Metropolitan Palm Beach January 2023

PALM BEACH

JANUARY 2023

LUXURY MAGAZINE

ACE REPORTER INVESTIGATES THE JOYS OF MOTHERHOOD

DIANA

FALZONE $20.00 USD Fashion | Luxury | Profiles | Features | Shopping | Travel | Art | Design | Auto | Food | Health

25A

2

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

January 2023

3

THE ROLLS-ROYCE CULLINAN –

25A

INSPIRED BY FASHION: TEMPEST GREY

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC, P.O. Box 1227, Westwood, NJ 07675-1227 Tel: 1-877-877-3735 www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com © Copyright Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. The Rolls-Royce name and logo are registered trademarks.

4

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

January 2023

5

25A

The Nature of Jean 6

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

S

chlumberger.

January 2023

7

25A

Photographer/ Producer: Jason Konrad @jasonkonradproductions Model: Virginia Stablum | @virginia.stablum Stylist: Palmira Del Vecchio | @palmiradelvecchio Agency: Elite Miami | @elitemiami Agent: Paolo Buonfante | @paolobuonfante

8

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

Photography: David Scarola

January 2023

9

Photographer/ Producer: Jason Konrad

25A @jasonkonradproductions

Model: Virginia Stablum | @virginia.stablum Outfit: Miu Miu | @miumiu.

Green clutch: Rocco Barocco | @roccobarocco_official

10

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

January 2023

11

Photography: David Scarola

25A

12

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

January 2023

13

AMERICAN BEAUTY

25A

14

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

Producer/ Photographer: Jason Konrad @jasonkonradproductions Model: Julianne Steege | @julianne.steege Agency: Elite Miami | @elitemiami Agent: Paolo Buonfante | @paolobuonfante Black Body Suit: Chocolate | @shopchocolateusa Boutique: Millie and Joy | @millieandjoy

January 2023

15

Producer/ Photographer: Jason Konrad @jasonkonradproductions

25A

Model: Julianne Steege | @julianne.steege Agency: Elite Miami | @elitemiami Agent: Paolo Buonfante | @paolobuonfante

16

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

January 2023

17

25A

18

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

Photography: David Scarola

January 2023

19

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

25A

“When you are balanced, and when you listen and attend to the needs of your body, mind, and spirit, your natural beauty comes out.”

—Christy Turlington January, 2023 marks the unveiling of Palm Beach Advanced Aesthetics a brand new MedSpa that I am extremely excited to get behind. Palm Beach deserves a five-star MedSpa that provides regenerative medicine and advanced aesthetic solutions in a gorgeous facility.

Assisting us in providing residents of Palm Beach with the very best ways to look and feel incredible is an amazing medical staff boasting various top doctors including Dr. Charles Pereyra, MD, a leading clinical physician who has conducted extensive research in the use of regenerative medicine, anti-aging and stem cell therapy. Dr. Pereyra takes a regenerative medicine approach to healing injuries, wellness therapies and more. "More recently in our talks with Chase we've been developing products to help aesthetic needs. I feel like having confidence and looking good is a huge part of just being human," says Dr. Charles Pereyra, MD, "we've developed a topical stem-cell product to use on the face, a mask, as well as a micro-needling so it's like the new "vampire facial." The vampire facial used to just be your own blood and micro-needling but now we use the micro-needling from blood and reallive stem cells and the facial is incredible. It is the future of regenerative medicine for aesthetics. So we're going to bring that to the table at Chase's new spa."

The new Advanced Aesthetics MedSpa,is luxurious, cutting edge and top of the industry catering to successful individuals looking to get the most out of a happy, healthy lifestyle. We have a gorgeous luxury lounge with a relaxing waterfall and juice bar that will offer espresso and champagne. Our private clients will also be able to access the very latest in body sculpting, oxygen therapy,IV-vitamin therapy, hormone replacement therapy, lasers, laser hair removal, injectables, fillers, Botox, body toning and massage. In turn, there will be regenerative stemcell topical creams available to address scars, wrinkles and hair loss. My decision to educate the public on the potential healing value of stem cell therapy is a personal one. My mother suffered from dementia and a variety of physical ailments in her final years and I know these treatments would have been very beneficial to her. Thought leaders like Tony Robbins and Mark Cuban are both major proponents of stem-cell therapy as are many of today's athletes and celebrities. Palm Beach Advanced Aesthetics will be the very best anti-aging and healing facility in the Palm Beach area.Our MedSpa staff will provide the very latest technology, products and services to help everybody look and feel their very best. From body-sculpting to stem-cell therapy and non-invasive injectibles, Advanced Aesthetics will be the gold-standard in the health and beauty industry.

Our Advanced Aesthetics team looks forward to meeting you and helping you achieve all your health and beauty goals in 2023 and beyond.

IG: @pbadvancedaesthetics Enjoy our current issue which celebrates artists, dreamers and beauty in equal parts.

Cheers!

20

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

©2021 California Closet Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Franchises independently owned and operated. CT HIC #0657205. Photo: Stefan Radtke.

From simple to intricate designs, California Closets systems are custom designed specifically for you and the way you live.

californiaclosets.com

@caliclosetsnyc

GREENVALE 25 Northern Blvd, Greenvale 516.334.0077 CONNECTICUT 565 Westport Ave, Norwalk 203.924.8444

January 2023

21

EDITOR’S NOTE

25A

Strive for Perfection, but Settle for Excellence - Don Shula Fifty years ago, Miami Dolphins Hall of Fame Head Coach, Don Shula, the NFL's all-time winningest coach, willed the Miami Dolphin's 1972 team to an unparalleled 17-0 perfect season that culminated with a Superbowl victory. My dad was a fan of Shula from his early days with the Baltimore Colts. I became an ardent Shula and Miami Dolphins fan as well, despite living in New York City. The engine that made those championship Miami Dolphins football teams run was a punishing running back named Larry Csonka who recalls to sports contributor Ira Kaufman, how one man, Don Shula, helped put Miami sports on the map. Csonka's wonderful new memoir "Head On" talks all about the keys to perfection and excellence: hard work, perseverance, and teamwork. A must-read!

Twenty years ago a veteran television writer/producer took a chance on starting a small PR firm in New York (gulp!).

Twenty Years later, Adam Kluger Public Relations (adamklugerpr.com) is still one of the most respected, trustworthy, and hardest-working PR/branding firms in New York City, thanks in large part to hard work, perseverance, and teamwork. I'm incredibly proud of and grateful for all the AKPR team members (past & present), friends & family (especially), invaluable strategic partners, and tireless associates who have worked so hard to help us help our clients share their stories, passion, and genius with the world. Helping others who help make the world a better place is a pretty awesome responsibility that we never take for granted.

Television Reporter Diana Falzone follows in a growing line of brilliant, tough, and indomitable women to grace the cover of Chase Backer's industry-leading luxury-arts magazines; iHeartRadio star Xen Sams, Super Model turned Super Mogul Kathy Ireland and single mom turned political activist Kimberly Guilfoyle, are just a few of the other amazing women to share their magic with our readers. These incredible women of power share their secrets to success in our soon-to-launch streaming video show in 2023, Metropolitan Lifestyles on YourHomeTV.com (& ROKU), which will be available to over 100 Million households worldwide. Exciting!

As we all eagerly anticipate the successful launch of Palm Beach Advanced Aesthetics, the latest brainchild of our visionary publisher, 2023 is off to a fast start in the pursuit of excellence. Thanks for joining us!

Enjoy!

Adam Kluger Editor in Chief Metropolitan/25A Metropolitan Palm Beach Metropolitan Lifestyles

22

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Jean Sclumberger bird perched on a Tiffany Diamond

WORTH AVENUE CLOCK Photo by David Scarola

Today, as an emblem of Tiffany & Co. and a figure who changed the world of jewelry, altering the possibilities of what can be designed from nature’s sight and transformed into emblazoning pieces, Schlumberger’s extraordinary wonders have continued.

Tarra Iziah In Der Muhlen IG: @tarra_iziah_in_der_muhlen January 2023 23 Photography: Luciana Pampalone

25A

CONTENTS JANUARY 2023 PAGE 58

COVER DIANA FALZONE Cover Photo by Gary Flom

FASHION 30 THE EMPRESS BY LISA RAMSEY 34 BEACH BEAUTY BY LISA RAMSEY

TASTE 48 TAN RESTAURANT

PAGE 30 24

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

Where peace of mind lives.

Where your financial well-being is priority one, backed by integrity, ethics and a passion for helping clients for nearly 40 years.

Where sound financial strategies create a solid basis upon which to grow wealth, for today and generations to come.

Where we take a side-by-side approach, building our own assets alongside yours.

Where relationships grow with your assets, because you’re so much more than just your portfolio.

First Long Island Investors. Where you belong.

516-935-1200 w fliinvestors.com January 2023

25

25A

CONTENTS JANUARY 2023 PAGE 48

PROFILE 46 FIRST LONG ISLAND INVESTORS 56 MICHAEL LESSING 72 LARRY CSONKA 80 THE DIVORCE JOURNALIST: ILYSSA PANITZ 96 MAYGAN THOMPSON 98 FACHIE SKINCARE 100 DR. SHAGHAYEGH DENOBLE 101 TODD STEIN 102 ADAM KLUGER PUBLIC RELATIONS 106 SPOTLIGHT WITH JULIANNE MICHELLE 108 ANNIE WATT

ART FORM

PAGE 88

64 74 78 82 84 86 88 90 94

TORONTO INTL FILM FESTIVAL THE DOORS "I WISH I'D KNOWN" 'GIVING MY ALL' SONGSTRESS CYNTHIA BASINET LEGENDS OF THE 80'S DIGITAL DIARY OF ARTIST TAKUMA TANAKA ARTIST JOHN LITTLE ARTIST MAJA DLUGOLECKI

SOCIAL 114 AUDREY GRUSS & KATHERINE LANDE BENEFIT 116 SAMUEL WAXMAN CANCER RESEARCH GALA 118 PROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION NY GALA 120 SOUTHAMPTON ANIMAL SHELTER FOUNDATION

26

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

January 2023

27

Publisher Chase Backer

25A

Editor-in-Chief Adam Kluger Assistant Publisher Jaime Backer

LUXURY MAGAZINE

PALM BEACH

Art Director Lonee Telemaque

DECEMBER 2022

Assistant Editor Willy Nichter Sales Manager Jeffrey Strahl Copy Editors Sean Buttimer; Whitney Thompson; Maribel Alvarez; Lillian Langtry; Nicole Ashley Schubert, Norah Bradford Lifestyle Editor Elizabeth Langevin

GRACE & INTELLIGENCE

KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE $20.00 USD Fashion | Luxury | Profiles | Features | Shopping | Travel | Art | Design | Auto | Food | Health

Luxury Editor Stephanie L. Howitt Editor at Large | Art, Culture, Fashion Rachel Vancelette; Douglas Evans Fashion Photographers Jason Konrad Profiles Editor Alexandra Appino-Tabone

PALM BEACH

OCTOBER 2022

LUXURY MAGAZINE

Social Editor Clara Morgan Food Editor Andrea Correale; Maribel Alvarez Digital Media Director Nancy Molina Contributors Rachel Vancelette, D.D. Rice, Paul Prince, Peter Elston, Johnny Angel, Harry White

SUPER MODEL TO

SUPER MOGUL

KATHY

IRELAND

$20.00 USD Fashion | Luxury | Profiles | Features | Shopping | Travel | Art | Design | Auto | Food | Health

Contributing Photographers Thomas Concordia, Jacques Malignon, David Scarola, Tara Quinn, Jason Konrad, Luciana Pampalone, Michael Gaida, Michael Paniccia, Jay Mathews, Filip Shobot, Chris Carroll, Lenny Stucker, Patrick McMullan, MA , Tom Fitzgerald and Pam Deutchman, Sandy Ramirez, Jan Klier, Mitchel Gray, Paul Prince, Kristiina Wilson For advertisement info: 646-300-1852 Info@metmagny.com | metmagny.com Facebook.com/metropolitanmagazinepb | Twitter.com/metmagny Writers, models, musicians and photographers, please inquire.

© Copyright 2021 by Metropolitan Magazine, All rights reserved. Metropolitan is published eleven times per year. Reproduction without permission of the publisher is prohibited. The publisher and editors are not responsible for unsolicited material and it will be treated as such and unconditionally assigned for publication subject to Metropolitan magazine’s right to edit.

28

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

Manhattan, NYC, Milan, Sardinia

January 2023

29

THE EMPRESS

25A

Lisa Ramsay - Photographer www.lisaramsay.com @lisaramsayphotography Stylist - Lisa Ramsay Hair - Clark Vincent | @clarkvincentglammy Make-up - Camelia Sealy | @cameliasealy Model - Michelle Enoch | @mbessi Jewelry - Georgina Jewelry | courtesy of Flying Solo @flyingsolonyc | @flyingsolo_pr | @georginajewelryofficial 30

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

Photography: David Scarola

January 2023

31

25A

32

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

January 2023

33

25A

BEACH BEAUTY Photographer- Lisa Ramsay. www.lisaramsay.com @lisaramsayphotography Fashion Stylist- Kristen Paquette Make-up and Hair- Camila Sealy @CamilaSealy Model- Izabella Zalewski @izabella_zalewski 34

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

January 2023

35

BEACH BEAUTY

25A

36

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

January 2023

37

25A

38

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

Photographer- Lisa Ramsay. www.lisaramsay.com @lisaramsayphotography Fashion Stylist- Kristen Paquette Make-up and Hair- Camila Sealy @CamilaSealy Model- Izabella Zalewski @izabella_zalewski January 2023

39

25A

Photos provided by mimi collection Model- Tatsiana Agency- Palm Beach Models

40

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

January 2023

41

25A

Photos provided by mimi collection Model- Tatsiana Agency- Palm Beach Models

42

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

Beatrix Underwire Bra $85 • 92% Nylon, 8% Spandex • 2 hook and eye closure • Adjustable straps • Hand wash cold, line dry • Made in NYC January 2023

43

Photography: Jason Konrad Model: Crystal Yan

25A

44

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

Hennessy Beach Collective Are you looking for the perfect Palm Beach getaway?

Then look no further - Hennessy Beach Collective is all you need for your luxury beach day. With cabanas, umbrellas and chairs to choose from as well as a wide variety of packages. Such as picnics, charcuterie boards, flamingo floaties, free bikinis and so much more! Date nights, bachelorette parties, proposals, picnics, large events, birthdays, and more! We got you covered!

