PARK VE
JAY
McInerney
ON HIS NEW NOVEL &
HIS MUSE, NEW YORK CITY
When I first started in the fine jewelry business more than twenty years ago, I designed a line of men’s cufflinks. They were worn to a special event or occasionally with a suit to the office. Now, I design a variety of jewelry for formal events and for everyday. Men are wearing suits again to the office and cufflinks are very popular along with tie bars and clips. Brooches are worn in addition to tuxedo studs and cufflinks.
Sh e r y l Jo n e s JEWELS
for him “It’s an exciting time as a fine jewelry designer because men aren’t just buying fine jewelry for loved ones, they are buying it for themselves too.” – Sheryl Jones www.SherylJonesJewels.com
PARK VE
VOLUME 5. NO.1
28 MICHELLE GRACE
F E AT U R E
18 JAY MCINERNEY 28 MICHELLE GRACE H E A LT H & B E A U T Y
34 RACHEL LEE LOZINA 36 DR. MICHAEL HALL 38 MIKE HAN 40 MARCELLA HYMOWITZ 42 BLUSHINGTON BEAUTY LOUNGES 44 MONTAUK MAN PROFILE
46 ARTHUR AIDALA 54 SHABNAM & SHAGHAYEGH SAFARZADEH 60 MARTHA COHEN STINE 62 SYDNIE CHRISTMAS 64 CARL BOYANTON 66 TMPO 68 ALAN HAMEL 70 HEINZ HOLBA
Contents
PARK VE
VOLUME 5. NO.1
Contents
S H E LT E R
72 TARA ZIMMERMAN 74 THE HUDSON VALLEY DINING
84
BERIMBAU BRAZILIAN TABLE
76 SAVERNE 78 MUSAAFER 80 WAYAN 82 CHATTI 84 BERIMBAU BRAZILIAN TABLE ESCAPES
86 CHANTILLY 92 LA CONCHA 94 THE CONDADO VANDERBILT 96 ROYAL SONESTA 98 WAVES TO WINE S O C I A L S A FA R I
100 SOCIAL SAFARI
PUBLISHER & FOUNDER Christopher A. Pape EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & CO-FOUNDER Julie Sagoskin
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR & CO-FOUNDER R. Couri Hay
ART DIRECTOR Phuong Truong
EDITORAT-LARGE George Wayne
SENIOR EDITOR Christine Montanti
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT Michael Gross
FEATURES EDITOR Bennett Marcus
SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR Patrick McMullan
ASSOCIATE EDITORS Lexi Wolf, Lauren Bens & Gwen Kozlowski
LIFESTYLE EDITOR Lynn Kane
TRAVEL EDITOR Joe Alexander
ARTS EDITOR Janis Gardner Cecil
ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR Oliver Li
ASSISTANT EDITORS W.A. Muller & Ryann Reynolds
INTERIORS EDITOR Cara Gibbs
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Sergey Gordeev, John & Jayne Mayer, Lisa Loverro, Jeremy Murphy
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Mike Ruiz, Bob Giglione SALES TEAM Lisa Stiehl National Sales Manager 914.760.6875
lisa@parkmagazineny.com
Maria Coyne Director of Florida & Caribbean Sales 305.975.9234 mecoyne@mecoyneinc.com
Scott Pauker Advertising Sales Manager 917.859.1343
scott@parkmagazineny.com
Siobhan Shea Rossi National Sales Manager 914.374.0710 siobhan@parkmagazineny.com
MCaseMedia, Inc. Publisher’s Representative 914.953.3202
info@mcasemedia.com
PARK is published four times annually by Park Avenue Magazine LLC. Copyright 2021 by Park Avenue Magazine LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material from this issue is expressly forbidden without permission of the publisher. Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs are welcome on an exclusive basis, but must be accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. Reasonable care in handling manuscripts and photographs will be taken, but PARK cannot be responsible for unsolicited materials submitted. Printed in the U.S.A. *This issue features paid for sponsored content and covers provided by outside sources. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact Christopher Pape at: christopher@parkmagazineny.com
Editor-inChief’s Letter
N
ow that cozy chic season is upon us, it’s time to escape to your favorite autumnal destination and get lost in our Fall Issue which offers behindthe-scenes access to the who’s who of fashion, beauty, wellness, and even tech and business. As the world continues rapidly changing, we are trying our best to keep up with the changemakers and trends which will carry us into the next chapter of our ever-evolving and hopefully more luxe landscape. Four decades after introducing the world to his famed characters, Russell and Corrine Calloway, Ian McInerney has closed the chapter on his latest and last installment of his four-part tetralogy with See You on the Other Side. Readers have followed the couple, who have aged alongside McInerney along the way, from the 80s through 9/11, and now, a post-pandemic New York. Since entering the literary scene in 1984 with Bright Lights, Big City, the author has explored just what makes Manhattan move, no matter what it might face. McInerney is also set to launch a new column for Air Mail called “The Last Vice.” In another author spotlight, we are so excited to feature children’s book writer, Michelle Grace. Her first book, I’m Right Here, was a deeply personal children’s book inspired by her daughter, Mira, and detailed her experience of becoming her mother. After receiving much critical acclaim, Michelle is now exploring her creative juices once again and releasing a single, this time about reconnecting with herself. Michelle, who has been in and out of
14 | parkmagazineny.com
the music business since she was a teenager, realized that everyone was trying to create her voice, but now, she feels empowered to decide who she is for herself. Attorney Arthur Aidala is making it his mission to create a legacy beyond the courtroom. The defense attorney, legal analyst, and radio host, who has worked on numerous celebrity cases, knows that his firm, Aidala, Bertuna & Kamins, PC, which works cases in numerous areas of the law, is going to outlast even him. Over the years, they have become known for working with high-profile defendants, as well as on complicated cases, and continues to pride itself on being a different kind of law firm. With the holiday season already right around the corner, you might want to invest in an unlimited beauty membership at Blushington, where you can indulge in so many blowouts and makeup applications, it might just make you blush. We also spoke with British singer Sydnie Christmas, who will make a series of U.S. appearances following a successful feat on Britain’s Got Talent in 2024, and invite you to explore our favorite destinations around the world. Have a fun, fashionable and festive Fall!
Julie Sagoskin Editor–in–Chief
Combining the unexpected with the respected. Traditional techniques, gold and gemstones meet vintage Bakelite and other remarkable materials.
Editor’s Letter
A
s the warm weather settles in, longer days and sunshine invite us to slow down and step outside to embrace the best of the season. From outdoor dining and weekend getaways to neighborhood festivals and leisurely walks, summer offers countless opportunities to reconnect with family, friends, and our communities. In this issue, we celebrate the achievements of remarkable individuals, the energy they bring, and the optimism they inspire. Alongside their stories, you will find other compelling features and ideas designed to help you make the most of the season. Featured in this issue is Ukrainian-born professional dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy, best known for his remarkable 17-season run as a professional dancer on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars (DWTS). Chmerkovskiy has pivoted into an exciting new chapter in his career, starring in the vertical drama series Wild Silence. In the scripted series, he takes on the powerful role of Jack, a widower grappling with profound loss while navigating an unexpected journey of personal transformation. Kristie Reeter has been a familiar and trusted presence on News 12 Bronx, covering breaking news while cultivating a distinctive voice in lifestyle journalism.
16 | parkmagazineny.com
Last fall, Reeter shifted gears, stepping into a new role as host of News 12’s beWell, a program dedicated to making everyday living healthier, easier, and more informed. Be sure to check out her feature article where she shares more about her career journey, her passion for storytelling, and her work on beWell. Also featured in this edition is Tara Zimmerman, who consistently demonstrates that in the high-end real estate market, the most valuable asset isn’t a property, it’s trust. This guiding belief has earned Tara a respected and highly sought-after reputation in Long Island’s luxury real estate industry, whether representing buyers or sellers. Tara is a top-producing Associate Broker at Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty. I hope you continue to enjoy the warm weather and all the outdoor activities the season has to offer. I look forward to connecting with you again inside the pages of the next issue of Park Magazine.
Christine Montanti Senior Editor
W W W.VERDURA.COM
DOUBLE HOOP TORSADE EARCLIPS, $26,500 • THEODOR A PENDANT BROOCH, $58,500 BYZANTINE PENDANT BROOCH, $49,500 • THREE STONE RING, $24,750 • CURB-LINK BR ACELET WATCH, $54,500
Jay McInerney (PHOTO PMC)
JAY MCIN 18 | parkmagazineny.com
FEATURE
INERNEY ON HIS NEW NOVEL & HIS MUSE, NEW YORK CITY BY R. COURI HAY
parkmagazineny.com | 19
Anne Hearst McInerney & Jay McInerney (PHOTO PMC)
Jay McInerney & Maisie McInerney (PHOTO PMC)
Gary Fisketjon, Jay McInerney & Morgan Entrekin (PHOTO PMC)
Gavin Lurssen, Fran Drescher, Anne Hearst McInerney & Jay McInerney (PHOTO PMC)
F
See You on the Other Side or more than four decades, Jay McInerney has been writing about the same city and the same temptations, while also contemplating the question of how to grow older without losing what makes life so enticing in the first place. His new novel, See You on the Other Side, suggests he may finally have an answer. Or, at least, a reckoning. The book, published this summer, closes the long-running saga of Russell and Corrine Calloway, the Manhattan couple who have aged alongside McInerney himself. It is the fourth and final installment in a series that has tracked the pair from the glitzy 1980s through 9/11, the financial crisis, and now into the eerie stillness of pandemic-era New York.
20 | parkmagazineny.com
Dan Aykroyd & Jay McInerney (PHOTO PMC)
Jay McInerney & Fran Drescher (PHOTO PMC)
FEATURE
From Bright Lights to the Silence of Lockdown McInerney burst into the literary scene in 1984 with Bright Lights, Big City, a novel that captured the cocaine-fueled excess and glamour of downtown Manhattan. It helped define a generation and situated the young McInerney as a literary wunderkind, chronicling and partaking in the era’s decadence. Since then, his fiction has returned over and over again to New York’s social labyrinth with trademark pitch-perfect satirical wit and spot-on observational skill. But where the early work was all buzz and appetite, the later novels have slowed into something more reflective. The Calloway series, especially, has become a kind of New York-centric study of marriage, privilege, and the passage of time.
Pandemic Reckoning In See You on the Other Side, McInerney sets his characters in the early days of 2020, just as the first hints of the Covid-19 pandemic began to disrupt the rituals of Manhattan life. Protagonists Russell and Corrine Calloway, now in their sixties, are no longer the glamorous couple navigating ambition and marital bumps. They are instead confronting aging, illness, and the fragility of the world they built, now threatened by the larger forces reshaping the city around them.
Trip to Ireland
Jay McInerney (PHOTO PMC)
We caught up with McInerney just after he’d returned to New York from a trip to Ireland with his children, 32-year-old twins John and Maisie. “It was great,” McInerney says. “They’d never been to Ireland and they’re very interested in their heritage, which is, in their cases, half Irish.” While there, they experienced a “heat wave” with temperatures as high as 70 degrees. “In Dublin, that’s considered tropical,” he explains, adding, “I see it’s back down into the 50s now.”
parkmagazineny.com | 21
FEATURE Rufus Wainwright, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, Anne Hearst McInerney & Jay McInerney (PHOTO PMC)
Jay McInerney & Carmen Dell’Orefice (PHOTO PMC)
Griffin Dunne, Brooke Shields & Jay McInerney
Jay McInerney, Benedicte de Montlaur & Laurie Anderson
(PHOTO PMC)
(PHOTO PMC)
Although he’s of Irish heritage, McInerney has only visited the country a handful of times throughout his life, but notes that some of the country’s illustrious writers have been inspirations. “James Joyce is so much a part of the Irish literary scene,” he says. A visit to the Irish Museum of Literature was a revelation, with displays and quotes from all the great Irish writers, including some of the more recent ones like Sally Rooney, the 35-year-old author of Normal People and other bestsellers. “It’s really amazing how much literature they’ve produced for such a small country. There are only six million people in the country, less than the entire population of New York City.” On his last day there, he participated in the Dublin Literary Festival, which was a great success. “Good audience, good response, a nice event.”
22 | parkmagazineny.com
The Odeon The Odeon, the iconic Tribeca restaurant, appeared on the cover of Bright Lights, Big City back in 1984, and has materialized in all of McInerney’s novels since. In a way, the author and the restaurant have had parallel lives. McInerney, now 71, arrived in New York in 1979 and is still turning out highly praised novels. And remarkably, The Odeon, opened in 1980, is still going strong 46 years later, a rare longevity in the New York restaurant world.
1980, the restaurant that would define Keith’s career, I firmly declared to both of them that it would never, ever work. It seems impossible to imagine now, but Tribeca in those days was desolate, a little scary. But they, along with Keith’s first wife, Lynn Wagenknecht, did make it work, and so much of what made The Odeon appealing was due to Keith, his ruthless wit, his unassuming instinct for hospitality. He was cool, honest, and fun.”
In 2025, when The Odeon co-founder Keith McNally published his memoir, I Regret Almost Everything, Anna Wintour, who had befriended McNally and his brother, Brian, in the 1970s, wrote in her Vogue editor’s letter: “When he and Brian told me of their plans to open The Odeon in
“I started going there the first year it was open,” McInerney says, claiming he had no idea the restaurant would end up on the cover of his book. It was a twist of fate when the cover artist settled on The Odeon’s facade after reading a chapter set in the popular restaurant. “The Random House lawyers got
Jay McInerney (PHOTO PMC)
freaked out and said to me, ‘Look, you’ve got to get permission. People are doing drugs in the bathroom in your book.’” Indeed, during our conversation, McInerney recalled snorting cocaine with artist Jean-Michel Basquiat in The Odeon’s bathroom. McInerney’s friend, publisher Morgan Entrekin, knew Keith McNally, the owner, and arranged for them to meet. “Keith McNally heard me out and basically thought ‘nobody’s going to read this stupid book,’ and gave me permission,” McInerney says. McNally recounted in his memoir that about six months after their meeting, he was walking up Fifth Avenue and saw a huge display of Bright Lights, Big City with The Odeon on the cover in the window of a bookstore. “So we’ve had many arguments since about whether he owes me money or I
owe him money,” McInerney laughs. “I like to say that I put his kids through college and he likes to think that somehow he’s owed money.” However, he says, it is hard to overstate The Odeon’s significance, particularly in the first five years, when it was a real gathering place for the art world, the fashion world, and the Saturday Night Live crew. “It was really something. I mean, you’d go in there and see Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Christy Turlington, and all. And I have to say that in those early days, I was an observer more than a participant, but yeah, it was kind of groundbreaking.” McInerney later held a 25th anniversary celebration for Bright Lights at The Odeon, and then, more recently, bought out the
restaurant for the See You on the Other Side launch party in collaboration with Air Mail, Graydon Carter’s digital publication. His wife, media heiress Anne Hearst McInerney, was the night’s glamorous hostess. An oenophile, McInerney personally curated the wine selection for the book launch. New Air Mail Column In addition to publishing his newest novel, McInerney is launching a new column for Air Mail, called “The Last Vice.” He’s been writing wine columns for various prestigious publications since 1996, beginning with House & Garden magazine, followed by four years at the Wall Street Journal, “until they decided they couldn’t afford me anymore,” and then for Town & Country when Jay Fielden was running the magazine. Town & Country lost interest under a new EIC, and now McInerney
parkmagazineny.com | 23
Deborah Wiley, Anne Hearst McInerney & Jay McInerney (PHOTO PMC)
Jay McInerney, Anne Hearst McInerney, Eloise DeJoria & John Paul DeJoria (PHOTO PMC)
Jay McInerney & Candace Bushnell (PHOTO PMC)
Jay McInerney, Anne Hearst McInerney & Eric Ripert (PHOTO PMC)
Lili Anolik & Jay McInerney (PHOTO KATHRYN ZUCKERMAN)
Barrett McInerney, Jay McInerney & Maisie McInerney Jay McInerney & Nicole Miller (PHOTO PMC)
24 | parkmagazineny.com
(PHOTO PMC)
FEATURE
Robert Zimmerman & Jay McInerney (PHOTO PMC)
is approaching the column in a different way. “When Air Mail proposed it to me, I thought this is a chance to reinvent it, and so I’m writing a much looser, more general thing about food, wine, restaurants, nightlife, parties.” The column will appear monthly.
1980s New York Literary Brat Pack Along with fellow authors Bret Easton Ellis, who published Less Than Zero in 1985 at age 21, and Tama Janowitz, who was 28 when Slaves of New York came out in 1986, McInerney was part of a literary ‘brat pack’ of young authors defining the 1980s. The three were often mentioned together, and their escapades in the New York social swirl were tabloid fodder in that era. We co-hosted many late night parties together and I gave them all book parties, including a memorable one at the much missed 21 Club. I also remember the night I piled Jay, Tama and Chris Reeve, aka Superman, into my white 1965 Mercedes convertible, and Chris sat up on the back seat like a prom king as we rode through Times Square. I’ll save the drug stories for my memoir.
McInerney recalls one instance when he and Ellis were at a nightclub and went into the bathroom to do some coke. “Page Six immediately decided that we were having sex. And I thought, what’s the world coming to when two guys can’t share a bathroom and do some coke without starting all these rumors?” People even confuse McInerney and Ellis. McInerney has appeared as characters in several of Ellis’s books, including American Psycho and Glamorama. “I think his point was if the critics are going to say that we’re sort of interchangeable, then he’s going to interchange the characters.” McInerney wasn’t thrilled with his character’s portrayal in Ellis’s Lunar Park. “What I was mad about was that he compared us to the Brat Pack of the ‘50s, except that he was Frank Sinatra and I was Peter Lawford, which I thought was pretty rude. If I was going to be anybody, either Frank Sinatra or Dean Martin, but not Peter Lawford,” he says. “Hey, I was the one who
came first. I mean, seriously, Bright Lights was published in ‘84, and his first novel wasn’t published till ‘85, and it’s kind of rude to ride my coattails.” The two men have stayed in touch and get together when McInerney visits Los Angeles, where Ellis now lives. McInerney is no longer in touch with Janowitz, who, he says, is peeved at him for saying in an interview that writers should not do paid advertisements because writers are paid to be truth tellers. “I personally had turned down some ads, and Tama had been in some. I think she was in a vodka ad and something else. Anyway, she was quite furious at me about that, so we haven’t spoken. I only learned this when she was interviewed sometime later.” New York City Then and Now Janowitz left Manhattan for upstate New York. Of the three, McInerney is the only one who has never left New York City, though he does spend time in the Hamptons. “I will never stop coming into the city because I love it. And even if New
parkmagazineny.com | 25
FEATURE William Boggs & Jay McInerney (PHOTO PMC)
Jade Jagger & Jay McInerney (PHOTO PMC)
Anne Hearst McInerney, Patrick McMullan, Alison Mazzola & Jay McInerney (PHOTO PMC)
York is very different than when I first arrived, it’s still New York. Where the hell else would you go? I love John Updike’s remark; he said that a true New Yorker is someone who thinks that anyone who lives anywhere else must in some sense be kidding.”
