling vodka (like the Ice Hotel in Finland). We have seen it all including pools off the master bedroom; one new house has four pools. We have even seen a doctor have a surgery room in his house so he could perform operations right in his home. The trend is to expand on what’s already been done and to outdo your next door neighbor. Let’s talk about real estate as an investment. I heard you make your clients millions of dollars in profit in under a year. Please do educate us on how you can do that. Making money isn’t easy today. Nothing changes in the formula. The number one component is location, location, location. In California, it’s about buying land, retaining an architect, and creating a vision. I will give you an example: A client of ours bought about one acre in Bel Air for $8.6 million. He retained an architect and created/designed a 25,000 square foot approved project and then flipped it for $15 million. He created a vision with a rendering which is a common theme now. People don’t want to wait; they want to build now. Timing is critical. Since you’re in NYC, what are some of your favorite things to do here? Walking! With a stay at The Carlyle on the Upper East Side, my wife and I just walked everywhere. Up and down Madison and Fifth Avenues, all over Tribeca. The character of NYC reminds me of London. The architecture and scale of NYC are so beautiful I could walk until my feet bleed! I know California has In ‘N’ Out burger, but we have The Corner Bistro, a real NYC experience tucked away in the heart of the West Village. Next time you’re in NYC and I’m in California we’re going to have to have a taste test and see how they compare. You down for that? I’m in 100 percent! We’re going to eat a burger at Corner Bistro and go Development Shopping. Cheers! • JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 43

LIST Y O U R HO M E WI T H

DANIEL J BOLLINGER AT BOND NEW YORK BOND New York is the largest independently owned brokerage in NYC. Daniel Bollinger’s marketing team prepares customized marketing plans to give your property maximum exposure to ensure you the best and highest price for your property. This includes professional magazine quality photos, 8 page magazine quality show books, and videos of your property which we advertise on over 30 major websites worldwide including Juwai.com. BOND has one of the largest global relocation networks in the industry connecting top qualified buyers to your listing. Daniel J Bollinger will maximize your properties’ presence in the market giving your property a competitive edge. Contact Daniel J Bollinger today at (718) 662-9493 or DBollinger@BONDNewYork.com to get your property maximum exposure. Whether you are buying or selling contact me so that I can assist you in all your real estate needs.

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Daniel J. Bollinger Licensed Real Estate Salesperson

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© 2016 BOND New York. All material presented herein is intended for information purposes only. While information is believed to be correct, it is represented subject to errors, omissions, changes, or withdrawals without notice. All property information, including but not limited to, square footage and number of bedrooms, is approximate. If your home is currently listed with another broker this is not intended to solicit that listing. Exact measurements should be verified by your own attorney, architect, engineer, or zoning expert. BOND New York is a broker that supports Equal Housing Opportunity.

ALMOST SOLD OUT By Daniel J. Bollinger

tour a lot of new developments in NYC. Sometimes I’m a little late to the game, and most of the building is sold out already. Two such projects are listed below. Let’s take a look...

JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 45

135 WEST 52ND STREET At the time of this writing, there are only a handful of apartments left in this excellent development. A few penthouses and a few three bedrooms. All the apartments are very nice with some great design details. The bathrooms have floor to ceiling marble (even in the powder rooms). The ‘niche factor’ is high—some with double stacked niches. Rain shower heads, sunken medicine cabinets, square windows and marbled window sills on these windows make for some great bathrooms. The kitchens are beautiful as well with Miele convection ovens with warming drawers, hydraulic lift cabinets, three inch Calcutta marble countertops, and some even have double dishwashers. One great design detail is the hidden storage in the backsplashes. The backsplashes are cabinets that slide up to open where one can keep knife blocks, coffee machines, etc. The apartments are very spacious with great bedrooms. With NEST smart technology, two-sided fireplaces, and plenty of light these residences are very nice. There are plenty of amenities too. A heated lap pool, fitness center with a weight room, yoga room, and an outside terrace. The bathrooms have saunas, steam rooms, and showers. There is a golf, soccer and baseball simulator room. And an over-sized lounge with a wraparound terrace with a TV and fireplace. I would recommend checking out 135 West 52nd Street. The remaining units are quite nice, and there are more than average amenity offerings. For more information, visit 135w52.com.

46 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

505 WEST 19TH STREET At this address only four units remain including two penthouses and a duplex. There’s a reason there are only four units left: The location is outstanding, and the apartments are beautiful. The development has East and West wings which straddle the High Line. The penthouses are enormous with great views of Manhattan’s newest park. Kitchens are tremendous as well with the penthouses having some of the largest kitchens I have seen in Manhattan. With Miele double ovens, convection/ microwave, steam oven and warming drawer it is a very nice touch. Some units have multiples of certain appliances like twin dishwashers. The penthouse bathrooms are equally grandeur with the master wet room having a ceiling mounted rain shower, showerhead, handheld, and steam with a deep soaking tub as well with a marble sitting bench. The whole bathroom is encased in marble from floor to ceiling. There is even a sauna. These bathrooms are something to behold. Large pocket doors close off spaces and 13-foot ceiling heights with huge windows allow plenty of light. Wood burning fireplaces are in some units. I love the leather handles with brass trim in the kitchen and the brass fixtures in the bathrooms. The duplex has some great features as well. Twenty-two-foot ceiling heights in the main dining room that lead out to your backyard that abuts the High Line with a wall-sized sliding glass door are just some of the great features. All Miele appliances again with fully integrated cabinets in the kitchen. The sponsors spared no expense in building these units. For more information, visit 505W19.com. • JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 47

THROUGH THE LENS Photography By AnnieWatt.com

AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE OPEN UNIVERSITY OF ISRAEL GALA HONORS ROCHELLE HIRSCH AND RABBI GROSSMAN

Naomi Hass-Perlman, Ingeborg Rennert, Rochelle Hirsch, Stephanie Hirsch

Rabbi Yitzchak Dovid Grossman, Ingeborg Rennert, Naomi Hass-Perlman

ORDER OF ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM KNIGHTS HOSPITALLER COMMANDERY WINTER GALA

THE MUSEUM OF ARTS AND DESIGN COCKTAIL PARTY HOSTED BY SIMONA AND JEROME CHAZEN

Judy Gates, Patrick Hill, Chevalier James Doran, Barbara Gross, Chevalier Father Stephen, Dame Peggy Donovan, Dame Diana

Simona Chazen, Jerome Chazen

Dorothy Doran, Chevalier James Doran, Deborah McGrath

Janice Galli-Becker, Dame Diana Frankel

Marian Burke, Russell Burke, Michele Cohen

Brorbenshetart, Liz Roberts

Marion Wiesel, Wendy Fisher, Simcha Stern

Hirsch table

Katherine Pritz, Chevalier James Doran, Grand Councillor Vincent Bonagura

David Hirsch, Rochelle Hirsch

Patrick Hill

48 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

Shannon Stratton, Barbara Tober

Jorge Daniel Veneciano, guests

ROTELLA GALLERY AND DAVID YARROW RECEPTION FOR “WILD ENCOUNTERS” BOOK

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY’S HOPE LODGE HOLIDAY BASH

CRISTINA FONTANELLI’S 13TH ANNUAL “CHRISTMAS IN ITALY”

Sandy Diamond, Ron Diamond

Producer Leah Lane, Cristina Fontanelli, Producer Robert Levinstein

Suzy Oberhelman, Bernie Gilson, David Yarrow, Jim Neuschap, Jessica Napp

Robert Allen David Yarrow

Ellen O’Connell, John Winkleman, Katherine Winkleman

Charlie Mayhew, John Heminway, Miranda Meyer, Daphne Scalamandre

Heli Sirvio, Jason Grant

Cristina Fontanelli, Sister Virginia Russo, Sister Michael Mary

David Carpenter, Champagne Joy, Guillaume Gentet Producer Leah Lane

Karmen Bryant, Tricia Michie, Karolyn Rogers, Kim Sneed, Marcia Todd, Sally Sipes

The Little Language Studio

Debbie Colgan, Monica Kennedy

The Jersey City Ballet Kids

JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 49

GRAIG WEICH: SUPERHERO By Daniel J. Bollinger

raig Weich is the award-winning artist, writer, film director, and CEO of the New York City-based BeyondComics. TV—a multi-media production company and winner of the HBO-sponsored UAS Film Festival and NY International Independent Film & Video Festival for Best Action Short. BeyondComics.TV not only creates comic book graphic novels but also creates sculptures, toys, animation, 3-D characters, movie special effects, websites and more. I met Graig at an art auction and had the chance to learn a little more about his company and what he sees for the future. Tell us a little bit more about BeyondComics.TV and where it’s been seen? It’s such an honor to be a part of the superhero universe. I draw, write and create all new superhero comic book graphic novels with the celebrities. The short film I directed based on them won the HBO sponsored UAS Award. Most of the movies, video games and merchandising all stem from their comic book source material but there haven’t been any new independent superheroes to break into the mainstream media for years, and that’s when I realized new content was in need. It was a blast to have my work featured on AMC’s Comic Book Men a few times, on E! Entertainment Television’s Ice Love’s Coco and Howard Stern Show’s 100 News. Cary Hiroyuki-Tagawa (Mortal Kombat and The Man In the High Castle) just became a partner in my company and will be featured as a villain drawn in my comic book Gekido. It also features Ice-T’s wife Coco, America’s Next Top Model winner Adrianne Curry, Howard Stern’s producer Gary “Bababooy” Dell’Abate and Donald Faison (NBC’s SCRUBS). Who else would you like to draw into your comics? I’ve personally met with some more A-list celebrities that I’m in talks with. I can say that I enjoyed meeting and talking with Tom Cruise, Sam Jackson, and Jim Carrey. What first got you started in comics? Ever since I could remember, I was drawing superheroes, and 50 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

my parents noticed I was making images they could identify. But I guess right before my 2nd birthday my parents got me my first action figure superhero—Superman, I think! I was hooked instantly and began “flying” around the house in my homemade cape. The rest is history. My father was a huge comic book fan. My mom mentioned to me when I was six that I should create my heroes and work for myself. By the time I was eight years old, I was acting out stories I thought up while playing action figures with my parents. Then, I drew my first comic called Macho Man. By age 14 I began seriously creating superheroes and a year later was published as the cover artist for Video Game Magazine. My big break came when Todd McFarlane from Image Comics (Spawn and The Walking Dead) hired me as his official poster artist and was featured on a TV show which launched my career in comics (though I took a long hiatus to go to school). How did the story of Gekido and your other superheroes originate? Gekido is the first hero I co-created with writer Brandon Wilson who reached out to me to create all the designs, visual characters and has my input on Gekido to become what you see today, he is brilliant, and it’s an honor to work together and call him my friend. For my other characters Code Name: Justice and Ravedactyl (coming out soon) I pull from real life struggles and theories I‘ve come up with on life after death and our purpose in existence with a superhero twist.

What were your favorite comic books as a kid? Superman, Batman/The Dark Knight Returns, and Spiderman, then my father introduced me to the classics, Spy Smasher, Mandrake the Magician, Captain Marvel (SHAZAM), The Lone Ranger, Zorro and The Phantom. Who are your favorite comic book characters outside of your comics and any advice? The original Spiderman, he is the basis of most heroes today showing personal problems, and though he is powerful, he has vulnerability and struggles like the rest of us. He also has some of the coolest super powers. That’s what forced me as a creator of comics to come up with new ideas and super powers that I haven’t seen done in comics the way I put my twist on them. I still get excited and inspired today by epic emotional classic music soundtracks and fast techno pop beats, amazing comic book artists and Matrix style movies and re-watching movies like the original Robocop, The Dark Knight. All that sparked my excitement and thus I learned the hard way how difficult it can be to pursue your dreams, so the best advice I can offer others who are interested in this field is when you’re about to quit because you don’t think you have it in you to keep going any longer, that is when 99 percent of us give up and stop. And it’s at that point that you must become the one percent to pause and rev yourself back up and keep going. It’s at a moment that makes the difference between failing and succeeding. You must become your own hero to save yourself so you can then grow to help save others. What is a typical day like for you? I enjoy challenging myself to create new, original superheroes, monsters, storylines that keep revealing new secrets. Characters with new super powers and skills. Taking what we love and putting my spin on it in a new way. Making the impossible possible and working on leaving a legacy through my creations to add to the wonderful world of comic book graphic novels. Through all the years, there’s nothing like holding a finished printed comic book in your hands as a souvenir of all that hard work that produced something that can give enjoyment. Meeting my fans at comic conventions and getting all those supportive emails is what makes it all worthwhile. A fan in his 30s approached me at Comic Con and permanently tattooed all

my superheroes on his entire arm. Then there’s the young girl in a wheelchair who began crying and telling me how happy my comic book made her feel. After that, I realized how serious my job is. I have a chance to inspire people with my creations, and I felt a tremendous responsibility to do everything in my power to never give up and keep going no matter what—to create comics that make a difference. I’ve donated my art to help raise money for children and animals in need for many years, so in a way, it’s like my fictional superheroes are helping save people in real life. What interesting things are you working on now and for the future? New 3-D color holographic motion printed comics will be coming with no need for glasses or electronics using the newest lenticular technology. My three new comics are Gekido (available now) that follows the adventures of an Anime Asian mystical hero who fights an ancient Ninja clan. Then, Code Name: Justice who fights to stop corruption and uncover the truth behind the conspiracies in our world while facing his inner demons. And next up is Ravedactyl: Life Beyond Death, where mythological armor processes a human to discover the secret origins of humankind while saving the world from the apocalypse, all due out shortly. Of course, turning my creations into movies, TV, video games, animation and more is very exciting. I’m thrilled we signed for an Action Figure license deal. It’s so exciting to be able to hold my creations in my hands and play with them. They use all new tech with seamless synthetic skin and a steel skeleton inside with 33 points of articulation revolutionizing action figures as we know it. The prototypes premiered at Comic Con in the U.S. and the Philippines, and that’s just the start. The other heroes in the pipeline are also being worked on to create a whole new Beyond Comics universe of heroes. I would also like to open a charity to help sick children as well and help teach the arts to kids to continue the expressionism of creativity. Where can one read up more about you and order some of your signed comic books? Check out my comic book Gekido (written by co-creator Brandon Wilson) at BeyondComics.TV and enter for a chance to be drawn as a character in my upcoming comic book on my site. Also, check out YouTube.com/BeyondComicsTV; Instagram. com/GraigWeich; Facebook.com/GraigWeich. • JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 51

THE CHAMBERLAIN: AN UWS GEM By Daniel J. Bollinger

he Chamberlain—inspired by classic pre-war construction on the Upper West Side (UWS)—is one of New York’s most exciting new editions. New development on the UWS is rare given that there is not that much undeveloped space. However, The Chamberlain with its distinctive architectural features, such as Juliet balconies, bronze-finished double entry doors, and Garden Courtyard blends in well with the existing structure of the block.

