The local paper for the Upper West Side
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MANAGING THE UNKNOWN
PUBLIC HEALTH
New York’s elected officials take on a crisis that has shredded the fabric of everyday life BY EMILY HIGGINBOTHAM
The Archdiocese of New York is encouraging Catholics to attend mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral “virtually” by watching the live stream of the service on the church’s website. Photo: Bro. Jeffrey Pioquinto SJ via Flickr
WITH FAITH AND CAUTION COMMUNITY
How Manhattan’s religious centers are responding to the coronavirus BY JENNIFER DOHERTY
Last Thursday, as Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency across New York, business carried on more or less as usual at the Islamic Cultural Center of New York at Third Avenue and 96th Street. While attendance at many houses of worship has fallen off amid fears about community transmission of the coronavirus, the pandemic respiratory virus that can be
fatal to seniors and individuals with pre-existing health issues, the faithful are still coming to pray, Sheikh Saad Jalloh, imam of the Islamic Cultural Center, told Straus News. The center had canceled its Islamic Seminar, an annual conference that draws approximately 1,000 people, just days ahead of its scheduled start date, but regular worshippers trickled in and out of the masjid, pausing to leave their shoes at the door or slide them back on. A few men with disabilities lingered near the center’s north gate seeking zakat, the practice of charity to the
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At a press conference Tuesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo likened our world to a snow globe. Like a child, the coronavirus pandemic has shaken our world and turned it upside down. “It’s all chaotic and things are flying all over,” Cuomo said. “There’s new information and there’s mixed information, and people don’t know what to do when businesses are closing and the
said, have resulted in hospitalization, which is four percent higher than the typical average. Cuomo said expert projections show the expected peak of coronavirus in New York will occur in 45 days, on May 1. He also said the growth rate of the virus is currently unsustainable for the state’s health care system. New York will need 55,000 to 110,000 hospital beds and 18,600 to 37,200 ICU beds at projected peak, he said, and the state currently has 53,000 hospital beds and 3,000 ICU beds. He said this suggests that the state will need to make more efforts to reduce the curve as well as efforts to expand health care capacity.
I think the President was 100 percent sincere in saying that he wanted to work together. Right now, you need to see government at its best.” -Governor Andrew Cuomo rules change every minute.” As of Tuesday morning, 1,374 positive cases of coronavirus had been confirmed in New York, with 644 of those in New York City. From those cases, 12 deaths have been reported. And 19 percent of those cases, the governor
Working with the President As for expanding the state’s health care capacity, Cuomo said New York needs help from the federal government to build temporary hospital infrastructure and to obtain medical equipment such as ventilators and beds. “I am telling you, this [state] government cannot meet this crisis without the resources and capacity of the federal government,” said Cuomo. “We need their help, especially on the hospital capacity issue. We need FEMA.” The governor added that earlier in the morning he spoke with President Donald
Governor Andrew Cuomo on Monday, March 16, 2020, when he announced a series of steps to reduce the curve of coronavirus infections, including a partnership with New Jersey and Connecticut. Photo: Darren McGee- Office of Governor via Flickr
Crime Watch Voices NYC Now City Arts
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INSIDE
SAFETY
has seen a surge Five years in, NYC and uctuating in cyclist deaths – and motorist numbers of pedestrian fatalities BY EMILY HIGGINBOTHAM
year that saw 299 In 2014, after a traffic-related incipeople killed in Mayor Bill de Bladents in the city, eliminate all traffic sio set out to
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A HAPPY AUGUST TRADITION store” “Pop-up department an NYPD judge recommend at City Hall after Photography Office holds a press conference Appleton/Mayoral Mayor Bill de Blasio 2019. Photo: Michael Friday, August 2,
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THE BILLY AND GILLY SHOW
A free ready for helps families get school. p. 5
WOODSTOCK SOJOURN
day of peace, Kamala HarJon Friedman on a 8 Warren, Cory Booker, and Bernie love and music. p. debates,” longris, Amy Klobuchar for the September Pete strategist George Sanders, South Bend Mayor time Democratic doesn’t have former Texas Rep. Artz says. “De Blasioare way down Buttigieg and both Beto O’Rourke. the donors, and close, but none of A few others are in the polls.” Hank Sheinde Blasio or GilliPolitical consultant that either them are named kopf says it’s “50-50” “Any- brand. returned reBY STUART MARQUES will make the next round: Neither campaign but they’re not quests for comment. thing can happen, agree that Warde Blasio faced to qualify.” Pundits generally When Mayor Bill held off the more Gillibrand – likely a minimum of SURVIVNG YOUR Candidates need to ren and Sanderson the first night. off with Sen. Kirsten Democratic presi- 130,000 unique donors and have SUMMER COLD moderate field and eight other seasonal in four qualigot high marks on – on July 31, it How to deal with thefeel worse Booker and Yang at least 2 percent and dential hopefuls the last Billy hit candidates have the second night, but Biden virus that makes usp. 2 a might have marked presidential fying polls. Eight polls. the assured in and are still ahead at the than a winter bug. hit those marks 12 Harris are and Gilly Show largely igin Houston on Sept. De Blasio and Gillibrand debates. ei- spot onstage Presiawful tough for are former Vice 7 “It’s going to be and and 13. They Senators Elizabeth CONTINUED ON PAGE get the donors dent Joe Biden, ther of them to needed to qualify polling numbers”
POLITICS
dim for Presidential prospects Democratic New Yorkers on the debate stage
Crime Watch Voices
INSIDE
CITY SAYS ‘OUI’ TO FRENCH LESSONS FOR PRE-K Teaching the third most common language spoken on the Upper East Side to the youngest students has been a longtime of goal parents, educators and officials. p. 2
BREAKING THE CORONAVIRUS CHAIN Infographic: How to prevent the virus from spreading. p. 6
PORTRAIT OF NEW YORKERS IN A CRISIS The novel coronavirus is greeted with a classic mix of anxiety, gallows humor and a rolling series of adaptations. p. 7
‘GOSSIP GIRL’ WITH SELFIES HBO Max plans new episodes for the social media generation. p. 8
◄ 15 MINUTES,
Westsider And the winner is...
IS VISION ZERO WORKING?
19-25 2020
‘MY HANDS ARE OUTSTRETCHED’ P. 19
f d h e s, p gs ng st nts alng ish ass eel-
THE GOAT VOTE
chair of the City Ydanis Rodriguez, committee, Council’s transportation street s afety on speaks at a rally for steps of City Hall legislation on the McCarten/NYC May 8. Photo: John Council
WEEK OF MARCH
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CITY SAYS ‘OUI’ TO FRENCH LESSONS FOR PRE-K EDUCATION
Teaching the third most common language spoken on the Upper East Side to the youngest students has been a longtime of goal parents, educators and officials BY EMILY HIGGINBOTHAM
The Department of Education announced that it will launch a French dual-language program this fall at the pre-kindergarten center on the Upper East Side to cater to the Francophone community in the city. A group of French-speaking parents, including immigrants from Canada, Africa and France, began spearheading a campaign two years ago to attain bilingual education for their children, and have
worked closely with City Council Member Ben Kallos, Education Attaché of the Embassy of France Fabrice Jaumont, Community Education District 2 President Maud Maron, Deputy Chancellor of Early Childhood and Student Enrollment Josh Wallack, and the Community Education District Superintendent Donalda Chumney to bring it to fruition. French is the third most common spoken language in the UES neighborhood, according to a report from Business Insider. “I hear so many languages spoken in my district from every corner of the world and now we are working with the Francophone community to address a need in the neighborhood as we hope to increase the overall diversity of
our schools,” said Kallos.
A Vision Realized The DOE will run the two classes using a side-by-side instructional model where it will have one early childhood certified teacher working alongside another early childhood certified teacher who is both fluent in French and has been certified to teach bilingual education. The city is currently looking to hire more bilingual teachers. More than 200 parents have signed a petition pledging to send their children to the dual-language program, citing a desire to pass on an important piece of their cultural identity to their kids. “The parents of this community had a vision and a desire for bilingual education for their children,” said
Council Member Ben Kallos said the decision addresses a need in UES schools. (Photo courtesy of NYC Council photographer William Alatriste)
Stephane Lautner, a parent organizer and local resident. “The establishment of this Dual Language French UPK program is the culmination of two years of groundwork, involving over 150 families in New York City coming from
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countries all around the world, interested in having their children learn French. The personal stories of the parents, told during the meetings with the Department of Education and Council Member Kallos, showed the critical
link of language in the maintenance of culture, heritage, and identity.” Applications to participate in the dual-language program are open now through March 16. The classes will begin in September 2020.