New York, he notes, has changed a lot. When McInerney first arrived in 1979, everything interesting was happening downtown. There was the music scene on the Lower East Side, with punk and new wave bands like Blondie, the Ramones, Television, and the Talking Heads converging at CBGBs. Painting was being almost reinvented in Soho with gallerists like Leo Castelli and Mary Boone discovering artists like Eric Fischl, David Salle, and Julian Schnabel. “I knew both Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring,” says McInerney. “When I lived in the East Village in the very
26 | parkmagazineny.com
George Farias, Alison Mazzola, Anne Hearst McInerney & Jay McInerney (PHOTO PMC)
early ‘80s, they were around. Basquiat was drawing things on the sidewalks and Haring was doing things in the subway, and you could see them.” Basquiat once tried to sell him a painting at 1 A.M. “He wanted $500 or $600 for this painting; obviously he needed to visit his dealer. But unfortunately, whatever he owed his dealer was more than I had in my pocket. It would probably be worth about $20 million now, but back then it was possible for artists and writers and poets and dancers to rent cheap apartments in areas that were then considered very marginal.” The nightlife in those days was also exceptional. “Lots of these big empty spaces were occupied by nightclubs, which people like
me and the artists and the musicians frequented. And it was kind of a magical scene in many ways.” Things changed once the AIDS crisis sliced through the creative community in a big way. “But I would really say that New York in the ‘80s, before AIDS, was a sort of magical place for creativity. And that was the period that I wrote about in Bright Lights, Big City.” With gentrification, he notes, nightlife is no longer centered in Manhattan but spread throughout Brooklyn and beyond. Double-edged Early Success Having an unusually successful first novel has been both a blessing and a curse. On the positive side, it enabled McInerney to live
full-time as a writer. He didn’t need to take on teaching jobs to support himself over the years. On the other hand, that wildly popular first book has often overshadowed his others, even among those in the industry. “A lot of people just want to focus on my first book and some of the people who have written about my subsequent books have kind of been angry about the success of Bright Lights, or somehow felt that I didn’t deserve it, or Bright Lights didn’t deserve it,” he says.
Somebody stopped him on the street recently and told him they love his book. “And I’ve actually written 13 books, but I knew what that person meant was ‘I love Bright Lights, Big City.’ So it’s been a bit of an albatross for me, although it’s also the
book that gave me a big life and a big career and so on. So I’ve made my peace with Bright Lights, Big City.” Growing Old in NYC McInerney has said that he never expected to make it to old age because all his literary heroes – F. Scott Fitzgerald, Dylan Thomas, John Keats, Lord Byron – died by age 44. “When I was in my 20s, somehow I thought I would as well, but once you hit 40 or 45 and you realize that you’ve outlived some of these guys, then you sort of have to change your attitude toward life a little bit and say, okay, I’m in it for the long haul now. And I have.” Now, at 71, debauched nightlife is of no interest, and he concentrates more on health and fitness. “I’ve traded cocaine for fitness,” he chuckles.
So what’s it like living in New York, a city that worships the new and the young, at this age? He still finds Manhattan life rewarding, even though he’s no longer the it boy he was in his youth. “The good thing is I have more money so I can afford to live in a penthouse in The Village and go to Le Bernardin. And that’s something that I couldn’t do 30 years ago. I go to plays on Broadway now, something that I never would have done before. I go to museum shows more often than I used to. So, I mean, one’s life shifts away from nightclubs and toward other pursuits, but there are definitely compensations.” P jaymcinerney.com
Tama Janowitz, Jay McInerney & Bret Easton Ellis Sandra Ripert & Jay McInerney
(PHOTO GETTY)
(PHOTO PMC)
Wendy Stark & Jay McInerney (PHOTO PMC)
Jay McInerney, Anne Hearst McInerney & Dominick Dunne (PHOTO PMC)
Salman Rushdie & Jay McInerney (PHOTO PMC)
parkmagazineny.com | 27
FEATURE
Michelle
Grace
is Making Time for Herself, and Turning it into Art BY JEREMY MURPHY
M
ichelle Grace has spent the past few years discovering something she never expected: becoming a mother did not diminish her creative life. It brought it roaring back. First came I’m Right Here, the deeply personal children’s book inspired by her daughter, Mira, and the almost overwhelming experience of becoming her mother. The book is endorsed by Dr. Vanessa Lapointe and Dr. Yana Segal Sirotkin, Ph. D, Developmental Psychologist, Researcher, and Founder of Parenting Expert. Now comes “Me Time,” Michelle’s first song, a track about finding the space to reconnect with herself. There are more books coming, more music waiting to be released, and even an essential oil built around the bedtime ritual she created with her daughter. It may sound like several different ventures arriving at once. Michelle sees it differently. To her, they are all expressions of the same life. “Motherhood, music, writing, creating, conversations like this, they aren’t separate pieces of my life,” Michelle says. “They’re all connected. They’re all part of my ‘Me Time,’ because they’re part of my real, authentic life right now.”
28 | parkmagazineny.com
“Me Time” is not a declaration of independence from motherhood or a fantasy about temporarily abandoning responsibility. It is about making room for the person who exists alongside the mother. “‘Me Time’ isn’t about escaping my life,” she explains. “It’s about finding myself within the life I’m actually living.” The Music Was Always There “Me Time” may mark a new public chapter for Michelle, but music is hardly new to her. Long before she was writing books about motherhood, Michelle was writing songs. She was signed to management at 13 and spent years moving in and out of the music business. At 20, she wrote “Higher,” which became a No. 1 Billboard dance hit for Deborah Cox. There were record deals, studios, and encounters with some of the biggest names in music. Michelle recalls being signed by Jordan Schur, the music executive who led Geffen Records, and finding herself in studios with Timbaland and other major producers.
For a young artist, it was the kind of access that could look like a dream from the outside. Inside those rooms, however, Michelle often felt something was missing. “I would be in the studios with all these people,
and I’m like, this is just not it. This is not me,” she recalls. She was talented enough to get into the room, but too young to completely understand who she wanted to be once she got there. The music business came with opinions. People had ideas about what she should sound like, how she should dress, what she should like, and what kind of artist she should become. Michelle listened, as young artists often do, until the noise around her became louder than her own instincts. “You get really confused when you’re young, listening to all that,” she says. Years later, the difference is striking. With “Me Time,” there is no committee constructing Michelle. “I think just listening to myself more than ever,” she says of what has changed. She no longer feels the same pressure. The result, she says, is that the music that finally feels entirely her own. “This is just 100 percent me, which makes me feel so good.” Finding Her Way Back Michelle describes “Me Time” as pop, but the more important description is personal. The song grew from the same place as much of her
PHOTO BY UDO SPREITZENBARTH
parkmagazineny.com | 29
FEATURE
recent work: ordinary moments, emotions, and observations that begin taking creative form almost before she realizes what is happening. “Inspiration comes from just moments that you’ve lived through and that you’re feeling,” she says. “You just write to it, you hum to it. I mean, I’ve been doing this since I was a kid.” Sometimes a phrase arrives first. Sometimes it is a melody or a key that matches whatever emotion she is experiencing. Michelle thinks of music as emotional translation. “Each key brings out a certain emotion,” she explains. “I just kind of hum it or say a phrase and I’m like, ‘Oh wow, that’s the title,’ or ‘That’s the chorus.’”
To Michelle, the distance between writing a children’s book and writing a pop song is much smaller than it might appear. “It’s no different than writing a book,” she says. “You’re storytelling through a book and you’re storytelling through music. Same concept.” That may explain why both forms have returned to her life at essentially the same moment. Motherhood has not compartmentalized Michelle. It has integrated her. When she gets time away from the routines of being home with her daughter, she uses it to create. She writes. She thinks. She makes music. She talks about ideas. She lets herself wander creatively. “That’s my little ‘Me Time,’” she says. The message of the song itself is equally uncomplicated. “Let go and be free.” The Daughter Who Changed Everything If “Me Time” is about Michelle finding herself again, the paradox is that she credits someone else with making that possible. Her daughter. Michelle has described becoming Mira’s mother as the defining experience of her life. Mira came into her life through surrogacy, and Michelle has spoken openly about the complicated emotional process of creating their earliest bond. She immersed herself in early childhood development and learned to enter her daughter’s imaginative world through play. She sat on the floor. Toys received different voices. Walks became adventures. The ordinary became magical. That experience
30 | parkmagazineny.com
ultimately inspired I’m Right Here, Michelle’s debut children’s book, which will be published by Brown Books Kids on October 6.
The book uses the image of two stars finding each other in an enormous universe to tell a story about the connection between a mother and child. It grew from Michelle’s desire to preserve a feeling she knew could never be completely recreated once the moment had passed. “I wrote the book when I was completely in my feelings,” she has said. “It was an outlet for me to just be creative and express how I’m feeling and freeze a moment in time.” Mira’s arrival also changed Michelle’s understanding of fulfillment. “It’s honestly the peak of life for me,” she says of motherhood. “You can’t, I can’t get any higher.” Before becoming a mother, Michelle says, it was easy to imagine that happiness might exist in the next achievement or possession. “I thought maybe I needed all of that before, like all this material stuff,” she says. “When I had my daughter, I was like, ‘Oh, I made it.’” Then she adds the sentence that perhaps best explains everything she is creating now. “I love life because of her.” Turning Bedtime Into a Ritual The world of I’m Right Here is now extending beyond the pages of the book. Michelle has developed a USDA Organic, all-natural essential oil blend also called I’m Right Here, intended to accompany the book as part of a comforting bedtime ritual between parents and children.
The idea did not begin as a branding exercise. Like the book, it began at home. Michelle wanted to recreate the sense of consistency and connection she had developed during bedtime with Mira, when the repetition of familiar actions could signal that the day was ending and a child was safe, loved, and ready for sleep. Her hope is to encourage parents to establish rituals of their own, whether they use I’m Right Here or another beloved
PHOTO BY THERESA BALDERAS
bedtime story. The essential idea is pairing storytelling and closeness with a familiar scent and repeated routine. The blend contains certified organic lavender oil, sweet marjoram oil, green mandarin peel oil, Atlas cedarwood oil, patchouli leaf oil, Roman chamomile flower oil and blue tansy oil. The collection is planned in two forms: an undiluted essential oil blend and a roll-on diluted with organic coconut oil. The formulation has been reviewed by essentialoil safety expert Robert Tisserand and certified as KidSafe, pregnancy-safe, nursing-safe, and breastfeeding-safe. The concept has received the endorsement of Dr. Zeyad Baker, a pediatrician she came to trust after difficult experiences finding pediatric care in New York City. He’s the founder of Baker Health, and deeply appreciates the intention behind the essential oil, “Bedtime is more than getting a child to sleep, it’s about creating a sense of safety, comfort, and connection. I’m Right Here turns those precious minutes into a meaningful ritual families can return to night after night.” For Michelle, however, the product is ultimately less about the bottle than the behavior surrounding it. The purpose is to encourage a loving, consistent bedtime routine and strengthen the feelings of comfort, predictability, and connection that can come from those repeated moments between parent and child. It is another example of Michelle taking something intimate from her life with Mira and finding a way to preserve and share it. One Book Becomes Three Michelle is also discovering that I’m Right Here was not a one-time creative detour. It was the beginning. Her second children’s book, My Wild Imagination, is planned for Spring 2027. The story follows a little girl and her oversized, furry “Wild Imagination” through a world where puddles can become oceans, rainbows can become slides and butterflies have a language worth learning. A third title, Welcome Home, Little Fairy, is expected in the spring as well.
parkmagazineny.com | 31
FEATURE
Michelle is already thinking beyond the traditional boundaries of the page. She says My Wild Imagination is being developed with the idea of an accompanying puppet show. “I don’t want to give out too much,” she says, “but it’s supposed to come out with a puppet show. So I’m very excited for that.” There is an appealing circularity to it all. This Time, the Timing Is Right There is more music, too. Michelle has already recorded additional songs, though she is resisting the temptation to turn “Me Time” into a grand strategy before anyone has even heard it. “I have other songs that I’ve done as well,” she says. “But right now, I really just want to put out ‘Me Time’ because it just feels right.” For someone who entered the music industry so young, there is something liberating about returning without the urgency that often accompanies youth.
Michelle can look back now at the studios, executives, producers, and expectations of her earlier career without dismissing them. She considers herself fortunate to have had those experiences. They taught her something, even if she could not recognize it at the time. “I’m very lucky to have had the experience to work with all these great people,” she says. She simply needed to arrive at the point where experience and self-knowledge met. “Timing is everything.” That is the quiet thesis behind Michelle’s current creative explosion. At 13, she had ambition. At 20, she had success as a songwriter. She had access to extraordinary people and opportunities. What she did not yet possess was the confidence to filter all of that through a fully developed sense of herself. Now she does. When Michelle hears “Me Time” completed in the studio, she says it sounds the way she imagined it. That may seem like a small thing. For someone who remembers sitting in studios years ago thinking, “This is not me,” it is enormous. A Life Becoming Art Michelle has a particularly beautiful way of describing what happens when an idea finally becomes something tangible. “It’s like writing a book,” she says. “You’re getting to see what
32 | parkmagazineny.com
Michelle Grace (PHOTO BY UDO SPREITZENBARTH)
Tony Coluccio & Michelle Grace
Jordan Shur & Michelle Grace
Timbaland & Michelle Grace
Rick Steel & Michelle Grace
you are thinking, what you are feeling, and it comes to life.” And then it remains. “To have this treasure and to carry it through till you’re an old lady is the greatest gift.”
That idea connects nearly everything Michelle is doing. I’m Right Here preserves the feeling of falling overwhelmingly in love with her daughter. The bedtime collection
takes a private ritual and gives it physical form. My Wild Imagination celebrates the imaginative world Michelle rediscovered through raising Mira. “Me Time” captures the woman and artist who exists inside that world, not apart from it. For Michelle, motherhood and individuality are not competing forces. The love she has for
her daughter is precisely what reopened the creative part of herself she thought she had lost. “I feel like I had been blinded before her,” she said. “And now I’m so alive.” Instead of losing herself in motherhood, Michelle found a way back to herself through it. And now she is leaving a record of what she found. P michellegraceofficial.com
parkmagazineny.com | 33
BEAUTY & HEALTH
Rachel Lee Lozina (PHOTO COURTESY OF BLUE WATER SPA)
A
t a time when the beauty industry seems obsessed with bigger procedures, harsher treatments, and the promise of instant transformation, Blue Water Spa founder Rachel Lee Lozina has built her business on a very different philosophy: healthy skin should look natural, radiant, and lived-in, not overworked. That mindset has helped turn Blue Water Spa from a modest two-room operation in Oyster Bay into one of Long Island’s go-to skincare destinations, with a second location now thriving in Southampton Village. For Lozina, who opened her first spa at just 25 years old while raising a toddler, the expansion feels less like a business strategy and more like the natural evolution of a lifelong calling. “We opened in 2008 with two rooms,”
34 | parkmagazineny.com
Lozina says. “Flash forward 18 years later, we have 13 rooms. Looking back now, it feels a little crazy, but entrepreneurship isn’t really a choice. It’s something you’re called to do.” That instinct led her to launch the Southampton location in 2024 after years of encouragement from clients who spent summers in the Hamptons. When she asked where Blue Water Spa should expand, the answer was nearly unanimous. “They all said the Hamptons,” she says. “And when I asked which town, everyone said Southampton.” Lozina eventually found a standalone building in Southampton Village that had once operated as a thrift shop. She and her husband renovated the space themselves, transforming it into a sleek, modern spa focused on what she calls “result-driven non-invasive skincare.” “This is our second year out there, and the
momentum is really picking up,” she says. “The Hamptons wants nothing less than the best. It’s a very word-of-mouth community, so people come in, they tell their friends, and it grows organically.” This growth reflects a broader shift in the aesthetics industry, one Lozina has witnessed firsthand over more than two decades in skincare and medical aesthetics. Licensed since 2003 and trained at the Colorado School of Paramedical Aesthetics, she began her career working in luxury spas before moving into medical esthetics alongside prominent plastic surgeons in Manhattan and Long Island. But she noticed that these locations were either invasive medical spas or fluffy day spas, with an important middle ground missing. “The medical spa world was all injectables, numbing cream, downtime and pain,” she
Rachel Lee Lozina’s Blue Water Spa Proven Techniques, Long-Term Results BY JEREMY MURPHY
explains. “Then the day spa world was all fluff and what I like to call a glorified lotion application. I was always searching for this space in between.” That “in-between” was the foundation of Blue Water Spa’s identity. Treatments focus heavily on advanced technologies like microcurrent sculpting, LED photorejuvenation, EMSCULPT Neo, and the coveted Icoone Laser Body Sculpting system from Italy, designed to produce visible results without aggressive procedures or extended recovery time. “I always say we do New York City-style facials,” Lozina says. “Very elevated, nuanced, lots of machinery, but nothing invasive. It’s like a red carpet facial, something you do a day or two before an event and look spectacular.”
I know how to push the skin without going too far.” Rather than chasing every trend, Lozina says she relies on experience and intuition to determine what truly benefits clients long term. “I don’t want the newest hip replacement,” she says with a laugh. “I want the old-andgold hip replacement that’s stood the test of time.” That grounded perspective has resonated with clients seeking sophisticated skincare that prioritizes long-term skin health over temporary hype. It has also helped establish Lozina as a trusted voice in the industry, with features in publications including Glamour, Byrdie, Newsday, and Hamptons Magazine.
Her philosophy also stands in contrast to the increasingly aggressive treatments dominating the aesthetics industry.
As the wellness industry continues to evolve, Lozina is particularly fascinated by peptides and internal wellness as the future of skincare.