DUPLEX TOWNHOUSES Masterfully composed by FXFOWLE and Champalimaud, with only one-to-three residences per floor (including three full-floorpenthouses and two duplex townhouses), the 39 gracious sun-drenched layouts offer formal entry galleries, ten-foot ceilings, and hand-laid white oak wood flooring throughout. The Chamberlain is slated for completion in Spring 2018. FXFOWLE is known for sustainable design and ‘thoughtful luxury’. Pre-wired with NEST smart wiring allows residents to control their units’ utilities via smartphone, fitted with Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) HVAC systems, an industrial zoned heating system that saves energy costs and results in greater control of the building’s interior temperatures, this residence is a model of modern-day living.

52 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

SIMPLY FABULOUS Master baths include floor-to-ceiling marble, large mirrored custom medicine cabinets with plenty of storage space below double vanities, and oversized showers with a marble seating bench. But the piece-deresistance is the marble encased “Tea for Two” soaking tub. There are four fabulous ledges/niches—making this master bath one of the best designs ever seen. The kitchens are a wonderfully thought-out, collaboration between Smallbone of Devizes and Champalimaud. The seamless slabs of marble on the countertop, backsplash, and side’s frame out the integrated cabinetry like a work of art. The cabinets interiors are built with handcrafted walnut wood and come with liners and inserts. The highest quality Subzero, Wolfe, and Miele appliances are a mark of the distinction. At The Chamberlain, the saying “Everything but the kitchen sink” does not apply, but rather, “Everything and especially the kitchen sink.” The sink has a three-tiered structure designed to accommodate inserts including custom-inset hardwood cutting board, strainer, drainage inserts and a garbage disposal. For those who know that dinner time is family time and special moments are made in the kitchen, this is the home for you. With spacious layouts that include culinary islands and room for builtin banquet seating, no one is going to miss a family meal here. These spacious condos with their exquisitely designed kitchens and baths, luxury materials, and appliances are qualities that set The Chamberlain apart from most offerings on the Upper West Side.

OUTDOOR LIVING & MORE The amenities are all designed around the garden courtyard, an oasis alive with plantings and a lush vertical green wall. Two levels of recreational and leisure spaces include a library lounge with fireplace, a fitness center, children’s playroom and sports court. The children’s playroom and sports court are situated next to each other with a large window allowing you to keep an eye on the whole gang. The sports court includes a half-court basketball court with a rock climbing wall that doubles as a giant movie screen. The Chamberlain is destined to become an iconic building in Manhattan—a “Super Value Gem.” The super value is that these offerings are 20 percent less than most of the comparables in the area. The gem is that there’s very few ground up developments on the Upper West Side. This area doesn’t offer many chances like this, as most offerings in the neighborhood are gut renovations. I highly recommend checking out The Chamberlain as soon as possible. I can see this building breaking records in the “quickest sellout period”. For more information, visit thechamberlainnyc.com. • JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 53

NOMAD LUXURY By Daniel J. Bollinger

he luxurious 212 Fifth Avenue is a 47 unit conversion overlooking Madison Square Park in Nomad. This building, once a 1912 twenty-four story factory, features high ceilings and a minimum of view-interrupting columns. There is a lot of NYC history surrounding 212 Fifth Avenue as this was one of NYC’s first skyscrapers. Fifth Avenue is well known for being an international symbol of wealth, power, and status. This was confirmed in 1862 when Society’s Grande Dame Caroline Schermerhorn Astor choose to settle on its cross street at 34th Street. Another interesting piece of history is that The Statue of Liberty’s arm and torch were showcased in Madison Square Park from 1876 to 1882 to help generate donations to finish constructing it. With all this rich history surrounding Fifth Avenue and Madison Square Park, Madison Equities and Pembrooke & Ives have designed some gorgeous condos with modern and neo-medieval influences with extreme luxury and loft-life appeal.

THE RESIDENCES All the residences have similar finishes. Gallery layouts with open living, kitchen, and dining areas that emanate from the focal point of the foyer. The foyers are over-sized and make a great impression for the design of the rest of the unit. Large foyers with coffered ceilings add a regal and classic feel, especially with their high ceilings. Beautiful floors of book matched marble slabs make a statement. The open layouts of the kitchen, living, and dining areas are tremendous. High ceilings and oversized windows flood these apartments with plenty of light. Units have up to three viewing directions. Not only are there amazing views of Madison Square Park but some units offer views from the Empire State Building to the north all the way down to the Freedom Tower to the south. Floors 15 to 21 have 56-foot open living spaces. The four bedrooms have an almost 12 foot long and four-foot wide kitchen island comprised of four-inch thick Calacutta Gold marble. All the kitchen appliances are Gagganau and Bosch and have milled wood integrated cabinets. The master bedrooms are also large with master bathrooms to match. The master bathrooms are “pure indulgence”: floor-to-ceiling custom fluted marble walls, extra-wide vanities and a lavish freestanding white solid surface Lacava tub offers true tranquility. The shower room has an excellent niche factor (as does the tub area) with not only a rain shower head but also a standard shower head with beautiful marble bench seating. Some shower rooms even have steam showers. Madison Equities and Pembrooke & Ives is defining what luxury stands for with these residences. 54 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

DESIGN DETAILS There are some fabulous design details throughout the residences that actually accentuate the luxury that is 212 Fifth. For one, there are a plethora of pocket doors throughout. The pocket doors are slam proof both ways (opening and closing) and feature custom pulls. The custom pulls are very art deco and accentuate the luxury design. All hardware in the apartment is made of custom brass and the brass accents on the outside door are another great design detail. The centralized smart wiring that is zoned for each room is a clever design feature as well. Another very unique feature of the building is a second floor dedicated to maidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s apartments.

AMENITIES The amenities are what you would expect in a conversion of this quality. There is a 24-hour doorman/concierge servicing all three entrances of the building. Unique to this building is that there are three different entrances to the building on Broadway, Fifth Avenue, and 26th Street. There is valet parking from all three entrances, a screening room, game room, bike storage and the list goes on. There are actually two playrooms, one for toddlers and another for tweens. There are two lounges as well. The state of the art fitness center has an adjoining yoga studio and a private treatment room. Add a boardroom and a golf simulator room and you have an amenities package befitting this Fifth Avenue location. For more information, visit 212fifthavenue.com. â&#x20AC;˘ JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 55

THE PENTHOUSE AT 94 THOMPSON By Daniel J. Bollinger

he penthouse at 94 Thompson has been in the news before, and you’ve probably heard about it because it is where Heidi Klum hosted a pre-party before her legendary Halloween bash last year. This penthouse is befitting movie stars and millionaires alike for many reasons. One, it is discretely tucked away on one of SoHo’s quietest streets for those who value their privacy and two, it is filled with custom design and details galore for those who simply cannot or will not “follow the crowd.” Around the corner from one of the best pizzerias in the city (Bens Pizza of Soho) and amongst the excellent restaurants and unique shops of Thompson Street like San Carlo Osteria Piemonte and Lunessa you will find this boutique co-op. The spaces in this co-op were originally sold raw and architects Nico Rensch, and Victoria Blau designed quite a unique and beautiful residence. Three Levels, 3,300 interior square feet and three outdoor spaces totaling 2,200 square feet surely help make this a magnificent penthouse. There are other design details that help as well.

56 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

THE MAIN EVENT On the main floor, there are glass walls that serve to close off each room but also allow the resident to enjoy the space as a whole. The living room has a super high 23’ ceiling and a glass enclosed Zen garden which allows a plethora of light to illuminate this level naturally. That combined with an elongated fireplace with a projector movie screen sized wall above it doubling as a home theater makes this room perfect for entertaining/partying. Unless of course, it’s a beautiful sunny day and you and your guests would rather enjoy the outdoors. Then it’s off to the third level of this penthouse, the outdoor rooftop terrace. This rooftop has a covered pergola, BBQ, sink, ice maker, fridge, a powder room, and 360° views of the iconic downtown skyline. There’s no reason to leave the roof until the party’s over.

All the sunshades, lights, and electronics are controlled by either remote control and wall unit at the entrance of the apartment. Some of the finer design details that make this unit one of a kind are: there is an automated banquet-sized dining table right off the living room. It has Japanese style seating meaning you sit on cushions on the floor. The table can be lowered/raised using a remote. The kitchen is a chef ’s kitchen with fully integrated cabinetry and pull out concealment panels for a clean look when not in use. But the master bath takes the cake in design. Steps lead down to the shower area with the largest ceiling mounted rain shower head with steam. The shower area is a tub which you wouldn’t realize because of its custom design. This is something that one has to experience themselves; my words do not give it justice enough. There are great custom door designs as well, and floor to ceiling frosted sliding glass doors leading to the terraces. This penthouse has a warm feel with a minimalist industrial touch. Its SoHo location and custom designed features make it one of a kind. Douglas Elliman’s Tom Postilio and Mickey Conlon have the 94 Thompson listing which they aptly describe the “dazzling aerie” as “an antidote to mundanity.” For full specs of this residence or to schedule a private showing, please contact them: Tom Postilio at 917-543-0005, tom.postilio@elliman.com or Mikey Conlon at 917-224-7177, mickey.conlon@elliman.com. • JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 57

A HELL’S KITCHEN STUNNER By Daniel J. Bollinger

estled in the heart of Hell’s Kitchen is 535 West 43rd Street, a two-tower rental building, designed by CetraRuddy Architects. The building boasts studio-to-two bedrooms “plus” and a host of amenities. Hell’s Kitchen is a great neighborhood filled with restaurants and stylish boutiques at the footlights of Broadway’s finest shows located on the west side of Manhattan next to Times Square on the east and the park-lined Hudson River on the west.

SPACIOUS LIVING The apartments are very well designed. They all exhibit condosized layouts: Open kitchen and living rooms with gallery style designs and big windows with plenty of light make for very spacious apartments. The bathrooms are also larger than normal (even the studios have large bathrooms). All units come with a Bosch washer/dryer. Closets are built-out, and all units have walk-in closets (even the studios). Some of the one and two bedrooms feature terraces; it’s the two bedrooms “plus” which offer the best and biggest ones. This address has a ‘plus’ designation on some of their apartments. The ‘plus’ indicates that there is an additional alcove in the apartment that can be used as a workspace, study, or to host a guest on occasion. The alcove also features an additional walk-in closet. The apartments have stainless steel Blomberg and GE appliances. One of the design details that I like in these apartments is that the kitchens have a stainless steel farmers’ sink. It matches very well with their integrated cabinetry and stainless steel appliances. 58 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

STAND OUT AMENITIES The amenities at 535W43 are what turn this apartment building into a lifestyle choice. Duplex lobby with WiFi, a 14-seat screening room (upon reservation), larger than an average gym with free weights, and duplex outdoor green space courtyards featuring grounds by renowned landscape architecture firm HMWhite are just some of their amenities that stand out. They also have the more common pet spa, children’s playroom (indoor/outdoor), industrial laundry room, and bike storage—with direct access to the street. Their game room is a step above as well with not only ping pong and a billiards table but a full kitchen (most amenities spaces have a caterer’s kitchen). To match the full kitchen is a banquet-sized table that can accommodate 20 people for a sit-down dinner. Renting at 535W43 gives you the opportunity to host large dinner parties. The rooftop decks are gorgeous; well landscaped with lounge chairs and views of the river. They have BBQ grills and an outdoor shower to rinse off in the summer heat. You’ll soon agree that 535W43 is a great apartment complex with many amenities. At the time of this writing, they are offering a three free month concession on all new rentals and no fee which makes this very attractive for those moving in the city right now. For more information, please visit 535w43.com. • JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 59