DM us to book your service today @hennessybeachcollective Instagram: @hennessysisterss | @hennessybeachcollective | @hennessybikini January 2023

45

25A

WORLD TRAVEL AND SOUND INVESTMENT

GO HAND IN HAND FOR CLIENTS OF

FIRST LONG

ISLAND INVESTORS

By Edward Palleschi, Executive Managing Director

First Long Island Investors, LLC, founded in 1983, is an independent, employeecontrolled full-service wealth management company, which focuses on achieving client investment goals to develop individualized investment plans.

M

ost people are not taking travel for granted anymore due to the impact of the pandemic.

Numerous clients at First Long Island Investors, consisting of high-net-worth individuals and families are seeking out and going on vacations that provide unique, immersive experiences such as educational travel, expedition tours, adventure travel, and personalized trips.

Our clients love to travel, desire to experience life, and want to be financially responsible as well. Our team of professionals assists clients to ensure travel expenses are appropriately budgeted as it relates to their financial plan and long-term investment goals.

Working alongside our clients, we develop financial plans and strategies to meet liquidity needs, plan for taxes and estates, implement legacy and philanthropic initiatives, and consider broader life goals. Each client has unique challenges and objectives, which is why we strive to understand these goals so we can help our clients accomplish them, make their lives easier, and provide financial peace of mind.

46

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

Those clients whose travel dreams have become a reality are comforted knowing they have the financial flexibility to pursue a deeper, more enriching life. Establishing a level of trust with our clients is the key to making this possible. We’ve earned that trust in a unique way, by investing our own assets alongside theirs, thus when we say we understand our client's objectives, it is because we share them ourselves. My colleagues and I at First Long Island Investors have had a fondness for travel-related experiences. We have also shared our personal satisfaction with contributing to a client’s dream destination vacation becoming a reality.

Personally, I’ve been fortunate to have completed my goal of visiting all seven continents. I’m thankful for experiences that have spanned the globe, ranging from enjoying a Yankee game in the Bronx with the family, on safari in South Africa, scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, visiting the Colosseum in Rome, witnessing the Great Wall in China, observing the beauty of Iguazu Falls in Argentina to hanging out with penguins in Antarctica.

Experiencing the different continents has enabled me to better

understand and appreciate the diverse cultures in the world around me. The best part of this goal is the journey along the way as traveling opens up your world, transforming and enabling you to grow personally and professionally. I believe traveling allows you to develop empathy and understanding, travel experiences are valuable in connecting with a wide variety of friends, family, colleagues, and clients.

An empathetic, holistic approach to wealth management does indeed resonate and establish a personal connection with our clients. Our clients can experience the freedom of travel even in uncertain times knowing and believing in our long-term approach to investing and wealth management, with the goal of preserving, managing, and growing their net worth. With the proper financial planning in place, clients can better understand their ability to maintain a certain lifestyle under a wide range of market conditions. Foremost on investors’

minds are rising interest rates, inflation, a possible recession, and the pandemic that continue to impact global economies. We believe that uncertainty, whether it be economic, political, or company-specific, causes investors to shorten their time horizons and ignore the longterm fundamentals of quality companies. When company-specific fundamentals are appreciated in the market again, our portfolio companies should perform well. A prudent asset allocation and a buffer of cash is our prescription for weathering the complexity of the current investment environment. Over the long term, earnings growth and increasing dividends have led to an appreciation in assets that’s benefitted our clients for many years. We expect that this will continue to enable our clients to achieve both their investment and personal goals. website: www.fliinvestors.com January 2023

47

25A

48

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

tán

January 2023

49

25A

tán

YOUR NEXT COASTAL MEXICAN ESCAPE

A TASTE OF TULUM ARRIVES IN MANHATTAN.

P

By Sydney Kaplan

erfect for an upscale date night or special occasion dinner if you’re in the mood for seafood, bold flavors, and a gorgeous interior that appeals to the senses.

Look no further than Midtown East for your next coastal Mexican escape.

Chef-Restaurateur Richard Sandoval and Chef Jonatán Gómez Luna Torres have unveiled their latest joint culinary venture: tán, a new restaurant inspired by the vibrant energies of Tulum and the Yucatàn peninsula just in time for the dropping temperatures in New York City.

The escapist atmosphere tàn provides is made possible by not only the hypermodernist, seafood-focused menu and bespoke seafood display, but also by the interior design of the restaurant thanks to the award-winning PeterMax Co. The

50

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

lush array of plants that dress the scene paired with the elaborate henequen fiber wall hangings and woven sisal sun screens come together to create an ambiance of travel, heritage, and true coastal fantasy. Its lounge, lúm, which will serve signature Mexican sips and is set to open in late January, is tucked away with coved, cave-like ceilings, and warm candlelight, effectively bringing the soul of Tulum stateside.

Standout dishes include the Aguachile tán (a crispy potato-chorizo taco with shrimp and aguachile verde), the Red Snapper Tikinxic Style, and the traditional Yucatán Pork Belly, with the Bone Marrow and Yellow Corn Cake being customer favorites.

For more information, please visit https:// www.tannewyork.com/.

tán speciality cocktails

January 2023

51

25A

52

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

ASK FOR BACI AL SOLE WHEREVER THE SUN WARMS THE HEARTS OF ROMANTIC! www.BACIalSOLE.com

January 2023

53

25A

PROVIDING SUPPORT TO YACHTS THROUGHOUT SOUTH FLORIDA AND THE GREAT LAKES CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION DOCK RESERVATIONS GUEST TRANSPORTATION

54

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

AIR CHARTER - OFFICE ASSISTANT - FUEL & WASTE MANAGEMENT BANKING - FREIGHT FORWARDING - BLACK CAR SERVICE Office: 954.908.7559 | Cell: 954.684.9456 | captdeb@americanyachtagents.com Port of Palm Beach, Berth One Suite 100 | www.americanyachtagents.net January 2023

55

25A

INTERVIEW WITH

MICHAEL LESSING

PRESIDENT & COO, LESSING'S HOSPITALITY GROUP

By Adam Kluger

"Our mission is to continue the 130-year tradition of innovation and excellence, providing unique restaurant concepts, exclusive wedding venues, distinctive catering, and skillfully executed management," offers a friendly-but obviously quite busy-- Michael Lessing, President of Lessing's Hospitality Group.

T

he hospitality conglomerate was founded by Maxwell Lessing in 1890 and is operated to this day by 15 Lessing family members. “The company has been going strong for six generations with most recently my son, Mike Jr. and my cousin Lawrence, coming on board.” Lessing says.

The secret to the Lessing family's success?

"We've always focused on being a family business, says Lessing, "and we've built a culture that ensures you don’t have to have the last name ‘Lessing’ to be a part of the family.”

The Lessing family has provided food service to New Yorkers for over 130 years without interruption. Both the longevity and the success of this legacy company are unprecedented. For Michael, upholding and building upon the family legacy is a serious business that requires an extreme attention to team building and corporate culture.

"I have a great team around me. There's an incredible responsibility to running the family business and it's not just about keeping the business alive. It's about growing and diversifying. My job is to develop the company to be bigger and stronger so the next generation can continue to build the legacy."

56

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

Lessing's expanded their portfolio to Florida with the Pelican Club, Crane Club at Tesoro, Charlie & Joe's at Love Street, and most recently the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts.

"My family and I spend a lot of time in Florida, so the connection was already there,” Lessing says. “We noticed many people visiting from New York and realized our name is well known in the area. Pelican Club and the four restaurants at Charlie & Joe’s at Love Street in Jupiter all overlook a historic lighthouse. I don’t think there’s a better view in all of Florida.”

In 2021, through a partnership with Ellen Hart Sturm in New York City, Lessing’s Hospitality now operates the world-famous Ellen's Stardust Diner & The Iridium. The company is currently comprised of over 100 locations throughout the Northeast and Florida. Lessing’s operates 21 wedding and catering venues, 20 full-service restaurants, 2 pop-up kitchen concepts, over 60 corporate and academic dining centers, and a historic inn.

No matter the state or venue, Lessing’s Hospitality Group always strives to make sure that every employee and guest feels like family.

Website: www.lessings.com

January 2023

57

25A

Diana Falzone STAR REPORTER ON BECOMING A SUPERSTAR MOM

W

By Adam Kluger Photography by Gary Flom

hat are some of your resolutions for the new year?

One resolution for the new year is to be more joyful. 2022 was a year of loss and grief for me. I learned tremendous lessons about the beauty of life and its fragility. Every day really is a gift. I'm also trying to stress less. I'm a planner. Although it can be a good quality for preparedness it tends to cause me to needlessly worry. The only moment we really have is the one we are experiencing right now.

How do you stay so fit and look so beautiful all year long?

I do not work out. I never have. I lead an active lifestyle of being on -the- go. I'm a mom to a very busy 4-year-old and like most moms we don't get a chance to sit down much. I try to eat a balanced diet,

58

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

more of a mediterranean style. I don't have any strict food restrictions.

I'm a big believer that if you are craving something like chocolate or chips, eat it. Food is to be enjoyed. Everything in moderation. Sleep is key for me. I need a good 7-8 hours. It's seldom I actually get that but my body does not operate well without a solid night's rest.

Describe your sense of style and fashion.

My fashion sense is simple and chic. I do not like loud patterns or a lot of accessories. I tend to pair a solid colored long sleeve t with a fitted pair of jeans, and heeled booties for the fall/winter for my day to day casual look. I love makeup and I definitely feel my best when I'm glammed up.

January 2023

59

25A

60

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

January 2023

61

25A

What are some of your personal goals for 2023?

Some of my personal goals for 2023 are to spend as much quality time as possible with my son. He is at such a wonderful age. Watching the world through his eyes is magical. We're also adding a dog to our family this month. We're very excited.

What advice do you have for young women out there to find success and happiness in 2023 .

My advice for young women to find success and happiness is to check in with what YOU really want.

Not what you have been told you want. Not what you think other people want for you, or what you think will impress the outside world. Happiness and success is subjective. It comes in all forms. Ultimately, the only person you need to concern yourself with is you.

Everyone has their own individual path and timeline.

Don't feel like you need to accomplish everything in a certain amount of time. Life doesn't stop at 40.

Dreams don't die. As long as you have another tomorrow, you have another opportunity to achieve your goals.

Do you see yourself as a role model?

I don’t see myself as a role model. I’m doing the best I can with the situations life hands me. I try to navigate things with a clear and calm mind, and live life with a cautiously optimistic heart. I do not believe life is easy for anyone. I think more people struggle than they let out. Social media has a way of giving a filtered reality.

It is the highlight reel. Comparison is the thief of joy. I am figuring it out just like the next person. In the year I have grown in ways I didn’t imagine possible. My obstacles and losses have made me a better person with a better understanding of others. I’m proud of how I lead my life.

Any advice for other women going through fertility struggles?

Focus on the task at hand. I found that the procedural nature of egg freezing and IVF gave me a sense of control when in truth I had none. Emotionally, I prayed a lot. It calmed me. I gave it up to God so to speak.

Anyone going through fertility struggles should know they are not alone. I believe a child chooses you. You do not need to be a biological parent to be a parent.

There is always a way. Love finds it.

How has becoming Alexander’s mom changed everything? What matters most to you?

My focus is always on him. He is only going to be little once and I want him to have the most magical, happy, and peaceful childhood. So sometimes we have ice cream for breakfast. When it comes to my work, I go harder. I want to provide everything and then some for him as my parents did for me. I don’t have much of a social life but that’s a small sacrifice in the bigger picture. I love being home with him. I think certain battles have made me realize what matters most. The work matters of course, but corporations are kind to no one. People love you, not companies.

Becoming a mother matters most to me because family is forever. Nothing matters more to me.

62

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

January 2023

63

25A THE

TORONTO INTERNATIONAL

FILM FESTIVAL

Defines the Candidates for 2023 Awards Season Gold

By Norah Lawlor

E

Fabulous Festival screens the movies that everyone will need to know about in time for next Year’s Awards Ceremonies. very September, Hollywood players head to Ontario, Canada for the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

The timing is critical as it’s the first significant North American festival where the films that will likely garner the awards early in 2023 are screened and discussed amongst those in the know. Eligibility for some awards have stringent requirements for where and when a film must be screened to be considered – Toronto is an important testing ground for the “Award Whisperers” to gauge what is hot, and what might be not. Here is one perspective on the Films that are golden this awards season;

taste of home – into the battelfields in the middle of the Vietnam war.

Based on the book written by Joanna Molloy of Rush & Molloy fame. (www.greatestbeerrunevermovie.com)

Allelujah (1hr 39mins) The adaptation of the play of the same name by Alan Bennett, Allelujah had its premiere during this year’s TIFF and tells the story of a rural community’s fight to save the local hospital’s geriatric ward from closure. Starring Jesse Akele, Jessica Baglow, Judi Dench and Jennifer Saunders.

The Inspection (95 mins) Written and Directed by Elegance Bratton, This is the true story of an African-American man who joins the US Marines after a decade living in housing precarity after being kicked out of his home – all the time grappling with his sense of belonging and sexual identity. (www. a24films.com)

The Banshees of Inisherin (1hr 54mins) A tale of the complexities of friendship set against a backdrop of a small community in 1920s Ireland and bringing together the stars of In Bruges, Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson.

Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blue (1hr 44mins) A beautiful documentary treatment of the Life of Jazz Legend Louis Armstrong through his personal audio diaries. Louis was a prolific recorder of audio diaries which Director Sacha Jenkins has turned into a treatment of the subtlety and complexity of the man behind the music (www.appletv.com)

The Fabelmans (2hrs 31mins) Steven Spielberg immerses you in the world of his childhood, seeking to uncover the things that propelled him into a career as a filmmaker. Starring Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogan and Gabrielle LaBelle as the young Director. (www.thefabelmans.movie) The Good Nurse (2hr 1 min) The true story of a nurse in New York who comes to the realization that one of her colleagues is a serial killer who may have killed hundreds of patients. Eddie Redmayne and Jessica Chastain star. (www.netflix.com) The Greatest Beer Run Ever (2hrs 6mins) Zac Efron, Russell Crowe and a cameo by Bill Murray highlight the telling of a true story about the effort of one man to take his friends a 64

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

In Her Hands (93 mins) A documentary following the youngest female Mayor in Afghanistan in the run-up to the return of the Taliban in 2021. Made by Afghan Tamana Ayazi and Marcel Mettelsiefen, and executive produced by a team including Secretary Hillary Clinton and Chelsea Clinton, the documentary works to bring home the complexity of the twenty year conflict through the lives of the people living it. (www.netflix.com)

My Policeman (1hr 53mins) Based on the book by Bethan Roberts, a story set in 1950s Britain which grapples with social change, sexual identity and romance starring man-of-the-moment Harry Styles, Emma Corrin and David Dawson. (www.amazonstudios.com) The Swimmers (2hrs 14mins) Director Sally El Hosaini tells the remarkable true tale of sisters Yusra and Sara Mardini, who fled their home in war-torn Damascus, Syria to seek a new life in Europe and earn the chance to compete in the 2016 Olympics. (www.neflix.com)

January 2023

65

25A

WOMAN WITH HORSEPOWER Location: Wendy Petrik's Candoit Stables | Horse: "Boston Strong" Photographer: Ian Jacob

66

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

ADVISING LUXURY REAL ESTATE SALES FROM #BARNTOBEACH

Douglas Elliman Real Estate | 561.876.6340 | Jenna.steffens@elliman.com Findmypalmbeachhome.com | 340 Royal Poinciana Plaza M302, Palm Beach, FL 33480

January 2023

67

25A

BY THE SEA REALTY BEAUTIFUL DIRECT INTRACOASTAL HOME NEAR THE BEACH AND MINUTES TO THE HILLSORO INLET! EAST EXPOSURE WITH THE MOST MAGNIFICENT VIEWS AND OCEAN BREEZE! BUILT TO ENTERTAIN WITH AN UPDATED GORGEOUS CHEF'S KITCHEN, VIKING GAS COOKTOP, SUBZERO, FULL WET BAR, OUTSIDE BAR, TIKI HUT, INFINITY POOL, & HOT TUB. 2 PRIMARY SUITES! 2 CAR GARAGE! BRAND NEW AC! FRESH EXTERIOR PAINT! NO WAKE ZONE! NO FIXED BRIDGES! 82' OF WATERFRONT WHERE YOU CAN BUILD YOUR OWN DOCK! DOCK PERMIT HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED! STEPS AWAY FROM THE AMAZING HARBOR'S EDGE PARK WITH FITNESS TRAIL, DOG PARK, PLAYGROUND, PICNIC AREAS, AND PRIVATE BEACH! MINUTES TO THE MAIN BEACH WITH THE BEST RESTAURANTS RIGHT ON THE SAND! POMPANO HAS SO MANY GREAT THINGS TO OFFER AND IS ONLY GROWING! THIS IS THE BEST DEAL ON THE MARKET! A MUST SEE!

68

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

POMPANO BEACH January 2023

69

25A

WEST COAST DELIGHTS FOUND AT WHIMSICAL FOUR SEASONS HOTEL LOS ANGELES AT BEVERLY HILLS

By Norah Bradford

T

he legendary Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills is one of the most iconic properties in California.

Located minutes from world-renowned Rodeo Drive and Robertson Boulevard shops, providing the California al fresco lifestyle at its best with views of the Hollywood Hills or Downtown LA from every guest room balcony. The property boasts spacious suites, lush gardens, florals by Jeff Leatham, a floor dedicated to wellness with a Private Fitness suite, WELL office, Spa, and spacious pool deck with the outdoor Cabana restaurant. The property also features meeting rooms ideal for press junkets and a range of other events and celebrations, as well as the Italian Culina Ristorante and The Lounge.

Featuring 185 guest rooms and 100 suites, the 16-story building is a stunning example of luxury hospitality. For decades the landmark property has held the storied halls that have housed royalty to Hollywood celebrities for work stays and vacations.

In 2022, Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills was proudly named the number one hotel in Los Angeles by the 2022 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards. With an impressive score of 97.76, the property took the honors which elevated their already phenomenal status in the travel community.

“We are honored to be recognized by Condé Nast Traveler magazine as the top-rated hotel in Los Angeles, an accomplishment that would not be possible without the support of our loyal guests and the dedication of our outstanding team members. Los Angeles offers endless options 70

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

for discerning travelers, and we are proud to continue our legacy as a leading hotel,” says David Wilkie, General Manager of Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills.

The legendary Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills features spacious suites, lush gardens, florals by Jeff Leatham, a floor dedicated to wellness with a Private Fitness suite, WELL office, Spa, and spacious pool deck with the outdoor Cabana restaurant. The property also features meeting rooms ideal for press junkets and a range of other events and celebrations, as well as the Italian Culina Ristorante and The Lounge.

One of the highlights on display is the outdoor pool set on a tropically landscaped terrace on the fourth floor, offering elevated city views; 6 poolside cabanas are available for spa treatments or a sheltered respite, with refreshments offered from the adjoining Cabana Restaurant.

Also, be sure to experience the new GEMCLINICAL facial treatments by KNESKO available at the spa. Addressing visible signs of ageing such as fine lines, wrinkles, dryness, puffiness, and uneven skin tone with the added benefit of re-balancing chakra energies throughout the body, each session elevates the individual to a level of bliss. Utilizing products charged with healing reiki energy to invite positive intentions and promote self-love, the new treatments create a state of total relaxation and well-being while showcasing a unique, holistic approach to skincare and self-care.

For more information please visit online.

We’ll MAnAge Your hoMe. go hAve SoMe Fun.

Imagine the bliss of stress-free travel. You’ll never again have to worry about your home while you’re off on some idyllic trip.

When you hire the ModernButler team to manage your home, you’ll relax knowing we have it covered. And when you return, you’ll experience that Five-Star luxury resort feeling with our exquisite attention to detail. From packing and organizing, staff training and arranging repairs, appointments and reservations, to that last minute cocktail party, we’ll take care of everything, whether you’re at home or away. To make your home your personal heaven, reach us at 561-310-3815 or Info@ModernButlerpb.com

elite home management

mary Butler, Founder | modernButler llC | info@modernbutlerpb.com | 561-310-3815

January 2023

71

25A

LARRY CSONKA: HEAD ON

MIAMI DOLPHINS FOOTBALL LEGEND LOOKS BACK

By Ira Kaufman (edited by Adam Kluger)

W

hat was the legacy or impact of the '72 Miami Dolphins team that went undefeated?

The NFL just voted us the top team of the first 100 years of the NFL. It means a lot when you contrast that against the teams of today . The game has changed so much from the time it was initiated over 100 years ago. It's hard to compare what's in the past with what's in the present but the important thing is that it's changing for the better and it's changing for the protection of the players. Back in our day ball control was the big thing and if you got two touchdowns ahead the game was kind of over. Today's game is different. The rules have changed to enhance the passing game and now even if you are 17 points down at the half many teams have come back and won it.

Your preparation for football was working on a farm and hauling feed to a bunch of cows and that was a practice that helped you become a Hall of Famer?

The physical part maybe... my high school principal made me read football books... how a team operates...understanding the game is probably the biggest first step.

Were you were drafted out of Syracuse?

I was drafted by Miami - I certainly didn't have any misgivings about that a young team coming on but two years later when coach Shula came we had that hurdle to go over because he had never had a very large running back before. I was 230 pounds and the first thing he did was move my weight down (laugh) and the second thing we did was get into an argument (laugh) we didn't argue all of the time...I think we found a comfortable position where we tolerated each other (laugh) that we could get our jobs done."

Back then you were the only team in town in the state it must have been cool to be the football team and the only pro team in the entire region Well it was a coming together of a lot of different things if you recall in the sixties there was a lot of civil strife going on racial stress there was a lot of things that led to trouble and it was nice to have a football team

72

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

that was a gathering point. We had a following but then coach Shula came and we started to win, I've never seen a more significant unifying factor in a community that was really at odds with each other than to have a winning football team right in the heart of one of the worst areas in Miami, and it made a difference.

In the early days, they didn't have parking spaces for the players so you were out there tailgating with the fans?

Absolutely, Ira, you hit it right on the head...you talk about enhancing the relationship between the team and the fans we had ...sometimes we were there a couple of hours before the game and we would sit out there and eat hotdogs. We got a great elbow-rubbing situation with the fans we got to know them by name -- we would even take some of the fans that were out there into the game..."

Your running mate was Jim Kiick (and then Mercury Morris) it must have been fun to have a running back that you got along so well with and you are both carrying the ball constantly.

It was me and Jim initially and then when Shula first came Jim was in the lead back position and I was doing a little more blocking but then Shula saw the potential. He brought in an offensive line coach with him Monte Clark and he loved to use the power running game so it became a mixture with the three backs but that only worked if the three backs, myself, Jim Kiick, and Mercury Morris got along. Fortunately, all three of us enjoyed each other's company and there was never any animosity between us. I think Jim and Merc were competitive as far as wanting to get in the game more but that's a healthy situation. They were close friends. We all wanted to win and whatever it took in terms of sacrifice we were all willing to do that.

Hall of Fame Wide Receiver Paul Warfield was also on the team When Paul first got there in 1970 - on one play I did not like the defensive back on the other side of the ball from Buffalo and I was power running up through the middle and at the vanguard of that avalanche of humanity I turned and hit that defensive back at the last second and knocked him silly with all that momentum and when I come back to the huddle Paul

Warfield looked at me and said "thanks, Doc" and then he had that guy on a one on one coverage the next play and because his eyes were still crossed from the earlier impact that's when I discovered how much I could contribute to the passing game by running into the defensive backs downfield (laugh).

Coach Shula sometimes had four practices a day and didn't give you water breaks in the hot Miami sun- how did you survive that?

I don't know (laugh) it was either get in great shape or die (laugh) we had a couple of guys fall down from getting over-heated. I don't think you could execute that today I don't think the union would let that happen but that was then and now is now as it turns out it was a great thing and made a difference in all of those games in the fourth quarter in 85-degree heat which happened several times in '71 or '72. That 49ers game, they just weren't used to that heat they had put up a great fight but in the fourth quarter, we just handled them because the physical demand was too much. Anytime it was 85 degrees we knew we had an edge.

You lost to the Cowboys in the Super Bowl in '71 but before that '72 season you had a feeling that this is going to be our year- the extra practice after losing the SuperBowl you said Shula made you keep watching the film of the game so you had a feeling that '72 could have been a special year.

We knew that Shula was going to be more intent than ever because right after the Superbowl in '71 he threw everybody out of the locker room except the coaches and players and he said, "I want every one of you to think about how you feel right now and we are going to draw from this and we are going to go one game at a time with the idea of playing every game as though it was the Superbowl." He never said we would have an undefeated season what he did predict was that we were going to take every game seriously and he lived up to his word. When he said that Jim Kiick looked at me because we had already been through foura-days in 85-degree heat with no water...so, when Shula said that, Jim Kiick winked at me and said, "buckle up" (laugh) and his prediction was true. We never had a passing thought of winning every game because no one had ever done that but what we were going to do was to prepare for every game as though it was the Superbowl. That showed Shula's intent because we did and he made us because he had his foot in our butt all the time. No detail was too small to be overlooked. He would bring it up and dwell on it until you just did it right just to get him to shut up and that's the way it was.

Hall of Fame QB Bob Griese got injured and was out the majority of the regular season in '72 and you still were able to win after losing your star quarterback.

His leg was broken. it was against Dan Diego in about the fourth game. the defender went airborne and landed on Bob's leg just as he was throwing the pass and broke his leg down below his knee, he was gone for six or seven weeks and we had a fellow named Earl Morrall step forward and to have a quality player like Earl there that was a great addition to our team that year. A really smart move by Shula in preseason. Earl was just one of those detail-oriented guys he had played for Shula for many years before and he knew what the whole setup was and he just came in clapped his hands and we took it one play at a time and that's the way it went.

In the Superbowl, you were up 14-0 totally dominating the game and then your kicker tried to do something crazy and that made the game a little closer.

It was a low kick and it bounced back into the arms of our kicker Garo Yepremian, and for years Shula always hollered at him "always fall on the ball don't try to do anything with it", because we had a great defense and Garo, at the moment, tried to throw it. He was left-handed and tried to throw it with his right hand and it was intercepted and run back- instead of a 17-0 score during a 17-0 season, which was destiny, we had just breathed life into the Redskins and it was 14-7 with several minutes left in the game so it was a very tough situation and a guy named Jake Scott a weak side safety intercepted a ball late in the fourth quarter just by his fingertips and that made the difference in that game.

You went on every single tv show after the Superbowl. That must have been so fun.

It was fun I think Jim Kiick and I got an unfair amount of publicity with the "Butch & Sundance" thing so we capitalized on it twice as much as some of the other players. you went 12-2 in '73 and you won the Superbowl and you were 32-2 in two years and you've even said that the 73 team was better than the '72 team because you just dominated everybody.

I think the '73 team in terms of just ball domination during the game didn't have as many close games let's put it that way. Most of the time it was pretty much a given that we were going to win.

Do you still have a close brotherhood with your old teammates?

We look forward to getting together every year and the Dolphins have us back and watch practice the night before and then come back and watch the game the next day. It is a lot of fun and the stories get wilder and wilder. I feel good about the book and it's very true to what happened but when you get together with the fellows there's always a difference of opinion of who did what and when who picked up a blitz or something. (laugh) To listen to the entire interview please visit @iraonsports January 2023

73

25A

THE DOORS

“It was amazing. It was two years from meeting on the beach in Venice and deciding to get the rock n' roll band together, to "Light My Fire" becoming the number one song in America.”

Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger - 1994

A

Chance Meeting The story that's become so famous is a chance meeting with you (Ray) and Jim on the beach after having not seen each other for a long time. He sat down and you two were shooting the shit a little bit. He started telling you he'd like to make music and he had all these poems that he had written and "Moonlight Drive" was one blew you away.

Did he write that amongst others allegedly sitting on top of this rooftop?

Manzarek: Yep, that's right. That's the story. He was up there on Dennis's rooftop, like Jesus in the desert. He was up there 40 days and 40 nights. More or less a month and a half after graduation until we met on the beach. [We] reconvened on the beach so within that 40 days in the wilderness all this stuff was pouring out of him.

Ray Manzarek: That's it exactly. That's the story. Great lyrics. The lyrics were terrific: "Let's swim to the moon, let's climb through the tide.

Penetrate the evening that the city sleeps to hide. Let's swim out tonight love, it's our turn to try, parked besides the ocean on our moonlight drive." And we sang it. We sang it with this haunted voice, and it was like a haunted and spooky and moon light...moon light drive along the ocean side. I could hear all the organ stuff and the keyboards that I could put in there and thought, ‘Wow, this is fabulous.’ Man, it was psychedelic.

Now before this happened, you and your brothers had a band and you invited Jim along?

Manzarek: Yeah, Rick and the Ravens, a local surf band that played The Turkey Joint West, and Jim would come on stage and sing occasionally.

Along with Paul Farerra, who later became our cameraman, and a couple of other good friends from the UCLA film department. We would do "Louie, Louie," maybe a blues or two, and everybody would get on stage—drunken film students—and they would just be singing away. I would invite some special guests from the audience, ‘Come on! Here they are, direct from the UCLA film department, here's Jim Morrison!

Paul Farerra, I see you out there too!’