“Every machine that comes on the market gets crazier and more invasive than the next,” she says. “The needles go deeper. The downtime gets longer. But your skin is an organ. I see people who have over-exfoliated their faces or lost facial fat from high-energy devices. I think what differentiates me is that
“At the end of the day, you can do all the lasers and treatments you want, but if you’re unhealthy on the inside, it’s going to show. I don’t even consider myself an anti-aging person,” Lozina says. “I think it’s more about quality. I always compare it to a little black dress. You can have one that’s cheap, or you
Blue Water Spa (PHOTO COURTESY OF BLUE WATER SPA)
can have one that’s perfectly tailored and beautifully made. That’s what I’m trying to create for the skin.” For Lozina, skincare has never simply been about vanity. It’s about confidence, balance, and helping people feel like the best version of themselves, without losing who they are in the process. P bluewaterspany.com
parkmagazineny.com | 35
Dr. Michael Hall Is Changing the Way We Think About Aging BY JEREMY MURPHY
D
r. Michael Hall’s grandmother lived to 104. It sounds like a triumph – until he tells you the rest. “She had dementia for about 15 years,” he says. Fifteen years of a long life spent unable to recognize the people who loved her. To Hall, that number explains everything that’s wrong with how we talk about growing old. We keep score with the wrong statistic. For decades, the conversation around aging has fixated on the surface: erasing wrinkles, chasing miracle supplements, hunting for the next breakthrough injection. Hall thinks that entire framing misses the point. The founder of Hall Longevity Clinic in Miami Beach has spent nearly 40 years practicing medicine, more than two decades of it in longevity, and his new book, Infinite Youth: Solving the Aging Equation, makes an argument that sounds almost radical in an industry built on vanity: the goal was never to look younger. “It’s about staying healthy, energetic, and independent for as long as you can,” Hall says. That philosophy has drawn a notably eclectic clientele – Drake, Sir Michael Caine, Ryan Seacrest, Kodak Black, and former New York Giants linebacker Jonathan Beason among them. But Hall is quick to flatten the mystique. The principles that work for a touring musician or a pro athlete, he insists, are the same ones that work for everyone else. Looking Beyond Lifespan Hall’s training reads like a tour of American medicine: the University of Missouri–Kansas
36 | parkmagazineny.com
asking how to stay well rather than how to get patched up after they weren’t. The Aging Funnel At the center of Infinite Youth sits Hall’s proprietary framework, the Aging Funnel. Where the popular imagination treats aging as a genetic sentence handed down at birth, the model reframes it as an accumulation – thousands of ordinary choices funneling, day by day, toward how the back half of your life will feel. “The biggest misconception is that there’s some supplement or medication that’s going to change your life,” Hall says. “There is no magic pill.” What there is, in his telling, is the compounding interest of good habits.
The Ten Commandments of Longevity
Dr. Michael Hall (PHOTO COURTESY OF DR. HALL)
City School of Medicine, Weill Cornell, Memorial Sloan Kettering, New York University, and the University of Miami, where he completed a fellowship in Integrative and Functional Medicine. Clinical work abroad sharpened a conviction he’d been circling for years – that medicine too often shows up late, treating the fire instead of checking the wiring.
His alternative is a single, sticky idea: health span. Not how long you live, but how long you stay physically and mentally capable of enjoying it. It’s the gap between his grandmother’s 104 years and the 89 she spent as herself. COVID, he notes, quietly moved the culture in his direction. After a global lesson in fragility, more people started
Hall organizes those habits into what he calls the Ten Commandments of Longevity, and their power is in how unglamorous they are: prioritize quality sleep, move every day, manage stress, eat real food, stay socially connected, and keep challenging both body and mind. He reserves special emphasis for muscle, which he frames less as an aesthetic project than as insurance – the tissue that quietly underwrites balance, mobility, bone strength, and the ability to live on your own terms decades from now.
He’s also a believer in what he calls incidental exercise: not another hour chained to a treadmill, but movement stitched into the seams of an ordinary day. “We were not meant to sit inside a building in front of a computer all day,” he says. Aging, in his framing, isn’t fate. It’s a set of levers most people never realize they’re allowed to pull. Sleep as Medicine Of all those levers, sleep sits near the top. Poor sleep, Hall explains, doesn’t just leave you tired
BEAUTY & HEALTH
Dr. Michael Hall (PHOTO COURTESY OF DR. HALL)
and go down at the same time every night. Do that, and sleep stops being a nightly gamble and starts doing what it’s built for – repairing the body while the nervous system resets.
Personalized Care Over Internet Advice Most patients arrive at Hall’s office already exhausted – not by illness, but by information. Endless conflicting headlines, influencer protocols, supplement rabbit holes. “They want somebody they can trust,” he says. Rather than issue the same recommendations to everyone, Hall builds each plan from the ground up, keyed to a patient’s medical history, lab work, goals, and life. His clinic leans hard into early detection, using advanced screening to catch trouble while it’s still silent – the window when a course correction is still easy. The mission, as he describes it, is to get ahead of the problems that would otherwise derail a life before they ever announce themselves.
A Roadmap for Healthier Aging As longevity medicine explodes into a fullblown cultural obsession, Hall’s posture is notably measured. Peptides, hormone therapies, regenerative medicine, and the rest of the emerging toolkit may genuinely have value, he allows – but only in the hands of sound medical guidance and on a foundation of daily habits, never as a substitute for them.
– it drives inflammation, scrambles hormones, and erodes physical performance, night after uncounted night. And he’s refreshingly honest about the fact that “just get eight hours” is
useless advice to anyone who’s ever actually tried. So he trades the mandate for a method: dim the screens before bed, keep the late-night news out of the bedroom, hold the room cool,
That’s the quiet thesis of Infinite Youth: Solving the Aging Equation. Healthy aging isn’t purchased in a vial or unlocked by a shortcut. It’s assembled, slowly, out of thousands of small decisions – the kind that don’t feel like much on any given Tuesday, but that add up, over a lifetime, to the difference between simply living long and living well the whole way through. P hallongevity.com
parkmagazineny.com | 37
Mike Han Finds the Art of Balance BY JEREMY MURPHY
Mike Han (PHOTO CHRISTIAN LATHERS)
F
or artist Mike Han, balance is not about finding a perfect midpoint. It is about learning how to move through the constant changes of everyday life. “Balance isn’t 50-50,” Han says. “I think we have that perception. But it really isn’t.” That idea sits at the heart of Han’s work and his latest exhibition, MONOCHROME, a one-night Detroit show that inquired about art’s ownership and value into something tangible. The Korean American artist drove his 2006 Porsche Boxster from California to Michigan, turned the car into an artwork and created 88 individual plywood pieces that collectors themselves were invited to value. By the end of the evening, all 88 had sold, raising more than $11,000 for Do Good Work, a Detroit nonprofit supporting creatives, small businesses, and community-focused development.
38 | parkmagazineny.com
For Han, the result demonstrated something he has increasingly been exploring: “How might an object’s value extend beyond its owner?” Finding Dynamic Balance Born in Ann Arbor in 1984, Han grew up surrounded by art and design. His father’s work with Herman Miller and Knoll introduced him to Mid-Century Modern design, while childhood visits to New York exposed him to graffiti, architecture, and Keith Haring’s Pop Shop.
Yet Han did not initially envision becoming an artist. After his family moved to a predominantly white rural Michigan community, they were the town’s only Korean family. Han distanced himself from his heritage while trying to assimilate. A 2008 trip to Korea changed that. There, he encountered Korean woodcarving, ceramics, calligraphy, and architecture and
participated in his first group exhibition. Over the following years, Han developed what he calls his “character line work,” an intricate visual language built around the idea of dynamic balance. “My practice is an introspective study of the self,” he says. That investigation was increasingly personal as Han confronted depression and anxiety. The question eventually became, How does one learn to live well? Han began viewing his health, work, relationships, and creative practice as interconnected. Taking better care of himself gave him greater capacity to create, which in turn allowed him to think about how his work could serve others. Coming Home to Detroit Detroit occupies a particularly important place in that philosophy. Han developed as an artist there during an extraordinary period in the city’s creative history. From 2011-2012, he
PROFILE
created Woodward Windows, taking over seven vacant storefronts downtown and turning them into a public art gallery for graffiti and large scale installations. “These buildings now house the Savage x Fenty store, H&M, and the Apple store,” he says.
There was an improvisational quality to Detroit’s creative community then that Han found exhilarating. But making a living as an artist proved difficult. He worked professionally as a sushi chef while continuing to create art, eventually returning to art full time in 2020. MONOCHROME brought him back to Detroit with a different purpose. The 88 works were CNC-cut at Leon Speakers in Ann Arbor, then sanded by hand. Instead of painting the plywood, Han left it exposed, making the material itself the artwork. Collectors were not given traditional prices. They decided what each piece was worth, with their contributions benefiting Do Good Work. Han was particularly drawn to the nonprofit’s efforts to create affordable studio space and new models through which artists can build equity. For him, it represented an alternative to a familiar cycle in which artists help make neighborhoods desirable only to
eventually be priced out of them. “This is a unique thing that, if a city really got behind it, could be transformative,” Han says. “That’s how you keep the talent and you build together.” The Everyday Porsche Then, there is the Porsche. Han’s MONOCHROME 987 began as his personal 2006 base Boxster, a model he loves partly because it is not the Porsche most collectors covet. “It is the cheapest, the slowest, it is the least desirable of the Porsches,” he jokes. “But it is accessible luxury.”
As a child, Han spent summers at his grandfather’s Ann Arbor auto body shop, where his uncle restored imported cars, including Porsche 911s. Those early encounters stayed with him. When Han finally bought his first Porsche, practicality won over prestige. After driving the car across the country, Han completed it, handpainting its leather interior using Detroitmade Alpha 6 paint during the exhibition. Like his plywood pieces, the Boxster became an exercise in recognizing beauty in something others might overlook. “It’s utilizing art to bring a lens, a sharpened focus, on something that’s not getting enough attention,” he says.
Learning to Let Go Han’s next MONOCHROME chapter moves dramatically up the luxury scale: a Birkin bag that will be auctioned to support breast cancer research. Han’s grandmother survived breast cancer before his family emigrated from Korea to Detroit, where she could find better treatment. Decades later, his mother survived breast cancer twice. The Birkin completes another circle, connecting family, Detroit, craftsmanship, luxury, and philanthropy. It also underscores Han’s evolving relationship with ownership. He often leaves his artwork unsigned, allowing its new owners to decide how it should live.
For a self-described perfectionist, surrendering that control has become part of the art itself. “I’m learning how to let go,” Han says. And perhaps that is dynamic balance in its purest form: control and freedom, commerce and creativity, individual and community, beauty and usefulness, all existing together. For Han, learning how to live well is ultimately less about finding balance than continually creating it. P thehouseofhan.com dogoodwork.org @mikehan.art
Birkin
Porsche Boxster
(PHOTO BY CHRISTIAN
(PHOTO MIKE HAN)
LATHERS)
parkmagazineny.com | 39
Marcella Hymowitz (PHOTO YANALOVE)
Marcella Hymowitz’s
F
or Marcella Hymowitz, opening The Pearl on Manhattan’s Upper East Side was more than creating another dance studio. It was about bringing together decades of experience as a New York Knicks City Dancer, fitness instructor, entrepreneur, choreographer, and mother to create something she felt was missing from city life. The result is a studio that blends dance, fitness, cheerleading, and community for
40 | parkmagazineny.com
The Pearl BY JEREMY MURPHY
every stage of life. Since opening The Pearl, Hymowitz has envisioned a gathering place where connections continue after the music stops. Turning Dreams into Reality “The Pearl was really the brainchild of a lifelong dream to own a dance studio,” Hymowitz says. Over time, she imagined a space where people from all walks could come together, instead of
a traditional dance school.
“As I got older, that vision evolved from simply being a dance studio for children and teens into a space that serves adults as well,” she explains. “Kids can be taking classes in one room while adults are in another.” That flexibility is central to The Pearl’s philosophy. Children and teens can attend dance, cheer, hip-hop, or acro classes, while parents participate in sculpt, cardio, or dance-based fitness. Families aren’t forced
BEAUTY & HEALTH
Marcella Hymowitz (PHOTO YANALOVE)
into rigid semester schedules either, as many programs are offered on a drop-in basis. More Than a Studio The Pearl is truly distinguished by what happens outside the classroom. “We host events before and after classes. One day there might be a speaker, another day a brand activation, and there can be different activities happening throughout the studio,” Hymowitz says.
The thoughtfully designed Upper East Side space includes areas where children and teens can complete homework before class, a kitchen where families can eat together, comfortable areas for adults to work remotely, and even a soundproof room for private phone calls. The studio also prioritizes working women, offering classes at 6 and 7 in the morning and evening with specialty pricing of $30 for women under 30. “After COVID, I felt there were many women who wanted a third space that wasn’t work and wasn’t home. A place where they could relax, stay in their sweatpants, order a green juice or coffee, and simply have some time for themselves,” she says. Dance, Cheer, and Teamwork Long before opening The Pearl, Hymowitz spent years performing as a New York Knicks City Dancer, building a career that included choreography, artistic direction, and fitness instruction.
Yet one of her greatest passions has always been cheerleading. “We have a cheer team and offer cheer classes for younger girls,” she says. “I was a cheerleader in high school. My senior year, I was captain of the team, and we won nationals. Cheer was a huge part of my life.” While dance nurtured her creativity, cheerleading taught her something different. “Cheer requires everyone working together. If one person is off, it can affect the entire routine. There’s nothing better than that feeling of teamwork and accomplishment.”
Recognizing that Manhattan lacked organized cheer opportunities, Hymowitz helped develop one of the city’s first programs before bringing it into The Pearl. “I originally started a cheer program with Fastbreak Sports, developed their cheerleading program, and eventually branched out on my own,” she says. A Businesswoman from the Beginning Her entrepreneurial spirit started early. Hymowitz began teaching group fitness while still a teenager after an ankle injury introduced her to another side of exercise. Working summers at a hometown gym, she found herself leading workouts before she was even old enough to vote.
While studying exercise science in college, she completed a class project that would unexpectedly foreshadow her future. “One of my projects was transforming my hometown gym into a women’s-only fitness center,” she recalls. “It was very similar to what I based The Pearl off of.” That vision eventually became reality. Today, the studio’s calming palette of pink and cream surprises even visitors who insist they dislike pink. “Girls who have sworn off the color pink walk into the studio and they say, ‘Oh, this is what we like.’ Every time.” Expanding Beyond Manhattan Although The Pearl is rooted in the Upper East Side, its reach extends beyond Manhattan. This August, The Pearl made its Hamptons debut, with pop-up classes every Tuesday and Thursday at WAVE in Southampton, followed by two special events at Post House in Sag Harbor on August 16 and 29, featuring guest instructors. Summer residents and visitors had the opportunity to experience the studio’s signature combination of dance, fitness, and community.
The excitement of specialty Summer pop-ups doesn’t end with the return to the
city either. There is always something new to explore, like their recent classes with Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Reece Weaver and NBA WAG Ali Marks Brunson. For Hymowitz, growth has never been measured by additional locations or larger classes. Success is seeing friendships form, families come together, and women discover a place where wellness is more than exercise. “The entrepreneurial side has always interested me, and creating The Pearl allowed me to bring together my passion for fitness, dance, community, and business,” she says. At The Pearl, a lifelong dream has manifested into a community, one class, one conversation, and one connection at a time. P thepearlnyc.com
parkmagazineny.com | 41
The Blushington Way How Pro Artists and the Carte Blush Membership Turned One Beauty Lounge Into a Movement B Y J U L I E S AG O S K I N
42 | parkmagazineny.com
BEAUTY & HEALTH
– where a client gets a blowout, a makeup application, and a skincare treatment in a single visit, handled start to finish by Pro Artists, not stylists. It’s built for a polished, spa-like glam experience without the time drain of piecing it together, whether that’s a rushed morning before work or the hours before a big event.
B
eauty shouldn’t require three appointments and three drives across town. That’s the idea Blushington was built on when it launched in 2011 on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California – the first lounge of its kind, created to make professional makeup application accessible and affordable. What started as a single service grew fast: a partnership with haircare brand OUAI produced Blushington’s firstever dry styling service, and a collaboration with dermatologist Dr. Neal Schultz brought skincare into the mix. Then COVID hit, and the beauty industry was among the hardest hit of any. Blushington’s founders, Nicki Maron and Stephi Cohen, didn’t retreat – they built. They launched an online Academy to certify Pro Artists across the country, giving each one a “shop within a shop” so they could keep earning through tips and product recommendations even without a physical lounge to work from. Blushington believed artists should be compensated for that expertise, pandemic or not. By the time things settled, more than 250 artists had been certified in the Blushington way – even as the brand lost all six of its original locations. That loss became the blueprint for what came next. Rather than rebuild the old
model, the founders pivoted to franchising, opening the door for others to become their own boss while giving clients something no product can replace: their time. In 2022, Blushington signed its flagship in New York City, debuting the concept it’s known for today – blowouts, makeup, and skincare, all under one roof, in one appointment. The blowout category got the same treatment. Blushington partnered with Kérastase on the launch of Curl Manifesto, the brand’s first textured haircare line – because just as Blushington set out to make professional makeup accessible to everyone, it wanted blowouts to work for every texture, too. That philosophy – more beauty, less compromise – is the engine behind Carte Blush, Blushington’s unlimited monthly membership built for what the brand calls “women who want it all.” Members get unlimited blowouts, wig services, makeup applications, and faux lashes, plus 20 percent off products and additional services, one BeautyRx Peel (a glycolic peel developed by Dr. Neal Schultz) per month, one makeup class per month, one brow and lash tint per month, and one Kérastase Fusio-Dose treatment per month. It’s all part of what Blushington calls the Blushington Way: one lounge – never a salon
That polish comes with a familiarity you don’t usually get at a beauty appointment. Regulars walk in and their Pro Artist already knows their go-to lip, how they like their part, what’s new since last time. The front desk greets them by name before they’ve said it. It’s less a transaction than a standing plan to be looked after – the kind of place a client can let her guard down for an hour and walk out looking, and feeling, like the best version of herself. Today, Blushington operates lounges in New York City; Boca Raton, Florida; and River Oaks, Texas – each one built for clients who want their beauty maintenance to be effortless and recurring, so they can look and feel their best on an ordinary Tuesday, not just for a special occasion. The Pro Artists behind that experience are some of the most recognized names in the business, regularly featured in national fashion magazines. Many also work as full beauty concierges for weddings and events – coordinating entire bridal parties, matching brides with the right artist, and building timelines that avoid brutal early-morning start times. The next chapter is already underway. Blushington is preparing to open new lounges through its franchise model, with additional markets planned for 2027, alongside new retail and backbar partnerships and community activations. The brand’s collaboration with Fazit on a match-day glam campaign was recently nominated for Best Campaign by Beauty Independent. P blushington.com
parkmagazineny.com | 43
Andrew Rose (PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDREW ROSE)
T
here’s a certain mythology to Montauk, windswept cliffs, silver light bouncing off the Atlantic, and a long history of artists, outsiders, and quietly confident characters who never needed to announce themselves. It’s this version of Montauk, not the crowded, Instagrammed one, that sits at the heart of Montauk Man, a new fragrance brand launching with four distinct scents and a point of view that feels almost rebellious in today’s oversaturated market. Created by founder Andrew Rose, Montauk Man isn’t trying to compete with the polished, mass-produced aesthetic dominating fragrance counters. Instead, it leans into something more restrained and deliberate, what Rose describes as a return to old-world discipline. The brand launches with just four scents, Amber Boom, North Bar, Rough Riders, and Twice Light, each composed at a notably high 25% oil concentration, placing them above the typical eau de parfum threshold and closer to the richness of extrait-level blends. Rose, 30, traces the origin of the brand to a personal place. Raised between South Florida and the Hamptons, he developed an early connection to Montauk that would later shape his creative vision. “I spent so much time out there, summer camp, learning to golf, even learning how to drive,” he says. “But it wasn’t until 2020, when I was living there full-time, that I saw it in this new form.” That winter, working alone in a real estate office, Rose experienced Montauk stripped of its seasonal gloss. “I saw this rawness in the nature and the beauty. That’s really where the idea came from,” he recalls. Montauk Man, then, is less about replicating a literal seaside scent and more about capturing an emotional landscape. “I didn’t want anything kitschy,” Rose explains. “It’s more this idealized version of Montauk, how it feels, not how it smells.”