REAL ESTATE SPOTLIGHT By Daniel J. Bollinger

eet Ryan Freed, a co-owner of hOM which delivers amenity management and programming to residential buildings—regardless of square footage—at a fraction of the cost. Recently, Ryan and I had the pleasure of meeting at the Make It in Brooklyn Convention where I had a chance to learn more about his company. What does hOM do? Who doesn’t want an Equinox gym in their apartment building? However; only one percent of the luxe properties in NYC can have an Equinox or Equinox-style fitness service. At hOM, we make those services available to the other 99 percent of properties. We leverage technology to manage and program existing amenity spaces at one tenth the price and twice the reach of current options. We run yoga classes out of vacant apartment units, game night in your lounge, and boot camp on your rooftop. Additionally, we automate management tasks through our tech platform to help property managers sign residents up for their amenity spaces, coordinate key fob delivery, maintain equipment, and have a customer service team of professionals. How long have you been in business? We’ve been operational for two years now and have seen rapid growth. How did you come up with this concept? The name is a combination of Hope, my mother’s first name, and OM; it just happens to make perfect sense for our business. My mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer 13 years ago. She used doctor prescribed wellness techniques like yoga, meditation, and a completely healthy lifestyle makeover to transform her life. In order to get access to these services currently, you have to carve two-and-a-half hours out of your day, pay $30 for a group session or $160 for a private service. Very often for a newbie, your first experience can be awkward leading you never to return. We knew we had to create a solution that spread these practices to everyone in a convenient, affordable, and relatable way. That’s when hOM was born. How does hOM benefit building owners? At hOM we believe knowing your neighbor well enough to split a bottle of wine with them keeps you in a building longer than a gym that looks similar to the gym down the street. And those two neighbors renewing their leases saves that building thousands. 60 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

For that reason, hOM is a strong tenant retention tool recording renewal rates among our tenants—well above the national average. This translates to eight million dollars in turnover savings across our eight thousand plus units. How does hOM benefit individual co-op/condo owners? We’re only in multi-family. However, we expect to expand to condos/co-ops, commercial, hospitality, hospitals, schools, and any other type of asset class that benefits from amenities. What are some of your favorite amenities? Well, I guess I am biased. I like to look at my popular amenities as experiences that bring you together with a neighbor or replace your cost and time of finding that same experience elsewhere in the city. I’m a huge fan of yoga so having free yoga and fitness classes, where some of our properties have up to 50 classes per month is my favorite. You save the 60-minute commute to and from a studio and the $200 per month/$35 per class it costs. On top of this, a few of our management companies grant you access to take class across all of their properties allowing you a diversified and full studio of classes to access. Cool! What else is hOM working on? We currently have a mobile web app. Our iPhone/ Android app is in development which comes with a fresh crowdsourcing feature. We noticed our landlords have trouble identifying their tenant’s favorite types of events and the best times to hold those events to make their budget more efficient. So we are in the midst of expanding our platform to be like a kick-starter where one resident can pick their favorite event, like a night bike ride around the neighborhood, and then choose a time for other residents to hop on with them. This feature will allow landlords to get to know what their tenants desire like never before. A whole lot more will be packed into this app from our years of learnings. How can we learn more and get in touch with you in the future? Feel free to email me or any of my hOMies. My email is ryan@ iamhom.com. •

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YOUR RESOLUTION FOR HEALTHY SKIN By Dr. Doris Day

aking a New Year’s resolution is usually a set up for failure. You can promise to eat better, lose weight, be nicer to yourself—but in the end if you don’t give yourself the proper tools to reach that goal you make it impossible to get there. It’s like trying to cross an ocean without building a bridge…you get the idea. It’s good to think big and set goals. And the best way to make sure you get there is to take baby steps. The resolution: to have healthy skin that ages well. Your skin is a powerful reflection of your overall health and well-being, having skin that looks beautiful means your skin is healthy and has a lower risk of skin cancer and premature aging. Putting your best face forward can take effort—but it’s worth it and gets easier when you see the results in the mirror. Here, my five steps to make your resolution a reality for 2017.

BE THANKFUL This is true in life and for your skin. Look in the mirror and see your best features. Is it your eyes? Your bone structure? Your lips? What are your best features? Being thankful for your unique special features, and reflecting on that, is a great way to star your new year off beautifully. Another important goal is to be grateful for your natural skin tone and to go with your own glow. This means being sun smart: use sunscreen every day all year round, reapply it every two hours when you’re out, wear a hat and sun protective clothing when possible and stay in the shade when you can. It will make this year’s resolution for beautiful, healthy skin a reality and will add value for years to come because 90 percent of wrinkles and the signs of aging we see in the skin come from exposure to ultraviolet rays. Simply protecting against damage will serve you well for decades to come.

62 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

LOVE Yes, loving your skin means following a daily routine of great skin care. It starts with cleansing as the first step. This is often overlooked, but it is crucial to wash off makeup, pollution and buildup of oils from the day. The next step is regular exfoliation, how often depends on your skin type. After that, I love serums containing growth factors and antioxidants to help your skin regenerate and rejuvenate and of course sunscreen and moisturizers to round out the set of recommendations. One simple guide to the order of application of skin care products is thickness: apply the lighter products first such as serums or lotions and the richer products last such as moisturizers.

PUT IT BEHIND YOU Every day I hear patients lamenting their years of tanning and other lifestyle choices that accelerated the aging of their skin. This shows as blotchy uneven skin, wrinkles and sagging. The good news is what you do today can help undo at least some of the damage of the past. Simply stopping the tanning will go a long way in avoiding future damage and will allow your skin to reverse some of the changes that have occurred. A visit to your dermatologist will also help as we have outstanding non-surgical approaches to turn back the clock leaving you restored and refreshed.

TIME FOR YOURSELF Living in today’s world can be stressful. You can be pulled in so many directions; there may be traffic woes from traffic delays and, of course, work and family matters are right up there. The compounding of stress upon stress can lead to a flare of anything you’re prone to from acne to eczema to psoriasis or rosacea. Plan ahead by acknowledging the facts, allowing yourself time for you every day. Create an emergency skin care bag with your dermatologist to help you handle flares and be sure to maintain your regular skin care routine when you travel. Your body likes routine, it is called homeostasis. As much as you can, keep to your regular sleep-wake cycles and avoid excess salt and alcohol.

BE PATIENT Things will get better: The way I see it, you didn’t get here overnight. We live in a time of instant results, quick fixes and apps that make everyone look picture perfect. But they set an unrealistic expectation of what it takes to reach those goals. True and lasting changes, improvement in collagen and restoring you back to a more youthful appearance in a natural way takes time and is best done slowly. This will leave you looking your best not just today and this year, but for years to come. This also means sticking with any new product you try for a minimum of six weeks. Each point was meant to inspire you in many ways for the coming year. There are no shortcuts, but you have the whole year to follow them for a great year and beautiful, healthy, happy years to follow. • Dr. Day, a dermatologist, is affiliated with NYU Langone Hospital.

JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 63

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ACUPUNCTURE: NATURAL HEALING By Daniel J. Bollinger

cupuncture is defined as a technique in which practitioners stimulate specific points on the body—most often by inserting thin needles through the skin. It is one of the practices used in traditional Chinese medicine. At Prinz Acupuncture NYC, patients live a pain-free, more balanced life through the safe and effective modalities of acupuncture, Chinese Herbs, nutrition, exercise and lifestyle changes. Erika Prinz Freed is a licensed practitioner who has been practicing acupuncture for five years and has been voted one of the top twenty acupuncturists in 2016. Her specialty is musculoskeletal injury and pain, including sports injuries, and women’s health, including fertility. With exceptional credentials including training at the Beijing Traditional College of Acupuncture in China, it’s easy to see why she is in the top of her class. She also gives back to the world by donating her medical services to volunteer organizations such as The Humla Medical Service Mission which provides free medical treatment to the people of Humla, Nepal.

THE HOLISTIC APPROACH She was first introduced to acupuncture after sustaining injuries as a ballet dancer. Not only did she experience long-lasting pain relief from acupuncture treatments, the experience immediately resonated with her with the holistic and compassionate approach to healing. Through her experience as a patient, she realized her life calling as a health practitioner. Acupuncture sparks the body’s remarkable capacity to heal itself by restoring a natural state of balance. Often, all the body needs is some gentle encouragement to realize its full potential for health. Unlike many medical modalities, acupuncture looks at the “full picture” of an individual, including body, mind, and spirit, not just one isolated symptom, providing a holistic and highly personalized level of care. Erika delivers just that in her practice. With your first appointment, you will receive a full assessment by discussion on lifestyle as a whole including diet, exercise habits, feelings, and overall well-being. Acupuncture is one of the best treatments for treating pain as well. New medical studies continue to prove the effectiveness of acupuncture for relieving migraines, arthritis, and chronic back, neck, and shoulder pain. There is a well-known saying in Traditional Chinese Medicine, bu tong ze tong…tong ze bu tong. This translates to no free flow, pain…free flow, no pain. This reflects the understanding that blockage—whether it is in our muscles, body systems, emotions, or thoughts—creates problems that may manifest in physical discomfort or illness. Acupuncture unlocks these blockages, enabling energy to move without obstruction. By restoring our body’s free flow, discomfort and pain will diminish or even disappear. 66 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

ABOUT FACE A growing part of Erika’s practice is Acupuncture Facial Rejuvenation. It is a safe and effective way to rejuvenate the skin, stimulate and build collagen, and reduce lines/wrinkles; it’s much more natural than Botox and fillers. So, if you experience pain, sleep disorders, sports injuries, fertility problems, or if you just want an organic facial rejuvenation Prinz Acupuncture NYC just may be your answer. Prinz Acupuncture NYC 160 Broadway, Maiden Lane Wing, 10th Flr. 917-359-7974 prinzacunyc.com

BEST NUTRITION TRAVEL TIPS By Shari Bilt Boockvar, MS RDN

raveling for work or leisure can have a significant impact on your health and waistline depending on the eating choices we make. While we should enjoy unique or gourmet meals, there are some healthy choices we can make that will allow us guilt-free indulgences. Here, some guidelines to keep in mind.

PREPPING BEFORE YOUR TRIP You can start before you even leave your home by packing some easy snacks for travel. If you don’t have an insulated bag, a freezer pack in a Ziploc bag will do the job. Try… • Fruit + hard-boiled egg • Slices of veggies + single-serve hummus or guacamole. • A Baggie of whole grain cereal + banana to dip into it.

AT THE AIRPORT Restaurants, bars, newsstands, and more—there are so many options, and the choices are dizzying. Try… • Newsstands Nutritious grain or nut bars such as Fiber, D’lish, Oatmega, KIND, or Rx Bars. Also consider natural beef or turkey jerky, trail mix, or nut mixes (be careful to eat just one serving). • Restaurants Grilled lean protein such as chicken breast, fish or shrimp, and veggies. Or perhaps one sushi maki roll with a side of edamame or brothbased soups and a whole grain roll should do it!

ON YOUR TRIP You’re at your destination, and you want to do your best at most meals. Although you should enjoy that delicious special dinner, here are some ideas you can try at other meals. Try… • Breakfast Whole grain cereal with berries and milk is a good choice. Also, whole grain cereal topped with yogurt and fruit is another good option. Don’t forget one-or-two scrambled eggs with tomato and onion slices on an English muffin is quick and easy. • Lunch/Dinner Salads with lean grilled protein: chicken or shrimp parmesan with veggies; chicken, seafood; filet mignon; or pork tenderloin with a side of veggies will satisfy. • Desserts A scoop of sorbet, berries with a drizzle of chocolate or maple syrup, cappuccino (whole milk is ok) and a biscotti will please any sweet tooth!

EXERCISE We can’t forget the importance of exercise while maintaining fitness and nutrition goals. You may be active while away, but an extra 20-to-40 minutes daily can help with stress reduction and a healthy body. Try… • Airport The corridors of the airport are a great substitute for a track so while waiting for your flight, instead of sitting in a chair go for a brisk walk. (You can use a backpack instead of shoulder bag to make travel and exercise easier.) • Hotel Gym It’s likely included in your stay! Try to wake up at least 20 minutes earlier and hit the treadmill or elliptical. It will boost your energy for the day, and you can check it off your list first thing in the morning. • Explore Your New Surroundings You’re in a new city—enjoy the sights on foot if time allows. Ask for a local map when you arrive and plan out a 20 minute walk, jog or run.

HYDRATION Last, but certainly not least, do not forget to hydrate while traveling. Water, seltzer, and unsweetened teas are ideal choices. •

JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 67

THE IMPORTANCE OF FRIENDSHIP By Dr. Peter E. Kalellis

s we enter the New Year 2017, each one of us feels it is time for a new beginning, and new beginnings promise something better and good. New York Lifestyles Magazine, to enrich the lives of its many readers, will feature a series of articles about the concept of friendship. So for our new beginning, let’s consider the following lines and visualize the potential and importance of friendship. True friendship is a kind of divine act that enables two people to share their thoughts and feelings that life may deny them. Real friendship is an inner feeling, an awareness known when two people can be together and share thoughts, feelings, experiences, ideas without evaluations, criticism or judgments, at the risk of exposing their human vulnerability.