MARCH 19-25, 2020
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CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG ARREST IN PENSION CHECK THEFT
STATS FOR THE WEEK Reported crimes from the 24th precinct for the week ending Mar 8
Police arrested a suspect who they said intercepted a senior’s pension check last summer. According to police, on Tuesday, June 26, 2019, the suspect deposited a pension check belonging to a 92-year-old resident of Central Park West to his own TD Bank account without permission or authority. The suspect then withdrew the amount of the chcek, $10,273.53, from his account. Wilfredo Bacani, 53, was later arrested and charged with grand larceny. The police report did not specify the suspect’s relationship to the victim.
FOLLOW THE SCENT Sephora has been the target of shoplifters recently, presumably because of the high price and easy portability of their products. Police said that at 5:52 p.m. on Tuesday, Mar. 3, two men entered the Sephora location at 2103 Broadway at West 73rd St., removed products from a shelf and placed them in their backpacks. The suspects then left the location without paying. A store employee followed the pair into a nearby train station but lost sight of them. The stolen fragrances totaled $3,951.
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36 73
18 78
100.0 -6.4
Grand Larceny Auto
2
1
100.0
10
1
900.0
Murder Rape Robbery Felony Assault Burglary
100.0 -100.0
Photo by Tony Webster, via Flickr
THE EYES HAVE IT Expensive eyewear also holds appeal for shoplifters. Police reported that at 12:52 p.m. on Saturday, Mar. 7, a man entered the LensCrafters store at 2050 Broadway at West 71st St. and removed items from displays before leaving the premises without paying. He was last seen heading south on Broadway. Police searched the neighborhood but did not find the suspect or the stolen eyewear, which was valued at $3,263.
APARTMENT BURGLARIZED A woman told police that she was the last resident to leave her apartment inside 49 West 85th St. near Columbus Ave. at 11:35 a.m. on Monday, Mar. 2. When she returned at 5:33 p.m. the front door of the apartment was still locked, but her purse was on the living room floor, empty. The drawer in her bedroom night table was also open, with clothes thrown on the floor.
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Apparently, her neighbors had not witnessed anything out of the ordinary. The items stolen included an Yves St. Laurent leather bag valued at $600 and a pair of diamond stud earrings priced at $300, making a total stolen of $900.
BACKPACK STOLEN FROM BABY STROLLER Police said that at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Mar. 4, a woman left her baby’s stroller unattended on the
sidewalk in front of the child’s preschool, Congregation Ohav Sholom, at 270 West 84th St. When she returned about ten minutes later her backpack was gone from the stroller’s undercarriage. No usage turned up on her stolen credit and debit cards, which she cancelled. The other items taken included the backpack, a wallet, a pair of Apple earphones worth $30 and $150 cash.
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Useful Contacts
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POLICE NYPD 20th Precinct
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CITY COUNCIL Councilmember Helen Rosenthal
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State Sen. Brad Hoylman
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FAITH AND CAUTION CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
needy that is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. In the main office, the center’s secretary administrator Latifa El bustled between her office and the reception area carrying a carton of pins emblazoned with the term “Airhugger,” a donation meant to remind students at the center’s weekend school to minimize physical contact to avoid spreading COVID-19, a highly contagious respiratory virus.
Effective Communication A few blocks south at Park East Synagogue and School, day-to-day operations took a different tack, confronting the pandemic a slew of proactive health and safety measures. “The school actually took preventative measures and we shut down the school for the last four days in order to allow us to do a deep clean and sanitization of the entire building,” Cantor Benny Rogosnitzky told Straus News. Though no one in the Park East community had tested positive as of Thursday, the school was acting out of “an abundance of caution,” with mandatory hand-sanitizer at the entrance to the school. Parents are encouraged to self-report as much as possible. “Parents are having trouble getting tested for corona…so even if there is a concern or suspicion, we’re asking them to let us know so that we’re able to get a sense of what’s actually happening with our parent body,” Rogosnitzky added. “Effective communication, from our perspective, is what keeps parents calm.” The synagogue has pared down its services to a minimum, canceling all extraneous events, including its weekly Shabbat dinners for the time being, and is actively encouraging vulnerable community members to stay home.
Park East Synagogue has cancelled all extraneous events, including its weekly Shabbat dinners, for the time being, and is actively encouraging vulnerable community members to stay home. Photo: miss_millions via Flickr
A Delicate Balancing Act “A synagogue, as a religious institution, is a place where people find calmness, and if anything, people are more fearful now and need more calming down and spirituality, so shutting the doors we think would set the wrong message,” Rogosnitzky said. “But at the same time, we want to be sensitive to what’s happening, and the last thing we want to do is to be a breeding ground for more of this virus. So we’re trying. It’s really a very, very delicate balancing act between the two.” On Saturday, the Archdiocese of New York announced that all services — except the closed mass broadcast from St Patrick’s Cathedral — were canceled in the 10 counties it covers, though churches remain open for ”private prayer.” The St. Patrick’s mass can be viewed on the church’s website or by tuning in to the Catholic Faith Network on TV. It can also be heard on Sirius XM radio. On the Upper West Side, Congregation Rodeph Sholom synagogue took the 21st century solution one step further, announcing in an email that all services would be live streamed only, starting with Friday’s Shabbat service. “When we are unable to seek comfort in the physical presence of our congregation, we
can elevate and nurture our spiritual and emotional sense of connectedness,” the clergy team wrote, emphasizing that though the doors would not open for services, they remain available to their members.
‘God Will Understand’ The sacrament of communion, a practice that involves drinking from a communal cup and consuming bread placed in the receiver’s hand or mouth by the priest, has presented a particular challenge to Christian congregations since COVID-19 first appeared in the city earlier this month. “Those who do attend Mass are reminded that they should follow the guidelines in place, such as receiving Holy Communion reverently in the hand, not receiving the Precious Blood...and avoiding physical contact with or close proximity to other persons,” the press release advised. In the church’s weekly newsletter, Father Stephen Gerth, rector of the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, asked his Episcopalian congregation to maintain their distance during the part of the service that calls for greeting neighbors. “It’s an old custom,” he wrote. “Still, if we refrain from shaking hands or embracing—and that is what I would like us to do—until we have a better grip on this virus, God will understand.”
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The last thing we want to do is to be a breeding ground for more of this virus.” Cantor Benny Rogosnitzky of the Park East Synagogue
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1. The Organism The coronavirus. CoVID 19 is the illness caused by the virus. (For more information, visit the CDC, WHO, and NIH* websites.) 2. Reservoir 6. New host Break the chain: The virus thrives in our The immune system is respiratory tract, but it the final link to stop the ● Prevention, not panic. Take calm, decisive action. can survive on surfaces virus. Older adults and ● Kill the virus with proper hand washing. outside the body for three people with severe Don’t touch your face with unwashed hands, hours to three days. medical conditions seem practice social distancing, and disinfect Infected people can be to be at higher risk. personal surfaces frequently touched. contagious before symptoms Break the chain: present themselves or without ● Support your immune system ever experiencing symptoms. (ie: sleep well, drink lots of water, exercise, eat healthy foods, manage Break the chain: stress.) ● Treat everyone as though ● If caring for someone they have the virus. with the disease, take ● Take precautions to precautions to reduce transmission minimize your (read on). exposure to the virus.
Break th B the he Chain of C IInfection n
5. Entry
portal The virus can enter the human host through the respiratory system (nose, mouth), and eyes. Break the chain: ● Assume everyone is infected and maintain a safe distance of at least 6 feet. ● Do not 4. Transmission touch your face unless your The virus spreads to a hands are new host through direct or clean. indirect contact.