44 | parkmagazineny.com
Montauk Man Casual, Raw Confidence BY JEREMY MURPHY
BEAUTY & HEALTH
Each fragrance builds that narrative differently. Rough Riders, the brand’s hero scent, draws on both history and imagination, nodding loosely to Teddy Roosevelt and his cavalry regiment. Built around bergamot, pineapple, dark tobacco, cedarwood and a softened base of vanilla and sandalwood, it’s designed to be the most versatile in the lineup. “You could wear it for lunch, dinner, any season,” Rose says. “It’s perfect for any occasion.” North Bar, by contrast, is deeper and more nocturnal, a rich oud composition layered with saffron, leather, patchouli, and sandalwood. Inspired by a lesser-known surf spot near the Montauk lighthouse, it reflects a more insider perspective. “This is more evening, more elevated,” Rose says. “I imagine someone wearing a tux and spraying this on.”
That commitment to storytelling extends to the ingredients themselves. Sourced globally, from bergamot in Calabria to neroli in Tunisia and vanilla from Madagascar, the compositions are designed to evolve over time. “They’re not flat,” Rose says. “They open, they change, they develop. That’s really important to me.” While the brand is positioned toward Millennial and Gen Z men, along with women shopping for them or exploring unisex scents, Rose is quick to broaden the definition. “Montauk Man could be anyone,” he says. “But at the core, it’s someone confident in a casual way. The kind of guy who wears a white T-shirt to dinner and drives an old vintage Defender. He knows all the cool spots, but doesn’t make a fuss about it.”
Launching primarily as a direct-toconsumer brand, Montauk Man will be available online, with select retail placements in the Hamptons and beyond. But even as the business scales, the ethos remains deliberately tight. In an industry often driven by excess, endless launches, celebrity tie-ins, and fleeting trends, Montauk Man’s restraint may be its most compelling feature. Four scents. High concentration. A clear identity. And, perhaps most importantly, a feeling. “I always feel happy when I spray fragrance,” Rose says. “That’s the goal. For people to wear this and feel the same way.” P montaukman.com
Amber Boom introduces a gourmand dimension, blending black cherry, bitter almond, amber, vanilla, and tonka bean into something both indulgent and accessible. It’s also the most overtly unisex of the four. “You can almost taste the ingredients,” Rose notes. “It’s sweet, but still grounded.” Then there’s Twice Light, the most personal, and perhaps the most evocative, of the collection. A citrus-forward composition with bergamot, neroli, ginger, iris, and orange flower, it’s inspired by the distinctive light that has drawn generations of creatives to Montauk. “There’s this silvery reflection off the water,” Rose says. “I haven’t really seen it anywhere else. That’s what brought all those artists out there.” To ensure authenticity, Rose didn’t just brief his perfumers, he immersed them. Working with world-renowned noses, he brought them directly to Montauk, guiding them through both its iconic and hidden corners. “We spent days driving around, walking cliffs, going off-road,” he says. “Showing them places most people don’t even know exist.”
Rough Riders (PHOTO COURTESY OF MONTAUK MAN)
parkmagazineny.com | 45
PROFILE
AT T O R N E Y
Arthur Aidala
CREATING A LEGACY BEYOND THE COURTROOM
BY JEREMY MURPHY
46 | parkmagazineny.com
Arthur Aidala (PHOTO MARK GRGURICH)
parkmagazineny.com | 47
Rudy Giuliani & Arthur Aidala (PHOTO COURTESY OF AIDALA)
Bill de Blasio & Arthur Aidala (PHOTO COURTESY OF AIDALA)
Arthur Aidala & Megyn Kelly (PHOTO COURTESY OF AIDALA)
Joe Piscopo & Arthur Aidala (PHOTO COURTESY OF AIDALA)
Arthur Aidala & Eric Adams (PHOTO COURTESY OF AIDALA)
Brooke Shields & Arthur Aidala (PHOTO COURTESY OF AIDALA)
Arthur Aidala, Antonin Scalia & Louis R. “Padre Lou” Aidala (PHOTO COURTESY OF AIDALA)
His Eminence, Cardinal Timothy Dolan & Arthur Aidala (PHOTO COURTESY OF AIDALA)
Kevin Costner & Arthur Aidala (PHOTO COURTESY OF AIDALA)
48 | parkmagazineny.com
PROFILE
A
Aidala, Bertuna & Kamins
Building a different kind of law firm
Arthur Aidala does not describe his work in small terms. He is a criminal defense attorney, a managing partner, a legal analyst on TV, a radio host, a former prosecutor, a husband, a father and, increasingly, the architect of a law firm designed to outlast him.
Aidala has spent more than three decades in criminal law, representing clients in federal and state courts across the country. His matters have included securities fraud, accounting and bank fraud, RICO allegations, bribery, bid-rigging, extortion, and embezzlement, as well as investigations by the Securities and Exchange Commission, FINRA, and the U.S. Department of Justice.
But when asked about the most notable thing he is working on right now, Aidala does not start with a celebrity case, a headline-grabbing appeal, or a television appearance. “The funny part is the big thing that I’m working on right now, honestly, is managing the law firm,” he says. “Because we are doing very well, and we have many cases in many different areas of the law.” That law firm is Aidala, Bertuna & Kamins, PC, where Aidala oversees criminal cases, civil litigation, appeals, and corporate matters. It is a firm known for high-profile defendants, complicated cases, and a willingness to battle storms that other lawyers might avoid. Its current docket includes Arthur Aidala’s representation of Frank Carone, the former chief of staff to Mayor Eric Adams, who was charged in a federal bribery investigation tied to an emergency migrant housing contract. Aidala publicly called the indictment weak and said it reflected the government “first finding a target and then spending three years and enormous taxpayer resources to find a crime.” Aidala sees the work differently than outsiders often do. To him, the firm’s strength is not simply its fearlessness. It is its range, its honesty, and its culture. “The old saying goes, the buck stops here,” he says. “So I just try to keep a handle on monitoring everything and everyone and making sure nothing falls through the cracks, making sure the quality of the lawyering is as superior as it should be.”
Yet, one of the keys to his firm’s success has been diversification. He learned that lesson from his father, Louis, a respected criminal defense attorney whose practice was heavily concentrated in federal law. “The phone would ring and we’d be eating lobsters, and sometimes the phone wouldn’t ring and we’d be eating chicken,” Aidala says with a laugh. When he opened his own firm, he wanted something different. Early in his career, he handled real estate closings, wills, and a variety of legal matters himself. As the practice grew, he recruited lawyers with expertise in personal injury, real estate, trusts and estates, civil litigation, and appellate work. Today, Aidala, Bertuna & Kamins is home to 20 attorneys who have expertise in virtually every major practice area. The result is a firm capable of handling everything from multimillion-dollar business disputes to complex criminal trials. “That’s the part of it that I also enjoy,” Aidala says. “Now I’m learning from them in different areas of law.” The firm’s breadth has created something increasingly rare in the legal profession: a workplace where people genuinely like being there. “I think we all enjoy doing what we’re doing,” he says. “People seem, for the most part, to enjoy their work.”
parkmagazineny.com | 49
PROFILE
Arthur Aidala & Henry Winkler
Mariano Rivera & Arthur Aidala (PHOTO COURTESY OF AIDALA)
(PHOTO COURTESY OF AIDALA)
The case that changed everything For all of Aidala’s accomplishments, one case remains especially personal: the New York City crane collapse case. At the time, it was the largest crane accident in city history. Seven people died. Manhattan’s East Side was shut down. Public outrage was immense. Prosecutors were under enormous pressure to find someone criminally responsible. Aidala represented crane operator William Rapetti.
When a judge offered Rapetti a plea deal that would have resulted in roughly a year behind bars, Aidala urged him to consider it carefully. “He told me, ‘Look, I didn’t do anything,’” Aidala recalls. Convinced his client was innocent, Aidala immersed himself in the technical details of crane operations. He studied manuals and climbed cranes wearing hard hats, learning every aspect of the machinery. “I literally was reading books on cranes,” he says. The pressure leading up to the verdict was overwhelming. “The day before was the first time I was affected physically by a case,” he recalls. When the verdict finally came down, the courtroom was packed with family members, crane workers, prosecutors, reporters and spectators. After the judge left the bench, Aidala slipped away. “I opened up a door and it was a broom closet,” he says. “And I just fell on my knees and I was hysterically crying.”
50 | parkmagazineny.com
That acquittal changed a life. Years later, Aidala attended two of Rapetti’s daughters’ weddings. Every July 22, the anniversary of the verdict, he still receives a text message from his former client. “Thank you, buddy. I think of you all the time.” Defending the right to a fair trial Another defining moment came in 2024 when New York’s highest court overturned Harvey Weinstein’s conviction. The appeal was among the most closely watched legal proceeding in America.
Taking the case was controversial. “This was the height of cancel culture,” Aidala says. Some people warned him that representing Weinstein could damage the firm’s reputation. Others argued that criminal defense attorneys do not get to choose only popular clients. Ultimately, it was his father who helped settle the debate. “My dad was like, ‘Who do you think you represent when you’re a criminal defense attorney? It’s not usually people winning the Nobel Peace Prize.’” For Aidala, the appeal was about something larger than Weinstein himself. “No matter how much of a villain somebody is, they’re still entitled to the basic rights that we’re all entitled to.” When the decision arrived, Aidala was at home.
Chris Cuomo, Alan Dershowitz & Arthur Aidala (PHOTO COURTESY OF AIDALA)
Lawrence Taylor, Tiki Barber & Arthur Aidala (PHOTO COURTESY OF AIDALA)
Tracy Morgan & Arthur Aidala (PHOTO COURTESY OF AIDALA)
Don Imus & Arthur Aidala (PHOTO COURTESY OF AIDALA)
Bret Ratner, Mike Tyson & Arthur Aidala (PHOTO COURTESY OF AIDALA)
Geraldo Rivera, Lawrence Taylor & Arthur Aidala (PHOTO COURTESY OF AIDALA)
parkmagazineny.com | 51
Arthur Aidala, Marianne Bertuna & Judge Kamins (PHOTO AIDALA BERTUNA KAMINS)
Arthur Aidala & Family (PHOTO COURTESY OF AIDALA)
Arthur Aidala & Family (PHOTO COURTESY OF AIDALA)
Judge Barry Kamins called with the news. “He told me, ‘We won Weinstein.’” Aidala was stunned. “I was jumping up and down so high I thought I was going to break the floorboards.” The victory was significant not only because of the public attention, but because it reinforced a legal principle Aidala believes is fundamental. “The highest court in the state basically said no matter who the defendant is, the rules still matter.”
Aidala believes advances in technology have dramatically changed criminal investigations. “There’s cameras everywhere and now there’s text messages everywhere and there’s emails everywhere,” he says. “You can kind of just see that, yeah, this guy is guilty of something.” At the same time, he believes the justice system increasingly favors the government. For defense lawyers, that reality makes preparation, strategy and persistence more important than ever.
From prosecutor to defense attorney
A family that practices law
Long before he became one of New York’s most recognizable defense attorneys, Aidala was a prosecutor. As a senior assistant district attorney in Kings County, he tried dozens of felony cases during one of the most crimeridden periods in New York City history. He prosecuted murder, rape, robbery, burglary, narcotics, and gun cases and secured the first murder conviction under a new state law, resulting in life without parole.
Despite the intensity of the work, Aidala rejects the stereotype of the cold, corporate law office. “We’re not really a law firm,” he says. “We’re a family that practices law.” That philosophy extends throughout the firm. There are birthday celebrations, lunch gatherings, and spontaneous legal debates. Lawyers routinely seek each other’s opinions on cases. The firm’s radio studio often becomes an impromptu gathering place whenever a major legal story breaks.
That experience continues to shape how he approaches criminal defense. He understands how prosecutors think because he once stood in their shoes. “There are prosecutors who wield that power responsibly,” he says. “And then there are those who you have to fight as hard as you can because they are abusing it.”
52 | parkmagazineny.com
The Arthur Aidala Power Hour Aidala hosts The Arthur Aidala Power Hour every weekday evening on AM970 The Answer. During broadcasts, colleagues regularly join him to discuss breaking legal developments. “Everybody likes the microphone,” he jokes.
PROFILE
Arthur Aidala & Family
Rapid Pulse Band
(PHOTO COURTESY OF AIDALA)
(PHOTO COURTESY OF AIDALA)
The collaborative environment is intentional. “I try to create an environment that encourages camaraderie and collaboration because I think it’s in the best interests of the clients.” Aidala frequently reminds younger lawyers to return phone calls, even late in the evening. “A client whose life is on the line is not going to be upset that his lawyer is thinking about him at 9 o’clock at night,” he says. Creating the next generation For Aidala, success is not measured solely by verdicts, settlements, or television appearances. “My number one priority is to keep the firm going beyond me,” he says.
He actively pushes younger attorneys into leadership roles, giving them courtroom opportunities, media exposure, and responsibility. Recently, a federal judge asked why Aidala sat quietly in the back of a courtroom during an important proceeding. The answer was simple. The hearing belonged to one of his younger lawyers. “I don’t want them to have to need me,” he says. “I’m trying to create a little bit of a legacy.” He names attorneys such as Imran Ansari, Michael Jaccarino, and Lino De Masi as examples of the next generation he hopes will lead the firm. In his view, the ultimate measure of success would be seeing the practice continue decades after his retirement. “When I’m 78 and I’m done,” he says, “I want the firm rocking and rolling.”
Life beyond the courtroom Away from work, Aidala’s greatest joys are remarkably simple: family, friends and community. He remains close with friends from kindergarten and still spends time with them regularly. He speaks passionately about his wife, Marianne Bertuna, his longtime law partner and soulmate, and about their children. “I’m blessed,” he says.
Recently, he hosted 50 people at his home for Father’s Day. His father, who is approaching 88, sat surrounded by friends. Across the yard, Aidala’s young daughter splashed into the water. “You pinch yourself about how lucky I am,” he says. It is a telling image. Arthur Aidala has spent decades handling some of the most difficult cases in America. He has represented controversial clients, won landmark appeals and secured life-changing acquittals. Yet perhaps his most enduring achievement will not be a verdict or a headline. It may be the culture, community and legacy he is building at Aidala, Bertuna & Kamins, a place where lawyers care deeply, clients feel heard and the next generation is already preparing to carry the torch. For now, the buck still stops with Arthur Aidala. But if his plan succeeds, it won’t forever. P aidalalaw.com
parkmagazineny.com | 53
Shabnam & Shaghayegh SAFARZADEH INTELLIGENCE IS THE NEW CHIC BY W.A. MULLER PHOTOS BY PARSA AFSHARJAVAN
S
habnam and Shaghayegh Safarzadeh are entrepreneurs, philanthropists, twins, and unabashed devotees of fashion. But their most compelling proposition may be a larger one: that women no longer need to choose between intellect and femininity, ambition and creativity, seriousness and beauty. The modern woman, they argue, should be allowed to contain it all. There was a time when a woman who wanted to be taken seriously was expected to look the part. The codes were familiar: restraint, discipline, neutrality. The more consequential the room, the less room there seemed to be for frivolity – or, more precisely, for anything historically categorized as feminine. Fashion could be enjoyed, but perhaps not too visibly. Beauty could be acknowledged, but never relied upon. Ambition was acceptable, provided it arrived stripped of vanity. A serious woman was expected, in some subtle way, to edit herself. Shabnam and Shaghayegh Safarzadeh have little interest in editing. Known as Shab and Shay, the twin founders have built their lives at the intersection of pursuits that conventional wisdom still tries to separate. They are entrepreneurs in healthcare education. They are philanthropists working to expand educational opportunity for women and girls. They are deeply interested in fashion, design and visual culture. They move comfortably between conversations about growth strategy and education
54 | parkmagazineny.com
access, between boardrooms and evening gowns, between the exacting realities of operating a business and the imaginative pleasure of making something beautiful. To them, there is no contradiction. Quite the opposite. Intelligence, in their world, is chic precisely because it no longer requires women to abandon the rest of themselves. “I think women were taught for a very long time that being taken seriously meant narrowing yourself,” Shay says in proposed interview language for the piece. “You had to choose the one thing you were going to be known for and stay in that lane. I don’t believe that anymore. You can have an incredibly serious profession and still love fashion. You can build a company and care about philanthropy. You can try something creative just because it excites you. One doesn’t make the other less real.” It is an idea that sounds deceptively simple. In practice, it pushes against decades of cultural conditioning. Men have rarely been required to make the same choice. A businessman can be passionate about contemporary art without anyone questioning his commercial instincts. A lawyer can obsess over tailoring. An architect can collect watches. A founder can become synonymous with a carefully constructed personal aesthetic and have that aesthetic interpreted as evidence of taste rather
PROFILE
parkmagazineny.com | 55
PROFILE
56 | parkmagazineny.com
than a threat to his intelligence. For women, adornment has often carried a different tax. An obvious love of fashion can invite assumptions about seriousness. Beauty can precede intelligence into a room and obscure it. Femininity itself has, at various moments, been treated almost as something an ambitious woman must overcome. Shab and Shay reject that bargain entirely. “Femininity is powerful,” Shab says in proposed quote language. “I don’t think a woman should have to make herself harder, quieter, plainer or less expressive in order for people to respect her intelligence. There is strength in being feminine. There is strength in knowing exactly who you are and not changing that depending on which room you’ve walked into.” That confidence was not produced by fashion. Its origins go much further back. The sisters were five when their mother brought them from Iran to the United States in search of a different future. Education, therefore, entered their consciousness not simply as schooling but as possibility – a means through which the trajectory of a life might be altered. They understood early that opportunity was not evenly distributed. And they understood it because their mother had changed the circumstances of her own life to expand theirs. Years later, that belief would become the thread connecting nearly everything they built. A Different Kind of Ambition
experience into a digital medical-education platform offering training toward nationally recognized certifications, clinical experiences through a network of more than 1,000 healthcare partners, and individualized support for students beginning careers in healthcare. According to the company, more than 10,000 students have graduated from ACT programs.
proposed interview language. “At some point, you have to ask what your success gives you the ability to do for other people. Otherwise, what exactly are we building toward?” It is a decidedly expansive definition of ambition. And expansion, perhaps more than balance, is the theme that best describes the sisters.