TO GIVE AND RECEIVE Friendship is not a luxury, it is a spiritual opportunity, not necessarily religious that helps us grow in grace and wisdom. It implies loving, sharing, caring and learning to give and to receive. Caring for each other means that souls connect to create a climate of reciprocity and concern for each other’s wellness. As we reach out and find a friend with whom we can interact honestly and warmly; such relationship will give us a new and better dimension about ourselves. When two people do interesting and helpful things for each other, more feelings of friendship are generated. Unlike acquaintances, friendships are a form of unwritten contract. Friends usually enter into an unspoken agreement that they will respond toward each other in generally honest and kind ways. They will be pleased to see each other; they will support each other when either is threatened; they will be available for discussions; they will publicly admit their friendship; they will have each other’s best interests at heart; they will attempt to share each other’s joy and sorrow. Above all, they will be predictable and loyal with the confines of their friendship. Friends are better than the stars. The stars in the sky shine only during the night. But true friends shine day and night by their behavior and response to friendship. 68 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

ACCEPTANCE IS KEY When a friend is different from you in likes and dislikes, goals and aspirations, personality traits, it’s nice to observe the difference without judgment. You may learn from frequent contact with that person that good friends agree to disagree. What is of essence is that there is a real desire to understand each other. Accept your friend with his/her flaws. It may be that in the course of interaction, your friend’s virtues may transcend the shortcomings. And it may be foolish to be irritated at a few blemishes, forgetting our own. It’s hard to change other people that you may like, but you can always change yourself so they may like you. You can then solve the otherwise unsolved problems in friendship. True friends don’t desert each other when one is facing trouble. They would face it together and support each other, even if it is against the interests of the other person. Best friends don’t analyze each other; they don’t have to do so. They accept each other with their positive and negative qualities. Nothing is hidden from true friends. They know each other’s strengths as well as weaknesses. One would not overpower the other. They would respect each other’s individuality. In fact, they would understand the similarities and respect the differences. Best friends are not concerned about any outsider who criticizes their friendship. At best, they can ignore or walk away from people who criticize their friendship.

A SPECIAL BOND Most of us wonder what is the real meaning of the saying “A Friend in Need is a Friend Indeed”? The trust between best friends is such that if one friend falls in trouble, the other will not think twice to help. If the bond between two friends is strong, true friends can endure even long distances. For them, geographical separation is just a part of life. It would not affect their friendship. They make it a point to stay in touch, even in the verge of being exhausted due to the drudgery of everyday life. True friendship does not fade away. In fact, it grows better with time. True friendship thrives on trust, inspiration, and comfort. Best friends come to know, when the other person is in trouble, merely by listening to their initial “Hello” over the phone. They can even understand each other’s silence. What keeps the fabric of friendship solid and colorful is a touch of spirituality. Friendship cannot become permanent unless it becomes a spiritual experience. It does not have to be defended or explained. It is only with the heart that we can understand what it means to be a friend or to have a friend. Friendship is not a luxury; it is a spiritual opportunity that refines our character. As it develops, we grow in grace, we learn to love and to care, we learn to give and to receive. True friendship involves action: doing something good for each other, and sharing thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment or negative criticism. Trust is essential to true friendship. We all need someone with whom we can share our lives, thoughts, feelings, and frustrations. We need to be able to share our deepest secrets with someone, without worrying that those secrets will end up becoming public knowledge. True friendship requires certain accountability factors. Real friends encourage one another and forgive one another where there has been an offense. If we sometimes offend a friend without meaning to, in a spirit of gentleness, we can apologize. Saying “I’m sorry that I have hurt your feelings,” paves the way to restore peace in our friendships. • Dr. Peter M. Kalellis is a psychotherapist, marriage and family therapist, lecturer, and writer. He has a doctorate in clinical psychology and is the author of many books. He maintains his practice in Westfield, New Jersey. JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 69

A WEST SIDE SWEET SENSATION By Tricia Connolly

ore than a bakery, Padoca is a passion of two women—Marina Halpern and Rachel Binder—who joined forces to create innovative multicultural baked goods with a Brazilian flair. The word padoca means “neighborhood bakery” in Sao Paulo and this inventive bakery certainly seeks to evoke a sense of comfort to one and all.

THE START OF SOMETHING GOOD Originally set to work in the entertainment industry as a 3-D animation producer in Brazil, Halpern worked in advertising before she discovered her real passion and appreciation for the power of human connection through cuisine. She took cake decorating and baking classes and was inspired to enroll at International Culinary Center, where she graduated five years ago. Shortly after, she went on to do stints at many wellknown NYC restaurants, but in the back of her mind, she dreamed of opening her own bakery one day. Born in Canada, Pastry Chef Binder grew up in Israel, where she developed her passion for baking from her mother and grandmothers. After moving to New York and graduating from the State University of New York at Binghamton, she studied at Pastry Arts at the Art Institute of New York City. She began her career under Chef Peter Hoffman of Savoy, who pioneered the focus on fresh, seasonal and local ingredients. Binder’s career includes Union Square Cafe, Tabla, Lure Fishbar, and recently left her position as Pastry Chef of Maialino and the Gramercy Park Hotel to open Padoca. Binder’s extensive experience with global cuisine influences the Padoca menu, with the collaboration of Halpern’s Brazilian background and family recipes, to create reimagined, signature baked goods. The showstopper PDQ, an acronym for the Brazilian Pão de Queijo, is a traditional Brazilian cheese bread, made from a naturally gluten-free blend of the starchy root plant yucca, and cheese, irresistibly crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside, baked fresh and served warm throughout the day. The PDQ is offered alone or as various sandwiches, such as Ham and Béchamel or Tomato and Cream Cheese. Empadinhas, flaky pastries similar in concept to a pot pie, are offered with traditional chicken and hearts of palm, and the Israeli-influenced flavor of mushrooms. Equally innovative is Binder’s version of the Brioche, a flaky, golden pastry served with a perfectly cooked egg nestled inside and generously sprinkled with parmesan and bacon bits. For a unique Brazilian experience, try the Polvilho Snacks, a yucca snack with an airy, crispy texture, offered in various flavors. But there’s more! Choose the Romeo and Juliet Babka, named after the combination of guava and cheese (a cream cheese and goat cheese blend here). Then, you can’t leave without a bite of the Coconut Cake, a Halpern family tradition; it strikes the perfect balance of creamy coconut and a slight hint of orange flavor. Not to be overlooked is the Açaí Bowl, served the traditional Brazilian way. 70 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

NEW TWISTS

Modbar

In addition to its wide range of international delights, Padoca offers American classics with a twist, including the Chocolate Chip Cookie, made with Swiss dark and milk chocolate with a lightly crisp exterior and soft, gooey center. There’s also the big Black and White Brownie, a satisfying version of the traditional cookie, and perfectly-sized Mini Muffins made with seasonal fruit. The bakery’s commitment to excellence is expressed not only in the inspired goods but also through its coffee program—which includes a Brazilian Dromedaire Cuveé medium roast from Nobletree Coffee, a passionate Brooklyn-based company. Nobletree has implemented its Modbar Espresso System which affords the barista to exert more control over the pressure used in the espresso extraction process. Padoca also offers brunch with their version of a classic deli egg sandwich using the PDQ, with egg and Swiss cheese and optional bacon or ham, as well as a BLT with optional avocado or egg. Consumers can enjoy all of this in the bakery’s quaint interior, which is lined with reclaimed wood in the Brazilian fashion, and dotted with whimsical touches of hanging teapots, a magazine rack made of rolling pins, and even a swing. Padoca is the place you can relax and sample an innovative and delicious treat in an inviting and comfortable setting. •

Acai Bowl

Padoca Bakery 359 East 68th Street (between First and Second Avenues) 212-300-4543 padocabakery.com

JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 71

JERSEY GUY IN MANHATTAN By Bill Spadea

ne of my favorite things about living in New Jersey is how easy it is to get to New York City. For many on the Jersey side of the Hudson, Manhattan seems hectic, overwhelming and all about work. For me, it’s less than an hour away. As a radio and TV host, it’s hard to grab a little time to relax and enjoy friends and family.

LET’S BE HONEST The tales about driving in Manhattan between the couriers, Pedi cabs, yellow taxis and the throngs of pedestrians, well, they’re all true. Although I have to confess that actually, I love the challenge. When I need to be in the City for meetings or to catch up about politics with my friend Ernie Anastos at FOX 5, I almost always drive. On occasion, I have “blocked the box” and had to endure the well-deserved scornful looks from pedestrians making their way around my car with Jersey plates. But, you don’t have to drive; taking the train is comfortable, convenient and affordable. Plus the cost and hassle of parking can be avoided altogether. As a Jersey guy having a long commute within NJ was always inconvenient, long and impractical for me. But with NJ Transit mainly organized to get in and out of NYC, for this 22-hour adventure, well, it’s perfect. For my wife Jodi and I, the journey starts at the Princeton Junction Train Station which costs $16 one way and can be as quick as 52 minutes but even on the slowest local not more than 90 minutes. Driving can take more than two-and-a-half hours from the center of NJ, more if the bridges and tunnels are backed up (more often than not!).

Bar Goto

UPON ARRIVAL From Penn Station, the cab, subway and Uber options are easily accessible any time of day or night. First stop, Hotel Hugo (hotelhugony.com) in SoHo. Upscale, modern but comfortable and providing one of the best rooftop views and drink selections around. For a city hotel where the expectations might be cramped space and common service, the experience is as good as it gets regarding room and comfort. Then there’s the bar...did I mention the view? On one side of the rooftop, there are sofas overlooking the buildings in one of NYC’s most trendy areas. On the other hand, there’s a great view of what we left behind—Jersey. The modern skyline of Jersey City does look great from the perch close to the Hudson. The food at the bar is excellent. But this is just the first stop on a food journey through NYC to maximize the 22 hours of “downtime.” We grab a specialty drink during happy hour and snack on a small order of excellent fries. The first time we ever went to Bar Hugo it was an after-dinner stop. 72 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

Bar Hugo It’s quite the nighttime scene. Crowded, but not overwhelming, busy but not chaotic, and the service is exactly what you’d expect. Fast, courteous and efficient. The sofas need to be reserved ahead of time. My colleague at Chasing News, Tara Jakeway, who lives nearby called ahead and told her friend Samir, the manager of the bar, that I would be there later that night with my wife and friends. Now, maybe he’s a fan of the show or maybe he’s just that good, but when we arrived after dinner around 11 PM, both sofas, which could easily seat up to 20 people were clear with a reserved sign. Nice! I met Samir; he sat us, and the first round was flowing. Now my radio show did edge out WOR and ABC last month in NY, and Chasing News is doing well airing on My9 and FOX 5 weeknights in NYC, but I’m not exactly a recognizable face. Imagine the looks from the other bar patrons as my small group of six took up a third of the rooftop. Enter my wife, Jodi. With my friends clearly enjoying the fact that other guests were eagerly anticipating the arrival of a real celebrity, Jodi went to Samir and “released” the remaining seating. So points to her for being accommodating to everyone else and points to Samir for actually sticking to the reservation and helping make the night a great experience.

WHAT’S ON THE MENU? Then it was onto dinner. My new favorite restaurant in Lower Manhattan called The Clam (theclamnyc.com). Guess what they do well? Yeah, well. Our reservations were for 8 PM. The first course is always from the raw bar. My wife and I love raw clams and oysters. We always ask for the briniest selection when given a choice. But at The Clam you just order the oysters and the fresh clams and they come delicious. Served on ice with a mignonette (with red wine vinegar and shallots) to top with. Small clams and smooth oysters. Maybe a little lemon and hot sauce too. My advice is to limit to four shellfish a person. Just to start with the seafood taste and protein to get your appetite going. There’s a lot more to come. The second course we moved to the clam dip and what they call “zesty chips” creamy, tasty, not overpowering on any one taste. A perfect combination with the salty chips. You will want to order more but don’t. This is just the beginning. For your next course, you’ll want at least two sides of vegetables for the table, and when you taste the Brussels sprouts, yes the ones you hated as a kid because your mom boiled them and they were gross. Here they are perfect. Roasted to a beautiful golden crisp and joined with bacon and peanuts combined with sriracha to give a little heat. The second must-have side is the sautéed kale. There’s enough garlic that you should insist your partner has an ample amount as well. Yes, that works to cancel out the essence of garlic which can stay with you! For the main course, stick with the specialties. Not that the entrees aren’t delicious but when I see specials I always go to them and at The Clam they are, to put it simply...crazy good. The clam chowder is full of delicious and tender clams, and no one ingredient overpowers. Again, it seems balance of flavors is one of their strengths. The grilled clam pizza is one of the best things you’ll eat. Ever. From the small, and you can’t stop at one. The important thing here is to save enough room to at least taste the clams and spaghetti. The pasta is al dente (meaning cooked appropriately and not overcooked) served with a spicy tomato salad on top. And the dish that will change your life is— the fried clam and lobster slider. It’s not greasy nor is it skimpy on the proportion of fish to the bun. The grilled buns have a nice buttery taste, and the fried clams are tender with the right amount of crisp. Forget dessert! Have another drink. The shishito-rita is delicious. Although I am a whiskey drinker, this incredible cocktail with tequila and triple sec is outstanding. I do love heat in my food, and I was sold the minute I saw a cocktail that included shishito peppers which are mild compared to jalapeno, but it’s a drink after all.

DELICIOUS OPTIONS

Brunch at Bubby’s Tribeca

After dinner it’s off to one of the great cocktail bars in New York. Owned by Kenta Goto, a former bartender at the Pegu Club, Bar Goto (bargoto. com) may quickly become your “go-to” bar. The style and recipes all offer delicious options with the ingredients and attention to detail; every drink is an experience. Honestly, the guy is truly an artist. Beyond the drinks, the food served is way beyond expectations for traditional bar food, even for an upscale Japanese-themed place. We had pork belly noodles. Yup, found a way to try it even after the dinner! So, there you have it! Start your incredible journey around 4 PM in Jersey, and you’ve got time to settle into the hotel room, grab a drink and a snack before dinner reservations at 8 PM. By 11 PM you’re having a pork belly dessert and a delicious cocktail. OK, off to bed around midnight, maybe 1 AM…gotta get some sleep before breakfast!