3. Exit portal The virus exits the body in infected droplets spewed into the air by coughing, sneezing
If you break any of t n these links it can p m prevent you from getting sick or infecting others..
or talking and can contaminate surfaces touched by unwashed hands. Break the chain: ● Cough/sneeze into your sleeve or a tissue, not your hands. ● Stay
(Virus can spread by shaking hands and touching public surfaces such as credit cards, money, gas pumps, keyboards, store products, etc.)
at home. ● Wash your hands for 20+ seconds after blowing nose, coughing, sneezing or after touching surfaces in public. (Soap is best,
● Throw
used tissues directly into the trash. Break the chain ● Wash hands but if it isn’t available use hand sanitizer.***) thoroughly as soon ● Do not shake hands or hug. ● Never touch eyes, nose, and mouth as you get home. with unwashed hands. ● Avoid inhaling infected droplets ● Self isolate. Avoid from someone coughing, sneezing or ● Disinfect surfaces you touch daily.*** crowds. (social talking in your face. (Infected droplets are (ie: phone, steering wheel, toilet and fridge handles, distancing) kitchen counter, faucets, TV remote, doorknobs, etc.) thought to survive for up to 3 hours in a closed space.**) ● Stay at least Sources: CDC; WHO; APIC; Dr. Theresa Bernardo; Dr. Frances Downes. Infographic by Karl Gude, and Carol Navarro, RN. 6-feet away *CDC: Centers for Disease Control; WHO: World Health Organization; NIH: National Institutes of Health. **Study pending peer review. from others. ***You can make disinfectants. Visit Consumer Reports article,“These Common Household Products Can Destroy the Novel Coronavirus” Please share and publish widely. High resolution PDF and JPEG versions can be found at gudethinking.com. Credit: gudethinking.com
MARCH 19-25, 2020
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PORTRAIT OF NEW YORKERS IN A CRISIS VIEWPOINT
The novel coronavirus is greeted with a classic mix of anxiety, gallows humor and a rolling series of adaptations BY MICHAEL ORESKES
Until a very few days ago, social distancing conjured for most New Yorkers an image of, say, the rich and famous rising above the rest of us as they sashayed up the steps of the Metropolitan Museum for the fashionistas’ Met Ball. But in this time of coronavirus, social distancing has taken a far more physical, and urgent, meaning. Keep your distance, regardless of social status, class, wealth, race or celebrity. It is as if the public health experts are warning that to protect ourselves and our fellow New Yorkers we all must, immediately, stop doing many of the things that more or less define what it is to be a New Yorker.
The Hard Truth from an Expert “New Yorkers are very social in general,” said Demetre Daskalakis, who is paid to know our behaviors better than we often know them ourselves. He is Deputy Commissioner for Disease Control at the New York City Department of Health. In a videotaped conversation with fellow doctors at Mount Sinai Hospital, Dr. Daskalakis made clear that curbing some of our basic behaviors had become a public health imperative. “Everyone who lives in New York knows that we are tough,” said Dr. Daskalakis. “And tough means, ‘I go to work even though I’m sick.’ Not this year, you’re not. This year, stay home! It’s tougher to stay home than to come to work. It’s braver to stay him than to come to work in this scenario.” The doctor’s point: The global effort to prevent the spread of Covid-2019 has failed. “That ship has sailed,” said Dr Daskalakis. “Probably before we even know there were 100 cases in China.”
New York City conductorettes wearing masks during the 1918 influenza epidemic. Photo: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
The goal now is “mitigation,” reducing the damage by slowing the spread so that the pandemic does not overwhelm medical systems. Dr. Daskalakis showed the other doctors a graphic, also circulating widely on the internet, illustrating two pathways. In one, Coronavirus spreads quickly, peaking with a number of cases far larger than all the hospital beds, breathing machines and intensive care units available. In that scenario people die because they can’t get adequate care. The other pathway stretches out longer, but has a
much lower peak, a “flatter curve” that is hopefully within the medical systems capacity to handle. There will probably be just as many cases of COVID-19, either way. But by spreading them out, medical care can cope better. This is why New Yorkers are being asked to learn the new meaning of social distancing. Dr. Daskalakis said the virus is already more prevalent in New York City than the number of positive tests is capturing. “It’s already here,” he said. He knows this because the city gets a report every hour on visits to emergency rooms, which serve as family physician and health clinic for many New Yorkers. Reports of “flu-like symptoms” are rising, while the number of positive tests for the flu is not. “There is something causing illness in New York City and it’s not the flu,” Dr. Daskalakis said. Many of these cases are quite mild, the doctor said, making it all the harder to get New Yorkers to recognize that they are likely carrying a dangerous virus. “This is why you’re seeing us say, ‘community transmission, community transmission.’ It’s not about the guy coming back from China any
more. It’s about the fact that we all have to take care of each other and not come to work when we’re sick.” Dr. Daskalakis briefed the Mt. Sinai doctors a week ago, Tuesday, March 10. He was preparing them for the shape of things to come. The next day, The World Health Organization declared Coronavirus a global pandemic. Over the seven days since Dr. Daskalakis’ briefing, New Yorkers, starting with his boss, Mayor DeBlasio, have struggled to adapt, sometimes painfully, to his message that we have entered a public health emergency of a sort the city has not faced in generations, if ever. “Our lives are all changing in ways that were unimaginable just a week ago,” the Mayor acknowledged Sunday evening, without mentioning that Dr. Daskalakis had actually imagined it a week before. Sunday the Mayor ordered schools and movie theaters closed and restricted bars and restaurants to delivery and take-out orders only. “These places are part of the heart and soul of our city. They are part of what it means to be a New Yorker.”
Sign of the times. Penn Station main floor, 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 10, 2020. Photo: David Noonan
The City Responds
Elia Kazan, one of millions of immigrants to adopt New York as home, made a movie in 1950 called “Panic in the Streets,” about a public health doctor trying to prevent the spread of plague virus in a gritty city. Panic in the streets has not been the problem here, with the possible exception of Wall Street. Vital business and tourism spots seemed calmer and emptier as the week wore on. From his cart in Times Square, one coffee vendor said his business was off sharply and that the quiet was an unsettling echo of the days after September 11, 2001. He worried, however, that this would last much longer. In neighborhoods around town anxiety, gallows humor and makeshift adaptation prevailed. There was also a sense of alarm that New Yorkers were not yet getting the full severity of the challenge. “NYC has a sense of normalcy tonight” Mark D. Levine, chair of the City Council Health Committee observed on Saturday night. “Lots of bars and restaurants are full. And this is a huge problem. We need everybody to avoid crowds and con-
gested places. To avoid close contact with strangers. To shelter at home if at all possible. We need to end the denial and skepticism.” From a coffee shop on Morningside Heights, Kyle Pope, editor and publisher of Columbia Journalism Review, reported on Thursday that “people who are supposed to be social distancing are jammed together for remote work.” Mayor DeBlasio often seemed to be hustling to keep up. He resisted canceling Broadway or the St. Patrick’s Day parade, until the governor did it. He resisted closing the schools, until teachers and parents demanded he do it. He ordered bars and restaurants restricted after Council Member Levine and others railed about their crowds. It was not so much that everyone was out for themselves – although that could be a conclusion from the run on hand sanitizer and toilet paper – but that everyone was making up their own rules or just had no idea what the rules should be. The disparities of New York life have been brought into high relief at times. While subway rides in Manhattan were way off, rides from the outer reaches of The Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens barely dropped as lower income New Yorkers struggled to keep working. The city’s prestigious private universities moved quickly to shutter campus and scatter their students and staff. But the City University of New York moved far more judiciously. “The problem at so many CUNY schools is kids don’t have computers or laptops at home and many of them don’t have wi-fi at home,” a university exec explained. “If profs put stuff online, they need to go to campus to access it. It’s a huge equity issue. Easy for kids at elite Unis to access their stuff but CUNY not so easy.” CUNY ultimately decided
CONTINUED ON PAGE 17
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MARCH 19-25, 2020
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Voices
Write to us: To share your thoughts and comments go to chelseanewsny.com and click on submit a letter to the editor.
HERE’S TO DANCING AND CLEAN STREETS EAST SIDE OBSERVER
BY ARLENE KAYATT
And the children shall lead - With all the kerfuffle and beyond these days, it was nice to see that the younger – really really younger generation (like those between 4 to maybe 13) – are showing their ability to prepare for a better world. First, there was the handwritten note, signed by 4½ -year-old Madeline and attached to a tree on East 89th St east of Lexington, asking locals walking their dogs to please
clean up their dog’s poop. And with a no-nonsense, no-excuses approach, she pinned a stash of baggies to the tree. Good for you, Madeline. And then there’s a sprouting of dance studios for children in the neighborhood. One’s on East 89th just west of Second Ave. on the south side of the street. Says “Irish dancing” and it’s for children. The other’s on Third Ave. between 88th and 89th on the east side of the street. This one’s for dancing, no specialty. But girls can be seen dancing in place throughout most days. Nice looking forward in those bleak days. Here’s to dancing and clean
streets.