The interesting thing about the Safars’ entrepreneurial instinct is not merely that they recognized a market. It is that their instinct appears repeatedly to begin with the same question:
For decades, women have been asked some version of the same question: How do you balance it all?
Why is this difficult to access, and can we make it less so? That question eventually traveled beyond their company. Through the Safar Global Foundation, the sisters have supported locally driven education initiatives for girls across Africa and the Middle East, including educational infrastructure, career pathways and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene projects in Tanzania. The foundation is not an unrelated philanthropic appendage to their professional lives. It is, philosophically, an extension of the same argument. Access changes what is possible. “My mother gave us access to a different future,” Shab says in the original draft when describing the foundation. “We are where we are today because our mom fought for us to have access to quality education.”
confronting a problem familiar to thousands of aspiring medical professionals: acquiring meaningful clinical education and experience could be remarkably difficult.
It is difficult to understand the sisters’ ambition without understanding this part of it. They do not speak about success exclusively in terms of accumulation. There is also circulation. What can be built? What can be shared? What becomes possible for somebody else because something became possible for you?
They saw the bottleneck. Then they became interested in removing it. Advanced eClinical Training, or ACT, grew from that
“I never want success to become this very closed thing where you just keep building a bigger life for yourself,” Shay says in
In 2020, as the pandemic disrupted education and healthcare simultaneously, Shab and Shay were themselves healthcare students
Why Choose?
It is a question that has launched magazine covers, panel discussions, books and entire industries of advice. But balance may not be the most interesting aspiration. Balance assumes that a woman’s ambitions are competing objects requiring meticulous management: career on one side, family on another, creativity somewhere else, beauty squeezed in when time allows, philanthropy positioned as an extracurricular virtue. The Safars seem more interested in integration. “I don’t think life has to be this narrow road,” Shab says in proposed quote language. “You don’t have to say, ‘I chose business, so now everything about me has to look like business.’ Why? You can run a serious company and go to fashion week. You can negotiate a deal and then spend an hour talking about a dress you love. You can give back, build something creative, travel, learn something completely outside your industry. That makes you more interesting. It doesn’t make you less focused.” The distinction is important. For a generation of women, professional liberation was often described as the ability to enter spaces traditionally dominated by men. The next evolution may be something more nuanced: entering those spaces without adopting every code that previously governed them. A woman no longer needs to perform masculinity to perform authority. She does not have to reduce herself to an austere version of competence. She does not
parkmagazineny.com | 57
PROFILE
have to pretend that beauty doesn’t interest her. She does not have to apologize for pleasure. And she certainly does not need to flatten herself into a single identity because complexity makes other people uncomfortable. Shay puts it differently. “Sometimes I think we confuse discipline with limitation, ” she says in proposed language.“Of course you need discipline to achieve something difficult. But discipline doesn’t mean your entire personality has to disappear behind your profession. You can be excellent at your work and still remain curious about everything else.” Curiosity may, in fact, be part of the intelligence. The Intelligence of Fashion Fashion, for the Safar sisters, is not particularly interested in defending itself. That may be part of its appeal. They love it. The silhouettes, the craftsmanship, the transformation, the storytelling, the ability of an image or garment to say something before anyone speaks.
There is no tortured justification. And yet their relationship with clothes illuminates something larger about the kind of femininity they represent. Clothing is communication. A woman who understands presentation is not necessarily preoccupied with surfaces. She may simply understand that surfaces communicate, too. “I think style can be intellectual, ” Shab says in proposed quote language. “You are looking at history, design, proportion, culture, craftsmanship, identity. Fashion tells you so much about a period and about a person. I think dismissing all of that as superficial is actually a very limited way of looking at it.” What makes the proposition interesting is that neither sister is arguing that clothing makes someone intelligent.
That would merely replace one shallow hierarchy with another. The point is freedom from the hierarchy altogether. A woman wearing couture can be the smartest person at the table. A woman wearing no makeup can be the smartest person at the table. Neither aesthetic reveals the depth of the mind behind it. Intelligence does not have a uniform. And perhaps femininity becomes most powerful when a woman stops treating it as something that requires intellectual counterweight. “I love being a woman,” Shay says in proposed quote language. “I love femininity. I love beautiful things. And I also love strategy and negotiating and building companies and having very serious conversations. None of those things cancel each other out. They’re all me.” There is something quietly radical about how obvious she makes it sound. Two Women, One Language The twins themselves are not identical in temperament. Their closeness seems to have made their differences more legible rather than less. Shab has described Shay as the negotiator: direct, confrontational when necessary, willing to fight for where they believe the company needs to go.
Shay describes Shab as the visionary: focused on the shape of things, how a course should feel, how a website should look, what the message behind a business should ultimately communicate. One pushes. One imagines. One challenges the room. The other reconstructs it. They have spent enough of their lives together to understand that complementary strengths need not become competing strengths. There is an intimacy to building alongside someone who remembers your life before any of the recognizable markers of success appeared.
Before the businesses. Before the foundation. Before the invitations. Before anyone else was paying attention. “There’s no performance with your twin,” Shay says in proposed language. “She knows who you were before all of it. So when things become bigger around you, you still have this person who can look at you and immediately bring you back to reality.” Shab laughs at the premise. “We can disagree about something intensely and then five minutes later we’re talking about a dress,” she says in proposed language. “Maybe that’s actually the entire story.” Perhaps it is. Because the Safar sisters’ lives are not neatly divided between meaningful things and beautiful things. They see beauty as meaningful. They see generosity as part of ambition. They see creativity as an expansion of intelligence. They see business as a mechanism capable of producing both wealth and access. They see femininity not as something to suppress in order to project power, but as something capable of coexisting with it. Intelligence Is the New Chic After more than six years of building ACT, the company was acquired, opening another chapter for the founders and the platform they created. A traditional founder story might end there.
Company built. Exit achieved. Success confirmed. But the more interesting story is what comes afterward – and perhaps what the sisters’ trajectory says about a larger shift in the culture surrounding ambitious women. For generations, women’s progress has involved proving that they could succeed within existing definitions of power. Now those definitions themselves are changing. Power can be collaborative. It can be philanthropic. It can be aesthetically
“THERE’S NO PERFORMANCE WITH YOUR TWIN. SHE KNOWS WHO YOU WERE BEFORE ALL OF IT.” 58 | parkmagazineny.com
still surprised by that? Women have always been multidimensional. We’re just finally giving ourselves permission to show it.” That may be the real evolution. Not that women have suddenly learned to “do it all.” But that increasingly, they refuse to explain why they want to. There is a difference. “Doing it all” suggests another standard against which women can measure themselves and inevitably come up short. The Safars’ philosophy is more permissive. Do what interests you. Take your work seriously without making your entire life serious. Give back because success should move beyond you. Change direction. Try something creative. Wear the dress. Enter the boardroom. Learn the thing no one expects you to care about. Allow intelligence to make you more curious about the world, not more confined by it. And resist any definition of womanhood that becomes smaller as achievement becomes larger. “Femininity doesn’t make me feel less powerful,” Shab says in proposed quote language. “It makes me feel more like myself. And I think there is enormous power in a woman who no longer believes she has to choose which parts of herself are acceptable.” Perhaps that is the new chic. Not intelligence performed through seriousness. Not femininity performed for approval. Not success demonstrated through sacrifice.
literate. It can be warm. It can wear a gown. It can care about a school thousands of miles away. It can run a company and then begin another project simply because curiosity demands it. It can be feminine. And none of those qualities diminish intellectual authority.
“I think the most exciting women now are impossible to put into one category,” Shay says in proposed language. “You meet someone and she’s a founder, but she’s also deeply creative. Or she’s a doctor who loves art. A lawyer who cares about fashion. An investor building a nonprofit. Why are we
But a woman who has developed enough confidence in her own mind that she no longer feels compelled to make herself simpler for the comfort of everyone watching. Intelligence is curiosity. Intelligence is range. Intelligence is knowing that rigor and creativity can occupy the same mind. That femininity and authority can inhabit the same woman. And that the narrowest version of success may be believing you ever had to choose. P
parkmagazineny.com | 59
PROFILE Martha Cohen Stine (PHOTO COURTESY OF COHEN STINE KAPOOR LLP)
A
fter decades of guiding clients through some of life’s most consequential moments, family law attorney Martha Cohen Stine saw an opportunity to practice differently. Together with Harriet Newman Cohen and Ankit Kapoor, she co-founded Cohen Stine Kapoor LLP with a simple goal: to create a boutique matrimonial practice where every client receives senior-level attention from beginning to end. The firm took shape during the pandemic when Stine recognized a gap in the legal market. Large firms fell short of the personal attention many clients sought, while smaller firms often lacked the depth of experience and resources needed to handle complex, high-net-worth matrimonial matters. Determined to bridge that gap, she joined forces with her partners to build the kind of firm she believes clients deserve. Today, the firm thrives from its Manhattan offices, where attorneys meet with clients both in person and virtually. Each lawyer brings a distinct set of strengths and significant experience, collaborating closely to develop strategies tailored to every client’s unique circumstances. “Preparation creates confidence. Confidence inspires credibility,” Stine says. “Those qualities are essential.” That personalized approach reflects Stine’s own philosophy of practicing law. She combines compassion with candid, strategic advice. “I will never just tell clients what they want to hear,” she explains. “Instead, I explain what New York law provides and how I believe a judge would likely decide the case
60 | parkmagazineny.com
if we were in court.” That objectivity enables her to develop targeted strategies that lead to favorable outcomes. At the same time, she never loses sight of the importance of being prepared to litigate when necessary. “One of the best ways to achieve a settlement is to be fully prepared for and not afraid of trial,” she says. “Opposing counsel recognizes when a lawyer is willing and able to litigate a case through trial.” Family law presents unique challenges.
Divorce often involves anger, heartbreak, uncertainty, and financial anxiety. Custody disputes can be emotionally exhausting for parents and children alike. Stine believes that successful representation requires not only legal knowledge but also sound judgment, creativity, and practical solutions that allow clients to move forward with confidence. One of the most significant developments she has witnessed is the growing acceptance of prenuptial agreements. “They have become
How
Harriet Newman Cohen, Martha Cohen Stine, Ankit Kapoor & Nicole Margulis (PHOTO COURTESY OF COHEN STINE KAPOOR LLP)
Martha Cohen Stine is Redefining Boutique Family Law BY S O F I A M A R R E T TA
completely socially acceptable, particularly among younger professionals,” she says. Rather than viewing them as unromantic, many couples now see them as thoughtful planning tools that reduce uncertainty and protect both parties. Every agreement, she emphasizes, should be carefully tailored to the couple’s individual circumstances. Stine’s professional accomplishments have earned her widespread recognition. She holds Martindale-Hubbell’s AV Preeminent® 5.0 rating and has been repeatedly recognized by Super Lawyers New York Metro as one of the Top 50 Women and one of the Top 100 Attorneys. She serves on the Board of Directors of the New York County Lawyers Association, where she previously chaired the Matrimonial Law Section, and is a member of the Executive Committee of the New York State Bar Association’s Family Law Section. Despite these accomplishments, Stine did not begin her career as a family law attorney. She spent the first decade of her practice as
a commercial litigator at the prestigious Manhattan firm Shea & Gould, where she trained under New York’s best trial attorneys. Her perspective changed after working on a family law case involving an elderly heiress suffering from dementia whose relatives sought to isolate her and influence her estate planning. “I discovered that I liked working with clients on personal family matters and that I was good at thinking outside the box and finding solutions,” she recalls. Just as clients inspired the founding of the firm, they remain at the heart of Stine’s practice today. “Knowing that I have helped someone protect their children, preserve what they have built, and begin the next chapter of their lives continues to make this work both challenging and deeply rewarding,” she says. Outside the courtroom, music provides another creative outlet. A trained singer, Stine performs with the acclaimed Blue Hill Troupe, a Gilbert and Sullivan and musical theater troupe that donates the proceeds of all
ticket sales to charity. She also produces, directs, and performs in original musical comedies featuring talented lawyers and judges at bar associations across New York, including the New York City Bar Association’s celebrated Twelfth Night shows. More than any professional honor, however, Stine measures success by the people closest to her. “When I come home to a husband who is the love of my life, and when my adult children are happy, productive, and want to spend the weekend with me, that may be the greatest success of all,” she says. Today, Cohen Stine Kapoor LLP reflects the values that have defined Stine’s career for more than three decades: exceptional legal advocacy, thoughtful strategy, personal attention, and an unwavering commitment to every client. As she continues to shape the future of family law, her greatest measure of success remains the people she serves and the futures she helps create. P csklawny.com
parkmagazineny.com | 61
Sydnie Christmas The British Breakout Star Returns to America B Y C H R I S T I N E M O N TA N T I
S
ince capturing the attention of audiences with her inspirational performances and an incredible feat on Britain’s Got Talent in 2024, British singer Sydnie Christmas has embarked on a rapid-fire journey that has taken her from television talent-show stages to London’s West End, sold-out concert halls, and to some of America’s most prestigious venues. Currently, the remarkable artist is preparing to return to the United States with brand new music. Christmas will make a series of U.S. appearances this August as she gears up to launch the release of her highly anticipated new album, due out this fall on Westway Music. The mini-tour will bring her to Philadelphia, New York, and an appearance at David Foster’s Foundation 40th Anniversary Gala and Concert. This U.S. tour begins August 15th at City Winery Philadelphia, followed by a return to Sony Hall in New York on August 16th, and then, a performance at the Center for the Arts in Homer, N.Y. on August 17th. These upcoming United States shows are a chance for the Britain’s Got Talent winner to reconnect with devoted listeners and concert-goers who have followed her
62 | parkmagazineny.com
inspiring journey., “I’ve missed the live shows so much while I’ve been busy writing my new album, and I’ve been craving that connection with my audience. I love my American fans so much,” the British singer confesses. The connection has become an integral part of the relationship with American fans. After making her United States debut at the Hollywood Bowl during David Foster’s 75th birthday celebration, the singer went on to
headline two sold-out shows at New York’s Sony Hall. She expresses to fans, “The endless support you give me fills my heart and makes me believe, “I can actually do this.” Christmas’s new album will be her first collection of original material. While the singer is retaining huge vocals that have become her trademark, the project represents an opportunity to establish her identity beyond the songs and performances
PROFILE
the mic. To add to her range as a performer, she has also made her West End acting debut as the infamous Cruella De Vil in 101 Dalmatians, earning strong reviews for her performance. Later, the actress starred in the West End premiere of From the Heart, a musical revue written by Oscar-winning lyricist Don Black, where her vocal power once again became a significant part of the production. In addition, Christmas has performed for the King and Queen at London’s Royal Albert Hall, making it clear that big stages are very much her territory. The U.K. native has also appeared in segments for This Morning and The One Show, and in 2025, she received the Variety Club Showbusiness Award for Outstanding New ITV Talent.
that first made her famous. Two singles have already offered a preview of what is ahead: “Lean on You” and “Run,” both of which have received a passionate response from fans in the U.K. and U.S. Adding to the momentum will be Sydnie Christmas: Live in London, a PBS concert special that was filmed during her sold-out
performance at London’s Adelphi Theatre in 2025. The special is scheduled to begin airing across the United States in October, bringing Christmas’s live-show energy into American homes ahead of her planned U.S. tour in spring 2027. The diversified artist has been proving she is far more than just a powerhouse behind
Needless to say, it’s not surprising that critics have dubbed Christmas’s voice a full-on “wrecking ball,” as clearly, her creative talent and appeal go way beyond sheer vocal force. Onstage, the singer can shift from gut-wrenching ballads to playful, magnetic moments without missing a beat, keeping audiences captivated. She’s definitely not taking that connection for granted: “I can’t wait to give back the love you’ve shown me in the only way I know how: through song. America, I’m counting down the days until I see you all again. You are the reason I’m here, and I will be forever grateful.” P Links to the first two singles from Sydnie Christmas forthcoming album: Lean on You – youtube.com/watch?v=g5eezLQ sbYg&list=RDg5eezLQsbYg&start_radio=1 youtube.com/watch?v=UEgnx3MPinw
parkmagazineny.com | 63
Carl Boyanton Takes an Independent Route in the Mississippi Congressional Race BY J EREMY MURP HY
C
A Campaign Outside the Party System arl Boyanton has spent his professional life thinking about systems, whether moving produce across the country, building businesses, studying food safety, or experimenting with new approaches to agriculture. Now, in his fourth campaign for Congress, he is applying that same scrutiny to a system he believes needs disruption: American politics. Boyanton is running as an Independent in Mississippi’s Fourth Congressional District, where the November 3rd general election will also feature Republican incumbent Mike Ezell and Democratic nominee Jeffrey Hulum III. His campaign describes him as a conservative alternative operating outside the traditional party structure. “I didn’t leave the Republican Party, it left me,” Boyanton said. After previously running as a Republican, he says his decision to campaign as an Independent reflects frustration with both parties, federal spending, and what he describes as a culture accepting of waste and corruption. That frustration has become one of the central arguments of his campaign. Boyanton says his business experience has made him sensitive to government spending and oversight. He argues that technology, including artificial intelligence, should play a larger role in identifying questionable
64 | parkmagazineny.com
Carl Boyanton (PHOTO DREAM TEAM CREATIVES)
PROFILE
payments and reducing fraud across large federal programs. From Produce to Politics Boyanton’s political identity is closely tied to his career in the produce industry. He began as a warehouse laborer at Charlie’s Produce before advancing into leadership and later returning to the Gulf South to establish Farmer Fresh Produce, which grew to employ 100 workers. Boyanton remained hands‑on every step of the way, and often worked alongside his team on the loading docks. His career has exposed him to transportation, importing, exporting, food safety, and the economics of agriculture.
That background now intersects with another major interest: regenerative farming. Boyanton appears as an expert in Rejuvenation Nation, the newly launched documentary from filmmaker and former Florida First Lady Carole Crist examining regenerative agriculture, soil health and the connection between the food we grow and human health. The film was recently celebrated at a Southampton launch attended by leaders in agriculture, business and philanthropy. In the project, Boyanton discusses the idea that healthier soil can produce more nutrient dense food and contribute to better health outcomes. He has also purchased a farm in Mississippi that he describes as a research project, where he is exploring what crops can be grown commercially using regenerative methods. Boyanton says the long term objective is to identify agricultural opportunities that could diversify domestic production while strengthening local farming. His interest in nutrition extends to Farmed Fresh for Mississippi, a nonprofit he and his wife founded in 2021. The organization has distributed fresh food to veterans and families and has participated in efforts centered on using nutrition to address chronic illness. A Different Economic Map Boyanton’s economic message reaches beyond agriculture. One proposal he discusses involves steering more corporate jobs and investment toward smaller American cities
Carole Crist, Carl Boyanton & Jackie Siegel celebrate the launch of Rejuvenation Nation (PHOTO DREAM TEAM CREATIVES)
and towns rather than concentrating growth in major metropolitan areas. He points to the difference in housing and everyday costs between places such as Seattle or New York and smaller Mississippi communities. Instead of moving thousands of jobs from one large city to another, he argues, companies could distribute employment among several smaller communities, creating new demand for housing, schools, and local businesses.