Sliders from Clam

BRUNCH TIME Checking out at 9:30 AM and head to a delicious brunch at Bubby’s (bubbys. com) in Tribeca on Hudson Street. Not only is it an outstanding restaurant, but it’s also an experience that will make lunch that day unnecessary. The blueberry sourdough pancakes are the right combination of tart and sweet. And the cheese grits, even if you don’t think you love grits...WOW! Of course there’s also bacon. Cooked perfectly to the right balance of chewy and crisp, you’ll leave satisfied and making a plan to come back. By noontime, we’re headed to Penn Station to get back to Jersey. Door-todoor under two hours including the trip to Penn and the car ride home from Princeton Junction. Not too bad. In all, 22 hours from start to finish. Four great restaurant/bars each with their own atmosphere, flavor, and culinary extravagance. So next time you think you don’t have time, remember how much you can do in NYC in 22 hours. •

Bill Spadea is the top-rated morning drive host in New Jersey on NJ 101.5 FM as well as the Ringleader/Host on Chasing News which airs weeknights on FOX 5 and My9 in New York. Before he got into TV and radio, he was a successful real estate executive, political strategist and served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves. Spadea graduated Boston University and has been married to his wife Jodi for 22 years. They have two kids and live in Princeton, NJ.

JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 73

Photos by Rey Rosa Photography

UMBERTOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CLAM HOUSE 132 Mulberry St, New York, NY 10013

(212) 431-7545

umbertosclamhouse.com

TASTY BITES By Caroline Mark

ome people have luck; others create it. Joy Pierson and Bart Potenza, the visionaries behind the beloved Candle Cafe, Candle 79 and Candle Cafe West, have both. Their story begins in the summer of 1984 when Potenza, who is 79 (and doesn’t look a day over 60) purchased Sunny’s a highly regarded health food store and juice bar on the Upper East Side. In honor of the previous owners’ nightly ritual of lighting candles to bless their establishment, Potenza renamed it the Healthy Candle and made it his own.

ON THE MENU Over the next ten years, the Healthy Candle morphed from a happening joint into a full-service juice bar and cafe, featuring fresh, tasty, plant-based soups, sandwiches, salads, and entrées. Not only was it a huge hit with the community, but it was also a favorite of a vivacious, dark-haired woman named Joy Pierson, who was a frequent customer. Pierson was a nutritionist, writer, and health advocate. She and Potenza fell in love, and in 1988 she joined him at the Healthy Candle. Together, they created menus tailored to the nutritional needs of all their customers, many of whom were clients from Pierson’s private practice. Together, the couple was dedicated to “making people happy and satiated with high-quality comfort food that’s better tasting, better for you, and better for the planet,” says Pierson. In their quest to make the planet better for future generations, for the past 11 years, Pierson served as board chair for the New York Coalition for Healthy School Food, which introduces plant-based foods and nutrition education to schools nationwide.

Mezze Plate - Photo by Kate Mathis

LUCKY DAYS Soon they dreamed of expanding, but that required an infusion of cash which they didn’t have. This is where luck came into play, in the form of—yes—a lottery ticket. (Really!) On Friday the 13th of August, 1993, the couple won $53,000 in the NY State Lottery, enough to confirm to them that Candle Cafe, which opened a year later, was meant to be. Since then, the restaurant has been continually rated as one of the best vegetarian restaurants in the country and was the first restaurant in New York City to be certified by the Green Restaurant Association. “Eating delectable plant-based food is a choice that impacts not only individual health but also the health of the planet,” says Potenza, who adds that 90 percent of their customers are not vegetarian; they just love great food. The couple, along with their extraordinarily talented chefs, Jorge Pineda and Angel Ramos, has published three cookbooks: The Candle Cafe Cookbook, Candle 79 Cookbook and Vegan Holiday Cooking from Candle Cafe. Photos courtesy of Candle Café JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 75

SWEET POTATO LATKES WITH ALMOND CRÈME FRAÎCHE Who doesn’t love latkes? Although we always serve them for Passover, we also make them year-round, as party appetizers and a side dish. Our crispy pancakes are made with a mix of russets, sweet potatoes, and fresh chives, and we top them with a dollop of creamy almond crème fraîche. To ensure that your latkes are crisp, be sure to squeeze out as much water as possible from the shredded potatoes before you add them to the other ingredients. Note that the almonds are soaked overnight.

ALMOND CRÈME FRAÎCHE

Sweet Potato Latkes With Almond Crème Fraîche

2 cups sliced almonds 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 3 tablespoons canola oil ½ cup water 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt

SWEET POTATO LATKES 1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and rinsed 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and rinsed ½ teaspoon sea salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 white onion, finely chopped 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives 1 cup dried bread crumbs ¼ cup Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread or extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed. To make the crème fraiche: Put the almonds in a large bowl and cover with at least 2 inches of water. Let soak overnight. Rinse and drain the almonds.

Reprinted with permission from Vegan Holiday Cooking, by Candle Family Foods, LLC, copyright 2014, published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Photography copyright 2014 by Jim Franco.

Transfer the almonds to a food processor. Add the lemon juice, canola oil, water, and salt. Blend until smooth, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour. The crème fraîche will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To make the latkes: Using a box grater or a food processor, grate the potatoes and put them in a large bowl. Add the salt and pepper and mix together. With a clean kitchen towel, squeeze the excess liquid from the potatoes and return them to the bowl. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of the chives and the bread crumbs to the potatoes and mix together. With your hands, form the mixture into patties that are about 3 inches wide and ½ inch thick and place on parchment paper. Heat the buttery spread in a nonstick skillet over mediumlow heat. Cook the latkes until lightly browned and crisp, about 4 minutes per side. Add more buttery spread, if needed. Remove latkes from the pan with a spatula and let drain on paper towels. Note: If you prefer to bake the latkes, bake them in a 350°F oven on an oiled baking sheet for 20 minutes, 10 minutes per side. Serve the latkes with crème fraîche and garnish with the remaining 1 tablespoon of chives. Serves 8 to 10; makes 24 latkes.

76 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

Photo by Niamani Brown

FINE DINING But why stop there? Nine years later, they opened Candle 79, an upscale, twostory restaurant that serves organic plant-based cuisine in a more elegant setting, along with organic wine and a full eco-bar, highlighting organic and sustainably made spirits and libations. Candle 79 has twice been rated as Zagat’s number one vegetarian restaurant; it’s a favorite of residents, politicians, and celebrities including Woody Harrelson, Alicia Silverstone, and David Duchovny. After much public demand, the couple went west: In April of 2012, they opened Candle Cafe West, a kosher venue, with a spacious bar and an inviting atmosphere, that can accommodate over one hundred guests. “We’re now feeding three generations,” says Pierson. “We have guests who’ve been supporters since the beginning, who now come here with their grandchildren. And all three Candle restaurants can accommodate dietary considerations including gluten-free.” As such, this past summer, they did a full renovation on the original Candle Cafe on Third Avenue, giving it a modern vibe with clean lines and sleek, eco-friendly decor. The innovative menu focuses on smaller plates, introducing mouthwatering fare like arame-cornmeal crusted fried avocado tacos, raw zucchini enchiladas, crispy lemon Brussels sprouts topped with shallots and almond cream, and macaroni and cheese with a jalapeno kick. The previous beer and wine only bar was elevated to integrate organic spirits, resulting in an inspired specialty cocktail menu. The coconut mojito is an absolute must and paired with pumpkin cheesecake is a guilt free indulgence.

Photo by Niamani Brown

“The chefs create beautiful photo-worthy plates and diners love to share their delicious experiences on social media,” says Pierson. The great thing is that all of our guests, especially the millennials, care about what they’re eating, care about the planet, and care about making a difference. They want to share that, and they know that we do too.” For more information on Candle Café and its locations, visit candlecafe.com. • JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 77

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ON THE BIG SCREEN By Pat Collins HIDDEN FIGURES The Cold War drama/comedy which opened last month in select theaters is the first must-see movie of the New Year. The little-known but true story focuses on three brilliant African American women who worked for NASA and played a major role in the agency’s ambitious plan to a put a man in space. Math geniuses Dorothy Vaughn (Oscar winner Octavia Spencer) Katherine Spencer (Taraji P. Henson) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monae) calculated flight rocket trajectories for many missions including John Glenn’s orbiting the earth in Friendship 7. Despite their invaluable contribution, the women were discriminated against because of their race and gender. In one memorable scene, the impatient Space Task Group Director Al Harrison (Kevin Costner) chastises Dorothy for being late to an important meeting. After she explains she is forced to dash across the large NASA campus to use a restroom for non-whites, Harrison destroys the “whites only” sign over the nearest ladies room with a baseball bat. Jim Parsons, in a non-comedic role, plays the head of NASA’s Space Task Group. Pharrell Williams co-produced the film and wrote its original songs including “Crave.” THE COMEDIAN Robert De Niro has the title role in this dramedy but do not expect a movie comparable to The King of Comedy in which he starred and was directed by the master Martin Scorsese. He departed this film as did subsequent directors Sean Penn and Mike Newell. The job eventually was passed to Taylor Hackford whose resume includes Ray and An Officer and A Gentleman. De Niro’s character Jackie Burke, an aging standup comic, lands in jail for assaulting a heckler. Upon release, he is obligated to perform community service. Similarly obligated is Harmony (Leslie Mann) who is charged with assaulting her husband. The 70-something Jackie and the 40-something Harmony forge an unusual relationship which borders on the romantic despite their age difference. The Harmony role was offered to and declined by Kristin Wiig and Jennifer Aniston. The supporting cast is impressive: Emmy winner Edie Falco as Jackie’s long-suffering manager; Danny DeVito bears no physical resemblance to his on-screen sibling, Mr. De Niro; Cloris Leachman; Harvey Keitel; Charles Grodin; and the reliably funny Billy Crystal (playing himself) are the other bold-faced names. Given the film’s postponed opening date (December 2nd) and the unenthusiastic buzz surrounding it, The Comedian’s producers may not have the last laugh.

SLEEPLESS Oscar winner Jamie Foxx cannot be accused of overexposure. His most recent major film was Annie two years ago. He played William Stacks a Daddy Warbucks-like billionaire. His Sleepless character Vincent Downs and Derrick Griffin (played by T.I. the actor/rapper/ author) are corruptible Las Vegas police detectives with ties to the gambling capital’s criminal underground. Downs and Griffin’s illconsidered theft of a sizeable amount of cocaine from a mob boss puts their respective sons’ lives in danger. The movie is a remake of a 2011 French film Nuit Blanche. Other cast members are Gabrielle Union, Michelle Monaghan, Dermot Mulroney and Young Jeezy. Given Mr. Foxx’s star power, Sleepless could be a sleeper hit—or it could be another dud shot in Vegas that should have stayed in Vegas. 80 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

MONSTER TRUCKS The 3-D computer-animated action comedy’s release date is well timed-January 13th for parents and babysitters looking for ways to entertain active children ages 8 and up whose interest in their Christmas toys and computer games has temporarily waned. Tripp (Lucas Till) a high school senior whose monster truck is built from junkyard cars, befriends an enormous subterranean creature in a PG adventure with Amy Ryan, Danny Glover, Rob Lowe and Jane Levy.

AMITYVILLE AWAKENING The plot of Amityville Awakening, the 17th in the series, is not dissimilar from Amityville: Curse, Amityville Horror, and Amityville Demon (aka Amityville 3-D) and other sequels. A financially strapped single mother (Jennifer Jason Leigh) fails to inform her three children of the previous horrific events which occurred in their new home. Belle (Bella Thorne), her kid sister Juliet (Mc Kenna Grace) and Juliet’s comatose twin brother James (Cameron Monaghan) are the unsuspecting siblings. James’ expensive medical care necessitates the move. There may be a message here about the country’s health care system, but the movie producers’ interest in reviving the franchise is based on bringing in more bucks at the box office by rebooting a 37-year-old franchise. The first Amityville (1979) was made for $4.7 million and grossed $86 million. Awakening’s scheduled release date was January 2015. Test screenings reportedly did not go well. Go with low expectations. BYE BYE MAN Another supernatural movie set in a spooky house could persuade the young and easily frightened to buy a spacious trailer. Three college students have the misfortune of living in a house on campus haunted by the titular character whose connection to a possessed serial murderer does not bode well for the new occupants. Faye Dunaway is the only boldface name in the cast. The younger stars Douglas Smith, Lucien Laviscount and Cressida Bonas, should consider deleting Bye Bye Man from their resumes. The film is based on the chapter “The Bridge to Body Island” in Robert Damon Schneck’s book The President’s Vampire. Bye Bye Man was originally scheduled to open June 3rd of last year. The date was then changed to October 14th and changed again to Friday, January 13th. In general, a movie which opens months after its original release date is a grade D dud.

THE BEST & WORST OF 2016 BEST La La Land Manchester By The Sea Hell Or High Water Moonlight Zootopia Love And Friendship Fences Lion Sully Loving BASTARDS Owen Wilson and Ed Helms who co-starred in the blockbuster Night At The Museum: Battle For The Smithsonian are brothers searching for their father in a road trip comedy. Their mother Helen Baxter (Glenn Close) a promiscuous habitué of Studio 54 in the 70’s cannot recall which intimate partner is the father of her children. Likely baby daddies are Rod Hamilton (Ving Rhames) Ronald Hunt (J.K. Simmons) or Terry Bradshaw as himself. Owen and Ed resemble neither. The glorious three-time Tony winner Glenn returns to Broadway in a revival of Sunset Boulevard in February at the Palace Theater.