On the job - There was a time when you heard the expression “busman’s holiday” and knew that it referred to someone who was taking a vacation or a day off and spending it doing something closely resembling their regular work. When the definition came into being, I doubt women were driving buses. Hence, the designation, “busman.” Anyway, on a recent coronavirus-challenged bus ride – maybe 10 riders on a late weekday afternoon – the bus driver, a male, pulled into each stop along the avenue and announced, after stopping for 10 minutes, that “we
will be leaving at the next green light.” When he heard mutterings from some riders, he further intoned, “Look, there’s no traffic. Just take it easy. You’ll get there. No worry. Don’t hurry.” This busman may have found himself feeling like he was on a holiday and was taking the opportunity to enjoy the perks of less traffic and a lightened ridership. But riding a bus is not this bus-riding New Yorker’s idea of a staycation. So, please, Mr. Bus Driver, get on with the ride. If you want a busman’s holiday, take a bus tour. Cats back - After writing about the loss of shelf space for bodega
‘GOSSIP GIRL’ WITH SELFIES ON THE TOWN
BY LORRAINE DUFFY MERKL
Nothing says high school like a “Gossip Girl” reboot. On the heels of New York City parents relying to independent secondary schools to secure their children’s places comes the lowdown on GG for Gen-Z. Yes, the show that reenforced the UES’s reputation for turning out ultra-rich, spoiled, conniving teenagers who hang on the steps of The Met and tool around NYC in limos, and entered into our lexicon the salutation XOXO is on its way. Thank you, HBO Max. Eight years after the teen series said good-bye to Blair, Serena, Nate, Chuck, Dan, Jenny & Co., the premium cable network has ordered
ten episodes that are shooting now and set to air in May. The original show’s creators are on board, but not the original cast members, although they’ll be spoken of in that “legends of the school” type of way. Here’s the synopsis: “A new generation of New York private school teens are introduced to the social surveillance of ‘Gossip Girl.’ The prestige series will address just how much social media – and the landscape of New York itself – has changed in the intervening years.” This seems to be more than lip service. Despite the fact that Kristen Bell will once again be the show’s narrator, the leads, portrayed as juniors at the still fictional Constance Billard for Girls and St. Jude’s for Boys, will be actors
of color, with the content addressing LBGTQ issues. Not everyone will be from the UES but something tells me they’ll all be influencers. What else is different? Instagram, Twitter and selfies, oh my. (All too much for the original gang’s Sidekick phones to have handled.) Plus, now there’s Uber and the Q train, and coming from Brooklyn isn’t viewed as being a pariah, as were the Humphrey sibs back in the day. In fact, the BK is now cooler than many parts of Manhattan. Will anything remain the same? Well, headbands, a la Blair Waldorf, are back, this time with big knots in the center for that tiara look.
Sins of the Past Perhaps this new iteration can make up for some of the
Photo: Via Amazon
sins of the past portrayals: ■ I have no doubt that there were/are wealthy NYC kids who’ve gotten Chanel bags and the like for their Sweet 16s, but wearing them to school? Shoving a text book in a Birkin? No. Just No. ■ Dan Humphrey, as a high school junior, got published in The New Yorker, ‘cause it’s that easy. ■ They went to a private school where the dress code
cats because of gentrification, I’ve learned about a resurgence of cats in small and not-so-small businesses. The felines occupy shelf space like that taken over by the pretty black cat at Sebastian’s newspaper and convenience shop on Lexington Ave, opposite the 92nd Street Y, where she’s perched on the store’s now empty shelves (think coronavirus). Not to be overlooked is Shadow, a “working cat,“ who strolls the spacious Six Corner Marketplace at the corner of 106th and Broadway. Shadow’s presence was noted and her photo appeared in the online West Side Rag at the time of the store’s opening. Looks like “bodega cat” is a bygone nomenclature and perhaps calling them “working cats” will require a union? Stay tooned.
was never enforced. The girls were always one detention slip away from full on plaidskirted fashionista. ■ Although there are some successful entrepreneurs in NYC who began their businesses with seed money from their well-off parents, the idea that Jenny (still in high school), Chuck and Nate (recent HS grads), had even half of the abilities needed to run their own empires — a fashion line, a night club and newspaper, respectively — was a slight to impresarios everywhere. ■ No bartender or waitress ever carded these clearly underage kids who drank martinis. Mar-ti-nis. ■ They all went to NYU. With all due respect to this acclaimed university, the parents of this bunch had Ivy League tattooed on them at birth, and would have built a new wing or pulled a Lori Loughlin to get their kids in. Let’s hope Gossip Girl 2.0
keeps the unrealistic expectations to a minimum, not just for Manhattan’s Class of 2024, but its moms. As a mother of two 20somethings who were in grammar then high school during the first GG go ‘round from 2007 to 2012, I will say that as fun as it could be to watch pretty people in beautiful outfits flitting about the city, it had its frustrations outside of the aforementioned. One begins fielding innocent questions like, why don’t we live in a hotel? …have a chauffeur? … or live-in servants? Can we fly private next time we go somewhere? In a city as expensive as ours, when you do your best to give your children what it has to offer, you don’t need to be made to feel less than, especially by a TV show. X Oh No. Lorraine Duffy Merkl is the author of the novels “Fat Chick” and “Back to Work She Goes.”
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MARCH 19-25, 2020
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Dog Cutest
Photo Contest
Submit your photos online at: westsidespirit.com Photos must be submitted by 4/1/20
Local Dogs. Local Paws.
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MARCH 19-25,2020
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Calendar NYCNOW
Discover the world around the corner. Find community events, gallery openings, book launches and much more: Go to nycnow.com DUE TO NEW STATE AND CITY REGULATIONS ABOUT CROWD SIZES, CHECK ONLINE OR CALL TO CONFIRM THAT AN EVENT IS TAKING PLACE AS SCHEDULED.
EDITOR’S PICK
Mon 23
Sun 22
Mon 23
Tue 24
NATIONAL LETTERS: LANGUAGES AND SCRIPTS AS NATION-BUILDING TOOLS
PEGGY CRANE IN ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION
THE NATURE OF BLISS
▲BOOK LAUNCH: WINE GIRL WITH VICTORIA JAMES
Printed Matter, Inc. 231 Eleventh Ave 4:00 p.m. Free printedmatter.org 212-925-0325 Join designer and editor Marek Nedelka for a presentation of his anthology, which travels through the episodes of the past in which letters, languages, and scripts played an important role in creating nation states and national identities.
Triad Theater 158 West 72nd St 5:00 p.m. $20 Peggy Crane shares songs from the American Songbook and the European cabaret repertoire that illuminate how we feel about money, especially in the context of a highly unequal society. But the show will be anything but grim! triadnyc.com 212-279-4200
Rubin Museum of Art 150 West 17th St 7:00 p.m. $35 Buddhist meditation teacher Lama Willa B. Miller compares her practice with the findings of biomedical researcher Dr. Gaelle Desbordes. What does bliss look like in the brain? rubinmuseum.org 212-620-5000
Shakespeare & Co. 2020 Broadway 7:00 p.m. Free At just twenty-one, Victoria James became the country’s youngest sommelier at a Michelin-starred restaurant. She tells her story with journalist Bianca Bosker, followed by an audience Q&A and book signing. shakeandco.com 212-738-0001
Wed 25 ◄SALSA DANCING FUNDRAISER
Thu 19
Fri 20
Sat 21
SUSHI 101
REMEMBER ME: HAMLET REMIX
▲CAT & KITTEN ADOPTION EVENT
The Center at West Park 165 West 86th St 7:00 p.m. $10 Hamlet returns from college for his father’s funeral, only to find the world turned upside-down. A relevant, fast-paced, and haunting remix of Shakespeare’s classic tale set in the Elsinore Projects in 2004. centeratwestpark.org 212-997-4490
Unleashed by Petco 159 Columbus Ave 3:00 - 7:00 p.m. Free The Animal Project NYC will have rescued and vetted kittens and cats available for adoption. Stop by, take photos, and also ask about fostering sweet kitties, which requires no long-term commitment. stores.petco.com 212-579-4560
The Cooking Place at Fairway Market 2131 Broadway, Fl 2 6:00 p.m. $90 Review essential sushi ingredients and equipment, then unlock the secrets to making the perfect sushi rice. Once you have the basics, it’s time to practice the techniques to make a flawless roll. thecookingplace.com 917-485-9347
Church of St. Paul the Apostle 405 West 59th St 7:00 p.m. $20 suggested donation Adults of all ages: join Apostolist for a salsa class and wine social. There will be a one-hour class in New Yorkstyle salsa-on-2 followed by social dancing where you can practice your new moves! apostolist.org 212-265-3495
MARCH 19-25,2020
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© 2020 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Jeff Schinkel, Graphics p Vol. 36,, No. 15
March is Women’s History Month
Can you imagine a world in which women do not ot have the right to vote?