“That’s what’s called a common sense solution,” he said. For Boyanton, the concept is also part of a larger argument about affordability. He believes many rural communities already possess the quality of life people say they want but lack enough private sector employment to sustain population growth. Bringing jobs into those places, he argues, could strengthen communities without requiring the government to create new cities or massive programs. Experience as a Political Argument Boyanton repeatedly returns to experience when explaining why he is running. He criticizes a congressional system in which lawmakers may sit on committees overseeing industries they have never worked in, and he
says his own business background would allow him to approach legislation from a practical perspective.
He makes the same argument about food recalls, rural health care, and education. In each case, Boyanton says the government too often responds by spending more rather than examining whether programs are producing results. If elected, Boyanton would hold a town hall in every county in the district each year, arguing that members of Congress should be willing to explain and defend their votes to constituents. As the general election campaign intensifies through the fall, Boyanton knows an Independent candidacy comes with disadvantages, including less automatic access to party infrastructure and political events. But he also sees independence as the central reason for his run. For a businessman who has spent decades studying how products, money, and decisions move through complicated systems, the campaign is built around a simple premise: government should be easier to understand, more accountable and more connected to the people paying for it. P carl4congress.com
parkmagazineny.com | 65
PROFILE
tmpo
F
or anyone who has ever applied to a job and felt like their résumé disappeared into a black hole, David Borokhovich, Aleksandr Sinyuts, and Dennis Noble have a simple diagnosis: hiring in the gig economy is broken. Not just for job seekers. Not just for employers. For everyone. That frustration is the idea behind Tmpo, a new job-listing and hiring app that Borokhovich describes, bluntly and accurately, as “Tinder for jobs.” The comparison is clear, as candidates swipe through opportunities, employers swipe through applicants, and both sides are pushed toward a match. But Borokhovich says Tmpo is not built around swiping as a gimmick. It is built around speed, verification, and removing the waste that has come to define modern hiring. “People already make important decisions on their phones in seconds,” he notes. A Dating App for Jobs Tmpo’s website leans into dating-app language with the tagline “Swipe, Match, Interview,” and promises “no more red flags, no more ghosting,” with verified users, automated interview questions, and in-app messaging and interview scheduling designed to keep both sides moving.
The company also tells it like it is, with a slogan plastered on New York streets that is already turning heads: “GET A F**KING JOB.” That attitude is deliberate. Tmpo is not trying to be another corporate recruiting portal. “Tmpo isn’t designed for corporate America, it’s for the small business owners
66 | parkmagazineny.com
Wants to Make Getting a Job as Fast as Finding a Date BY JEREMY MURPHY
and high turnover jobs that create the backbone of America.” What Hiring Gets Wrong In Borokhovich’s view, the gig economy and hourly labor markets have been stuck with tools that were never really designed for them. Some businesses post jobs and drown in unqualified applications. Some applicants spend hours applying and never receive an answer. “The biggest problem is that it’s incredibly one-sided,” he points out. “Everyone ends up wasting time.”
Tmpo’s answer is to collapse the process. Candidates and employers can match, message, pre-screen, and interview directly inside the app. The platform includes realtime notifications and verifies businesses, a feature Borokhovich says is just as important as screening workers, “We don’t want applicants to apply to BS jobs.” No More Ghost Jobs That concern has become increasingly familiar to job seekers. LinkedIn, once a professional networking tool, is criticized for becoming cluttered with questionable listings. Job boards can boast huge numbers of openings, but few actually lead to an interview, much less a response.
whether online job postings are even legitimate, basic accountability can feel like innovation. Starting With Hospitality Tmpo is starting where the need is immediate: hospitality. Borokhovich says the company is building its employer network block by block, with an emphasis on restaurants, bars, and other businesses where staffing needs can change daily.
The company has partnered with Richie Romero and his hospitality network, as-well-as Nexwrk, and Borokhovich credits Tmpo’s chief marketing officer and co-founder, Aleksandr Sinyuts, with building a go-to-market strategy centered on local credibility first. The app’s early customer testimonials, listed on Tmpo’s site, include restaurants such as Peck Slip Social, Smartwich, Sushi by Bou, Cobble Fish and Pil Pil, with businesses praising the app for helping them
Tmpo is trying to solve these problems with a closed-loop hiring experience. Employers are not just posting into space. Applicants are not just applying in silence. The app is designed to confirm that both parties are real, interested, and ready to move forward. That may sound basic, but in an economy where workers increasingly question
David Borokhovich (PHOTO COURTESY OF TMPO)
Aleksandr Sinyuts, David Borokhovich & Dennis Noble (PHOTO COURTESY OF TMPO)
find staff quickly and even interview applicants the same day. Built for High-Turnover Businesses That churn of finding people, keeping them, and replacing them when they leave is brutal. Borokhovich says some franchise operators Tmpo has spoken with face annual turnover around 130 percent, making hiring a constant operational crisis.
Tmpo’s business model is designed to
lower the friction; applicants will never be charged. For businesses, the company is offering premium access free for the next 18 months to those that sign up now, accommodating their target audience. AI That Wants to Give People Jobs Using AI is another part of Tmpo’s pitch. At a time when artificial intelligence is often framed as a threat to employment, Borokhovich sees Tmpo as the opposite. “We hear all the time that AI is trying to take jobs,” he says. “I think
we’re the first recruitment platform whose AI helps people get jobs.”
Tmpo’s branding tells it like it is and the mission is practical: Serving the next generation of people who do not want to network for six months, rewrite a cover letter, or wait for an automated rejection. They just want to get a job. P tmpoapp.com
parkmagazineny.com | 67
ALAN HAMEL on Love, Legacy and Keeping Suzanne Somers’ Vision Alive BY JEREMY MURPHY
N
early three years after his wife, Suzanne Somers, passed, Alan Hamel is doing exactly what she asked him to do. The actress, author, and entrepreneur gave her husband one simple instruction: don’t spend the rest of your life grieving. “Don’t mope around,” she told him. “I want you to live your life, and I hope you find love again.” Today, at 90, Hamel says those words continue to guide him. While he still oversees the business empire he and Somers built together, he has also embraced a new chapter that includes love, family, and an unwavering commitment to preserving her legacy. Reinventing Success Long before personal branding became a business buzzword, Hamel and Somers were already doing it. Their turning point came in 1980 after Somers was fired from the hit sitcom Three’s Company, a decision that many assumed would end her career.
Instead, Hamel saw an opportunity. “We started our business when nobody even knew what branding was. I just knew we had to find another way to create revenue because Suzanne had been labeled as trouble.” Looking back, Hamel believes the dismissal ultimately became the catalyst for one of entertainment’s greatest reinventions. Somers became Las Vegas Female Entertainer of the Year and spent a decade headlining two shows a night, seven nights a week. Her publishing career flourished with 27 books, most becoming New York Times bestsellers. She also returned to television for
68 | parkmagazineny.com
seven seasons on Step by Step alongside Patrick Duffy before hosting Candid Camera. After this triumphant return, Somers starred in The Blonde in the Thunderbird on Broadway at the Brooks Atkinson, singing, dancing and acting out her childhood living with her violent alcoholic father who hunted down the family every night. Hamel produced the one-woman musical, in which Somers was on the stage alone for an hour and 46 minutes. “It all happened because she wasfired,” Hamel says. Finding Joy Again After more than five decades together, Hamel admits living alone felt unimaginable after Somers died. “I’d never really lived alone,” he says. “I thought I’d simply have to get used to it.”
Instead, an unexpected introduction from his son Stephen changed everything. Stephen met actress Joanna Cassidy during awards season and immediately thought she and his father might connect. The couple maintains what he laughingly describes as “living together lite.” Hamel lives primarily in the California desert while Cassidy remains based in Los Angeles, where she continues an active film career. “We’re very good together,” he says.
The pair enjoys shopping together at Whole Foods before cooking dinner at home, roadtripping through American Southwest national parks, and spending quiet evenings together. Cassidy is an avid reader and recently read two of Somers’ books while visiting Hamel’s home. “We don’t always have to be out doing something,” he says. A Philosophy of Health At 90, Hamel credits much of his energy to a lifestyle he and Somers embraced decades ago. For roughly 24 years, he has eaten almost exclusively organic food, a commitment inspired by his late wife’s extensive research into health, nutrition, and disease prevention.
“I asked Suzanne one day to summarize everything she’d learned into one sentence,” he recalls. “Without hesitation she said, ‘It’s all about the food.’” Building a Lasting Legacy Although Somers died in 2023 after a decades long battle with breast cancer, Hamel remains fully immersed in the business they spent years creating. At SuzanneSomers.com, he continues overseeing the wellness, beauty, and lifestyle brand they launched during the earliest days of the internet.
Hamel and Cassidy recently celebrated his birthday in Las Vegas, where they discovered a new Indian restaurant connected to London’s acclaimed Gymkhana. The meal impressed him so much they returned the following evening.
Recognizing the company needed fresh energy, Hamel recently hired a new president and assembled a leadership team largely made up of women in their 30s. “They’re brilliant,” he says. “Sometimes I joke they speak a different language because everything today is digital.”
But, while the couple enjoys glamorous Hollywood outings, Hamel says their happiest moments are remarkably ordinary.
He also continues protecting one of their most recognizable products, the ThighMaster, which has sold well over
The Simple Pleasures
PROFILE
Alan Hamel & Joanna Cassidy (PHOTO COURTESY OF HAMEL)
10 million units worldwide and generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. Hamel says a redesigned version is currently in development, though he is keeping details confidential because of widespread knockoffs. Despite decades of entrepreneurial success, Hamel says the greatest reward is one close to his heart. “I want the name Suzanne Somers to live on forever.” As he enters his tenth decade, Hamel continues doing exactly what she hoped he would: helping people live healthier, happier lives, a vision Somers dedicated herself to every day.
Alan Hamel & Suzanne Somers (PHOTO COURTESY OF HAMEL)
Alan Hamel produced The Blonde in the Thunderbird on Broadway at the Brooks Atkinson, a one-woman musical starring Suzanne Somers, who sang, danced, and acted out her childhood living with her violent alcoholic father who hunted down the family every night. Somers was on stage alone for one hour and 46 minutes. P suzannesomers.com
parkmagazineny.com | 69
Heinz Holba (PHOTO NEW YORK MODEL MANAGEMENT)
The Modeling CEO Who Built Two Coast-to-Coast Fashion Powerhouses or more than four decades, Heinz Holba has helped shape the modern modeling industry from both coasts of the United States. As founder of New York Model Management and L.A. Models, the Austrian-born entrepreneur has built two of fashion’s most respected
F
70 | parkmagazineny.com
agencies while navigating dramatic changes in media, technology, and culture. This year, New York Model Management celebrates its 30th anniversary, a milestone that reflects not only longevity, but an ability to evolve in one of the world’s most competitive businesses. Holba credits preparation and consistency for that success. “Anything can happen.
We’re always prepared to advise and deal with our clients as necessary and, above all, service the models because they depend on us,” he says. Journey Into Fashion Holba’s path into model management evolved organically. Born in Austria, he eventually moved to Canada, where, in 1978 he purchased the Canadian agency Booking One, followed
PROFILE
Heinz Holba a year later by the Elite/John Casablancas Modeling Schools and Agencies Canadian franchises.
He eventually expanded to ten agencies and schools throughout Canada and California before selling them to launch L.A. Models in 1985. A decade later, he established New York Model Management, giving him premier agencies on both coasts. Today, Holba continues dividing his time between Los Angeles and New York. “I’ll spend a little more time in L.A. because I have two daughters that live close by,” he says. Evolving with the Industry The modeling industry has transformed dramatically since Holba first entered it. Editorial magazines no longer dictate careers the way they once did, while social media, global campaigns, and digital marketing have created entirely new opportunities.
Still, Holba believes fashion’s appeal remains unchanged. “People are still buying fashion, and they’re fascinated by fashion news. That’s still there,” he says. “But it’s a global business now.” Campaigns reach worldwide audiences through social media instead of individual countries, requiring agencies to think universally while helping clients navigate an increasingly connected marketplace. Relationships Make the Difference Despite rapid technological change, Holba believes the agency business remains rooted in trust. “Our clients rely on our expertise and foresight,” he says. “They look to us for help in bringing their vision to life to meet their particular goals for that production.’” While he acknowledges that the industry’s leading
New York Model Management & L.A. Models BY JEREMY MURPHY
agencies all deliver high-quality representation, Holba states “personal service and long-term relationships separate the best from the rest.” International partnerships are equally important. Agencies around the world send promising talent to New York and Los Angeles, creating opportunities that benefit models and clients alike.
Looking Beyond the Look When Holba and his team evaluate new talent, personality carries just as much weight as appearance. His agencies focus on building careers rather than chasing quick success, helping models develop professionally over time. “We’re looking at how the personality is going to evolve,” he says. “A personality that connects with people.”
Many aspiring models begin their careers at 16 or 17 years old, making confidence and communication skills just as important as photogenic looks. “They need practice dealing with clients, photographers, casting directors, etc. while learning to be comfortable in their own skin,” Holba says. “That’s a big part of what makes a successful model.” Fashion’s Broader Perspective Holba believes fashion has become significantly more inclusive than when he entered the industry decades ago. “People have more of an open mind and as a result, diversity has become the norm,” he notes. Greater international collaboration has broadened standards of beauty while creating opportunities for talent from diverse backgrounds. At the same time, increased oversight has strengthened professional standards. “Protecting young talent remains one of our agency’s most important
responsibilities and one that we take very seriously.”
AI Can’t Replace Emotion Artificial intelligence has sparked debate throughout fashion, but Holba believes human connection remains impossible to duplicate. “The use case for AI is still evolving in our industry however clients and their customers can tell when something feels inauthentic,” he says. While AI offers valuable tools for research and data analysis, Holba says something essential is still lacking. “What’s missing are the natural and familiar human attributes – authenticity, personality, and genuine interaction will always remain qualities technology cannot fully recreate.”
Looking Ahead While Celebrating His 30th Anniversary As New York Model Management celebrates 30 years, Holba remains optimistic about fashion’s future. He sees social media expanding opportunities while bringing cultures closer together, but he also believes young professionals must balance technology with real-world communication. “They have to learn how to interact in person,” he says. “Eye contact is important.”
Fashion has continuously reinvented itself throughout history, and Holba expects that evolution to continue. What won’t change, he believes, is the importance of trust, relationships, and personal service. Those values have helped build two internationally respected agencies and have allowed Heinz Holba to remain one of modeling’s most enduring and influential leaders as the industry enters its next chapter. P newyorkmodels.com
parkmagazineny.com | 71
Tara Zimmerman
Redefining Luxury Real Estate on Long Island’s Gold Coast
L
uxury real estate is often defined by square footage, beautiful architecture, and record-setting prices. But for Tara Zimmerman, true luxury lies in something far more enduring: the experience. For Tara, luxury is reflected in how a home is presented, how every client is guided with confidence and care, and in the relationships that continue long after the closing documents are signed. Those are the qualities that matter most to the Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International
72 | parkmagazineny.com
Realty Associate Broker who has built a trusted reputation in Long Island’s luxury market by offering something increasingly rare: authenticity. Her expertise is grounded in an understanding of the local market, her reputation is built on trust earned over time, and her approach is shaped by genuine client relationships. This philosophy has become the foundation of Tara’s growing presence across Long Island’s sought-after Gold Coast
real estate market, where she specializes in some of the region’s most prestigious communities, including Brookville, Old Brookville, Upper Brookville, Old Westbury, Muttontown, Roslyn Harbor, East Hills, Roslyn Estates, to name a few. Raised on Long Island’s North Shore, Tara developed an appreciation for luxurious homes long before she entered real estate. Surrounded by historic estates, timeless architecture, and exquisitely designed
SHELTER
residences, she became fascinated by beautiful properties and the lives unfolding inside them. “My business evolved into luxury real estate because I was always drawn to craftsmanship, architecture, and creative design,” Tara explains. “But what really has kept me here is the people.” That balance between design and client connection defines the New York native’s approach. Every listing begins with an understanding of her clients’ goals, whether they are preparing to leave a family home after two decades, searching for more space to accommodate a growing family, or downsizing for their next chapter. One of Tara’s recent Roslyn transactions perfectly demonstrates why this perspective resonates with buyers and sellers. Referred to homeowners she had never met, Tara spent weeks helping prepare the property for market and offering guidance on staging, presentation, pricing, and positioning. The result was amazing as the home was under contract in fewer than three weeks. While the successful sale was rewarding, Tara considers something else the real accomplishment. “The clients are now becoming friends,” she says. “The transaction ends at the closing table, but the relationship doesn’t.” That long-term mindset has shaped many of her client relationships over the years. The Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty Associate Broker recalls helping a young couple purchase one of their first homes in East Hills nearly six years ago. At the time, they were expecting their first child and searching within a modest budget. Tara
helped them find a home with potential. Over the years, the family grew from two to five, transforming the property into one of the neighborhood’s standout residences. Today, they are selling the home for nearly $2 million before moving on to their next chapter. Watching families grow and being part of those milestones is the most rewarding part of this business,” Tara explains. Currently, Tara is co-listing an extraordinary newly constructed estate at 110 Dogwood Avenue in Roslyn Harbor, alongside Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty manager Shadi Arzanipour. Offered at $6.898 million, the custom-built residence represents a rare opportunity in one of the Gold Coast’s most sought-after communities. Set on approximately 1.25 acres within the acclaimed Roslyn School District, the home offers more than 10,000 square feet of meticulously designed living space. Featuring eight bedrooms, eight full
bathrooms, two powder rooms, a three-stop elevator, walk-out lower level, resort-style pool, covered outdoor entertaining areas, and carefully curated finishes throughout, the residence was designed to blend timeless architecture with modern functionality. Tara believes what distinguishes this property isn’t merely its impressive amenity list. “Brand-new custom homes of this caliber are incredibly rare in this area,” she says. “This isn’t about excess. It’s about quality, thoughtful construction, and creating a home that will stand the test of time.” Despite representing multimillion-dollar estates, she remains equally committed to every client she serves, whether she’s marketing a grand Gold Coast estate or helping first-time buyers purchase a co-op. “I don’t believe luxury service should be reserved for luxury price points,” Tara confesses. “Every client deserves exceptional representation!” P Instagram: @Tarafoxrealestate
parkmagazineny.com | 73
SHELTER
L
ong before global luxury brands began eyeing the historic hamlets of the Hudson Valley, and before California and Hamptons-based buyers were focused in the region, real estate veterans Jason Karadus and Marie-Claire Gladstone recognized a quiet evolution underway. Having spent decades closing high-end Manhattan deals while escaping on weekends to Rhinebeck, both understood the profound connection between New York City and the Hudson Valley long before the broader market caught on. When Corcoran announced its franchise model in early 2019, the timing was unmistakable. Leveraging Gladstone’s 15-year tenure at the firm and Karadus’ 25-year industry career–which began under Barbara Corcoran herself–the duo pitched a bold vision to bring Manhattan’s premier real estate brand upstate. Rather than building a new agency from the ground up, Karadus and Gladstone took a strategic, relationship-driven approach: acquiring established local brokerages with deep community roots. In June 2020, Corcoran Country Living officially launched with anchor offices in Rhinebeck and Millbrook.