WORST Batman vs. Superman Dirty Grandpa London Has Fallen Max Steel Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates Mother’s Day My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 Pride, Prejudice, And Zombies Ratchet And Clank Suicide Squad

About Pat Collins Pat Collins is a three-time Emmy award-winning film, theater and entertainment critic/reporter. Her outstanding media credits include WCBS-TV, Good Morning America and WWOR-TV. She is a contributor to CUNY-TV’s Arts and The City program and the host of several Broadway specials including Kinky Boots On Broadway, Fiddler On The Roof: Back On Broadway, and The Road To The Tonys. JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 81

ON STAGE REVIEWS WITH PAT COLLINS COMING ATTRACTIONS BROADWAYCON January 27TH - 29TH Josh Groban, Chita Rivera, Cynthia Nixon, Jeremy Jordan and other theater folk will greet fans at BroadwayCon at the Javits Center the end of this month. The first convention a year ago was a success despite a blizzard which buried NYC in two and a half feet of snow. This year’s event features panel discussions about playwriting, color blind casting, producing and other topics of interest to theater professional and those who want to be. Attendees will see a preview of upcoming musicals and mingle with expected participants Danny Burstein, Christine Ebersol, George Takei, Tony Yazbeck, and directors Kathleen Marshall and Des McAnuff. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit broadwaycon.com/tickets. KIDS’ NIGHT ON BROADWAY February 28TH Tickets are on sale now for the popular annual event sponsored for the last 21 years by the New York Times. Kids under 18 see a participating Broadway show free when accompanied by a full paying adult. This year’s musicals include Dear Evan Hansen, Wicked, The Lion King, Aladdin, A Bronx Tale, School Of Rock, and Beautiful. Several restaurants in the Broadway area offer specials for young ticketholders. The Broadway League partners with The Times for the once a year event. For more information, visit kidsnightonbroadway.com

2017: ANTICIPATED BROADWAY EVENTS Bette Midler

• Bette Midler and David Hyde Pierce in a revival of Hello Dolly. Previews begin March 15th. • Two time Oscar winner Sally Field makes her Broadway debut February 7th playing Amanda Wingfield in a revival of Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie.

• Kevin Kline Returns to Broadway: It’s been a while—ten years to be exact—since Mr. Kline last appeared on a Broadway stage. The Oscar winner and recipient of two Tony’s (The Twentieth Century and The Pirates Of Penzance) stars in a revival of Noel Coward’s Present Laughter opening April 5th at the St. James Theater. • Tony winner Glenn Close returns to Broadway in a revival of Sunset Boulevard. Previews begin February 2nd.

• The Prince Of Broadway: Harold Prince—the most awarded (21) director/producer—will helm a musical retrospective of his career with Susan Stroman as choreographer and codirector. William Ivey Long is designing the costumes. Previews are expected to begin August 3rd.

82 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

Glenn Close

BROADWAY BUZZ OH HELLO! The comedy team of Nick Kroll and John Mulaney will not say goodbye to Broadway January 8 but will extend its stay at the Lyceum Theater through January 22nd. Mr. Kroll has a small but significant role in the critically acclaimed film Loving.

THE BEST OF BROADWAY 2016 Here is my list of the best plays, musicals and performances for 2016. (Note: Hamilton opened in 2015 and therefore is not listed.) NEW PLAY The Humans REVIVAL OF A PLAY: DRAMA The Crucible REVIVAL OF A PLAY: COMEDY The Front Page NEW MUSICAL Dear Evan Hansen REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL She Loves Me and Falsettos ACTOR/PLAY Frank Langella The Father ACTRESS/PLAY Sophie Okonedo The Crucible

JITNEY Samuel J. Friedman Theater Opening: January 19th I had the privilege of seeing a splendid Off-Broadway production of August Wilson’s play 17 years ago. Despite positive reviews Jitney did not transfer to Broadway—the only play in his Pittsburgh Cycle which was not produced on Broadway until now. Under the direction of Ruben Santiago-Hudson Jitney is scheduled to open at the Manhattan Theater Club’s Samuel J. Friedman Theater. The play focuses on a group of AfricanAmerican gypsy cab drivers in 1970’s Pittsburgh. The revival’s cast is comprised of seven actors who appeared in Mr. Wilson’s plays over the years. One of the veteran performers, Stephen McKinley Henderson, co-stars in the new film version of Mr. Wilson’s Fences directed by Denzel Washington. Mr. Santiago-Hudson won a Tony award for his performance in Mr. Wilson’s Seven Guitars and co-starred in Gem Of The Ocean and The Piano Lesson. Given his expertise he is well prepared to bring Jitney at long last to Broadway. A COMEDY OF TENORS Papermill Playhouse Opening: February 1st Four tenors, 2 wives, 3 girlfriends, and one hotel suite. What can go wrong? Everything in Ken Ludwig’s sequel to his hilarious play Lend Me A Tenor. The Papermill Playhouse production set in 1930’s Paris is directed by Don Stephenson.

ACTOR/MUSICAL Ben Platt Dear Evan Hansen ACTRESS/MUSICAL Jesse Mueller Waitress ENSEMBLE CASTS/PLAY The Humans and The Front Page ENSEMBLE CASTS/MUSICAL She Loves Me and Dear Evan Hansen Additional Outstanding Performances Christian Borle and Andrew Rannells Falsettos Nick Cordero A Bronx Tale Josh Groban The Great Comet of 1812 Hudson Loverro (The young Calogero) A Bronx Tale Note: Missing from the list is Shuffle Along. I was out of town during its unexpectedly short run. THE WORST OF BROADWAY 2016 American Psycho Cirque de Soleil’s Paramour

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JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 83

PAT COLLINS’ PICKS OF HOME ENTERTAINMENT RELEASES JERRY MAGUIRE/20TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL EDITION - BLU-RAY NOT RATED “You had me at hello”… “You complete me”…”Show me the money.” These are three of the movie’s memorable lines, and on the topic of money, the budget for director Cameron Crowe’s romantic dramedy was $50 million. The global box office gross added up to $273 million. The title character memorably played by Tom Cruise exudes abundant self-confidence as a young, ambitious sports agent whose client Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.) emerges as a star football player for the (fictitious) Cardinals. A romance with single mom Dorothy Boyd (Rene Zellweger) results in Jerry becoming a surrogate father to her precocious young son. Mr. Crowe cast a then five-year-old Jonathan Lipnicki to replace the child actor he initially chose. Mr. Gooding’s dynamic performance brought him a best supporting Oscar. Mr. Cruise was nominated as well. The commemorative Blu-ray edition features an hour of deleted scenes, 40 minutes of behind the scenes footage, interviews with the cast and a soundtrack CD. QUEEN OF KATWE RATED PG Begin the New Year with an uplifting movie about a young chess prodigy from an impoverished village who triumphs over her financially privileged male opponents to become a champion chess player. Ten-year-old Phiona (Madina Nalwanga) is one of three children living with their widowed mother Harriet (Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o) in a village near the Ugandan capital of Kampala. A trained civil engineer Robert Katende (David Oyelowo) who cannot find work in his field and teaches chess to the village children, encourages his most skilled pupil to enter a highly competitive chess tournament. Mira Nair who also directed Mississippi Masala and Monsoon Wedding shot her film in the slums of Katwe and asked Alicia Keys to contribute a new song “Back To Life.” Tim Crother wrote the book which inspired the movie. This Disney production does not feature princesses or cuddly creatures, but it ranks as one of the studio’s best family films and begins with this quote - “The size of your dreams must always exceed your current capacity to achieve them.” Caissa, the goddess of chess, would agree. THE ACCOUNTANT RATED R There are three actors on my list of favorite big screen accountants—Gene Wilder as the shy, neurotic Leo Bloom in The Producers, Charles Grodin, who co-starred with Robert De Niro in Midnight Run and Ben Kingsley’s Itzhak Stern in Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List. Ben Affleck’s autistic CPA/ assassin/math genius Christian Wolff resembles none of the above. Wolff, a forensic accountant in Plainfield, Illinois, un-cooks the books for drug cartels and mobsters before taking a “respectable” position with a hightech firm which manufactures prosthetics. Its in-house accountant Dana Cummings (Anna Kendriks)—alerts Christian to a $61 million discrepancy in the company’s books. Meanwhile, U.S. Treasury Department investigator Ray King (J.K. Simmons) becomes suspicious of Wolff ’s sources of income and dispatches an agent to investigate. In a flashback to Wolff ’s childhood director Gavin O’Connor establishes his protagonist’s survival skills in sharp shooting and martial arts. Wolff will rely on both for a carnage filled finale. The Accountant’s needlessly complicated plot changes from dull to absurd as Affleck and Kendriks’ characters outrun the pursuing villains. Memorable cameos are played by Jeffrey Tambor, as an imprisoned Gambino family accountant and John Lithgow in the role of Christian’s strict father. The director and screenwriter Gavin O’Connor received welldeserved criticism from many parents of autistic children. In their opinion, the film reinforces the negative image many Americans have of autism as a result of the shootings in Sandy Hook, Connecticut and Roseburg, Oregon where the perpetrators were autistic loners. 84 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

TV SERIES NOW ON HOME VIDEO Sherlock—Season 4

GIRL ON THE TRAIN NOT RATED Director Tate Taylor’s movie version of Paula Hawkins best seller moves with the speed of an old locomotive as it chugs along from Rachel’s (Emily Blunt) obsession with a suburban couple she observes from the train to a murder case in which she is the prime suspect. An alcoholic divorcee in her mid30’s Rachel is newly unemployed, but she continues to commute to the city. From her Metro North window seat, she follows the comings and goings of an affectionate yuppie married couple Megan and Scott (Haley Bennett and Luke Evans). During yet another voyeuristic excursion Rachel sees Megan in the company of another man and subsequently admonishing Megan her for being unfaithful. When Megan goes missing and is presumed dead, Police Detective Sergeant Riley (Allison Janney) accuses Rachel of committing the crime. This suburban whodunit/soap opera also involves Rachel’s ex-Tom Watson (Justin Theroux), his new wife, Anna Boyd (Rebecca Ferguson) and their infant daughter. Mr. Tate fails to give the audience a reason to emotionally invest in any of the film’s principal characters. His train derails as it moves toward an ending that cannot come soon enough. For a firstclass train thriller, watch Murder On The Orient Express (1974) the Agatha Christie classic with Albert Finney as Hercule Poirot and the original 1938 The Lady Vanishes directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

Sleepy Hollow—Season 3

Broad City—Season 3

Mr. Robot—Season 2

Homeland—Season 5

BIRTH OF A NATION RATED R A year ago at the Sundance Film Festival Birth Of A Nation and its director/ star/co-producer Nate Parker were greeted with a standing ovation and won the coveted Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award. Oscar buzz and mostly positive reviews followed. Fox Searchlight bought world distribution rights for $17.5 million. That was then. This is now, and both the film and Mr. Parker go unmentioned during a competitive award season. Mr. Parker’s fall from grace began when reports surfaced of his alleged involvement in the 1999 sexual assault of a then fellow Penn State student. Tragically she committed suicide in 2012. Mr. Parker and co-defendant Justin Celestin were acquitted of the rape charges. Nonetheless, Mr. Parker’s promising career has stalled. In his based-on-actual-events film, he plays real-life preacher Nat Turner who initially encouraged his fellow slaves to obey their masters, but after a horrific personal tragedy, Turner organized and led a slave rebellion in 1831 Virginia. The excellent cast includes Armie Hammer, Aja Naomi King, Jackie Earl Haley and Gabrielle Union. • JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 85

A NATURAL BORN ARTIST By Alana Johnson

once overheard a man say, “You just can’t escape your DNA.” If that is true, perhaps it explains why, even as a little girl, I was called a natural born artist. Born in Princeton, New Jersey, the only child of Edmund Langhorne Johnson and Eileen Lynn Dennis, my family tree boasts three generations of artists. Most notable is Charles Dana Gibson, whose wife, Irene Langhorne, was my father’s great-aunt. Gibson was an American graphic artist best known for his creation of the Gibson Girl, the iconic American woman, beautiful and independent.