The Beatles and the Stones were big at the time, but The Beatles were a teeny-bopper band and the Stones were playing Chicago blues. They were fabulously successful, and we would look at their pictures on the front page of the newspapers. The Beatles in America like a rock n’ roll band was on the front page of the newspaper for God's sake! ‘Gosh, I would sure like to do that. That looks like an awful lot of fun.’ When Jim wrote those lyrics, I thought. ‘This is it, here we go. There is nobody else doing this. This is called psychedelic.’

74

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

What I'm hearing is when you invited Jim to join you, there were some people, let's say questioning your judgment?

Manzarek: Yes. Yes, there certainly were. I said, ‘I'm going to get a rock n’ roll band with Jim Morrison.’ And a couple of people said, ‘Are you kidding? Jim Morrison, he's nothing but a punk!’ Ah, well, that's the old Jim Morrison. You don't know Jim Morrison like I know Jim Morrison.

Why is it do you think that no one else saw this creative genius at that time like you did? Or had that creative genius been tapped yet?

Manzarek: Probably hadn't been tapped. He needed to get out of school and get up on Dennis's rooftop to sing those songs. And even then, it would have taken a pretty gosh darn good musician who really knew his rock n’ roll to be able to do something with that music and do something with those lyrics and Jim's singing. Alright, what do you do with this? You could play stupid behind it or you could play folk rock behind it, or you could have a whole classical jazz background. You add a flamingo guitar player (Robbie Krieger) to it, and a jazz drummer (John Densmore) and then you got The Doors. That's where Jim and Robbie come in and their brilliance too. So, you know if I can be so egotistical as to say four brilliant guys. That's what came together man, four brilliant guys.

Behind the Music What I would like for you to give me is of Jim Morrison the musician, because you read and hear so much about Jim Morrison the singer/ performer, Jim Morrison the poet, Jim Morrison the shaman, his drug use etc.

Manzarek: Well, for us of course Jim was the lead singer in the band.

Jim was the singer. There were musicians and a singer. It was like the John Coltrane playing the sax, but without Elvin Jones and Jimmy Garrison and McCoy Tyner on piano, John Coltrane wouldn't have had the same sound that he had. Those guys were all brilliant players. They didn't look at each other as Coltrane's backup band. They were four equal entities and that's how it was with The Doors.

Jim's job was to be the word man and the singer. That was his job and his job was no more important than anybody's job. So, from a musical standpoint, Jim had a good sense of pacing and timing. He knew when to wait for a musician to finish their solos. He was well versed musically that way. So, it was not as if he was just a poet. He was a poet with a good musical ear too, and that's what made it great to work with him because he knew when to lay out. Okay, we're going to play now, let us play. Let the solo finish and when we start to vamp then you come back in and he would know when to do that. He had a good instinct for it, so he had a good instinct for music along with his word ability. It was always good to work with him that way. He would never step on your solo or come in at the wrong place. He knew where to come in just like a musician, so form that perspective Jim was very musical.

I gather there was a lot of collaboration when it came to the music part of the songs?

Robby Krieger: Yeah. We worked the songs together. Primarily the first album—a lot of those songs were kind of already in the world by the

time I got into the band. When I got there, I changed them around a bit, but a lot of that stuff was already pretty much there. Jim and I started working together more, and we would come up with the basic song, then we would all work it out together.

Jim would do lyrics, not just music. I would say 70% then the other 30% I would just write the whole thing. Sometimes he could hear a song in his head and then he had no way of getting it down on tape unless he had someone to do it for him. Ray was pretty good with that.

Manzarek: [The music] was our job and, of course, we all criticized each other but very rarely. Hell, we would all know when it worked and when it didn't work. See, that's what the psychedelics would do for you. You would know when it worked and when it didn't work.

And when it didn't work we said, ‘Nah, that doesn't work,’ or ‘Let's just save that for something else. That one part is good but that's not working here. Let's try something else.’

Krieger: Usually, if there was tweaking, Jim would do it. Although as time went on it became harder and harder to get him to do that in the studio because he was losing interest. So, Paul Rothchild, our producer, helped a lot. He and Jim would sit down and go over it, it was poetry and they came up with a few songs that way.

Manzarek: There was very little criticism in the band, it was just like that doesn't work. That's not working, and everyone would know when it didn't work, and you'd try something else instead. Let's try a different beat. Let's try some different chord changes. We'd have to accommodate the key that we were playing in to fit Jim's vocal range.

Krieger: Like I said, Jim and I would get the song down to where it was a song and then Ray and John and I would start working on it. That’s how most of the time they came about. Some of the songs I would have a definite idea of the arrangement already like “Love Me Two Times.” It could only be one way. Then other songs, for instance, like “Moonlight Drive” started off as a totally different song than you hear today. It was really soft and spooky at first.

Was Jim’s approval of your lyrics important to you?

Krieger: Oh, yeah, of course. Even in the early going we all knew he was something special lyric-wise. I knew that for him if he was going to sing one of my songs, it better be pretty heavy duty.

Would you write with Jim’s voice in your head?

Krieger: Not really. When I write a song, I would always have an idea of how it should be sung, and I would try to get Jim to sing it that way but he could never do it. He wasn’t musical that way where you could tell him exactly—he would always change it but usually for the better.

January 2023

75

25A

Any song that stands out in your mind?

Krieger: The main one would be “Peace Frog.” It was just a poem that Jim had and we had the music all down. I came up with this music, and I didn’t have any words for it, so I just figured Jim would do it. By the time we recorded it, he still hadn’t come up with anything. So, him and Paul just sat down and looked in their book and they pieced it together.

How did you guys get on the same bill as Simon and Garfunkel?

Krieger: I think we had the same agent.

Ashley-Famous. Simon and Garfunkel weren’t that big yet, so we played at Forest Hill and it was a weird gig. You couldn’t see the audience because the lights were right in our faces. It was like playing to nobody.

One thing was that Paul Simon really loves The Doors. In fact, he said that “Strange Days” was the best rock n’ roll album he’s ever heard.

“The Doors”

Album Songwriters: The Doors Producer: Paul A. Rothchild The Doors’ debut album was recorded in 1966 at Sunset Sound Recorders. It featured their breakthrough single, “Light My Fire,” and the 11-minute song, “The End.” Krieger had only been playing electric guitar for 6 months when he was invited to become a member.

Let’s talk about “Light My Fire.” The story is that you decided to write a song about one of the four basic elements: earth, air, fire, and water. From what I’ve read, you chose fire party because of the song, “Play With Fire.”

76

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

Krieger: Yeah, it’s true. I know, I’d always liked that song and it was one of my favorites.

First time I heard it, although I wasn’t trying to recreate “Play with Fire” it was just a fact of fire. I liked the idea of talking about it in a song. I wanted to talk about something universal, something heavy duty.

I read that you wrote “Light My Fire” and “Love Me Two Times” in an hour. Is that true?

Krieger: “Light My Fire” probably took a couple of days. My main concept I came up with pretty quick. Now, “Love Me Two Times” might have taken a little longer. That was more of a structured kind of chord progression.

I also read that “Love Me Two Times” is about American boys going off to war and partially about The Doors on the road.

Krieger: I would say it was more about going on the road. I hadn’t really thought about the war angle at the time. I just kind of threw that in later when it fit. I happened to be doing a benefit for the war veterans. Yeah, thinking about it, that’s what that song was about.

What was the other band member’s reactions to “Light My Fire” the first time you played it for them?

Krieger: They all liked it; they knew it was happening.

It’s July 1967 and “Light My Fire” hits number one. How do you feel?

Krieger: It was great, great. After working so long trying to get songs on the radio and finally get one not only on the radio but number one, it was amazing.

January 2023

77

25A

3 WAYS TO FINALLY BREAK YOUR

UNWANTED CYCLES FROM THE PAST

By Sarah Vie

W

hen you were young, I bet you had sworn to yourself you would never act like your parents or grandparents, but now as an adult you are beginning to notice that similar pattern repeating itself time and time again. You know that annoying behavior that would make you spin in anger or insecurity.

Those hurtful words your parents would spew towards an innocent mistake. That screaming voice that would make all the neighbors turn to see what was happening. How could this be possible? Don't worry there was nothing wrong with you. Their behavior was coming from a place of their own unhealed pain.

There is science behind ancestral patterning. In my new book, I Wish I'd Known, I write about the epigenetics of energy we can hold in our body from three generations of unhealed pain and trauma. That energy can be connected to the patterns that we repeat.

The good news is you can energetically heal and let go of any energy that no longer serves you. It takes willingness and practice, but it is so possible to cut the cords for good.

Before I give you the steps to let go of what you no longer wish to repeat, I want to explain what a cycle breaker is in the first place. The

78

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

term "cycle-breaker" refers to a person intentionally changing multigenerational family patterns. A pattern that we repeat over and over again in our own life.The person who is breaking the cycles from the past, will need to deep dive into the origin of their family behaviors and root out unhealthy patterns. Patterns that don't seem to align. When we want to change these old, limited patterns, we get to experience deep introspective work to become connected to our most authentic selves. I would have to say that I have healed and repurposed my old patterns and now live a life feeling completely connected to myself. After experiencing the shift, I am attracting limitless financial abundance. I have become the energy of love and am now in a deep emotional love relationship.

Something that was lacking in my thirty-two year marriage. This new life of mine is available to anyone, but we must first “clear out the old to bring in the new”. Kind of like redecorating a room. The room that I am talking about here is in your head. Those old thoughts, patterns and cycles that are creating those energetic blocks and resistance. When we reframe and release, the feeling is magically liberating! When we live a life of our own authenticity, that's when we become manifesting magnets!

HERE ARE THE BEGINNING STEPS TO LOVINGLY DISRUPT YOUR PATTERNS. Reparent with love Release and let go and be quiet STEP 3 STEP 1 Rest STEP 2 Part of breaking cycles is Once we understand our This is the most important

step of them all. We think an average of 70,000 daily, so it’s no wonder we can’t understand why we are in an energetic swirl. Some of our thoughts are ours, but some are from our past that no longer serve the highest version of ourselves.

I recommend that you begin the journey to your quiet center; whether that be in meditation, walking mindfully outside or just pausing during the day. Begin getting quiet to the noise and chaos in your mind. What are you thinking? Are those thoughts true or from your past? If you're willing, write down anything that you witness from that place of peace and calm.

inner language and know what thoughts and patterns are no longer serving our highest self, it's time to release the energy from our seven chakras or energy centers in our body.

In Chapter 4 of I Wish I'd Known, I talk about where we can store the energy from the ancestral stories that we tell ourselves.

Remember, thoughts create emotion. Emotion creates energy. Our body is the vessel that then holds this energy. In my book portal there is an energetic quiz you can take to uncover where you may be blocked. If you go to book. sarahvie.com and follow the prompts, you too can get clear. After you know where you're blocked there are techniques to release; I can facilitate your healing with remote reiki or offer you an energetic cord cutting meditation.

learning about doing something different.

I encourage the brave people I work with to begin reparenting the inner child inside of all of us. That little you is tired of fighting with you.

She/he is tired of defending you and never feeling happy. She/he wants to be loved. You get to parent this child exactly how you have always wanted. You can’t go back in time, but you can create a life going forward that supports this new and authentic version of you.

It is insane to think by experiencing the same behavior you will create a different result. Do something different. Feel something different.

Be something different.

Website: www.sarahvie.com IG: sarah_vie_llc Facebook: Sarah Vie January 2023

79

25A

a therapist. They can guide you on how to open the conversation and explain the situation delicately to kids. Many therapists I have interviewed suggest saying, “Mommy and daddy love you so much and that will never change. I am always your mom. I am always your dad.”

Experts also encourage parents to have this talk in the family home, because it is private, and children feel safe in their familiar environment.

Is family therapy a good idea?

Ilyssa Panitz: Yes. Family therapy is a smart idea for everyone in the family. Therapy is a safe space for everyone to share their feelings about the situation and open-up the lines of communication. It is important for mom & dad to know what the children are feeling and learn from a professional how they can help their kids during this transition. Another benefit of family therapy, it can help mom and dad co-parent and avoid potential conflicts in front of the kids.

THE DIVORCE JOURNALIST:

W

ILYSSA PANITZ

By Adam Kluger

hat is the most common cause of most divorces?

Ilyssa Panitz: Every marriage is different and so too is every divorce. As to why people decide to file for a divorce, the reasons vary. The most common causes for a divorce are; cheating, lying, addiction, stealing, lack of communication, no intimacy, drifting apart and financial stress.

Research has shown, up to 80% of all divorces are initiated by women. While many women have expressed, they often feel “alone” in their marriage, others have shared the overwhelming pressure they feel juggling a career, a family, and a marriage with little or no help from their spouse. Women have come a long way in the work force, and according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 38% of women are considered to be the primary breadwinners in their marriage. If they have a steady income, regardless if a divorce means a change in their lifestyle, they will pull the plug for the sake of their happiness.

What is the best course of action when kids are involved?

Ilyssa Panitz: Remember who your audience is, your kids. If you and your spouse have decided to get a divorce, you need to have a lot of patience when you sit them down and take center stage to share your decision to separate. Hearing the words, “Mommy and daddy are getting a divorce,” is scary for a child. Be prepared for lots of tears, yelling, confusion, a barrage of questions, and begging you to stay together. That is why I recommend couples work with

80

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

How can both ex-spouses/parents improve their relationships?

Ilyssa Panitz: While I am not a therapist, I do feel ex-spouses can improve their relationship a few different ways.

1

Try to avoid a high conflict divorce because the on-going, long, drawn out battle with lawyers is costly and will likely result in both of you fighting even more. I understand people may be bitter and angry due to the circumstances surrounding the divorce, but anger is expensive, and it’s your kids who will suffer the most. Remember what I said earlier, know your audience, which are your children.

2

If you and your spouse are not ready to talk to one another because there are negative feelings, yet you still need to communicate when it comes to the kids’ schedules, doctor appointments or coordinating drop-off and pick-ups, sign-up for a membership on a parenting app.

There are many to choose from and they reasonably priced. You can upload your kids’ activities, send copies of receipts, exchange emails and share other information about the children without having to call one another.

3

Focus, focus, focus on you, you, you and not your “ex.” When you pour all your attention on creating what you want your life to look like and take control of making those things happen, you will begin to make peace with your divorce and find your spirit. For instance, I have seen people apply for promotions at work, create a new circle of friends and reinvent themselves with a makeover. The possibilities are endless if you go in with a positive mindset.

4

It sounds cliché, but I am going to revert-back to the old saying, “time heals all wounds.” It is natural you are going to be hurt and feel a wave of different emotions due to a divorce. But, after time passes and you embark on your new journey, write your next chapter(s), chances are you will be in a better position to form a friendship or be cordial to your “ex,” when you both attend events for the children.

What is the best advice for anyone going through a divorce?