Meeting for Women’s Rights In 1848, a group of people le met in Seneca Falls, N.Y. to talkk about the problems women faced because they hts as men. didn’t have the same rights ld not own At that time, women could y, they property, ot vote and could not w could go very few ol. to school.
How long do you think women in this ht to vote? country have had the right 300 ye years? 200 years? 1500 years? In the U United States, women have had that rig y right for only 100 years of the 244 years w ountry. And we have been a country. getting g g the right g to vote took decades of prot teesting and writingg to lawmakers protesting – who w were all m he time. men at the
Draw lines es to t connect each eaach identical call protest sign. signn.
____________________________________ ____________________________________ _ ____________________________________ _
____________________________________ 3. Which Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gives women the right to vote? ____________________________________
The United States Senate approved the amendment a week after the House. nnessee On August 18, 1920, Tennessee ded to ratify became the last state needed the 19th Amendment. ust 26,, the One week later, on August 9th Amendmentt officially official o c alllly became beca e 19th art of the U.S. Constitution, C Constitut tio onn, forever part rotecting American Ameriican women’s wom m n’s right men protecting too vote.
Hoow wm any VO OTE How many VOTE buutttons can you y buttons finnd on o thiss find paage? page?
____________________________________
____________________________________ _
On May 21, 1919, the U.S. U House of ves finally approved the Representatives ment, alsoo known as 19th Amendment, the Susan B. Anthony Amendment, guaranteeing women the right to vote. That was just the first step. The U.S. Senate and at least three quarters of the states had to approve it before it would become the law of the land.
For more than 70 years, women and men marched, wrote letters and articles, protested and picketed to get mendmeent to the Constitution Constitut an Amendment r whichh would give women the right to people p were knownn as vote. These people ffrragistts. suffragists.
1. Wh What is this page about?
2. Who W is it about?
Victory! y!
eeting was This meeting the first women’s onvention rights convention nited in the United States. At that meeting, men and women signed a document called the “Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions.” By signing, these people agreed to the goals of what was becoming the woman’s movement.
After reading this page, answer the questions below. Have an adult check your answers. Discuss any that you got wrong.
____________________________________
Today, more m than 68 vote in million women w elections because of the election courageous ccourage ge suffragists g who w h never n vver gave nev g up the t equality. fifight ht for f r eq uality.
____________________________________ 4. How many years have American women men had the right to vote?? ____________________________________ _ _______ _____ _ ____________________________________ _ ___________ and when did the first women’’s rights 5. Where W i ht meeting take place? m
n Election Day, Nov. 5, 1872, Susan B. Anthony ed. walked into her polling place and voted.
Why was Su Susan B. Anthony arrested ed for voting? ut! Use the code to find out!
Two weeks later, a U.S. marshal knocked on her door. “I have a warrant for your arrest,” he told Susan. “You are charged with voting without the lawful right to vote.” In 1872, by U.S. law, a person had to be 21 years or older to vote. Susan was born in 1820. Was she old enough to vote?
=A =C =E
=H =K =L
=M =N =O
=R =S =W
Susan met two other requirements for the right to vote. She was a U.S. citizen and she had never been convicted Would Susan B. Anthony have been arrested for the of a felony crime. Why was she arrested for voting? same reason in 1921? ❏ YES ❏ NO
Women W Wom om men in i Leadership Lead Today, women can vote and hold elected office. For several weeks, look through the newspaper for pictures of women who are leaders in the government. Make a scrapbook with the photos. Label each one with the woman’s name, her job title and if she was elected to the job. Standards Link: Research: Use the newspaper to locate information.
____________________________________ _ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ 6. What does suffrage mean? ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________ ___________ ____________________________________ __________________ ___ _________ _____ ________
n 1920, exactly 100 years after Susan was born, the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed, giving women the right to vote. While Susan did not live to see women get the right to vote, in 1979 she became the first woman to appear on U.S. money.
Look closely to find the coin that is different.
Standards Link: Investigation: Find similarities and differences in common objects.
PROTESTED PROPERTY PICKETED RATIFIED SUFFRAGE SENECA ENECA RIGHTS IGHTS WOMEN YEARS SUSAN SU USAN THINK TH HINK V VOTE GIVE TALK OWN
S D W K N I H T S P U E U O F A A F R R F T R W M L S O A O F E S N K E P U G T R K R A C E N E S E A C A I R I G H T S G I E T S T S O F T E P Y I G E V I G E H T R A T I F I E D Standards Link: Letter sequencing. Recongized identical words. Skim and scan reading. Recall spelling patterns.
Woman I Admire
Describe a woman you admire and your reasons for choosing this woman.
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MARCH 19-25, 2020
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MEET A MASTERPIECE GREAT ART
Rembrandt’s Self-Portrait at The Frick Collection offers a journey of discovery BY MARY GREGORY
There’s something transportive about standing in front of a great work of art and experiencing its presence, impact, scope, details and nuances. It may have been some time since you’ve had the chance to see a favorite work – or maybe you’ve never seen it in person. With current museum closures, it may be a while till the next time. Still, art that moves us, stays with us. Rembrandt’s Self-Portrait from 1658, a masterpiece of the Frick Collection, is a New York treasure. While the artist produced scores of portraits of himself throughout his career, the Frick’s is the largest and one of the most compelling. In it, Rembrandt is wrapped in sumptuous golden robes looking commandingly down at the viewer. He holds a maulstick (a painting tool used to steady the hand) like a scepter, as though he’s proclaimed himself the king of painters. For his time and place, it wouldn’t be far from the truth. In 1606, Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (son of Harmen, from the Rhine) was born into the family of a miller and his wife. He was the eighth or ninth child, and the brightest and most promising. His parents decided that it he was the one who should
The psychological observations he couldn’t portray on paying customers – pride, insecurity, contemplation, passion, weariness, resignation and love – found expression in his self portraits. be given the chance to attend the university. He immersed himself in Latin and classics, but quickly fell in love with painting. After a few months, he left school to become apprenticed to a major artist in a minor city, Leiden.
An Artistic Explorer Bigger ambitions beckoned, and soon Rembrandt moved to Amsterdam, where his astonishing skill brought him important commissions, success, wealth, a beautiful young wife and a fine house. Amsterdam was a hotbed of art in the 1600s. It was a busy trading hub, populated by a newly rich merchant class. Unlike their predecessors, who spent their wealth on expanses of land, they lived in city homes. And they loved to decorate them with opulent, beautiful things, including paintings of themselves. In that world, Rembrandt could have achieved a comfortable respect churning out flattering pictures of ship captains, politicians and their families. But Rembrandt was
an artistic explorer, keen to discover the capacity of paint, the effects of light, and, above all, the breadth of the human soul. His interest was the inner life. In Rembrandt’s paintings, piercing light floods the darkness. More than a tool for pictorial drama, it can be read also as a metaphor for the kinds of times we all pass through. The psychological observations he couldn’t portray on paying customers – pride, insecurity, contemplation, passion, weariness, resignation and love – found expression in his self portraits.
An Artist in Command By 1658, when he painted this piece, Rembrandt had known fame, success, domestic comfort, the love of family, but also the deaths of his wife and three of their children, the loss of his home, bankruptcy and the shunning of a society that had once hailed him. His misfortunes, to some extent freed him to paint this triumphant portrait. No longer wealthy, but also no longer beholden to patrons, he forged his own creative path and produced some of the most original, astonishing, enthralling paintings in the history of art. In the Frick portrait, Rembrandt’s imperious glance seems to challenge the viewer. In other self portraits, Rembrandt looks vulnerable, weary, or resigned. Here, he announces himself, confident and proud, an artist in command. And then he proves it in paint. As your eyes travel across the almost glowing golden robes (he was known to mix ground glass into his paints to make them lustrous) try to count the layers of brushstrokes that define each swath of fabric. It’s not possible. Nor is it possible to tell how speckles of highlights somehow become shimmer-
Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–1669) Self-Portrait, 1658 Oil on canvas 52 5/8 x 40 7/8 inches. The Frick Collection, New York Photo: Michael Bodycomb
ing metallic threads on his collar. The maulstick he holds is barely painted at all. Just a few daubs of white somehow perfectly describe the luster of warm, worn wood.