A MAJOR INFLUENCE My father, Edmund, was a significant influence in shaping my view of the world. I admired him greatly; he encouraged me to see things differently, unconventionally, and from an original perspective. I like to believe his wisdom is echoed in my paintings. My mother, Eileen, taught me the beauty of life. She is the “heartbeat” of my creativity, beautiful and independent, not unlike the Gibson Girl. She was a June Taylor Dancer featured on The Jackie Gleason Show and even worked as a set designer for DuMont Television Network. She has lived an amazing life, but to me, she is the most beautiful mother a girl could ever have. As a child, we would sit in front of the fireplace drawing for hours on end. She loved art, and our home was beautifully decorated. I remember a lithograph of Pablo Picasso’s 1955 sketch of Don Quixote hanging in the hallway of our house. I adored the simplicity of the jet-black line in contrast with the ivory background. My mother would hang my doodles next to it. She wanted me to believe that I, too, was a great artist. My mom regularly insisted we visit the art museums in Manhattan; afterward, we would sit in The Palm Court at the Plaza Hotel discussing what masterpieces we viewed that day. Funny enough; I recall being much more intrigued with the grand steps of The New York Public Library on bustling Fifth Avenue. While growing up, our home was a favorite for an eclectic group of writers, television producers, actors, jockeys, photographers and more. I enjoyed their interesting stories and views on life. No doubt, these fascinating “characters” played a role in fueling my love of the Arts. My parents eventually divorced, but later a wonderful man entered into our lives and became my beloved step-father, John S. Dennis. A Ceramic Engineer and entrepreneur. John became the “driving force” behind my ambition. 86 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

THE LOVE OF ART I’m a classically trained artist having graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree from The Philadelphia College of Art. Philadelphia is a city steeped in art and culture. I loved it there. My professors were dedicated to my development and paid close attention to my skills as both an illustrator and painter. I delight in harnessing moments of “light” as my paintbrush glides across the canvas. The solitude of my “studio,” where brush and canvas come together, is where the purest form of who I am is realized. I have always had a fascination with abstraction. My favorite painter is Franz Kline who was associated with the Abstract Expressionist movement of the 1940’s and 1950’s. I like to paint

in mixed media, both oils and acrylic. I prefer to paint on larger scales, however; I enjoy the challenge of creating my art in a variety of sizes that fit the desires of my clients. This allows me the freedom to enter into the various worlds of space and matter engaging those works from the inside out. The styles of my paintings are both Abstract Expressionism and Abstract Impressionism. Perhaps, my paintings have been devoted compositionally to the tassels spurred by memories of a colorful childhood. I patiently await what reveals itself to me as my paintings emerge mysteriously. Attaching, scraping, removing as I am compelled to bring to light that which is hidden. Domains of saturated color compliment the indisputable opposition between abstraction and figuration. Bright white spaces and forms not only suggest a unique landscape but leave the openings for the viewer’s interpretation. My paintings propose a bold, yet sophisticated presence that would enhance the environment of any home, corporate, or public setting. My faith and deep love of God completes a self-portrait that is me. For it is He who guides my every brushstroke.

THE ART OF BEAUTY Over the years, I discovered another way of expressing myself as an artist. I became interested in the impactful art of makeup. I became intrigued by the technical aspect of the application. While learning, I instantly discovered that my background as a painter gave me the additional insight and skills in becoming a professional makeup artist. I have the innate ability to see fractional undertones in one’s face so as to achieve the best and ultimate makeup application. As a visual artist, my full understanding of color is an enormous advantage. I currently reside in Manhattan where I work as a makeup artist at WNYW FOX 5 and the UNTV Department at the United Nations are among my employers. To view my paintings, visit pixipaintings.net and to inquire about my makeup skills contact makeup212@aol.com. • JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 87

ABOUT BOOKS By Joan Bauer

hen I read a Fannie Flagg book, I feel like I’m walking down a road with a good friend, and I’m never sure where we’re going to end up. Among Flagg’s talents is how she can size up a character in a few perfect words. Early in The Whole Town’s Talking, her tenth novel, there is this: Swedish Man of 37 Years Looking For Swedish Lady For Marriage. I Have a House and Cows. — Lordor Nordstrom Swede Town, Missouri Lest you think that Lordor Nordstrom is a man devoid of a rich inner life, do keep reading. At age thirty-seven, this bachelor farmer was thinking about his future on earth and beyond. Finding a wife wasn’t easy, neither was finding a suitable resting place for a family he was yet to have, but being a forward thinker, he thought deep about both situations and ended up with a pretty mail-order bride and ten burial plots on a hill that would be called Still Meadows. Children followed the blessed union. Soon Lordor had enough success that he could help others, but not so much that it went to his head. He came to transformation (“you either love cows, or you don’t”), fortunately for him his wife Katrina was a good sport and a cultured cow woman. Lordor had dreams for his little town of Elmwood Springs; he became the mayor for a while and lived a contented life. It was one surprise after another for him; mostly he didn’t think he was worthy of his wife, his beautiful children, or his success. It’s a nice touch to learn of Lordor and his family spanning early 20th-century history—attending the St. Louis World Fair, voting for women’s rights at the Democratic National Convention in 1916, hearing news over the telegraph of some kooky brothers called Wright flying a car with wings up in the air. But nothing surprised Lordor quite so much in life like it had in death. For when they put him to rest in the Elmwood Springs Cemetery, after a time, well… he woke up. And Fannie Flagg takes us back and forth through the generations from birth to loss to death and to Still Meadows where it’s getting less and less still as the deceased of Elmwood ones we wished were still here and could offer advice or a nod Springs are having a high old time. There’s a lot more to being dead of pride to cheer us on. It’s good to think about the links to than you might think, the author tells us. generations, what they might be thinking, and their hopes for us that stretched across the miles and the years. It’s good to think of But the good people down below who are still alive just have the greatness born in simple, committed people who saw war, early sense sometimes that they’re being watched. And the dead people on death, colossal disappointment, and hardly mentioned it. As we the hill just have the feeling that it’s good to be watching their loved begin what promises to be a tumultuous new year, it’s good to ones even though they don’t agree with everything they’re doing and slow down and read a Fannie Flagg book filled with connection, sometimes would like to give them a swift kick in the butt. Through remembrance, and hope. • letters, personal ads, newspaper columns, and narrative, Flagg draws her immigrant families with a light touch and blesses them with notable courage. She takes us from 1889 to 2016 and bounces briefly Joan Bauer is a New York Times bestselling into 2021. We feel the winds of change and the shock of world events. novelist and winner of the Newbery Honor Award, the LA Times Book Prize, and two While The Whole Town’s Talking isn’t as funny or as tightly Christopher Awards. Her latest novel is Soar, constructed as Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, this published by Viking/Penguin Random House. novel has the kind of heart that can take you a long way. It’s a gentle, Connect with her on Twitter @joan_bauer or at wacky ride, a reminder to us all of the ones who came before, the joanbauer.com. 88 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

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A WALK IN THE PARK By Patricia Canole

his different and many smiling presence” is how Henry James once referred to Central Park, bounded by Fifth Avenue, Central Park West, Central Park South, and Central Park North. The entirely man-made park, unlike any other urban park in the U.S, indeed elicits smiles from the more than 14 million people who wander through it throughout the year. It is an equally pleasant place to sky-borne creatures—nearly 250 species of birds call it home! Not long after work began to clear the site in August 1857, a friend suggested to journalist Frederick Law Olmstead, whose avocation was landscaping, that he should compete for the job of superintendent of the new Central Park. He found backers in newspaper editors Horace Greeley and William Cullen Bryant, and when writer Washington Irving added his name to the list, Olmsted got the job. Later that same year, the Parks Commission announced a design competition for the new park, and Olmsted’s friend, landscape architect Calvert Vaux, suggested they join forces.

A PARK FOR ALL SEASONS In April 1858, after Olmsted and Vaux submitted what they called their “Greensward” plan. Olmsted wrote: “Every foot of the Park’s surface, every tree, and bush, as well as every arch, roadway, and walk has been placed where it is with a purpose.” In the years since buildings and monuments have been added, and playgrounds, roads, and even parking lots have been constructed. But the original purpose is still well served and where people come to enjoy nature all year round. The rise in support for the park had begun in 1844 when William Cullen Bryant warned that commerce was devouring Manhattan inch by inch. He pointed out that there were still unoccupied parts of the island, but that “while we are discussing the subject, the advancing population of the city is weeping over them and covering them from our reach.” In 1853, the state legislature authorized the city to buy the central site. The price tag was a hefty $5 million.

Central Park

A PEACEFUL OASIS The land was no bargain. A swampy pesthole filled with pig farms and squatters shacks, it was used as a garbage dump. But Olmsted succeeded in turning it into what New Yorkers today proudly call Central Park. Actual work began in 1857, and by the time the park was considered finished 16 years later, nearly five million cubic yards of stone and dirt had been rearranged and almost five million trees planted. Before construction started, 42 species of trees grew on the site; by the time it was completed, 402 kinds of deciduous trees thrived, along with 230 species of evergreens and 815 varieties of shrubs. There were also 58 miles of pedestrian walks, 6.5 miles of roads, and a bridle path 4.5 miles long. A reservoir was created in 1862, covering 106 acres, and a sprawling lake occupied another 22 acres. A series of smaller lakes and ponds was also created, and some 62 miles of pipe were installed to carry off the unwanted water.

Central Park in Winter 90 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

Fortunately, Central Park is alive and well in spite of many schemes to “improve” it. In 1918, someone in all seriousness suggested digging trenches in the North Meadow to give people an idea of what the doughboys were going through “over there.” A year later, plans were submitted for an airport near Tavern on the Green, which was then a sheepfold. There have been several proposals to use some of the space for housing projects, and plans for underground parking garages have been coming and going since the 1920s. Not only have the Parks Department and the Central Park Conservancy resisted encroachment, but they’ve also been working for years to restore the park to what it once was. The result is that one of the best things about New York City is getting better every day!

CENTRAL PARK HIGHLIGHTS Conservatory Garden A park nursery was replaced in 1899 by a glass conservatory, which was removed in 1934 to create this series of three formal gardens: one is planted with seasonal flowers, another with perennials, and the third with grass surrounded by yew hedges and flowering trees (Fifth Avenue and 102nd Street). The Great Lawn The largest field in the park was formerly a rectangular reservoir that was drained just in time to provide a location for a Depression-inspired collection of squatters’ shacks known as Hooverville. By 1936 it was cleared again, and the oval-shaped lawn, with Belvedere Lake at the south end and two playgrounds to the north, was fenced off to create a cooling patch of green. It didn’t stay that way long. It was surrounded by ball fields, and overuse almost eliminated the grass. Thankfully, this green space has survived and attracted thousands of locals and visitors to our city who bring blankets and picnic dinners during warmer weather (East and West Drives and 79th and 86th Streets). Strawberry Fields This teardrop-shaped memorial grove undergone rehabilitation with funds provided by Yoko Ono in memory of her late husband, John Lennon. The former Beatle was assassinated in front of the Dakota apartment house, which overlooks this tranquil spot. You’ll find many fans around the “Imagine” centerpiece mosaic (West Drive at Terrace Drive).

Central Park Conservatory Garden in Summer

Belvedere Castle

Belvedere Castle A scaled-down version of a Scottish castle was placed here to become part of the view. Its interior is just as impressive. The building houses a National Weather Service station (79th Street between East and West Drives). The Mount When General Washington’s army was retreating through Manhattan in 1776; the British were held at bay here by a small fortress overlook McGowan’s Pass. The Mount was named for a tavern on top of the hill, which in 1846 became, of all things, a convent. The nuns moved out when the park was created, and the building was converted back into a tavern. It was one of the city’s better restaurants in the late 19th century but was demolished by order of Mayor John Purroy Mitchel in 1917 (East Drive and 102nd Street). The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir Designed as part of the Croton Water System in 1862, this billion-gallon reservoir actively fed the city’s thirst until 1994, when it was pulled out of service. Covering nearly 107 acres, it is better known for the soft surface track that encircles it, providing a perfect amenity for serious runner—one of whom was the late Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Once around is 1.58 miles (East Drive and 86th Street). Harlem Meer The park’s original northern boundary was at 106th Street until 1863, when it was extended another four blocks northward, at which time this 11-acre lake was created. It uses the Dutch word for lake, although it hardly qualified as a lake or a meer for a long time. In 1941, the Parks Department altered its shoreline to eliminate the natural coves and inlets the original designers had placed there, and the whole lake was rimmed lined with concrete. Fortunately, this corner of the park, long desperately in need of loving care, has been restored to its natural beauty (Central Park North and Fifth Avenue).

Harlem Meer

FUN FACTS • The first New York City Marathon took place in 1970 when 127 runners circled Central Park four times. The meager $1,000 budget left no room for extravagance. To save money, post-race sodas were purchased in Greenwich Village and delivered uptown, where it was more expensive. Times have changed: It’s now one of New York City’s premier sporting events with participants from all corners of the globe. • If you get lost in the park, find the nearest lamppost. The first two numbers signify the nearest numbered (east-west) street. • Before construction on Central Park began in 1856, Fifth Avenue from 59th to 102nd Streets was called Squatters’ Sovereignty, where the poor lived in shacks made of wooden planks and flattened tin cans. When construction on the park started, the poor were evicted and soon the area housed the city’s richest and most powerful.

JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 91

ENTREPRENEUR’S CORNER By Joanna Rogers

i Jong Lee wasn’t supposed to be a successful fashion designer. As a good Korean girl, she was expected to marry, have children and quietly raise them. Girls weren’t supposed to aspire to anything greater than that. But she did—thankfully. Lee’s Madison Avenue store, Emmelle, is the go-to boutique for elegant, professional women around the globe, among them Oprah Winfrey, Madeleine Albright, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Hillary Clinton. She uses vibrant fabrics from Italy, France, and Japan, that drape beautifully across the body. Even more amazing: Every item is designed and hand sewn at her showroom in the Fashion District.