Ilyssa Panitz: My best advice for anyone going through a divorce is to take a cue from Adele’s song that centered on her own divorce, “Go Easy on Me” – that being yourself. It’s okay if you didn’t get the laundry done. It is okay if you forgot to return and email or a text. You are a single parent doing the best you can. Instead of beating yourself up saying, “How could I forget,” remind yourself (write it down if it helps) all the things you accomplished in one day. Look at that list and then pat yourself on the back at the great job you are doing. Something else I highly recommend people do; when your kids are spending time with the other parent do things for yourself such as plan an overdue visit with family and friends, treat yourself to a mani/pedi, take up an exercise class or a hobby to meet other people. After a few times following this routine, you will learn to relish in your alone/self-care time instead of thinking about what your “ex” and the kids are doing without you.

Ilyssa Panitz is the “only” Divorce Journalist in the media industry who is solely committed to “exclusively” covering every angle of this topic.

Prior to creating the “divorce beat” in 2020, Ilyssa was a Reporter/ Producer was for leading media outlets such as CNN, MSNBC, 1010 WINS Radio (NY), WCBS-AM, New York-1 News, Westwood One, Star Magazine, Closer Magazine, and Meredith Publishing. While Ilyssa was front and center on a wide array of media assignments, she is perhaps best known for producing hundreds of “Celebrity at Home” photo shoots and sitting down with some of the biggest names in Hollywood for exclusive, one-on-one interviews.

Today, Ilyssa writes a divorce column for “Authority Magazine” on Medium.

She also serves as the Content/Editorial Producer for The National Association of Divorce Professionals and is the Creator, Writer, Producer and Host of a nationally syndicated & live streaming radio show called, “The Divorce Hour with Ilyssa Panitz” that airs every Saturday and Sunday on CRN Digital Talk Radio and then on Spotify, Google Podcasts, iTunes, Google Home, and Alexa.

January 2023

81

25A

‘Giving My All’

Showcases Perseverance and Uplifting Motivation from

KC Scholars’ CEO Earl Martin Phalen

By Ann Grenier

N

ationally recognized non-profit pioneer and visionary education leader Earl Martin Phalen is set to release his highly anticipated new book “Giving My All” in honor of his life dedicated to making a difference.

Looking ahead to a bright and prosperous future for students across America, Phalen’s passionate body of work will officially be released and sold online from January 31st, 2023. Pre-orders are currently available. The Hardcover edition of the book will be released in June 2023.

In time for Black History Month, the profound book coincides with Phalen’s ambitious work as president and CEO of KC Scholars and Phalen Leadership Academies. Earl’s educational expertise coupled with focus on an overarching commitment to students in the program and their need to succeed in life is making real and sustained change in the community.

“I bring urgency to the adults that we serve and the children we serve because I know their lives can be fundamentally different if they’re given the opportunity,” Phalen reflects.

With his impressive and eclectic background, the entrepreneur has lived a book worthy life that is reflected on the pages of the newly released materials. With a heartfelt meaning to motivate and uplift fellow educators as equally as students, Phalen takes readers on a journey through his storied life. As a Black boy adopted into a large, loving Irish Catholic family at age two, he discovered at a young age ​​that he was meant to stand out. Yet whether it was on the basketball court or in business, he encountered opportunities that required him to give his all despite racism in his predominantly white neighborhoods and settings.

book chapters that include the 1997 President’s Service Award from President Bill Clinton; Silver Anniversary Award from NCAA; Black Law Student Association Community Service Chair; Cofounder of the Charles Ogletree Scholarship Fund; Board Member of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation; Boston Uncornered Advisory Board Member; and Advisor for Coaching for Change, On a mission to enhance the quality of life for KC Scholars and students worldwide, his prolific vision has redefined industry standards and revolutionized how we look at education. Inspired by his own commitment to positively impact the global landscape, his work in the last year with KC Scholars has helped make the organization one of the nation’s most effective college scholarship and support programs. KC Scholars provides three types of scholarships: college savings accounts (9th graders); traditional scholarships (11th graders); and scholarships to adult learners who want to secure an industry recognized credential or return to college to secure their associate or bachelor’s degree.

“The persistence rates this year that lead to graduation were about seven times larger than most first generation students,” states Phalen. “The beautiful part is just the size of the scholarships, as well as the intensive support and the quality of the programming that allows students to really achieve their dream of graduating from college and getting a good job. I think that’s one of the one of the key differentiators.”

While at Yale, Phalen gained a​​new sense of pride and purpose as he connected with his Black and African American heritage. This would ​​continue throughout his studies and into graduate school at Harvard Law, where his calling to​​ education came to life. Phalen has dedicated his life to ​​improving the access poor children have to quality education and opportunities.

KC Scholars is unique to America since most students graduate debt free, and because of the intensive support provided to scholars, most graduate from college or their credentialing program and enter good paying careers. Students and adults who are low- and moderate-income and reside in our six local counties in the Kansas City Area (Kansas and Missouri) are eligible to apply. Over 90% of scholars persist annually, and 74% of KC Scholars backed students are on track for on-time graduation. KC Scholars currently has 6,293 participating scholars, and awards approximately 750 new scholarships annually. The goal is to significantly expand KC Scholars programs to over 1,000 new scholarships and thereby its impact in the coming years.

In the ensuing years, a significant number of notable accolades and positions have been gathered, which surface for impressive

For more information on “Giving My All” and KC Scholars, please visit https://kcscholars.org/

82

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

January 2023

83

25A

A

mong the iconic sounds of the recent Holiday season is the song “Santa Baby” First sung in the 1950s the song has remained relevant with its contemporary sound by Cynthia Basinet one of the most sultry seductive voices in the music scene.

Growing up Cynthia was a classically trained musician, developing her skills with the saxophone and flute – the former presaging her career as being among the best performing jazz singers in the world today. Her voice and performance conjures up Hollywood’s golden era of glamour through her sultry jazz recordings.

MEET THE SULTRY SONGSTRESS WHO SETS THE TRENDS –

Cynthia Basinet

By Clara Morgan

More than just a voice or performer, Cynthia Basinet has been ahead of the curve most of her career as an innovator, seeking to simply do things differently. She was a model starting her career in San Francisco thanks to Bob Mackie which led her to be based in Paris, France for five years. Whilst their she studied French cinematography and learnt French fluently while being shot by some of the world’s leading photographers for Europe’s elite fashionistas in Paris, London and Milan.

An astute businesswoman and thinker, Cynthia recognized and embraced the liberating power of new technologies to reach new audiences in entertainment with her creativity. As a recording artist, Basinet established a new channel of distribution for her music, using the Internet to bypass the traditional recording industry path to bring her releases directly to listeners wherever they may be located.

The innovatively strategic move in music distribution, garnered Cynthia Basinet worldwide radio play and millions of downloads where she created an entertainment phenomenon with her sultry rendition of “Santa Baby” which was part of the soundtrack for the 2003 Movie, Party Monster and used in an episode of TV Hit NCIS:LA on CBS.

84

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

Basinet’s awareness of social issues that affect individuals, families and society universally, led her to use her musical talents as a platform to raise awareness of the plight of others in our World, including a visit in the early 2000s to refugee camps in Africa’s Western Sahara. Here she sought to raise awareness and inspire hope for those in need and as a consequence was included in in the book, “1000 Peace Women Across The Globe” which was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize Award in 2005.

Cynthia spent the past decade as a recording artist releasing a second album and several singles. In 2019, she moved to the Capital of the music industry, Nashville, where Cynthia published her first book in 2020, How to be Civil in an Uncivil World (Archway Publishing ISBN: 9781480892712) and followed this with her podcast in 2021, The world According to Cynthia. She is currently recording the follow-ups to “Sweet Dreams” and “Eventually”.

Cynthia Basinet Discography: 2022 2015 2014 2012 2012 2012 2009 2006 2001

You Belong to Me, Single All of Me (Remix Featuring Klubjumers), Single Eventually, Single It’s only a Paper Moon, Single The Christmas Song (Chesnuts Roasting on an Open Fire), Single The Standard, Album Remixed The Collection, Album For You With Love, EP

Listen to Cynthia Basinet on Apple Music: https://apple.co/3FvXlrK Follow The world According to Cynthia Podcast: https://apple.co/3FCSPrt For more information about Cynthia Basinet visit: www.cynthiabasinet.com

Meet Motivational Artist

BILLY ALSBROOKS whose 2023 Blessed And Unstoppable World Tour aims to impact 1 Billion Lives

By Salome Langevin

Messages streamed by over 70 Million viewers Multi-City World Tour begins in Los Angeles January 2023

B

illy Alsbrooks Jr. is a ground-breaking Motivational Artist whose charismatic booming voice, profound delivery, and thought-provoking words reverberate not just in the foundation of every venue in which he speaks, but more importantly in the minds of his listeners. Billy’s messages have an authenticity which comes from his own life journey and experiences overcoming the challenges of life and have organically attracted a following. Billy Alsbrooks is set to debut his 2023 ‘Blessed and Unstoppable Tour’ in Los Angeles this January 2023.

“Pain and heartache are both powerful energy resources,” Billy says.

“Unrefined, their energy is destructive, but properly harnessed they can become a superpower that will thrust you into greatness.”

As the voice of a generation, his use of poetry intensely stirs the emotions of all ages across mankind.

View Billy Alsbrooks on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3GqhGiB

The profound and prolific work of Billy has led to him being one of the most sought-after motivational speakers in the world. With a unique style of uplifting inspiration backed by masterful artistry and music, he is known around the world for being a champion for mankind and soaring example of how one can overcome the most difficult of life’s challenges.

“The way you handle crises, trials and tribulations will reveal to the world who you really are,” Billy reflects.

As a world influencer, multi-award-winning poet, and former Billboard charting recording artist, Billy has created a massive movement that is taking the world by storm. His viral motivational messages have currently been streamed globally more than 70 million times in 170 nations and his top selling book “Blessed and Unstoppable: Your Blueprint for Success has been sold in over 31 countries. In 2019, Billy was awarded an honorary doctorate in Humanities for his massive impact around the globe.

As the voice of a generation, his use of poetry intensely stirs the emotions of all ages across mankind. He’s more than just a motivational speaker, he’s a motivational artist. The speaker’s charismatic booming voice and thought-provoking words shake the foundation of every venue in which he speaks. NFL teams and major corporations all over the world hire Billy to come speak to their organizations.

From the tragedy of his own father’s passing to the rise and rebirth of his existence, Billy as an artist and successful entrepreneur has become an unstoppable force in the motivational speaking industry. In the ensuing years, a significant number of notable fans from YouTube to book readers have loyally followed him and his Groundbreaking mission to enhance the quality of life for millions around the world.

Further tour dates include February 4th in Washington, D.C., February 11th in Atlanta as well as additional national and worldwide touring dates throughout 2023.

For more information, please visit www.blessedandunstoppable.com For bookings please visit, https://bit.ly/3jRfOYr About Billy Alsbrooks Keynote speaker Dr. Billy Alsbrooks Jr. is the #1 Motivational Artist in the world. His charismatic booming voice, profound delivery, and thought-provoking words shake the foundation of every venue in which he speaks. NFL Teams and major corporations all over the world hire Billy to come speak to their organizations.

His passion, fire, and intense energy are extremely contagious. This enables him to effectively instill hope, usher in mindset shifts, transform corporate culture, and instigate massive personal breakthroughs almost immediately in his listeners.

As a world influencer, multi-award-winning poet, and former billboard charting recording artist, Billy has created a massive movement that is taking the world by storm. His viral motivational messages have currently been streamed globally more than 70 million times in 170 nations and his top selling book “Blessed and Unstoppable: Your Blueprint For Success has been sold in over 31 countries. In 2019, Billy was awarded an honorary doctorate in Humanities for his massive impact around the globe. Currently, Dr. Billy Alsbrooks is on the Life Changing “Blessed and Unstoppable World Tour.”

For more information please visit: www.billyalsbrooks.com January 2023

85

86

LEGENDS OF THE 80'S BY ARTIST GORDON HOLLIDAY

25A

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

January 2023

87

25A

A digital diary of today comes to life with

Japanese Artist Takuma Tanaka

By Steven Mitchell

A

Digital Diary of Today Comes to Life with Japanese Artist

A new 4000-square-foot gallery of the Wall Art Gallery in the heart of

Takuma Tanaka by Steven Mitchell

Wynwood is designed for site-specific installations, art exhibitions, artist commissions, and more. The Wall Art Gallery approach

Tapping into the societal trend of the newfound emergence of artistic

engages the global art community bringing international artists,

self-reflection and investigating contemporary personal stories of his

global creative leaders, and emerging and established voices to the

subjects while rejecting modern notions of technology in his artwork

forefront. Integrating a multi-faceted approach, the gallery provides

Takuma Tanaka has produced a new digital diary for the ages.

a fresh view of today's latest global contemporary art studios' practices and artwork.

With his inspiration from the Warhol Diaries and Jean Michel Basquiat, Tanaka journaled daily entries to bring his audience further

The inaugural exhibition HOLOGRAM: The Whole Story, curated

into his creative process and artistic adventures while traveling the

by Rachel D. Vancelette, looks at how holograms replicate how

United States. The artist appears often on local Japanese TV, telling

humans interpret light to perceive the world in three dimensions.

stories of his daily activities in today's profound digital age. Tanaka,

The Greek translation 'HOLO' meaning "whole," and 'GRAM' which

like many artists, continues to post daily on social media outlets

translates to "story" inspired a curatorial presentation focusing on

and disperses personal details on digital platforms for the world

'The Whole Story.' The exhibition taps into the current conversations

to see immediately rather than execute a traditional written artist's

in art studios today on progression and contemplation. The show,

diary. Bringing Art x Technology to the forefront of information speed

accompanied by a catalog, investigates experimental avenues, new

and access, profound questions arise. Will this information ever be

and old technology and contemporary art practices taking a deeper

archived in future libraries for future generations or will forever be a

dive into the lesser-known aspects and forward-thinking processes

digital footprint online? Time will only tell!

of artists' studios today.

Takuma embraces newfound stories and experiences and takes

The exhibition is on view now until February 13th at The Wall Art

one on his insightful journey of the last few months of arriving in the

Gallery 50 NW 27th Street, Wynwood Miami, Groundfloor. | https://

United States. While traveling in New York and Miami, he encounters

www.thewall-artgallery.com

new friends and strangers with the destination intended to arrive at his first group art exhibition in the United States at the Wall Art Gallery in Wynwood, Miami.

88

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

November 19 | "Graffiti experience after MIKE171's exhibition" "I went to see a graffiti artist I knew who was having an exhibition. I was shocked because I learned about a world that can't be summed up in one word: 'graffiti'. On my way home, I saw a wall with graffiti art all over it, so I stick some paper to the wall and drew on it, then someone came up to me and said he wanted one.