Jason & MC
The Hudson Valley’s Quiet Luxury Evolution How a shifting buyer demographic and institutional investment reshaped the upstate market B Y W. A . M U L L E R
“Corcoran was exceptionally selective about brand expansion,” Karadus recalls. “With Corcoran being an early pioneer into the Hamptons and South Florida, leadership immediately understood the natural synergy between New York City and the Hudson Valley.” The strategy paid off instantly. The firm retained 100% of its acquired agents and listings, using the power of the Corcoran network to re-energize properties and win over discerning sellers who had previously been on the fence. An Accelerated Expansion What was planned as a measured, multi-year rollout rapidly accelerated as pandemic-driven demand triggered an unprecedented wave of city buyers seeking country retreats and full-time relocations. Seizing the momentum, Karadus and Gladstone fast-tracked their
74 | parkmagazineny.com
expansion across the river, opening offices in Kingston and Woodstock just eight months later, quickly followed by outposts in Hudson and Beacon. “We went from two offices to six in just over a year,” says Karadus. “People from the city already knew and trusted the brand, and local residents immediately responded to our reach and level of service.”
Currently, the firm has an eye on expansion north into Saratoga Springs, the appeal of city’s Gilded Age charm and worldclass equestrian market is already familiar to many New Yorkers. Their foray into that market is leading marketing and sales for Perennial, a luxury condominium project in downtown Saratoga. A Broadening National Horizon Today, the Hudson Valley’s buyer landscape has expanded far beyond traditional
Manhattan weekenders, attracting high-networth individuals relocating from the West Coast, the Hamptons, and South Florida. Driven by the philosophy that nature is the new luxury, these buyers prioritize open land and sweeping mountain views while enjoying world-class regional amenities.
Yet, despite this massive influx of luxury capital and global prestige, the soul of the region remains remarkably preserved. “Nature is the ultimate luxury,” Karadus reflects, pointing to the scenic ridgelines and riverfronts that have inspired artists for centuries. Thanks to strict historic preservation and thoughtful regional stewardship, an aerial view of these Hudson Valley towns looks very similar now to how it did a hundred years ago–proving that true luxury isn’t about changing the landscape – it’s enjoying and protecting it. P
parkmagazineny.com | 75
I
Saverne
n Hudson Yards, Saverne offers the glow of an open fire, the aroma of wood smoke, and an Alsatian approach to French cooking. The modern wood-fired brasserie, which opened in 2026, is the latest from acclaimed chef Gabriel Kreuther’s culinary vision.
WHERE FIRE MEETS FRENCH FLAIR
Named for Saverne, the historic town in France’s Alsace region where Kreuther’s culinary roots run deep, the restaurant brings the flavors and traditions of the region into a thoroughly contemporary New York setting. Here, classic French technique meets wood fire cooking, with seasonal ingredients
transformed by the smokiness of applewood, oak, and cherry logs.
76 | parkmagazineny.com
BY CHRISTOPHER PAPE
The fire is the heart of the experience. In the east dining room, guests can sit near the live-fire grill and watch the kitchen at work, turning the act of cooking into part of the
evening’s entertainment. The 5,000-squarefoot restaurant balances the theatrics of an open kitchen with an atmosphere that feels polished but inviting, trading the formality of fine dining for what Kreuther describes as a more approachable experience. The cooking is rooted in Alsatian tradition. Begin with something like the boudin noir croquettes or the truffled liverwurst, served with toasted country bread and cornichons, or the aged bluefin tuna with black garlic anchoiade offering a more delicate tasting experience.
DINING
Chevrier overseeing a selection that includes crème brûlée, île flottante, chocolate mousse and a particularly evocative Mont Blanc with chestnut ice cream, cassis sorbet, meringue and candied chestnuts.
The wood fire takes center stage with the entrées. A half-roasted chicken with chicories and pommes purée is classic comfort food elevated by careful technique, while the Loup De Mer is grilled skin-side down, and the Black sea bass, cooked en papillote, demonstrates the restaurant’s ability to move between rustic fire cooking and more refined French preparations. Then there are the tarte flambées, perhaps one of the most charming ways to experience Saverne’s Alsatian influence. The traditional version is featured with mushrooms and house-cured gravlax with horseradish. And
for a pasta course with a decidedly luxurious twist, beet spaghetti is served with oysters, salmon roe, smoked sturgeon, and caviar. Even the more casual offerings have personality. During the early evening, pretzels with horseradish dip can be enjoyed at the bar, which is an nod to the food traditions of Alsace that pairs naturally with a beer or a glass of wine. The wine program follows a similarly welcoming philosophy, emphasizing discovery and smaller producers rather than intimidating bottles and prices. Dessert brings another dimension to the experience, with pastry chef Nicolas
For Kreuther, Saverne represents a return to fundamentals: good ingredients, accomplished technique, hospitality and the primal pleasure of cooking over fire. His résumé is formidable; two Michelin stars and decades spent in some of Europe and New York’s most respected kitchens, but Saverne is deliberately less formal. The result is a restaurant where serious cooking doesn’t require a serious attitude. It is that balance that makes Saverne compelling. There is sophistication without stiffness, heritage without nostalgia and spectacle without excess. Saverne offers something refreshingly elemental: gather around the fire, order something delicious and let the cooking speak for itself. P savernenyc.com
parkmagazineny.com | 77
DINING
Musaafer
A MODERN INDIAN JOURNEY BY LISA LOVERRO
I
n the heart of Tribeca, Musaafer brings a sense place to Indian dining. Set inside a dramatic, 10,000-square-foot space in the historic Hope Building, the restaurant combines intricate Indian-inspired design with an ambitious menu that travels well beyond the familiar curry-and-naan formula. The effect is part restaurant, part cultural immersion, but thoroughly New York.
At the center of the experience is Executive Chef Mayank Istwal, whose approach to Indian cuisine is shaped by an extensive culinary exploration of the country. Rather than focusing on a single region, Istwal draws from India’s remarkable geographic and cultural diversity, incorporating flavors, techniques and dishes from across the subcontinent. His cooking is rooted in tradition but given a contemporary sensibility, resulting in food that can be playful, unexpected and highly polished. Small plates offer an easy introduction, with options such as tuna papad, paani puri and a lychee ceviche that pairs fruit with yuzu, coconut and crispy corn. For something more substantial, the offerings move into seafood, meat and vegetable dishes, including Khasi black sesame cod, lamb chop biryani, Malvani fish curry and a rich, slow-cooked
78 | parkmagazineny.com
dal. One of the restaurant’s signature presentations, the Butter Chicken Experience, gives the beloved classic a contemporary twist by presenting it in two preparations. The cocktail program incorporates Indian ingredients and flavors into familiar formats, creating an inventive complement to the food. The experience can also extend downstairs to SAAQI, the restaurant’s intimate bar, where the evening takes on a more seductive, afterdark mood. Designed with lavish references to Indian artistry and architecture, the dining room features ornate details, marble, mirrors and elaborate lighting. It feels glamorous and transportive without abandoning the energy of downtown Manhattan.
Musaafer is ultimately less about presenting a definitive version of Indian cuisine than about inviting diners to explore the entire country through its highly curated menu. Every course offers another perspective, whether through an unexpected ingredient, a regional reference or a clever reinterpretation of a beloved dish. For a city accustomed to ambitious Indian restaurants, Musaafer makes its mark through sheer scale, visual drama and a menu that treats dinner as an adventure. It offers a luxurious and decidedly modern way to experience the many flavors of India. P musaaferrestaurants.com
MODERN ITALIAN RESTAURANT
parkmagazineny.com | 79
DINING
Wayan
T
ucked into Nolita, Wayan has a relaxed, welcoming energy, with Indonesian touches throughout the space. Lot of warm wood, greenery, traditional carving, along with a lively bar that gives the room a little buzz. It feels stylish but not stuffy, and the atmosphere sets the stage for the kind of meal where you order a lot and share everything.
That’s really the best way to approach Wayan. The menu, created by chef Cédric Vongerichten, is inspired by the flavors of Indonesia but doesn’t feel overly traditional or formal. Instead, he takes familiar ingredients and spices and gives them a distinctly New York spin, with French technique and plenty of creativity thrown in. Wayan is chef Cédric Vongerichten’s first solo restaurant, and there’s a personal story behind the name. Born in Bangkok and raised in New York, he grew up surrounded by different culinary cultures and went on to
80 | parkmagazineny.com
I N D O N E S I A N F L AV O R , N E W YO R K S T Y L E BY LISA LOVERRO
work in kitchens around the world, including the famed El Bulli in Spain. His father, chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, obviously had a major influence on his career. Start with a few small plates for the table. The satays are a must, with choices such as chicken with peanut sauce and lime or shrimp with dabu dabu, a bright, spicy Indonesian condiment. The vegetable spring rolls are another easy crowd-pleaser, while the avocado gado gado offers a fresh take on the classic Indonesian salad, with plenty of texture and flavor. Seafood gets plenty of attention, too. Hiramasa sashimi comes dressed with ginger, turmeric and sambal matah, while hamachi tartare combines the fish with acar, black rice and sambal hijau. The flavors are bright, spicy and fresh without overwhelming the ingredients. When it comes to the larger plates, things get a little more indulgent. The caramelized beef tenderloin, served with spring onion
sambal, baby corn and pickled chili, is one of those dishes that tends to disappear quickly. Roasted duck with calamansi gulai, Asian pear and cashews brings together sweet, savory and citrusy notes, while the lobster noodles with black pepper butter and Thai basil are rich and comforting. And then there’s the rice. Because really, what’s an Indonesian meal without it? Wayan offers coconut-and-turmeric yellow rice, nasi goreng topped with a fried egg, and fried rice with peekytoe crab or short rib. They’re perfect for scooping up alongside the other dishes – and for sharing. Wayan is worldly without trying too hard, polished but genuinely fun, and the kind of restaurant that works just as well for a special night out as it does for a spontaneous dinner with friends. P wayan-restaurants.com/new-york
parkmagazineny.com | 81
DINING
Chatti A TA S T E O F K E R A L A BY LISA LOVERRO
I
n the heart of Midtown Manhattan, Chatti by Regi Mathew offers a delicious introduction to the food and culture of Kerala, the lush coastal state in southern India. Located in the Garment District, the restaurant is inspired by Kerala’s traditional toddy shops, which are casual, communal gathering places where friends come together over drinks, conversation and plates of intensely flavorful food. At Chatti, that spirit is translated into a contemporary New York setting.
The name itself comes from chatti, the traditional clay pot used in Kerala homes and toddy shops, setting the tone for a menu that honors the region’s culinary traditions while giving them a modern expression. The concept revolves around “touchings,” Keralastyle small plates traditionally eaten by hand and designed for sharing. The menu travels across Kerala’s diverse culinary landscape, with seafood, meats, vegetables, and fragrant spices. Standouts include Calicut Mussels, Lobster along with
82 | parkmagazineny.com
Beef Dry Fry, Beef and Green Pepper, Mutton Potato Curry and Idukki Potatoes. For something sweet, the Filter Coffee Pudding offers a distinctly South Indian finale to the meal. The 3,500-square-foot restaurant is spacious and relaxed, with room for approximately 90 guests. The design offers a contemporary Manhattan vibe and the visual language of Kerala. Teak furniture, white walls and minimalist murals are accented by elements drawn from the region’s landscape and culture. Copper details, natural materials and Kerala-inspired artwork add a touch of warmth. The result is elegant without feeling overly formal. At the center of Chatti is Chef Regi Mathew, whose connection to Kerala cuisine is deeply personal. Born and raised in Kerala, Mathew spent more than three years researching the state’s toddy-shop food, visiting 70 toddy shops and 265 homes and documenting more than 800 recipes. His goal is not simply to introduce New Yorkers to another regional Indian cuisine, but to preserve and share the stories, techniques and flavors behind it.
The result is a restaurant that feels like both a culinary journey and a gathering place. It’s a chance to experience the generosity and flavors of Kerala without leaving New York. P chattinewyork.com
LONGITUDE TITANIUM HIGH-SEA WATCHMAKING WATCHES OF SWITZERLAND 60 Greene Street, New York 10012 T (646) 973-3363
www.arnoldandson.com
parkmagazineny.com | 83
DINING
Berimbau Brazilian Table A TA S T E O F B R A Z I L I N T H E H E A R T O F M A N H AT TA N BY LISA LOVERRO
O
n West 36th Street, just steps from Bryant Park and Koreatown, Berimbau Brazilian Table brings the vibrant flavors and easygoing spirit of Brazil to the heart of Midtown. Located at 3 West 36th Street, the restaurant is spacious and contemporary, with warm lighting, a welcoming bar and an energetic atmosphere that builds as the evening unfolds. It is the kind of place that works equally well for a relaxed dinner, a gathering with friends or drinks that stretch well into the night.
At the center of the restaurant is Executive Chef Victor Vasconcellos, a São Paulo native whose cooking reflects the extraordinary diversity of Brazilian cuisine. Trained under renowned Brazilian chef Laurent Suaudeau, Vasconcellos brings a sophisticated touch to traditional dishes, drawing on flavors and ingredients from across the country while keeping the food approachable and inviting. The menu encourages exploration, beginning with small plates that showcase the breadth of Brazilian cooking. Warm pão de queijo, the classic Brazilian cheese bread
84 | parkmagazineny.com
made with tapioca flour, is an irresistible place to start. The coxinha, crispy chicken croquettes filled with Catupiry cheese and served with malagueta sauce, offers another taste of a beloved Brazilian street food. For something a little different, be sure to try the dadinho, crunchy cubes of tapioca and coalho cheese served with a sweet-and-sour pepper sauce. Seafood lovers can turn to the hamachi ceviche, served with a bright cajá citrus sauce, Espelette pepper and dill. The flavors are fresh and lively, a nice counterpoint to some of the menu’s richer offerings. For a main course, the moqueca is a standout. A Brazilian classic with roots in the country’s coastal regions, Berimbau’s version combines shrimp with coconut milk and dendê broth, served with rice and dendê farofa. The picanha, another Brazilian favorite, highlights the restaurant’s more traditional side, showcasing the richly flavored cut that is a staple of Brazilian churrasco culture. Vasconcellos also isn’t afraid to take the
cuisine in unexpected directions. Rigatoni is tossed in an amburana cachaça sauce and paired with creamy stracciatella and a crisp coalho cheese tuile; a playful meeting of Italian technique and Brazilian ingredients. Naturally, cocktails are an important part of the experience. Berimbau is particularly known for its caipirinhas, Brazil’s signature cocktail, with creative versions that incorporate tropical fruits alongside the classic lime. Upstairs, the Brazilian listening bar adds another layer to the experience, with DJs, music and special events creating a more nightlife-oriented vibe. Put them both together, and the restaurant and bar capture something essential about Brazil: the food is meant to be shared, drinks are meant to linger over, and a meal is rarely just a meal. At Berimbau, the flavors, music and atmosphere come together for a lively little escape in the middle of Manhattan. P berimbaunyc.com
parkmagazineny.com | 85
Chantilly, France B Y R . C O U R I H AY
Grounds (PHOTO THIBAULT CHARPENTIER)
C
hantilly, a picturesque town in Northern France with a grand, historically important château, is one of the best day trips from Paris, reachable by train in as little as 25 minutes. The Château de Chantilly is considered an alternative to Versailles without the crowds, and, in 2025, was voted the country’s favorite heritage monument by the French people.
large that many visitors use golf carts for a tour.
Living Horse Museum
Château de Chantilly
A visit to the famed stables and its museum, with artifacts dedicated to the historical links between human beings and horses, is a must. “It’s very popular for families with children because Chantilly, the region, is the horse capital of France,” says Mathieu Deldicque, director of the Living Horse and Condé museums. “It’s a long, long history, a long tradition.”
The château houses collections of furniture, porcelain, and gems, and contains a museum, the Condé, for its artworks. This is France’s second largest assemblage of Old Master paintings after the Louvre. The setting itself is an attraction, on 285 acres comprising a formal French garden, an English garden, and extensive water features. The grounds are so
At the château, horses are not relics but partners, hence the “Living Horse” designation. Visitors can take in dressage demonstrations, equestrian performances, and daily training exercises with 40 horses, donkeys, and ponies, part of a centuries‑old relationship between humans and horses
86 | parkmagazineny.com
Reading Room
ESCAPES
(PHOTO SOPHIE LLOYD)
Equestrian show (PHOTO JERZY BUKAJLO)
that remains central to Chantilly’s identity. The Musée Condé Housed within the château, the Musée Condé feels worlds away from the modern museum experience. Its presentation remains intentionally 19th century, with paintings densely hung and galleries arranged as princely apartments rather than neutral exhibition halls.
The collection includes major works by Raphael, Poussin, Ingres and other masters, with exceptional holdings in early French painting and Renaissance manuscript illumination. The Cabinet des Livres houses tens of thousands of rare volumes, including Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, one of the most important illuminated manuscripts in existence.
Its collections include not just paintings, but also drawings, books, and manuscripts, a rarity to find all together in one château. “Actually, it’s not a very large collection in terms of quantity,” says Deldicque, but the quality is incredible. The 850 paintings, 4,000 drawings, and 60,000 books and manuscripts are among the best of the best. “All the great masters are united here; we have Botticelli, Fra Angelico, Titian, Delacroix, Van Dyck, and so on and so on. So this is quite unique, actually, in that scale.” The whole collection was purchased during the 19th century by the last owner of Chantilly, the Duke of Aumale, who was the son of King Louis-Philippe, the last king of France. Gardens by Versailles’ landscaper Le Nôtre The vast grounds of the Château de Chantilly make for a memorable amble on a sunny day. André Le Nôtre, the legendary landscape
architect behind the gardens of Versailles, designed Chantilly’s formal French gardens, complete with geometric parterres, and the striking Grand Canal. There is also a rustic Anglo‑Chinese garden, offering changing moods as you wander from manicured elegance to romantic nature scenes. The estate is also surrounded by forests for a total of almost 20,000 acres; it is truly amazing that this much open land has remained intact so close to Paris.