The Eyes of a Master The greatest mastery is revealed when you look into Rembrandt’s face. There’s a palpable presence here of a man who has lived – his expe-
riences expressed in the veils of light and dark that define shadows around his eyes, or soft flesh around the chin. A splotch of red amidst a thousand other blotches of pink, grey, brown or white somehow brings cheeks to life. And then two tiny points of white connect the eyes of the artist to those of the viewer. The gaze is personal, intimate, and returned.
What does it look like he might say? How would you respond? To me, he seems to say “Know thyself.” For Rembrandt it was his life’s work, a journey he invites you to witness, consider and even join. The Frick Collection, 1 East 70th St Currently closed, but offering an online virtual tour https://www.frick.org/visit/virtual_tour
MARCH 19-25, 2020
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Joss Stone performing at “Love Rocks NYC.” Photo: Jennifer Doherty
God’s Love We Deliver celebrates 35 years of service at the Beacon Theatre
Here we are again, back in a health crisis that is gripping our city.”
BY JENNIFER DOHERTY
God’s Love We Deliver isn’t afraid of a pandemic. The New York charity has been delivering medically tailored meals to the sick since the 1980s AIDS crisis, and on Thursday night the organization celebrated 35 years of service with a COVID-adapted version of its annual “Love Rocks NYC” concert fundraiser at the Beacon Theatre. Attendance was pared down to less than 500 — the maximum allowed by last week’s emergency edict —
God’s Love President Karen Pearl meaning a lucky few enjoyed an intimate evening with headliners including Cyndi Lauper, Joss Stone, Dave Matthews and Jackson Browne. Other ticketholders were asked to tune in via a private live stream. God’s Love President Karen Pearl saluted the “enormous bravery” that drove the creation of the organization, which now delivers over 8,600 meals each day to vul-
nerable New Yorkers. “Here we are again, back in a health crisis that is gripping our city,” Pearl noted, adding that God’s Love had provided its clients with $250,000 worth of shelf-stable food in March, so that no one would go hungry if deliveries were halted, a pledge echoed later in Joss Stone and Jackson Browne’s performance of “Love Will Find a Way.” Towards the end of the night, a free-wheeling Dave Matthews offered his own prescription: “Now after tonight I want y’all to go home and stay by yourself. Wash your hands and don’t listen to the president.” To support God’s Love We Deliver in providing meals to New Yorkers living with HIV and cancer diagnoses, text “deliver” to 41444 and follow the link to donate.
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MARCH 19-25, 2020
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RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS
contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained and/or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit. No facilities available to wash, rinse and sanitize utensils and/or equipment.
MARCH 5 - 11, 2020 The following listings were collected from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s website and include the most recent inspection and grade reports listed. We have included every restaurant listed during this time within the zip codes 10019, 10023, 10024, 10025. Some reports list numbers with their explanations; these are the number of violation points a restaurant has received. Bluestone Lane
417 Amsterdam Ave Not Yet Graded (21) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Appropriately scaled metal stem-type thermometer or thermocouple not provided or used to evaluate temperatures of potentially hazardous foods during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding.
Parm
235 Columbus Ave
A
Pinkberry
330 W. 58th St
A
Ray’s Pizza
829-831 7th Ave
A
The Greek Kitchen | Clinton Bakery Cafe
889 10th Ave
A
The Juilliard School(Rose Cafe)
165 W. 65thSt
A
Broadway Bagel
2658 Broadway
A
The Leopard At Des 1 W. 67th St Artistes
A
Buceo 95
201 W. 95th St
A
The University Club 1 W. 54th St
A
Cafe 2
11 W. 53rd St
A
V & T Restaurant
Cafe Fiorello
1900 Broadway
A
Dig Inn
856 8th Ave
A
Emerald Inn
250 W. 72nd St
Not Yet Graded (25) Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred. Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained and/or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.
Friedman’s
130 W. 72nd St
Not Yet Graded (27) Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred. Proper sanitization not provided for utensil ware washing operation. Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. Hot food item not held at or above 140º F.
Gray’s Papaya
2080 Broadway
A
Joanne Trattoria
70 W. 68th St
A
Judge Roy Bean
38 W. 56th St
A
Just Salad
2056 Broadway
A
Laurentino’s Pasticceria & Caffe
680 5th Ave
A
Le Pain Quotidien
50 W. 72nd St
A
Llama Party
1000 S 8th Ave
A
Mangia
50 W. 57th St
A
Marlow Bistro
1018 Amsterdam Ave
A
Milk Bar
235 W. 57th St
A
Natureworks
43-45 W. 55th St
Not Yet Graded (44) Single service item reused, improperly stored, dispensed; not used when required. ”Wash hands” sign not posted at hand wash facility. Food not protected from potential source of
1024 Amsterdam Ave
Vanguard Wine Bar 252 W. 51st St
A A
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MARCH 19-25, 2020
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NYC’S CHANGING REAL ESTATE LANDSCAPE REAL ESTATE
Why co-ops have to adapt BY FREDERICK PETERS
The New York in which I grew up has turned on its ear. No one could have imagined, in 1960 or 1965, that much of the Upper East Side would become an affordable neighborhood. A sign on my desk reads “I live on the Upper East Side because I can’t afford Brooklyn.” Tribeca’s zip code, 10007, holds pride of place as the most expensive zip code in New York City. The Bowery overflows with trendy restaurants and seven-figure condos. It’s hard to find a house in either West Harlem or BedStuy for under $1,500,000. But no change strikes more at the heart of old New York than the decline of the co-op, the traditional form of New York apartment ownership, in which purchasers become shareholders in the building corporation, with a proprietary lease granting them sole use and access to their apartment. In the 1960s the vast majority of Manhattanites still rented their homes. Only the wealthiest neighborhoods embraced apartment ownership: Park and Fifth Avenues, the wide cross streets like 72nd and 79th, Central Park West, and a few particularly significant buildings on West End and Riverside Drive. The conversion boom of the 1980s changed that; building after building converted to co-op ownership, often evicting renters in the process. This changed the ownership landscape of New York, and enriched building owners in two ways. Conversions brought owners huge profits from apartment sales and provided
a continuing income stream for building owners through onerous wrap mortgages at high interest rates. It’s important to remember that in the early 1980s mortgage interest rates fluctuated between 16% and 18%. At that time the condo phenomenon had not yet sprung fully into being. Early examples of the ultra-luxury building, such as Olympic Tower, built in 1975 on Fifth Avenue, and 52nd Street and Museum Tower, built in 1985 adjoining the Museum of Modern Art, were constructed with an international clientele in mind. It wasn’t until the beginning of the 21st century, when Robert A.M. Stern designed the Chatham, on 65th Street and Third Avenue, that affluent New Yorkers began to consider the possibility of new condominium buildings as homes for themselves. Today In: Real Estate During the past twenty years, the condo concept has flourished in New York City. The Manhattan skyline, penetrated everywhere from 110th Street to Bowling Green by ultra tall, thin condominium towers, resembles a giant pincushion. The vast majority of buyers for these condos are Americans, and a substantial number already live in New York. The amenity packages, high ceilings, and thoughtful layouts of many of these units make them attractive to long time city residents who lack the patience and tolerance to go through the lengthy and invasive co-op admissions process, not to mention the often restrictive renovation rules. As a result, co-op prices decline each year relative to comparable condominiums. While many buyers still prefer the more solid construction and artful layouts available in prewar buildings, of which the vast majority are
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Photo: Anastassios Mentis.
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co-ops, they feel increasingly resentful about the restrictions these buildings impose. In addition, most co-op apartments need renovation, which fewer buyers have the energy to undertake in this time of dual-income families, especially when brand new condominiums offer a toothbrush-ready alternative. Given these realities, one would assume that co-op Boards of Directors would be attempting to compensate and retain value for their shareholders by easing admissions and renovation criteria. In fact, the opposite is true. Co-op boards are meant to judge applicants on two criteria: whether the prospective purchasers are financially secure, and whether they will make good neighbors. Nothing else is relevant. But because Boards do not restrict themselves to those two issues, often acting in ways that are either highly
personal or illegally discriminatory. Increasing numbers of buyers won’t put themselves through the co-op wringer to be arbitrarily rejected. And now there are, in greater numbers every year, attractive condominium alternatives close by. I love the grand old prewar co-ops. I live in one, and I wouldn’t want to live in another sort of apartment. But I am increasingly aware, as are many co-op owners, that the difficulty of the admissions and renovation processes discourage many buyers whose interest could help maintain stronger prices. With good alternatives more and more available, it is time for co-ops to join the more enlightened, more diverse, more “woke” 21st century. Frederick Peters is the CEO of Warburg Realty, a luxury residential real estate brokerage in New York City. Reprinted with permission from Frederick Peters’ Forbes column.