I gave him one of the three sheets I had drawn and left others. When I crossed the road, another person peeled it off and threw it into the bin. I felt happy that they had taken an action on my drawings rather than sad that they had thrown it away."

-Takuma

December 1st | "Sotheby's Institute x Miami: Alumni Cocktail Party" "I went to The Wall Art Gallery, where my group exhibition was being held.

People from Sotherby's institute of art were invited to this party, where I have connected with the artists and art professionals. One of them was a graduate of the school.

He is fluent in Japanese. According to him, he goes to Japan at least once a year.

I asked him a reckless question, "If you compare my artworks to okonomiyaki*, is it Osaka-style Or Hiroshima-style?". He answered "Hiroshima

style! Because this painting (it is using collage and various materials) has so many layers!".

I was admired at his nimble reply. Even Japanese pepole would not be able to do that.

I was surprised at his quick-witted reply, which even a Japanese would not have thought of. *Okonomiyaki: Japanese savory pancakes.

Osaka-style mixes all the ingredients at once and cooks the dough. Hiroshima-style layers the various ingredients on thin dough (never mixes them)."

-Takuma

December 2nd | "Private Opening Celebration" "In the evening, a reception party was held to artist, gallery staff and others. Many collectors attended more than yesterday.

My largest artwork stood out in the room, and it was a combination of various materials, many people asked me about the true theme, background story and the materials . All the participants have enjoyed the delicious catered meal. Wynwood area was very busy and it was such a lively evening that it was difficult to catch an Uber."

-Takuma

January 2023

89

25A

ARTIST JOHN LITTLE AMERICAN, 1907-1984

Sinhala. Tempera on canvas, 1970. 56 x 60 inches. Signed and dated lower left, Signed, titled, Dated verso. Provenance: The Estate of the Artist

90

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

Resolution. Oil on canvas, 1957. 50 1/2 x 82 3/4 inches.

Signed, titled and dated verso. Provenance: The Estate of the Artist.

Exhibited: Bertha Schaefer, New York, 1958 (label verso). American Federation of Arts Exhibition, Nov. 1959

January 2023

91

25A

Arcata. Acrylic on canvas, 1963. 44 ¾ x 44 ¾ inches. Signed and dated upper right. Provenance: The Estate of the Artist

92

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

Arago. Oil on canvas, 1974. 60 x 46 inches. Signed lower left. Provenance: The Estate of the Artist

January 2023

93

25A

ARTIST MAJA DLUGOLECKI Maja Dlugolecki (b. 1992) is a polish-american painter based in los angeles. with a background in design and music, her work draws from experiences and impressions in her own life through an abstract lens. maja’s intuitive paintings feature layered washes and a variety of textures, creating movement and emotion through bold pigments. with an ever evolving palette and method, maja enjoys experimenting and challenging new ways of expression through technique. each piece reflects a specific personal moment in time. in lieu of a daily journal, maja assigns past recorded thoughts to her titles. she feels this process best reflects the emotional elusivity of a moment and how time to reflect provides a clearer understanding of the self.

94

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

As My Mind Wanders #2

January 2023

95

25A

MAYGAN THOMPSON

M

aygan Thompson is an award winning filmmaker currently serving as Supervising Producer and Editor on the iHeartRadio show “A MoMent of Xen”, a multi-platform show centering around indulgent discussions with host, icon, and millennial mom, Xen Sams, and a crew of diverse guests that build out a complex pool of knowledge on film, fashion, pop-culture, cannabis, health, fintech, and cryptocurrency (Saturday nights 9-10 p.m. EST on 710 WOR / The Voice of New York / iHeartRadio).

“Working on “A MoMent of Xen” continually expands my worldview. Xen has created a platform in which every field collides in a foolproof, educational and entertaining manner where both herself and her guests bring a massive amount of knowledge to the table. I am lucky to act as both a viewer and member of this show.” - Maygan Thompson

The Brooklyn based, Vermont raised head of all things post production is far from new to the world of non-scripted content– compounding her formal education at the Savannah College of Art and Design, and over half a decade’s worth of professional experience, with an in-depth love of the ever evolving world of doc and otherwise human narratives.

Thompson has most recently taken home the award for Best Commercial from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, in addition to being nominated for Best Editor and Best Director for her branded content work (co-writer, producer, director and editor).

Life is all about the connections you make and those connections can be made in a variety of beautiful ways, even through the cutting of video.

Working on “A MoMent of Xen” has given her the opportunity to meet an incredible array of individuals with an endless amount of knowledge within a diverse group of topics. She’s worked with top influencers, CEOs, experts, brand ambassadors, and most importantly strangers who no longer feel like strangers because of the countless hours she has spent with their words and stories. She finds herself energized by the neverending cycle of guests and constant excitement of building a new connection.

While she’s built a vast portfolio in narrative, documentary, and commercial work she finds herself most passionate in the cutting room working with the incomplete sentences, rambling, and plethora of “uhs” and “ums” of real people telling real stories. Growing up she first became involved with video as an editor at her local public access channel where she discovered the magic of finding her own voice in other’s voices. As an editor she aims to find a unique yet seamless way to weave together the stories those around her intend to tell. Just as watching a film is a journey, the process of editing one is a similar journey within itself; full of conflict yet, ultimately, resolution. She finds being in such a pivotal role as she dictates the viewers’ own personal journey with the film to be both an honor and trust she recognizes as nothing short of special.

Inquisitive, energetic, and bound for exponential success, it should go without saying that Maygan Thompson is one to watch out for on the other side of the screen.

Follow along at www.mayganthompson.com

96

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

"People need banking, not banks.

I love OGPAY for just that."

-Xen Sams Millenial Mom, IHeartRadio & TV Host 'A MOMENT OF XEN'

January 2023

97

25A

AN AFFAIR

WITH SKINCARE

F

achie Market was created in 2020 by 15 year skincare expert Lauren Fache (Fachie) while working in her Miami formulation lab. Being surrounded by luxury skincare, and as a skincare manufacturer (knowing the actual cost to make each item), Fachie set out to create a fair and transparent marketplace. Fachie Market was created as a clean one-stop-shop for all consciously priced skincare and wellness products sourced and created directly by her lab to consumers. Its in-house brand called Fachie features skincare, body care as well as local brands whose ethos align with the new standard.

What makes your products different?

“Being the manufacturer for so many of Amazon’s top sellers, dermatologists, influencers, etc. gave me the understanding necessary to create my own product line which I consider to be of uncompromised quality. When I say “uncompromised”, it means that we always use the highest quality ingredients in our products, regardless of the cost involved in their production. Another unique point is that we develop and manufacture our products in the US, from start to finish, allowing us to control the process and to give you the best quality products on the market.”

How do you connect with your community?

“At Fachie Market, we want to help build conscious communities by supporting and connecting with other clean brands. This is precisely why we align with brands and their founders who share our passion, authenticity, and reflect our genuine love and care for their customers and our planet.

We also have been hosting clean beauty workshops at places like SoHo Beach House, Casa Tua members club, and Life House Hotels. It’s a lovely interactive experience where we set up a long beautiful brunch table and walk women (and men) through curated clean beauty routines for their skin type and explain how it benefits and works for them. It’s wonderful to be able to teach and grow with your customers.”

What makes your company conscious and eco-friendly?

“Our containers are made of recyclable glass, our boxes are hemp, and our packing paper are post-consumer recycled materials. We use either PCR or recyclable materials to leave as little of a footprint as we can on our beautiful planet.

We also donate 1% of our proceeds to one tree planted which is dedicated to global reforestation. Their goal is to plant trees to help restore nature and its biodiversity. They also raise awareness about the importance of trees, offer businesses like ours a simple sustainability solution, and motivate younger generations to do something positive for the environment Check out our Instagram: @fachiemarket

98

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

Photography Tara Quinn Article Tara Quinn Editor Brandon Staudinger

An Affair with Skincare

fachie

All Organic Skincare Line

January 2023

99

25A

INTERVIEW WITH

DR. SHAGHAYEGH DENOBLE

W

omen’s health AND wellness are important, yet it is often overlooked and undervalued. That’s why Shaghayegh DeNoble, MD, a gynecologic surgeon and sexual health expert, decided to start her own private practice in New Jersey 8 years ago. “I always dreamed of creating a space where I can help women of all ages achieve optimal health, from the young adults who are in high school or college, to the busy mother dealing with changes in her sex life, to the professional woman who is struggling with menopause symptoms.”

“I always had a passion for women’s issues and the upliftment of women worldwide, and ultimately I chose obstetrics and gynecology (OB/Gyn) as the specialty to pursue after medical school. Unfortunately, I found that most OB/Gyn practices were volume-driven and didn’t allow the time I knew was necessary to treat the individual woman or address her complex concerns.” This motivated Dr. DeNoble to start her private gynecology practice, Advanced Gynecology of North Jersey, in 2015 after practicing general OB/Gyn for 5 years. While she loved delivering babies, giving up the obstetric portion of her practice allowed her to spend more valuable time helping women in the other aspects of their lives.

Dr. DeNoble has successfully treated thousands of women for issues related to their sexual and gynecologic health including fibroids, chronic vaginal pain, sexual dysfunction, problems related to menopause, and aesthetic problems of the vagina including enlarged labia. In addition to mainstream treatments, Dr. DeNoble also offers newer technologies such

100

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

as vaginal lasers, radiofrequency, and platelet-rich plasma treatments that can be very effective alternatives or additions to medications or surgery.

Dr. DeNoble’s educational background is extensive. She graduated with honors from Boston University with a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and earned her medical degree from the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 2005. After medical school, she completed residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the St. Luke’sRoosevelt Hospital Center, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, in New York City and went on to complete the rigorous Fellowship in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery. She is also trained in cosmetic vaginal surgery from The Labiaplasty and Vaginoplasty Institute of America.

Dr. DeNoble is board-certified by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and is a member of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists (AAGL), The North American Menopause Society (NAMS), and the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health (ISSWSH).

For more information about Shaghayegh DeNoble, MD, FACOG, visit www.advancedgynnj.com or Dr. DeNoble’s Instagram @yourgyndoc.

She is accepting new patients and consultations at her modern office in Wayne, NJ.

“As a native New Yorker, I see many issues we are facing in our community. We need safer streets, better access to public transportation, and healthcare for our loved ones. Let's open the dialogue and listen to our neighbors. ” – Todd J. Stein, Community Advocate

TODD J. STEIN

Throws His Hat in the Ring as District Leader

Elder Care Advocate Has Learned From the Best

I

By Adam Kluger

t was an interesting couple of years for Todd J. Stein; especially time spent “learning from the best”, Stein said describing volunteer work he did for Democratic candidates Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, newly elected Assembly Member Alex Bores, and Governor Kathy Hochul. Over the past 2 years, after spending time with our hardworking elected officials, advocating for his parents, and volunteering at the Lenox Hill Senior Center, Stein became passionate about advocating for others.

When he first needed help for his parents, his first calls were to Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright and Senator Liz Krueger. Their staff provided guidance to Stein. He realized issues he and his parents faced were intergenerational.

Stein learned about the important work District Leaders do, and in the past 6 months, has been asked numerous times, “What is a District Leader?” When he further researched this role, he realized he is a perfect fit for this position. And since his birthdate overlaps two generations (Generation X and Baby Boomers), he relates well to these 2 large generations and understands their needs. Stein was born in 1965 at New York Hospital. He was raised in the same building since he turned six, at East 68th and 2nd Avenue, just a few blocks from the hospital. This neighborhood has been his home his entire life.

Stein said, “I would be honored if I were elected District Leader of AD76 Part A to represent my community.” Additionally, Stein fostered relationships with several elected officials and has huge respect for their work; including Assembly Member of the 76th District, Rebecca Seawright, Manhattan Borough President, Mark Levine, and Council Members, Keith Powers and Julie Menin.

They work hard for the community. Stein said “I look forward to doing the same!”

Stein’s goal is to gain endorsement from the Four Freedoms Democratic Club. Stein found he shares interests with many members, especially those relating to eldercare and civic engagement.

Stein’s campaign has over a dozen small businesses (in the East 60s and 70s) already endorsing his campaign. Marlene Schneider, Stein’s Campaign Manager, said “It will be the first time that Todd is campaigning for himself. Over the past year, he canvassed, door knocked and participated in phone banks, etc. He’s well suited for the role; his appeal is he’s approachable and cares about the neighborhood.” “Now it’s time to petition for my election so I can help upper east siders, and I am looking forward to it,” Stein said with confidence.

For more information please visit: https://www. toddjstein.com/

Todd Stein and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney

Todd Stein and Governor Kathy Hochul

January 2023

101

25A

ADAM KLUGER PUBLIC RELATIONS

Celebrates Twenty Years of Excellence, Creativity & Integrity

O

n November 23rd, 2003 Adam Kluger Public Relations launched into unchartered waters with a 300+ person party at Planet Hollywood in Times Square, featuring 6 live bands, costumed characters from Troma films and a mermaid (actress Maria Setaro) wearing a $10,000 rubber tail flown in from Northern California just for the event. AKPR was originally known as Bonehead Public Relations and the name was a perfect fit for a rag-tag bunch who thought outside the box and looked at running a PR firm as part performance art and part intuition. For about a year prior, I had gone back and forth from freelancing as a television writer producer (Fox5NY, MSNBC, E! News) and trying my hand as an independent publicist. One of my first clients in 2002 was a highschool pal who wrote a novelty book called "The Guide to Picking Up Girls" After helping promote the book over the course of a few months, the book peaked on the Amazon Best-Seller list at #77.

That was after a second Howard Stern Radio Show appearance and after Jay Leno's producer saw some funny late night commecials we had written/cast and produced for the Guide that Jay featured on The Tonight Show.

Publicity didn't seem that hard. Even kind of creative and fun.

The motto then was "Excellence, Creativity & Integrity." Along the way, we have all been blessed to have developed trusted friendships and life-long relationships that we will always cherish. Here's an old article on AKPR written by New York Times reporter Diana Greenberg...so honored and grateful that all the folks mentioned in this interview are still dear friends and a big part of our inner circle. Thank you all so much! -AK

102

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

Adam Kluger Public Relations: Over a decade of Big Bottom-Line Results Adam Kluger recalls picking up garbage in Central Park with his classmates from Horace Mann School as part of a good citizenship project when he was about five years old. The endeavor became much more exciting for him when a TV cameraman started filming the group.

He was eager to see himself on the evening news.

“I guess I should have realized then that I would either become a garbage man or work in TV,” he joked in a recent interview in which he talked about the 12 year odyssey of his Manhattan based public relations firm that bears his name (www.adamklugerpr.com) (also known as AKPR). He opened AKPR in November 2003.