FOR WOMEN ON THE GO “I design for women who are in the workforce, who are on the board of directors, who own companies, who are always on the go,” says Lee, 57, who has one daughter living in Paris. “These women are interested in fashion but not tied to fashion trends. They wear clothes to represent who they are in their lifestyle, but they’re not owned by what they are wearing. They are not ladies who lunch.” Lee’s route to fashion success was anything but traditional. She left South Korea at age seven. Her father was a diplomat, and the family moved to Mexico, Spain and Costa Rica per his postings. “I was in Spain when Franco was alive, and in Costa Rica before all the eco-tourism that made it what it was today,” she says. “Spanish was my second language before English.” Later, she studied Sociology at Cornell; after graduating in 1981, briefly returned to Korea to get a Master’s Degree in Sociology “I was young, enthusiastic, and wanted to change the world,” she says. Unfortunately, the world didn’t want to be changed, especially not by a girl. “My professor told me to my face, ‘Why would I waste time with a girl? You are from a good family, you are pretty, in a few years you’ll be married and gone!’” So she dropped out of school and allowed her parents to arrange a marriage. Not long after, she packed her bags and headed to New York City, where she studied fashion at Parsons School of Design. She opened her store in 1982 and called it Emmelle (her initials…get it?). Located on Madison Avenue, it was a mere 400 square foot. “I had to stand on top of a toilet to grab my inventory,” she recalls with a laugh. “I bought clothes and started designing on the side little by little,” says Lee, who still sketches every item. “It became very successful.” She’s not kidding! Today, she has 38 employees, and a wholesale business that sells to 60 stores around the globe. She is happily married to a New York City firefighter. 92 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

Mi Jong Lee and Real Women campaign muses

FROM THE HEART In 2007, she opened her showroom on West 37th Street. “Everything is done there,” she says. “I do it the oldfashioned way. Every single garment is sewn by one sewer from beginning to end. I’m very proud of it. All the patterns are made by us. My heart is so in there.” In 2015, she launched her designer line, the Mi Jong Lee Collection. “It is feminine but wearable clothes that women can wear from board meetings to dinners,” she said. “When I started 30 years ago, I dressed women in three pieces suits, like men. Now, women are amazing! They own their femininity; they are empowered, they can wear their faux leather pants and a beautiful sweater and can walk into work. They can express who they are and handle all the questions.

Phyllis Newhouse with Mi Jong Lee

Mi Jong Lee Sring 17 collection Each season, Lee draws inspiration from one visionary artist—say, architect Zaha Hadid or painter Henri Matisse—and loosely reinterprets it. This year it is sculptor Alexander Calder, “because we all needed something light,” she says. She has also recently launched the label’s Spring campaign, Real Women. Real Clothes, which features six powerful women wearing her fashions. The women, who include real estate broker Louise Phillips Forbes, fashion guru Amanda Hearst, and Phyllis Newhouse, an army veteran and the founder of a cyber-security company, were photographed by Seiji Fujimori. Their portraits will be on view in the Madison Avenue store throughout the Spring. “I want to show that the women I design for are multi-faceted, multi-dimensional and really empowered in their own domain,” she says. “They’re not tied down to any single definition of what a woman should be. These are the women I design for.” For more information, visit mijonglee.com • JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 93

MY NEW YORK STORY By Beth Shapiro, Executive Director of Citymeals on Wheels

oth of my parents were born and raised in Brooklyn. So even though I grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, my childhood is filled with memories of visits “home” to see my grandparents and extended family. I remember being awed every time I cooked with my grandmother Stella, who would take hot pans out of the oven with her bare hands. My other grandmother Sara had a dress shop in her Brooklyn basement. One of my fondest memories was getting to use the sewing chalk. The poor women who worked there were often covered in chalk dust when I was around, but I always was made to feel important and loved.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN There was never a question where I saw my future. Three days after graduating college I packed my bags and moved to New York. One of my first indulgences was a subscription to New York Magazine—particularly to read legendary critic Gael Greene’s restaurant reviews. Twenty years later we would collide, not on the pages of a magazine, but at my first Citymeals on Wheels board meeting. Days before Thanksgiving in 1981, Gael read a New York Times article reporting that homebound elderly New Yorkers were not receiving meal deliveries on weekends and holidays. Outraged that in a city of such plenty, thousands of seniors would go days without food, she began calling her friends in the food world, including renowned chef James Beard. Together, they raised $35,000. Contacting the Department for the Aging, the city agency responsible for meal deliveries, she offered the money on one condition: 100% of the funding would go to meals. The agency turned those dollars into Christmas meals for 6,000 older New Yorkers. Citymeals on Wheels was born.

Chef Marcus Gleadow-Ware; Citymeals on Wheels Board Member Chef Charlie Palmer; Chef Scott Conant; Citymeals on Wheels Board Co-President Chef Daniel Boulud; Chef Frank Castronovo; Chef Frank Falcinelli; Citymeals on Wheels Board Co-President Robert S. Grimes; Citymeals on Wheels Executive Director Beth Shapiro; Chef Michael Anthony; Chef Eddy Leroux; Chef Ghaya Oliveira; Chef JeanFrançois Bruel at the 19th Annual Sunday Supper hosted by Citymeals on Wheels Board Co-President Chef Daniel Boulud Photo by Alan Barnett Photography

LIFESAVING WORK Today, Citymeals provides a continuous lifeline of nourishing meals and vital companionship to the city’s homebound elderly. Working in partnership with community-based organizations and senior centers, Citymeals prepares and delivers over 2 million weekend, holiday and emergency meals for more than 18,000 of our frail aged neighbors each year. In 2006, looking to shift my career in advertising and marketing, I accepted a position as Director of Marketing and Communications at Citymeals. I pushed to bring more visibility and public recognition to the lifesaving work that Citymeals does. A promotion to Associate Executive Director followed and, in September 2011, I was appointed Executive Director after the organization’s Founding Executive Director, Marcia Stein, retired. As we celebrated our 35th anniversary this past Christmas, the biggest change I’ve witnessed is the growing need for our services. The number of people age 60 and older living in the city is climbing. By 2030, seniors will outnumber children for the first time. Also, 94 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

older New Yorkers increasingly face the problem of food insecurity, with ten percent now lacking reliable access to affordable, healthy food. The need is real. I’ve gone on hundreds of deliveries, but still recall the first meal recipient I ever met. Mamie lived just blocks from where my dad grew up in Brownsville. Her apartment was dark and stuffy. Mamie, then 85, sat on a chair in the kitchen. Her sneakers, held together by duct tape, rested on the worn linoleum floor. Mamie spoke fondly of her family, all long gone. She laughed, recalling evenings of dinner in the kitchen with good friends when her husband Nathaniel—“Boot”— would entertain with impromptu soft-shoe dancing. They enjoyed 37 years together until his death in 1981. Barely able to walk, Mamie, a retired chambermaid at a famous hotel in Manhattan, had lived alone since losing Boot. Their only child died in 2003. Looking down at the chicken lunch I’d just delivered, she explained, “I need shoes. I worry about my rent, my phone, my medical bills. But Citymeals is so wonderful. I couldn’t afford food otherwise.”

Citymeals on Wheels Board of Directors Co-President Robert S. Grimes; Event emcee Carla Hall; Citymeals on Wheels Co-Founder, Board Chair and Power Lunch Honoree Gael Greene; Rosanna Scotto; Sunny Anderson; Citymeals on Wheels Board of Directors Co-President Chef Daniel Boulud; Executive Director of Citymeals on Wheels Beth Shapiro at the Citymeals on Wheels 30th Annual “Power Lunch for Women” Photo by Konrad Bratke

A CONNECTION TO THE WORLD In many ways Mamie represents so many of our meal recipients. Chronically disabled by conditions like vision loss, diabetes, arthritis and heart disease, nearly all need assistance walking. More than 60 percent of our recipients are over the age of 80, and two-thirds are women.

Executive Director of Citymeals on Wheels Beth Shapiro; Chef Ivy Stark, Executive Chef at Dos Caminos; actress and Citymeals on Wheels Board member Kathleen Turner Photo by Eric Groom

I often describe our meal recipients as our “hidden neighbors.” Too frail to leave their longtime homes, these older New Yorkers who built our city now live behind closed doors with the regular visit from Citymeals often their only connection to the outside world. Citymeals started as a means to make sure the city’s homebound elderly had enough food to sustain them. Over the years we’ve increased our focus on the overall well-being of the seniors we serve, including programs that combat isolation. Our Friendly Visiting initiative connects meal recipients with trained volunteers who visit weekly and become companions. Other programs enlist volunteers to call, write and craft handmade cards, helping our recipients know someone is thinking of them. Citymeals is indebted to our generous donors and army of more than 15,000 dedicated volunteers. It’s so gratifying to have overseen a significant increase in volunteer participation. Since 2006, volunteer hours have skyrocketed, increasing to nearly 72,000 hours of service.

Meal recipient Mina; actress and Citymeals on Wheels Board member Kathleen Turner; Executive Director of Citymeals on Wheels Beth Shapiro Photo by Eric Groom

One of my proudest moments was Citymeals’ response to Hurricane Sandy. More than 860 Citymeals volunteers braved Sandy’s aftermath to deliver 64,595 emergency meals to older New Yorkers stranded in their homes with no heat or electricity. As we walked up flights of dark, steep stairs, I saw the direct impact we were making on our isolated neighbors who were in dire need. My grandparents—and probably yours as well—had people around to care for them until the end. The city’s homebound elderly have Citymeals. Since our founding, Citymeals has delivered 54 million meals. And one thing has remained the same for all of those 35 years. One hundred percent of public donations still go directly to the preparation and delivery of meals.

Jonathan Bartfeld; meal recipient Keith; Bella Bartfeld (delivering meals on Thanksgiving Day 2016 with their parents) Photo by Citymeals on Wheels

Even on the most challenging day, when the stress of budgets and fundraising can feel daunting, I remind myself of Mamie and the thousands of people like her we nourish—and I know why we fight so hard for our homebound elderly neighbors. For more information on how to volunteer or donate to Citymeals on Wheels, visit citymeals.org. • JANUARY 2017 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 95

15 MINUTES WITH JAMIE DRAKE By Baruch Shemtov

nterior designer Jamie Drake has developed an international reputation as the mastermind behind glamorous spaces designed for everyone from Madonna to Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Drake’s work has garnered him a long list of accolades including a spot on Architectural Digest’s AD100 list and an induction into Interior Design magazine’s Interior Design Hall of Fame. Beyond his residential projects, Drake has also made his mark on the City of New York, having worked on both Gracie Mansion and City Hall. Now that he’s joined forces with designer Caleb Anderson at Drake/Anderson, Drake continues to expand his creative vision around the world. What is your design philosophy? At Drake/Anderson we love to create spaces that have real personality, resonant of the clients who inhabit them. Interiors that tell of the owners interests and experiences are the most interesting to experience. How has that aesthetic evolved? Over time, styles indeed morph. Our contemporary interiors today are filled with intriguing artisan commissioned furnishings, lighting and accessories. More traditional ones are not at all fussy, devoid of a lot of pattern, and kept fresh with varied textures and the injection of modern notes. What impact does design have on people’s lives more broadly? Design certainly enriches people lives. Often thought provoking and invigorating aesthetically, the best design must answer the singular programmatic and lifestyle needs of the users. How has New York inspired your creative process? Gotham is a constant source of inspiration and delight. Whether its strolling down a street admiring the architecture and stores, or zooming by in a car, an endless array of visual stimulation is there. What was it like to work on the interiors of Gracie Mansion and City Hall? Having the opportunity to work on the restoration and redecoration of two of our cities greatest treasures was truly humbling. The amazing history of both provided the source clues for our schemes. It was an honor to be a part of preserving these treasures for now and the future. What’s the best way to instantly transform a room? Install dimmers, switch some light bulbs to a dimmer wattage and light a few candles. Instant mood transformers! You’ve worked with so many legends. Which historical figure do you wish you could have worked with? Hmmmm... so many! To choose one, today I’ll pick Catherine the Great, a true visionary with a strong personality. Her love of luxury joined with her keen intelligence is legendary, and her budget was pretty good too! What’s next for Jamie Drake? I’m looking forward to Drake/Anderson, my one year old partnership 96 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JANUARY 2017

with Caleb Anderson, to continue to blossom. We are currently working on projects in Florida, Texas, California and New York, as well as in London and Bermuda. We love to do projects all over the world, and hope to do more in China in the near future. Also, we’ve never designed a hotel and we hope to build a hospitality practice, with some potential projects in discussion currently. •

JAMIE’S NEW YORK FAVORITES A Coffee… Any Starbucks, because I have a deep need daily for their caramel iced coffee. Starbucks is everywhere and always consistent. With my coffee I don’t need surprises. A Gift… Zeze, my florist of choice. The arrangements that Zeze and his team create are always lush, exotic and truly pretty in the best way. Who doesn’t love fresh flowers! Although I almost always order over the phone, a visit to his charming shop on First Avenue filled with fantastic objects and gifts is a real treat. A Dinner My classic favorite for thirty plus years is Il Cantinori on East 10th Street. It’s on the block I moved to when I first came to New York City 41 years ago to attend Parsons School of Design. Delicious food, a warm environment and decades of memories make it my numero uno. My favorite new place to go is Augustine, Keith McNally’s latest creation is the perfect French Bistro. I’m always amazed at how Keith creates spaces that truly look as if they’ve been around for a hundred years or more. The cheese soufflé is a must! Some Time Alone... My bedroom. Nothing like stretching out with a book or just the day’s newspapers in the solitude of home. A Celebration… I actually have a big birthday coming up in 2017 (it isn’t 21 nor 70!) and I’m planning something very special at an iconic New York treasure…but for now it’s a secret! It will be chic and somewhat understated, but not too. I’m relying on my favorite event planner RAIOLA/Co to create the magic and relieve me of the detail stress.

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