AVOIDING THE ‘MANSION TAX’ BY ANDREW J. KRAMER
I just accepted a job offer in Boston and will be looking to sell my Flatiron condo quickly. The place is worth about $1 million and as much as I’d like to ask slightly more, several brokers suggested pricing it just under $1 million as buyers are adverse to paying the mansion tax. What do you think? If your goal is a quick sale, as you stated, I’m all for putting your place on the market for just south of $1M. Sellers today can’t count on underpricing with the goal of eliciting a competitive bidding situa-
tion. However the closer you go to the bone, the more interest you attract and the quicker your place will sell, enabling you to have a clean break and start afresh in Boston. Going higher will just prolong your goal as you’ll probably go through a price drop or two and the more days on the market will hurt, rather than help you. Andrew Kramer is a Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker with Brown Harris Stevens. Direct your real estate questions to askandrew@bhsusa.com. You can learn more about Andrew at www.kramernyc.com or by contacting him at 212-3173634
MARCH 19-25, 2020
PORTRAIT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 to move classes online but leave campuses open for students who needed them.
Flavors of Leadership A longing for leadership spread as quickly as the virus. Some of the most decisive leaders were found on the medical front lines. Dr Daskalakis was one. Laura Popper, a well-known East Side pediatrician, was another. She said her practice has “changed our daily schedule radically” with“zero guidance from any government agency.” In a message being shared on Facebook by the anxious parents of her patients, Dr. Popper wrote: “We have removed all toys, books and stickers from the office. From early morning until mid-afternoon we will only see patients who are cough and fever free. Anyone with a possibility of Corona is asked to stay home. From 4 p.m. until closing, we will see ‘the sick’ kids. From 4 p.m. on, we all wear N95 masks, protective goggles, gowns and gloves. After the last patient has left, we disinfect the entire office.” Dr. Popper explained that all of these adaptations had been “self-generated.” She sharply criticized President Trump and the public health establishment. “We all need guidance from our leaders,” she wrote. Others raised this same point after Mayor DeBlasio and transit officials urged New Yorkers to stay calm and move to a less crowded Subway car, or avoid the subway altogether. Mass transit dependent New Yorkers made it clear this advice was about as helpful as counseling passengers aboard the Grand Princess that they should self-isolate in their cabin, but could swim home if they cared to. “We need to get a doctor to talk to us during this difficult time,”said Sarah Peltz, a midtown receptionist and transit podcaster, who has been working from home in Bay Ridge.“The Mayor should stop talking. He has no medical knowledge and he causes more anxiety and stress.” The Mayor declared a state of emergency on Thursday,
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The Spirit|Westsider westsidespirit.com saying “It’s going to get a lot worse before it gets better.” This directness was the beginning of a shift after he vacillated about postponing the St. Patrick’s Day parade, even though public health literature is replete with how Philadelphia’s failure in 1918 to cancel a major parade accelerated the flu there. Governor Cuomo ultimately pressed the organizers to postpone the march for the first time in its history. The crisis seems to have brought out the core personalities of the governor and the mayor, even as reflected through their agencies. Governor Cuomo, second of that name to serve, is well known, as was his father, for his selfprofessed consistency. “The guidance has never changed,” the governor’s special counsel, Beth Garvey stressed, when asked about confusion over quarantine guidance. “The recommendation has always been if you’re exposed or in close contact with someone who’s positive, you should isolate yourself.” The Mayor, in contrast, is often thought of as, well, less attentive to such detailed purity of thought. “As the situation has evolved so too has our guidance to people,” Patrick Gallahue, spokesman for the city health department clarified, sort of. On Sunday night the Health Department tweeted that“everyone in NYC should act as if they have been exposed to coronavirus.”
Figuring Things Out New Yorkers struggled to figure out exactly what is OK, and what’s not OK. There was some reason to worry that the novel coronavirus was confusing that portion of the brain which regulates common sense. This is not the finding of a controlled research study, as yet, but anecdotal evidence abounds. Jessica Haller of Riverdale was not under quarantine last week, a blessing perhaps to her campaign for City Council. But her children were quarantined because someone in their school tested positive as the result, apparently, of the importation of the virus from a foreign territory known as Westchester. “I’m not allowed to let people into the house,” said a puzzled Ms. Haller. “But I’m
allowed in and out of the house.” Ms. Haller’s befuddlement was reported to an anxious city by the New York Times. The Times, however, added to the puzzle by publishing along with the story a picture of Ms. Haller with her three children, in the close quarters of their kitchen. This left the mystery of the photograph, which was credited to Victor J. Blue, a prominent New York based photojournalist “whose work is most often concerned with the legacy of armed conflict, human rights and the protection of civilian populations, and unequal outcomes resulting from policy and politics.” This photojournalistic purpose has taken Blue to Afghanistan, Syria, Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Iraq, India and, now Riverdale, where certainly protection of civilian populations is the question. Blue, reached by email, explained what the Times had not. “The family was under quarantine, and I respected the quarantine,” he explained. “I shot all of those pictures from their back door, leaving open the screen door and shooting from the step. I used my zoom lenses for a variety of angles, and made sure not to step inside.” Blue, who has braved any number of dangers for his photo-journalism, reported that his precautions are much the same as the rest of us. “So far I have been doing what everyone is doing- washing my hands a lot, and being careful what to touch when I’m working.”
The More Things Change... By Monday, March 16, the city was well down the road to shutdown even if odd juxtapositions continued. Manhattan Day School said its sixth through eighth graders were under “precautionary quarantine” after a seventh grader’s sibling tested positive. Yet, right outside, on West 75th St., one of New York’s defining rituals continued as if life was normal. A traffic officer was plastering tickets on cars for violating alternate side parking. Only in New York, as Cindy Adams would say, kids, only in New York.
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THE UNKNOWN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Trump, who, the day before, criticized Cuomo, saying the governor needed “to do more.” Cuomo struck a different tone at the press conference, saying he and the president are committed to working together and that he believes the president’s staff are doing all they can. “I think the President was 100 percent sincere in saying that he wanted to work together, “ said Cuomo. “Right now, you need to see government at its best.”
A Tri-State Coalition As for the government’s efforts to reduce the spread, on Monday, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut came together on a regional approach, with all three reducing crowd capacity to 50; limiting bars and restaurants to takeout and delivery orders; and closing gyms, movie theaters and casinos. The agreement, which took effect Monday at 8 p.m., aims to place consistent restrictions on the tri-state area, and will continue as long as it is necessary to protect the public health. On Tuesday, however, Cuomo said the growth rate has not slowed down and that the states may need to take additional steps to reduce the curve and expand health care capacity. “It is likely we will take more efforts to reduce the spread to reduce the density,“ said Cuomo. “What are they? That’s what we’re considering.” He added that implementing a mandatory quarantine for individuals would likely not be effective. Instead, he said the government will determine whether businesses will need to further reduce operations. “We’re not there yet, but these are the things we’re talking about,” said Cuomo. “[There are] many more steps before limiting a person’s mobility.”
Lead by Example Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday that he is not closing down public transportation, limiting travel or instituting a curfew in the city, but said those options are indeed on the table if deemed necessary, Meanwhile, city Comptrol-
ler Scott Stringer scolded the mayor for his Monday morning trip to the Prospect Park YMCA when officials have been advising New Yorkers to stay in their homes and practice social distancing. “I’m ready to work with the Mayor in any way I can during this time of crisis. But it’s imperative we all lead by example and do our part,” Stringer said in a tweet. “The Mayor should not go to the gym right now. Nobody should.”