Mr. Kluger had more than a decade of media experience before he took on the challenge of running a PR firm. After earning a liberal arts degree from Vassar College, he spent ten years as a writer and producer for CNN. He was also an independent and contract producer for a couple of years, working for major television stations, such as Fox5 , MSNBC and E! News. He revealed that his interest in public relations as a career came to him through a serendipitous encounter.

“A former classmate wrote a self-published book and asked me to help publicize it,” he explained. “I was able to get him 30 placements, including an appearance on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”

That success led Mr. Kluger to begin his new career. After hosting a party with six bands at Planet Hollywood at Times Square to launch his new

The motto then was "Excellence, Creativity & Integrity." Along the way, we have all been blessed to have developed trusted friendships and life-long relationships that we will always cherish. Here's an old article on AKPR written by New York Times reporter Diana Greenberg...so honored and grateful that all the folks mentioned in this interview are still dear friends and a big part of our inner circle. Thank you all so much!

-Adam Kluger

firm with the assistance of lighting guru, friend and future client, Bentley Meeker (www.bentleymeeker.com), he got down to business. He surrounded himself with talented leaders who he employs on a contract basis. “We have a rotating staff of about 15 people ranging from senior publicists to interns, depending on my current clients’ needs,” he said. “Our award-winning senior PR Team led by Mark Goldman and Robyn Stevens is among the best in the business–They are efficient, accountable, loyal and they somehow manage to make me look smart every day.” “They honor me daily with their friendship and trust and I am devoted to all of them as on-going strategic business partners.”

With his fluctuating staff, Mr. Kluger has provided multi-dimensional, individualized public relations services for more than 100 clients, averaging about five to 15 clients at a time. His services include a full range of solutions: traditional and social media placements, managing corporate reputation and strategic communications, event management, web design and search engine optimization, and media branding campaigns resulting in improved market share and big bottom-line results.

With a relatively small client base, AKPR is able to give each client maximum time and attention. “My fees are at the boutique PR firm level, but our results are on par or better than larger firms,” Mr. Kluger said. He credits his clients and several mentors for helping him to learn the “art and science” of public relations, as well as the ins and outs of running a small business. Mr. Kluger is thankful for many business mentors, including his client, Brian Drum, CEO of Drum Associates, an executive search firm (www.drumassociates.com), and Jay Levy, a business development advisor who was a recipient of Crain’s New York Business Top Five Entrepreneurs to Watch in New York. (www.uproot. com) AKPR has provided services for a large variety of clients, from authors, top doctors and CEOs to small and medium-sized businesses. Mr. Kluger is particularly pleased to work with Brain Balance Achievement Centers, which offers a program to help children with ADD/ADHD, dyslexia, or Asperger’s syndrome to overcome behavioral and learning difficulties. The centers have grown in number from five to over 60 with Mr. Kluger’s help. “I am especially devoted to my clients who make the world a better place,” he said.

January 2023

103

25A

One of AKPR’s first clients, Subin Associates, LLP, a personal injury law firm (www.subinlaw.com), has stuck with AKPR through the years as the recipient of abundant media placements. “Adam Kluger Public Relations got us more press coverage in a week than my firm has gotten in 20 years,” said Herb Subin, Esq. He added that Mr. Kluger is a ”pleasure to work with, has great insight, and is a real gentleman.”

discovered how to manage and get through the storms.” Kluger adds, “if it wasn’t for my family and good friends having my back during the tough times–I never would have made it this far or for this long.”

Bill Tush, who worked with Mr. Kluger at CNN but is now retired and works as a freelance entertainment journalist, also has been a client with AKPR since the firm’s beginning. “Adam keeps my name out there,” he said. “Sometimes I’ll do four of five media interviews in a row. We’re friends and sometimes I’ll call Adam on Sunday just to say hello, and he’ll start thinking of places to pitch.” PopCap, maker of video games, has been a “huge client” in terms of revenue.

AKPR recently pulled out all the stops for the company, with a major broadcast tour, satellite radio tour, and celebrity Twitter campaign. (www.popcapgames.com)

“One rule in our office is that we treat each other with kindness and respect,” Mr. Kluger said. He also allows his young internal staff to be independent and work the way they see fit. He joked, “Everyone is their own boss, and I’m their assistant.”

On a more serious note he said, “The secret to being a good leader is to be a good role model, to care about people, and to help them realize their potential and achieve their goals.” Lauren Shepland, who worked at AKPR as a publicist and office manager for about a year while she was a student at Sacred Heart University, said she has Mr. Kluger to thank for her landing a “fantastic job” at Bridgewater Associates, the world’s largest hedge fund, upon her graduation.

“Working for Adam was a great experience,” she said. “I learned about the tools and work skills I needed for a PR position.”

Mr. Kluger defines success for his clients as “achieving their goals” – whether they are media placement, web design, branding, or any mix of PR objectives. He affirmed that the most important measure of success is getting big bottom-line results. He is more philosophical about his own success. He said, “It has been a challenge to keep the business going, especially during the recession.” He offered an analogy: “My team and I have been in the eye of the hurricane, but we’ve been in a lifeboat where everyone is equal, and we’ve

Currently an event manager at a popular hotel, Karina Mkrtchian said she “learned everything about public relations from working at AKPR,” adding, “Adam would say, ‘I’m here to help you find and release your inner greatness.’ I always thought that sounded kind of cheesy, but I realized he was absolutely right. Adam helped me discover what I was good at and use it to the best of my abilities.”

That was also true for Bernadette Marciniak, who started working at AKPR as an intern when she was a student at Montclair State

104

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

University, eventually becoming a publicist handling social media, design work, and photography. She said Mr. Kluger noticed that she had artistic talent and helped her to develop it. She went on to work as a photographer for North Jersey Media Group, owner of the Bergen Record, but she still works for AKPR as a freelance photographer and publicist. “ “I’m really proud of all the members of our inner-circle over the past 12 years– Millenials may lack experience– but they are also tech-savvy super-stars, who are smart and tough. I like to be surrounded by young people who are unafraid to take risks, to develop new skills and offer a fresh perspective. That ethos has always been vital to who we are as a company.”

Mr. Kluger also gave some thought to his own job satisfaction.

“Like journalists, public relations practitioners usually work on a deadline, and every day is different. You find structure out of chaos, and you tell a story, solve a problem. There is a feeling of pride in that. Then the next day is new again, and you’re challenged again, meeting new people, solving new problems.”

“Ultimately, it’s my job to help people–and nothing beats that.”

Mr. Kluger would not give any definite predictions about the future of his company, but he said, “I hope that if my sevenyear-old son Robbie reads this article in the future he will know I believe that my greatest accomplishment is being his Dad.” Asked if he would like Robbie to choose public relations as a career, Mr. Kluger replied, “I want him to be happy, to do something worthwhile, and to share his talents and joy with the world. I want his motivation to be love. The reason anything is worth doing is because of love.”

To learn more visit: www.adamklugerpr.com Adam Kluger PR – Public Relations Firm New York City January 2023

105

SPOTLIGHT with Julianne Michelle

25A

From Mommy’s Heart

O

n Friday, October 21, 2022, global business leaders, philanthropists, socialites, and celebrities came to support Mommy’s Heart to benefit abused and neglected children and families struggling through the family court system. Mommy’s Heart is the only organization of its kind providing much needed legal and mental health services to eligible families suffering retaliation by their abusers for reporting violence. The evening included cocktails,

dinner, dessert, a silent auction, and live entertainment by cellist Chris James and celebrity comedian Dan Nainan in a private Fifth Avenue residence in Manhattan’s upper east side. The event was generously catered by Amaranth Restaurant. Appetizers included lentil vinaigrette caprese salad with mixed green vegetables accompanied by thin crispy focaccia with robiola cheese from Amaranth’s brick oven. Guests were served entrées of Lobster ravioli alla vodka, mediterranean branzino filet with spinach,

Mommy’s Heart, Inc.: Mommy’s Heart is a 501 (c) 3, which provides free legal representation and mental health services to fit mothers and children, who have been subjected to intimate partner violence and have been victimized by the civil rights violations of the family court system. Mommy's Heart provides much needed resources to eligible parents, so that no parent ever has to fear losing a child to their abuser for reporting violence.

Connect @mommysheartfoundation www.mommysheartfoundation.com mommysheartinc@gmail.com 106

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

Assemblywoman Rebecca Seawright, Julianne Michelle, Charles Guria Esq., and Barbara Tate Photo credit: Michael Ostuni/Patrick McMullan Company

Myles von Trapp, Eliza Williams, Rianna Polin, Julianne Michelle, Renee Yuting, Noelle Dunphy, Dr. JP Farrell, Brett Peck, Michael J. Golia, Esq.

baby chicken poussin with mashed potato and asparagus, and veal scallopine alla provençale with jasmine rice. Alcohol for the evening was generously provided by McCabes Wine & Spirits.

Guests enjoyed gift bags by Diptyque of scented notebooks, coasters, and signature fragrance. Other sponsors included Le Maison du Chocolat, Serafina, Custom Candle Company, Zitomer, Eros Flowers NYC, and Morton Williams Supermarkets.

The host committee included Sean Stone, Billy Bob Thornton, Sally Kirkland, Charles Matthau, and Florence Anthony. Guests included Assemblywoman Rebecca Seawright, representing the East Side of Manhattan, former District Attorney Charles Guria, Esq., Dr. JP Farrell, and Craig Herskowitz, Esq. Board members, Michael J. Golia, Esq., Myles von Trapp, Lorraine Silvetz, MSW, Paige Bluhdorn, and Noelle Dunphy were also in attendance.

Additional notable attendees included Joycelyn Engle and Joseph Di Palma, Edward Drengot Stroh, Andrew Reese, Julia Lindenthal, Eliza Williams, Miss China USA, Renee Yuting, Rianna Polin, Brett Peck, Art Hotz, Diane Poole-Chessin, Nicole J. Chessin, Esq., Dr. Robert Silvetz, Alec Andronikov, Farzana Niemann, Barbara Tate, Dr. Awadhesh Gupta, Eleanor Vale, Esq., and Chanel Korby.

Photographers for the evening included Michael Ostuni/Patrick McMullan Company and Jeff Smith.

Mommy’s Heart is honored to report its alliance with Assemblywoman Rebecca Seawright, who announced her endorsement of Mommy’s Heart and that she will work with the organization to create new legislation to support human rights.

Lorraine Silvetz, MSW, Director of Mental Health Services at Mommy’s Heart and Executive Director of Global Stress Initiative under the auspices of the International Committee Against Mental Illness (ICAMI) announced, during the evening, the positive results

received by a Mommy’s Heart client after a one month's treatment for PTSD utilizing their non-invasive protocol, individualized transcranial magnetic stimulation (iTMS). This treatment, valued at over $12,000, is administered at a Global Stress Initiative clinic affiliate in Syosset, New York, five days a week, for 40 minutes each day and includes 3 EEGs or brain scans in the first month of treatment. In their experience, they've had 99% efficacy treating PTSD for the military, domestic violence and other survivors of trauma.

“I am proud to be on the board of a nonprofit that is much needed in America today. Not only does domestic violence need to end, but the court needs to stop re-victimizing us,” said board member Noelle Dunphy.

Actress Julianne Michelle (Reeves Stroh), LMSW, founder and executive director of Mommy’s Heart, urged guests to please reach into their heart and their wallet to donate what they could afford to give to this 501(c)3 that hits close to home, as many board members suffered from domestic violence or had parents who abused or neglected a spouse or the children. “There are so many wonderful causes. However, our children here at home are in crisis, and we need to take action now. Failure is not an option. We are so grateful to Assemblywoman Rebecca Seawright and DA Charles Guria for their support and attendance. We are so grateful to all those who donated to our cause.”

The evening raised significant funds for abused and neglected children and families.

To learn more how you mommysheartfoundation.com

can

help,

please

visit

www.

January 2023

107

25A

Through the Lens Whether it is a magazine cover, a charitable cause, or a special occasion, the photographers with Annie Watt.com make an occasion more memorable. Annie and her associate photographers embody the essence of professionalism, seamlessly moving through any assignment with finesse and an innate ability to capture the moment at its heart. To book a photographer, contact annie@anniewatt.com

ANNIE WATT anniewatt.com

AKTIONART AT JANE HOLZER'S WAREHOUSE

108

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

COCKTAIL PARTY FOR THE MUSEUM OF DEMOCRACY

AKRIS PALM BEACH COCKTAIL PARTY

January 2023

109

25A

HOLIDAY HOUSE DESIGNER SHOWHOUSE OPENING NIGHT

FRENCH HERITAGE GALA

110

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

PHOEBE DICKINSON EXHIBITION HOSTED BY ANN NITZE

MARC ROSEN HOSTS COCKTAILS AND CONVERSATION JOAN COLLINS

January 2023

111

AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE LOUVRE GALA

25A

ANNIE WATT AGENCY VIRTUAL FUNDRAISING EXHIBITION

112

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

MoviesMakingADifference Swank Farms Benefit

S

wank Farms kicked off their season with a SOLD OUT benefit for MoviesMakingADifference on November 13. The Harvest Hoedown had the whole party up and dancing to the sensational sounds of Philippe Harari & His All-Star Country Band along with Mark Paulino, everyone's favorite line dance instructor.

But this wasn't any old BarBQue. 6 courses were elegantly prepared farm to table by some of the top chefs in Palm Beach County.

Guests got to meet Ruby Jessop from Netflix' "Keep Sweet...". Ruby and her family were adopted by MoviesMakingADifference when they escaped the FLDS 12 years ago. Ruby told the audience that she "wouldn't be here had it not been for my MMAD Family".

It was such a success that it's already on the calendar for next fall!

Lavinia Baker, Guest of Honor Ruby Jessop, & Julia Rosengren January 2023

113

25A

AUDREY GRUSS & KATHERINE LANDE

HOST KICK-OFF FOR SHOP FOR HOPE THREE-DAY SHOPPING AT SFA PALM BEACH BENEFITTING HDRF

A

Photo: Katherine Lande, Bibi Siegel, Audrey Gruss

Audrey Gruss, founding chair of the leading non-profit Hope for Depression Research Foundation (HDRF), hosted a luncheon at Le Bilboquet to gather local HDRF supporters to plan Shop for Hope – a collaboration with Saks Fifth Avenue and the luxury brand Aquazurra -- to benefit the charity.

Shop for Hope will take place at Saks in Palm Beach from Wednesday February 15 through Friday, February 17; the three-day event will be open to the public, and a portion of all sales storewide will go to HDRF’s urgent biomedical research into clinical depression and anxiety.

Bibi Siegel, VP/General Manager of Saks Fifth Avenue Palm Beach, and fashion stylist Katherine Lande were featured guests at the planning luncheon. They confirmed that the highlight of the Shop for Hope event will be a private cocktail reception on Wednesday, February 15 with Edgardo Ossorio, designer and owner of Aquazurra, who will display his latest handbag and shoe creations. Invitation only.

114

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

Shop for Hope will lead up to HDRF’s Fifth Annual Race of Hope, a 5K Run/Walk in Palm Beach on Saturday, February 18 at 8 am. To join the Race of Hope, go to: PalmBeach.RaceOfHopeSeries.com.

Audrey Gruss said: “Depression is the Number One cause of disability worldwide, and rates of depression have tripled in the U.S. due to the pandemic. I am moved by the support and leadership of Saks Fifth Avenue in Palm Beach to address one of the most important humanitarian and public health issues of our day.”

“We are honored to support Audrey Gruss and the ongoing mission of Hope [for Depression] to raise funds for scientific research into the origins, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of depression,” said Saks Fifth Avenue VP General Manager Bibi Siegel. “We applaud the significant impact the organization has made in this community and beyond.”

In addition to Audrey Gruss, Bibi Siegel and Katherine Lande, attendees of the planning luncheon included Martin Gruss, Scott Snyder, who

Luce Churchill, Tom Quick, Nicola Marcus

Scott Snyder, Hollis Pica

Caroline Malik, Omeed Malik, Bettina Anderso along with Audrey Gruss is Co-Grand Marshal of the 2023 Race of Hope; Hollis Pica, Junior Co-Chair of 2023 Race of Hope; Maura Landers and Race of Hope committee members, Kevin Condon, Tom Quick, Nicola Marcus, Heidi McWilliams, Caroline and Omeed Malik, Clelia Zacharias, Sharon Bush and Bob Murray, Luce Churchill, and Bettina Anderson.

For more information on "Shop for Hope" contact Katherine Lande at klande@klstyleinc.com For more information, please visit: www.hopefordepression.org

About HDRF

HDRF was founded in 2006 by Palm Beach resident and philanthropist Audrey Gruss in memory of her mother Hope, who struggled with clinical depression. Today, HDRF is the leading nonprofit organization focused solely on advanced depression research into new and better treatments for the illness. The World Health Organization has declared depression as the leading cause of disability worldwide, and yet conventional medications today are outdated and do not fully work for 50% of patients.

The mission of the HDRF is to spur innovative neuroscience research into the origins, medical diagnosis, new treatments, and prevention of depression and its related mood disorders bipolar disorder, postpartum depression, post-traumatic stress

Sharon Bush, Tom Murray

Heidi McWilliams, Clelia Zacharias

disorder, anxiety disorder, and suicide. To date, HDRF has provided more than $50 million through over 200 grants for breakthrough depression research that promises to transform the way depression is viewed, diagnosed, treated and prevented.

Currently, HDRF has a potential new class of medication in pilot clinical trials at Mount Sinai Medical Center, Columbia University, and Stanford University.

January 2023

115

25A

SAMUEL WAXMAN CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION 25th Annual Collaborating for a Cure Gala raises over $6m

By Ann Grenier Photo Credits: Jared Siskin/PMC / Rob Berry/BFA / Jared Siskin/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images Honoring Two Giants in the Fight Against Cancer- Samuel Waxman, M.D. Chief Executive Officer and Founder, and Michael Nierenberg, Chairman of the Board, Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation (SWCRF)

T

The 25th Annual Collaborating for a Cure Gala, one of New York City’s favorite charity events celebrated its silver anniversary at Cipriani Wall Street. The “fun-raiser as opposed to fundraiser” as described by Michael Nierenberg raised more than $6 million towards the goal of funding the next five years of crucial SWCRF cancer research programs such as the Partnership for Aging and Cancer Research Program, the SWCRF Institute Without WallsTM, and the Women’s Cancer Research Program.

The Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation is an international organization dedicated to curing and preventing cancer. The Foundation is a pioneer in cancer research and its mission is to eradicate cancer by funding cutting-edge research that identifies and corrects abnormal gene function that causes cancer and develops minimally toxic treatments for patients. Through the Foundation’s collaborative group of world-class scientists, the Institute Without Walls, investigators share information and tools to speed the pace of cancer research. Since its inception in 1976, the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation has awarded more than $100 million to support the work of more than 200 researchers across the globe.

Following a cocktail reception across the street, guests made their way to the main dining room where emcee, CBS’s Chris Wragge, welcomed the more than 700 guests, introduced the evening’s honorees, and highlighted many of the Foundation’s groundbreaking achievements over the past 50 years. “Tonight, we have a great program to celebrate two giants in the fight against cancer”, said Wragge.

Upon receiving the Vision and Leadership Award, SWCRF Board Chairman Michael Nierenberg commented, “The real honorees are Dr.

116

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

Waxman and the great heroes like him who treat and cure cancer every day.”

Founder and CEO Dr. Samuel Waxman, who received the well-deserved and long-overdue Lifetime Achievement Award, spoke to his vision (goal) for a future in which cancer does not have to be a disease associated with aging. “The incidence of cancer is increasing, in part, as a by-product of improvements we are making in human longevity,” said Dr. Waxman.

“But through our collaborative research programs, we can flatten this curve. I am thrilled to be a part of many amazing breakthroughs that have occurred in cancer research – with more to come.”

Special guest, author and breast cancer survivor, Musa Mayer, shared why she has been a longtime supporter of SWCRF and very generously offered a $1 million match for all donations made during the gala. “I will be celebrating my 80th birthday soon thanks to the work of this foundation and Dr. Samuel Waxman,” said Mayer.

As in previous years, the Collaborating for a Cure Gala included a live auction during the night’s festivities, including a meet and greet with MT. JOY, culinary experiences at the Cipriani Vault, il Buco Vita, and New York Vintners, and a Palm Bay Italian Winery experience (in Tuscany) to name a few. There was also a raffle for a private 7-day Bahamas cruise aboard an 82-foot, hybrid-powered, luxury yacht.

Notable attendees include SWCRF Board Chairman Michael Nierenberg, Founder and CEO Dr. Samuel Waxman, Gala Event Chairs, Spencer Waxman, Nicholas Santoro, Baron Silverstein, Marc Taub and Gala MC, Chris Wragge, Elin Nierenberg, Marion Waxman, Sandra Dugoff, Julie Waxman, Eliz Waxman, Jack Waxman,

Sophia Bergan, Mario Pecoraro, Chris Arlotta, Mark D. Friedman, Jeremy Hoffman, Sara Waxman, Bettina Waxman, Scott Waxman, Bryan Griffin, Katya Tolstova, Nadja Sayej, William T. Sullivan, Erica Fineberg. Robin Lathrop, MT. JOY.

Known for its history of top-notch live performances, this year’s gala featured a live concert by MT. JOY. For more information, visit waxmancancer.org.

January 2023

117

25A

PROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION NEW YORK GALA

RAISES $4M FOR PATH-BREAKING CANCER RESEARCH PROGRAMS

By Harry Brads

The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) 26th Annual New York Dinner took place at Restaurant Daniel in New York City, raising $4 million to support its research programs.

T

he Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world’s leading philanthropic organization dedicated to funding life-saving prostate cancer research.

Founded in 1993 by Mike Milken, PCF has raised close to $1 billion in support of cutting-edge research by more than 2,200 research projects at 245 leading cancer centers in 28 countries around the world. Thanks in part to PCF’s commitment to ending death and suffering from prostate cancer, the death rate is down by over 50% and countless more men are alive today as a result. PCF research now impacts more than 73 forms of human cancer by focusing on immunotherapy, the microbiome, and food as medicine.

The end-of-the-year benefit supported PCF’s programs and celebrated the millions raised and achievements made in the past quarter-century through the PCF. The charitable organization founded by Michael Milken is dedicated to identifying and funding groundbreaking cancer research programs.

The memorable evening welcomed leaders in medicine, top research scientists, and distinguished New York City socialites. The gala began with a lively cocktail reception and the lavish dinner party with Master Mentalist Oz Perelman gave way to a special musical performance from Idina Menzel.

Michael Milken and Charles Ryan’s update on the work of the Foundation encompassed the on-going work of the PCF’s Young Investigator (YI) program as well as the PCF’s inaugural TACTICAL (Treatment According To Intercept Cancer Lethality) Awards which aim to develop new therapies against the most life-threatening forms of prostate cancer.

Additionally, the Home Run Challenge (HRC) partnership with Major League Baseball (MLB)

118

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

was highlighted, which has participation from every MLB Team of which some of the team owners (Larry Baer (San Francisco Giants), Jerry Reinsdorf (Chicago White Sox), Thomas Ricketts (Chicago Cubs), Mark Walter (LA Dodgers) and long-time PCF Ambassador (and former New York Yankees Manager) Joe Torre were present.

Idina Menzel rose to fame for her role as ‘Maureen’ in the popular Broadway musical RENT, and her career took off when she won a Tony Award for her role as ‘Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West,’ in the smash musical, WICKED. She will reprise her leading role as ‘Elsa’ in the highly anticipated release of Disney’s Frozen 2 in November and join Adam Sandler, Eric Bogosian, Lakeith Stanfield and Judd Hirsch in the Safdie Brothers’ A24 film Uncut Gems.

Notable attendees included: Michael Milken, Charles Ryan, Daniel Boulud, Master Mentalist Oz Perelman, Special Musical Performer Idina Menzel, Rob Citrone, Cindy Citrone, Thomas Ricketts, Cliff Robbins, Darius Bikoff, Andrew Tisch, Ann Tisch, Mark Walter, Jerry Reinsdorf, Joe Torre, Ali Torre, Larry Baer, Larry Leeds, Ginger Leeds, Eric Schmidt, John Paulson, Alina de Almeida, Jill Bikoff, Neil De Feo, Sandy De Feo, Igor Tulchinsky, Tom Lee, Daria Barry and Bonnie Pfeifer Evans.

Oz Perelman’s unique blend of mentalism and mind-reading create an interactive experience that redefines the very nature of a magic show. Oz has appeared on a variety of both national and international networks including NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, The TODAY Show & ABC World News plus has been profiled in Forbes and The New York Times, to name a few.

Learn more at www.pcf.org.

I: prostatecancerfoundation | T: www.twitter. com/PCFnews | F: www.facebook.com/PCF.org

January 2023

119

25A

SHIELDING OUR WARRIORS:

HEALING FOR HEROES GALA HONORS JEAN SHAFIROFF, SASF’S PATRICIA DESHONG AND THE DORIS DAY ANIMAL FOUNDATION

By Peter Elston

O

peration Warrior Shield (OWS) held their Healing for Heroes Event in support of Military Veterans and First Responders at The Water Club in New York City which honored Jean Shafiroff, Philanthropist and author of Successful Philanthropy, The Doris Day Animal Foundation accepted by Jim Pierson and Patricia Deshong of the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation.

Operation Warrior Shield is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, whose primary mission is to provide comprehensive support programs for service members, veterans and first responders, with a focus on “Healing Their Hidden Wounds” through no-cost holistic wellness services.

Chief Master Sgt. Ed Schloeman, Chairman and CEO of Operation Warrior Shield commented on the aims of the organization, “Our goal is to provide specially trained, loving and supportive canine companions to veterans and first responders and their families who live with physical and emotional injuries incurred during their time in service." Bethann Carbone, CSO of Operation Warrior 120

Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

Shield explains, "We developed Operation Canine Companion because veterans are committing suicide every day. We know how important healing from trauma is. OWS' Operation Canine Companion pets provide safety, camaraderie, unconditional acceptance, and a unique emotional support that helps reduce the stress and challenges that our heroes face every day."

The evening commenced with a cocktail hour and silent auction before the start of the program led by the Chairman of OWS, CMSgt (Retired) Edward Schloeman Sr. Opening the ceremony was the USMC Color Guard from 1st Marine Corps District and an invocation by Monsignor Hilary Franco, who has had the distinction of serving six Popes.

There were presentations on the importance of supporting the work of the charity to help reduce suicide risk amongst veterans by Paul Bucha, Congressional Medal of Honor recipient. Deputy Inspector Mark Wachter and Lt. Col. Wilem Wong of NYPD Health & Wellness discussed the challenges faced by first responders. A live auction by Auctioneer Rudy Saviano sought to raise funds to help provide trained dogs to veterans.

Photo Credits: Sean Zanni/ Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

OWS then presented awards to the honorees of the 2022 Healing for Heroes; Jean Shafiroff, Philanthropist and author of Successful Philanthropy: How to Make a Life By What You Give.

The Doris Day Animal Foundation accepted on behalf of the Foundation

by Jim Pierson.

Ms. Patricia Deshong of the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation.

Amongst the notables who Attended were; Jean Shafiroff, CMSgt Ret. Ed Schloeman, Pat Deshong, Monsignor Hilary Franco, Medal of Honor Recipient Paul Bucha, Deputy Inspector Mark Wachter NYPD, David Tupper & Yellin, Judge Jeanine Pirro, Lorri Scott, Marvin Scott, Nene Kodjoe, Rebecca Seawright, Tatyana Horoshko, Judy Gilbert, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Luigi Nicolae, Michelle DellaFave, Barry Fixler, Patric Hale, The Honorable Randall Eng and Jim Pierson.

Organizations sponsoring the Healing for Heroes Gala included: The Doris Day Animal Foundation, David Lynch Foundation, Interstate Toyota, Helen Buford, John Legere, Pharmasphere, Soho Johnny, American Legion Post 1291, Beyond Steel, Ray Brumfield, Francesca De Vito, Barry Fixler, Elisabeth Halfpapp, Jobpaths, Patrick Kernan, Teddy Maldonado, NYPD Health and Wellness Section, Anthony Rodriguez, Edward Shloeman, Schloeman Family, Jean Shafiroff, Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation, T-Mobile, John Walsh, Wendy Waugh, Westgate Hotel, Wilem Wong and Veterans Airlift Command.

Healing for Heroes wanted to extent special thanks to: Judy Shloeman, Michael Heil, Bethann Carbone, Sarah Strauss, Errol Rappaport and Maria Rodriguez.

For more information, visit www.operationwarriorshield.org and follow @operationwarriorshield on Facebook

January 2023

121

25A

Natural Beauty. Expert Craftsmanship.

V IEW OUR SPECTACUL A R COLLECTIONS IN PR I NC E T ON and PA L M BE AC H THE NEW ROLLS-ROYCE GHOST Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC, P.O. Box 1227, Westwood, NJ 07675-1227 Tel: 1-877-877-3735 www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com PRINCETON PA L M BE AC H PA L M BE AC H G A R DE N S © Copyright Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. The Rolls-Royce name and logo are registered trademarks.

H A M I LTON J E W EL ER S.COM

@H A M I LTON J E W EL ER S