Overloading the Health Care System While many officials have criticized New Yorkers’ limited access to coronavirus tests, Council Member Mark Levine has stressed that universal testing would be a detriment to the city’s health care system. In a series of statements on Twitter, Levine, who chairs the council’s health committee, said that officials already know the virus is being spread in the community, and that more testing isn’t needed to confirm that. “Scientists will one day figure out how many of us had the virus,” said Levine. “If you have fever/cough getting a test result will be of zero value. There is no add’l (sic) treatment it will unlock. It changes nothing about what you need to do: stay home & rest.” He also explained that most individuals who start to develop symptoms should refrain from seeking medical attention. “In places like NYC the healthcare system is about to be entirely over run. It will be the equivalent of wartime,” Levine said. “It is critical that every single element of this system be reserved for those who face serious peril. In terms of covid (sic) this means respiratory failure or worse.” Levine advised that moderately ill people should remain home and remedy their symptoms with rest, hydration and taking ibuprofen. He said most patients will heal on their own, making a trip to the doctor unnecessary. But he said people should call a doctor if their situation worsens. He stressed that, although people with mild symptoms will want to see a doctor, they should resist and instead call
or use telemedicine. “We are entering an unprecedented situation. All of us have a role to play in limiting human suffering,” he said. “For the mildly and moderately sick, that means staying out of the healthcare system.” Additionally, Levine criticized President Donald Trump for not using the federal government’s resources to manufacture respirators (for health care providers) and ventilators (for patients)., which are desperately needed. Trump told governors on a conference call Monday to “(try) getting it yourselves,” when talking about respirators and ventilators Levine said New York state does not have the ability to manufacture the equipment, and that in a national emergency it should be the role of the federal government. “We have been screaming about the shortage of respirators for days,” Levine said in a Tweet. “This is not a financial challenge. Ventilators cost less than a typical car. This is about logistics. Only the feds can do it.”
The Schools Close De Blasio caved to mounting pressure Sunday when he announced that the city’s 1,800 schools would be closed until at least April 20. The mayor had been very hesitant from the start of the crisis to close the schools because of the services they provide low-income families, including childcare and nutrition. Teachers will still work this week to set up remote learning, which the city will move to by March 23. The city will lend laptops for children who don’t have them and will work with students who don’t have access to the Internet at home. Several dozen buildings will remain open as “learning centers” that will serve essential city workers. School buildings will remain open this week for students to pick up meals. Moving forward, the city will coordinate alternative sites for students to pick up food. With New York expected to hit the peak of the outbreak om May 1, Cuomo said that after April 20, schools will decide every two weeks whether to open or remain closed.
MARCH 19-25, 2020
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CAPTURING LIFE, AND HISTORY
To read about other people who have had their “15 Minutes” go to westsidespirit.com/15 minutes
YOUR 15 MINUTES
CULTURE
Photographer Allan Tannenbaum recalls New York in the 70s, working with John and Yoko, and the horror of 9/11 BY DAVID NOONAN
In 1973, Allan Tannenbaum became the staff photographer for the Soho Weekly News, which was started that year by publisher Michael Goldstein to cover the burgeoning local scene. I joined the staff in late 1974 and met Allan, who stayed with the paper until it closed in 1982. After capturing the artists, musicians and everyday (and everynight) life of downtown Manhattan in the 1970s, he went on to cover, among other things, the first Gulf War, the Philippine Revolution, unrest in South Africa, the West Bank and Gaza. He also took some of the last photographs of John Lennon. We reconnected a few years ago on social media and he recently agreed to talk about his work. We met in his Tribeca loft, where he lives with his wife Debora.
On John Lennon and Yoko Ono In 1980, John and Yoko were doing “Double Fantasy,” and the Soho News did a story on Yoko. She came here to shoot the cover, and she said, ‘Oh, this reminds me of when I used to live on Chambers Street.”… And I
Lightless skyline of New York City during the 1977 blackout, seen from New Jersey. Photo: ©1977 Allan Tannenbaum
said I need to do some black and white and she invited me up to the Dakota the next morning … And John came down and he was all smiles and everything … And then we walked around Central Park and I got my shots in the park, and then that kind of iconic shot of them on the corner in front of the Dakota … [A few days later] John came down and Yoko had set up the other photos for him, and he goes ‘These are great. And you know what? I like you. You really capture Yoko’s beauty.’ Wow. So, John saying that to you, yeah, you remember that. And then we were joking around and he was making jokes about how difficult it was for the Beatles to make decisions about the photos and all of that. And we made an appointment for me to come back on December 8, with more prints. Right? And so I was in the darkroom on December 8, I was finishing up I was preparing to go up to the Dakota. And that’s when I got the news … And I didn’t believe it. But I stopped what I was doing. I grabbed my cameras, went to the hospital, found out he was dead. I went to the precinct, to the perp walk. And I spent the whole night out in front of the Dakota, taking pictures.
World Trade Center, September 11, 2001. Photo: ©2001 Allan Tannenbaum
was. And I go ‘He’s too low, he’s too low.’ And then you hear the guy throttle up, you know, increase the speed, you can hear that. And we held on to each other, we knew there was going to be a crash. And then BOOM! And we look out the window and we see this fireball on the World Trade Center. And Debora started to cry. And right away I go, ‘It’s terrorism, it’s terrorism, it wasn’t an accident.’ So I just grabbed my cameras and ran out. I even forgot to put socks on. I just put my sneakers on and I ran out with my cameras and started shooting. I started shooting at Greenwich and Chambers and you could see this airplane-shaped gash in the side of the building with flames and smoke. And then I walked down West Broadway and it was around Barclay
street where all of a sudden I hear this sound and there’s another explosion practically over my head and I picked up my camera and said, ‘Well, this might be my last picture.’ But I shot it and then I ducked behind a building and all this debris came flying in the street … And then I was trying to get a little closer to the plaza, but a cop said, ‘No, you can’t go there. It’s too dangerous.’ And you know, by that time I’d covered a lot of hotspots around the world, so I had a pretty finely tuned sense of danger. And I said, ‘Yeah, he’s right. It’s dangerous. I’m moving up to Broadway.’ And I was on Broadway and Fulton when I hear this sound, like a giant rending metal, you know, just shredding metal like a monster just tearing a building apart and that’s
On 9/11
Allan Tannenbaum in his Tribeca studio, with Jimi. Photo: David Noonan
So Debora and I had been out the night before to an event at Christie’s, where I donated a print, and then we went out for sushi. It was typical New York evening. And the next day was brilliant. Sunshine, beautiful morning, late summer. And our bedroom faces the World Trade Center. And we were feeling good and then all of a sudden we hear jet engines so loud that it sounds like it’s gonna fall on Reed Street. That’s how loud it
what was happening. The building was collapsing. I couldn’t see it, but I could hear it. And then all of a sudden, this multi-story jet of black smoke and debris comes out into Broadway. Right? And I just shot that, another time where I thought, ‘Oh, last picture,’ and I start to run.
On New York and Soho in the 1970s It was an era of freedom, excitement, fun. And you didn’t need a lot of money. The city reminded you of what New York was like in the in the 40s and 50s. It was still like that, to a big degree. Now, I go to Hudson Street and I look up and I see Hudson Yards, and it’s f***ing Dubai … So, you know, it’s completely different. Yeah, New York in the 70s was dangerous. It was dirty. It was destitute. But what an exciting time, a great time. And Soho being the center of the art world, the whole art world. And because of the inexpensive spaces, all in one small geographic area, and not just painters, but sculptors, video artists, dance companies, musicians, performance artists, theater spaces. All concentrated, with that synergy, that cross pollenization of creative ideas. It was magic. It really was. It was magic. Allan Tannenbaum is the author of the book “New York in the 70s.” To see more of his work go to sohoblues.com and sohobluesgallery.com Interview has been edited and condensed.
John Lennon and Yoko Ono, November 1980. Photo: ©1980 Allan Tannenbaum
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N M A P D I X R N R M J C R E
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WORD SEARCH by Myles Mellor
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H Y P N H N H T C E E O F D R
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Across 1. Jazz dance 4. US women’s gymnast and gold medal winner, _____ Douglas 9. Be in debt 12. Lingerie item 13. Aleut abode 14. A Bobbsey twin 15. TV vacuum 16. They come back 18. Far out! 20. Earl Grey, for example 21. The great I am emotion 24. Floor it 28. “__ lang syne” 29. Post-apartheid org. 32. “__, Baker, Charlie” 33. ___ of State 34. Genius 35. Bul ____ watch 36. Romanov ruler 38. Resting place 39. Irritated state 40. Uncover 42. Debonair 44. Yoga class need
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G O
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Each Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9X9 grid that has been subdivided into nine smaller grids of 3X3 squares. To solve the puzzle each row, column and box must contain each of the numbers 1 to 9. Puzzles come in three grades: easy, medium and difficult.
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R O
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SUDOKU by Myles Mellor and Susan Flanagan
by Myles Mellor
H
2
CROSSWORD
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