A Long History The story of Château de Chantilly stretches back to the Middle Ages, when a fortified castle guarded the Nonette valley. Over the centuries, the estate passed through some of France’s most influential families, including the Montmorency and Condé dynasties, each leaving a distinct architectural and cultural imprint. The original Grand Château was destroyed during the French Revolution,
Grounds (PHOTO THIBAULT CHARPENTIER)
Aerial view of the Great Stables (PHOTO MARC WALTER)
parkmagazineny.com | 87
Stag Room (PHOTO SOPHIE LLOYD)
leaving only the smaller, elegant Petit Château, built in the 16th century. In the late 19th century, Henri d’Orléans, Duke of Aumale, commissioned a complete reconstruction of the Grand Château in neo‑Renaissance style, restoring Chantilly to its former grandeur.
One Man’s Vision The Duke of Aumale’s will stipulated that the estate remain as is in every detail, hence why the artwork is still hung as he placed it when it was his home. The duke was one of the most passionate art collectors of the 19th century. Exiled for decades after the French Revolution dethroned his father, the duke spent his life assembling one of the greatest private art collections in Europe. In his will, he bequeathed the entire estate, château, library, and artworks. to the Institut de France, with one condition: nothing was ever to be sold or modernized.
When visitors enter the château and the Musée Condé today, they experience the collection exactly as it was displayed in 1898, the year the museum opened. Paintings are
88 | parkmagazineny.com
hung from floor to ceiling, offering a rare glimpse into how art was once collected and admired. Friends of the Domaine de Chantilly In 2015, the late Prince Karim Aga Khan founded the Friends of the Domaine de Chantilly (FODC), which brings together renowned art collectors, philanthropists, and cultural enthusiasts from around the world to raise awareness and maintain the Château de Chantilly.
them almost every day. “They’re based in the United States, and the board is very international with Americans, English, French, Swiss, Italians, and so on,” he says. “It’s a very kind and generous group of sponsors, art collectors, art lovers, and they
Over the past 10 years, FODC, now chaired by Prince Karim Aga Khan’s brother, Prince Amyn Aga Khan, has made substantial contributions to projects at Chantilly, including major exhibitions and their catalogues, the conservation of precious artworks, the creation of the Gallery of Prints and Drawings, and the renovation of historic galleries in the castle as well as the Great Stables. FODC’s work has proved invaluable to this historic property. Deldicque works with
M Ramnaraine, Mme Marino & Mme Lalonde (PHOTO BRUNO COHEN)
ESCAPES
Concert (PHOTO BRUNO COHEN)
all fell in love with Chantilly, with all the treasures and diversity of art. And they help us a lot for exhibitions and restoration.” Actually, he adds, without them, it would be almost impossible to do some of the things the château does to maintain the collections and put on activities. “So they’re very precious, and very dynamic,” says Deldicque. He notes that the château is financially independent. “We are not funded by the French government like Versailles or other châteaus, or other museums like the Louvre. So we rely on ourselves and that’s it.” And therefore, the property also relies on the generosity of sponsors, art lovers, and companies. The estate is very large, with architecturally significant historical buildings that require restoration. They launch fundraising campaigns for various projects, like maintaining the glass ceiling in the painting galleries. The ceiling restoration also protects the masterpieces below. Other campaigns are earmarked for the restoration of the gardens and water features. Friends of the Domaine de Chantilly Annual Gala Dinner One of FODC’s signature fundraisers is its annual gala dinner. The 2025 gala held at the château marked the organization’s tenth anniversary.
Guests included HRH Prince Foulques d’Orléans, the current Duke d’Aumale;
Count and Countess Olivier de Dampierre; Prince and Princess Alexandra Otto deWindisch-Graetz; HRH Prince Michael of Yugoslavia; and many other counts, countesses, dukes and duchesses, plus executives from Chanel, Hermès, Sotheby’s, Christie’s, and Laurent-Perrier, and also yours truly and my friends, Cornelia Guest, Eugenia Bullock, Barbara Tober, Jonathan Marder, and Tom Knapp. We were treated to a sublime concert in the beautiful Gallery of Paintings by Les Talens Lyriques, an ensemble specializing in Baroque, Classical, and early Romantic repertoire. Afterward, we were seated in two rooms, the Grands Appartements des princes de Condé, with decorations dating from the 18th century, and the Tribune Room, where the museum’s most important Italian paintings are displayed, for a delectable dinner by Jean-Baptiste LavergneMorazzani, Michelin-starred chef of the Versailles restaurant La Table du 11. Wines were from Château Canon and Domaine William Fèvre, and the splendid table settings and floral arrangements were selected by Peter Marino, who served as chair of the gala dinner. Marino, the famed architect and renowned art collector, is a huge supporter of FODC, and, in fact, mounted an exhibition of rare porcelain at the château in 2020-2021. The major exhibition, “The Making of
Cornelia Guest & Peter Marino (PHOTO BRUNO COHEN)
Extravagance. Porcelain from Meissen and Chantilly”, in the château’s Grands Appartements, marked the first time a large-scale exhibition was dedicated to the study of Meissen and Chantilly porcelain, which influenced the decorative arts during the Age of Enlightenment. For the occasion, exceptional loans from the Porzellansammlung in Dresden were brought together with private and public collections in the United States and Europe. Many of these artworks had never been presented in France or outside of Germany. fodchantilly.org Exhibition & Events With such an extensive collection, the museum holds rotating exhibitions to showcase its highlights. “There is a wide variety in the collections, and in each field the quality is exceptional,” says Deldicque. “In each field, art, architecture, the gardens, manuscripts, this is a matter of excellency.”
“For instance, we have a diamond collection, which is in storage, and we organize exhibitions about them,” he says.
parkmagazineny.com | 89
This year will bring an exhibition of the Condé Museum’s pink diamond, which is over 9 carats and has been in the collection since the 18th century. The exhibition, in partnership with Van Cleef & Arpel’s L’Ecole School of Jewelry Arts, is remarkable because the diamond has not been publicly shown since 1926. There’s a reason for this: in October 1926 the pink stone was stolen from the museum. Luckily, it was found shortly after, having been hidden in an apple by the thieves, who were apparently unable to sell it, and has been locked away for 100 years!
Batailles (PHOTO BRUNO COHEN)
While the château’s permanent collections remain in place, the estate does host an array of visiting exhibitions, so there’s always a reason to come back. From June 6 through October 4, 2026, the exhibit “From Naples to Chantilly: The Collection of the Queen Caroline Murat” will display the collections of the Queen of Naples, née Caroline Bonaparte, the youngest sister of Napoleon. She was nicknamed the ‘Queen of the Arts’ for her passion for the Bay of Naples and the ancient sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum, and remarkable collection that included major artists, such as Ingres, Rebell, and Canova. They also host exhibits around books, drawings, and of course, horses. The estate goes all out for holidays like Halloween, Christmas, and Easter, and holds concerts throughout the year, from classical music to techno. Twice yearly Château de Chantilly is home to the biggest flower show in continental Europe.
Hameau Restaurant (PHOTO 5 MARS)
Musée Condé Director Mathieu Deldicque: A Lifelong Passion Château de Chantilly has been threaded throughout Mathieu Deldicque’s life. He even did an internship there while pursuing his education. After earning a degree as an archivistpaleographer as class valedictorian, Deldicque then studied museum curation, with internships at the British Museum, the Louvre Lens and the Art Institute of Chicago, as well as at the Condé. He went on to earn a doctorate in art history in 2018. He started his career as a curator within the Museums of France service of the French Ministry of Culture, where he was responsible for relations between the ministry and the castle museums of France, later heading up the Condé Museum at Château de Chantilly.
So, has that always been his dream career, or just good luck? “It’s between the two,
90 | parkmagazineny.com
Great Stables dome (PHOTO CHRISTOPHE TANIÈRE)
commuting distance to Paris.
actually,” he says with a laugh. “Chantilly is the first museum I ever visited as a small child, like four or five years old. And then I began my career and my studies in the history of art. I had an internship here in 2012, and it was a marvelous experience, lots of projects, a small team, and lots of development to do. And so I decided to apply to be a curator here in 2015, and I succeeded. And in 2022, I became director of the museum. So yeah, it’s luck, but it’s also a will.” Chantilly, The Town: Cream, Thoroughbreds & Lace The town of Chantilly sits on land that was once part of the Château, remember, the nobles were forced out and the mansion was destroyed during the French Revolution. Today, it’s a very pretty, cobbled town, and quite posh, what with the horsey set and within
Chantilly’s most famous export isn’t architectural or artistic, it’s edible. Crème Chantilly, the lightly sweetened whipped cream that appears on menus across France and far beyond, takes its name from the town. Chantilly proudly embraces the connection, and you’ll find the cream served simply, traditionally, and without excess in pâtisseries, cafés, and tearooms along the town’s main streets. Crème Chantilly is often paired with fresh strawberries, spooned beside a tart, or served at the end of a leisurely lunch, always with simplicity, fitting for a town that favors refinement over spectacle. French Capital of the Horse Chantilly is widely known as France’s capital of the horse, a title earned through centuries of breeding, training, and equestrian ceremony. This identity is impossible to miss. The chateau’s monumental Grandes Stables, built in the 18th century, are bigger than the house itself, stretching across the edge of the grounds. They remain among the most impressive stables in Europe, and house the Living Museum of the Horse, where exhibitions explain the cultural and sporting role of horses in France, plus live equestrian demonstrations.
Just beyond the stables is the Chantilly racecourse, still an active center for French racing. On race days, the town picks up its pace as locals and visitors alike gather to enjoy a tradition that blends sport, social ritual, and heritage in equal measure. Even outside racing season, the equestrian presence remains visible, from training tracks near the forest to riders clopping gently right through town. Lace Museum The other thing Chantilly was famous for in olden times, other than horses and whipped cream, was lace. Chantilly lace, in its heyday of the 17th and 18th centuries, was handmade, very high-quality bobbin lace, typically black in color, and often used for mourning attire. The best Chantilly laces were in silk, sometimes linen, and some were white in color.
The Lace Museum (it sounds more elegant in French: Le Musée de la Dentelle) is amidst a heritage corner of the town that includes a library, a cultural center, and artworks depicting horses wearing lace masks. Yes, even French horses are chic! P chantilly-dentelle.com chateaudechantilly.fr
parkmagazineny.com | 91
La Concha Oceanfront Energy
S
et directly on Condado Beach in one of San Juan’s most stylish neighborhoods, the resort brings together the best of a Caribbean escape with the energy of a city hotel – think ocean breezes, palm-fringed pools, excellent dining, cocktails, music ahere easy as the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport is roughly a 15-minute drive away. La Concha sits directly on Condado Beach, with the Atlantic stretching out beyond the resort and the city just steps away. It’s a rare combination: guests can spend the morning barefoot on the sand, wander along Ashford Avenue for shopping and restaurants in the afternoon, and return to the resort for sunset cocktails without ever feeling far from the action. The beach also makes an ideal backdrop for the resort’s wellness programming, which includes beachfront fitness and mindfulness sessions. The pools on property have become part of La Concha’s signature personality. The main pool is a multilevel with an infinity edge, connecting waterfalls and whirlpools overlooking the lobby. It’s less about quietly reading a book and more about seeing and being seen, as it’s a lively gathering place where the music, cocktails and conversation can carry well into the afternoon. There are also more tranquil options, including the adults-only Ocean Terrace infinity pool at the Suite Tower and Marena, an adults-only beachfront terrace overlooking the ocean. Dining is equally energetic, with an impressive range of experiences that make staying in feel like part of the adventure. At AQA Oceanfront, sweeping views of the Atlantic accompany island-inspired cuisine, from tropical fruit and Puerto Rican favorites at breakfast to slow-roasted meats cooked over an open flame at dinner. For a more relaxed poolside experience,
92 | parkmagazineny.com
B Y L I S A LOV E R R O
ESCAPES
Solera is the place to settle in. Its open-air terrace serves Caribbean-inspired fare during the day before evolving into a Spanishinfluenced tapas destination in the evening. It’s made for sharing–whether that means a casual lunch between swims or small plates and cocktails as the sun goes down. Levant by Chef Michael White adds another level of sophistication, bringing Mediterranean-inspired cuisine and the talents of the acclaimed chef to the resort. Serafina offers a lively take on Italian dining, while Aroma Café provides an easy morning stop for coffee, fresh juice, breakfast and grab-and-go options. There’s even Marena, the adults-only beachfront terrace, where rosé and botanical cocktails accompany the sound of the waves. Once the sun sets, the Lobby Bar is essentially the heartbeat of the resort, shifting from a breezy daytime gathering spot into a more animated evening scene with live music, events and cocktails. On Thursday through Saturday nights, Fifty-Eight, the resort’s oceanfront nightclub, keeps things going late with DJs and dancing. Yet for all its social energy, La Concha also knows how to slow things down. The resort offers a spa, oceanfront fitness facilities and wellness programming, allowing guests to balance the lively side of San Juan with moments of restoration. Ultimately, La Concha’s appeal is its ability to give you several vacations in one. There’s the beach vacation, with the Atlantic just beyond your door; the pool vacation, complete with cocktails and a see-and-beseen atmosphere; the culinary escape, with restaurants that range from casual to sophisticated; and the city vacation, with Condado’s restaurants, shops and nightlife within easy reach. P laconcharesort.com
parkmagazineny.com | 93
ESCAPES
The Condado Vanderbilt The Art of Indulgence in San Juan BY L I S A LOV E R R O
T
here’s a glamorous quality to arriving at the Condado Vanderbilt Hotel. The hotel has an impressive history that began with the original vision of Frederick William Vanderbilt and opened in 1919. The Spanish Colonial Revival architecture and glamorous ocean views combined with an impressive list of famous guests, including Charles Lindbergh, Errol Flynn, Bob Hope and the Roosevelts, quickly made the hotel a favorite in the Caribbean. When it came close to being demolished decades later and changing hands multiple times, its status as a cultural heritage landmark was its saving grace. The hotel took a decade to restore to its former glory, preserving the historic architecture while earning a reputation for refined hospitality. The hotel is located on the Atlantic in San Juan’s trendy Condado
94 | parkmagazineny.com
district and combines the romance of a 1919 landmark property with the polish of a contemporary luxe resort. The hotel’s signature 1919 Restaurant serves cutting-edge cuisine with a focus on local ingredients and Chef Ciarán Elliott’s inventive palate and outstanding service. Prime beef, roasted duck and local fish are featured on the menu or opt for the Chef’s Tasting Menu for a real treat. If you’re looking for something a little more fun and high energy, STK San Juan merges the steakhouse and lounge concepts for a fun dining and drinking experience. A delicious menu including a NY Strip and Cowboy Ribeye, are served alongside the ambiance created by DJs and the decidedly celebratory mood that makes dinner feel more like going out than eating. You can get oceanfront dining with a little more relaxed vibe at Ola
Ocean Front Bistro where you’ll satisfy your Puerto Rican cuisine craving. Don’t forget to order a side of breadfruit tostones or yuca mofongo, plus a tropical cocktail to round out a true island experience. There’s also Tacos & Tequila, a fun spot with Mexicaninspired fare, including tacos and tequila plus the laid-back vibe. There are multiple pool options at the hotel, including an infinity pool with expansive views plus a main and an adultsonly pool. Beach and pool butlers are on hand to deliver food and beverage, fresh towels and more directly to you. It’s the type of service that makes it totally reasonable to
settle onto a chaise lounge for the afternoon. The Vanderbilt Spa is a space meant to be a place of restoration. Massages, facials, body treatments and couples’ treatments are offered, along with steam rooms, a traditional sauna, rainforest showers and a Stillness Lounge. The Hammam Ritual is particularly unique, an immersive experience based on ancient purification rituals and created exclusively for the Vanderbilt. But perhaps the Vanderbilt’s true personality only reveals itself after dark. VC Lounge describes itself as the epicenter of San Juan nightlife and it lives up to the
moniker with sea views, cocktails, bites and live music, making it both a great jumping-off point and a perfect place to spend the evening. Weekend shows contribute to the ambiance and Veritas Wine & Cognac Bar provides a more low-key setting with wine, cocktails, music and panoramic ocean views. Marabar by 1919 provides an appropriately glamorous nightcap with caviar and Champagne, while AVO Lounge serves as a chic spot for premium cigars. The hotel frequently hosts live music, from themed music nights at VC Lounge to DJs at STK, so there’s almost always something going on after dark. P condadovanderbilt.com
parkmagazineny.com | 95
Island Ease at the
ROYAL SONESTA B Y W. A . M U L L E R
T
here’s something wonderfully effortless about arriving in Puerto Rico and being on the beach almost before you’ve had time to unpack. At The Royal Sonesta San Juan, that’s part of the appeal. Located directly on Isla Verde Beach in Carolina, the resort combines a perfect beachfront setting with one of the most convenient locations in San Juan, located just two miles from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport. No long transfer, no winding journey after a flight; instead, you
96 | parkmagazineny.com
can be poolside, cocktail in hand, almost immediately after landing. That easy accessibility doesn’t come at the expense of the island experience. The resort sits right on a broad stretch of Isla Verde Beach, where white sand meets the blue waters of the Atlantic. Guests have direct beach access from the resort, with beach chairs, umbrellas and towels included in the daily resort fee. For those who want a little more adventure, water sports nearby include jet skiing, parasailing and stand-up paddleboarding.
But you don’t h ave to choose between beach and pool here: the lagoon-style pool at the Royal Sonesta is very much its own destination, with tropical landscaping designed for lounging. It features a swim-up bar, so you can go from morning lap to a rum punch without ever setting foot out of the water. The pool has a distinct social vibe (which grows with the temperature) that’s a great spot to catch some sun, enjoy a drink and nibble on light snacks. Dining is another reason you could happily spend much of your stay without venturing far
ESCAPES
from the resort. Ocean Breeze is the standout for its beachfront setting, and celebrated as Isla Verde’s only oceanfront bar and restaurant. Its Mediterranean-inspired menu is served for both lunch and dinner, with the ocean providing the backdrop and the sand practically at your feet. It’s the kind of place that works equally well for a relaxed midday meal or sunset drinks followed by dinner. For breakfast, Aleli offers indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the lagoon pool, with both buffet and à la carte options. Akua Pool Bar, meanwhile, keeps the poolside
experience going with cocktails and light bites served right from the swim-up bar. At the Karaya Lobby Bar & Terrace, the mood shifts toward evening, with handcrafted cocktails, Puerto Rican flavors and an indoor-outdoor setting overlooking the pool. There’s also La Bodeguita for quick bites and essentials, as well as Sottovento for classic Italian cuisine, giving guests plenty of variety without having to leave the property. And while the resort makes a compelling case for staying put, its location makes exploring easy. Nearby, Old San Juan provides a day of exploring this colorful city, while El Yunque National Forest offers an entirely different side of Puerto Rico, with lush rainforest landscapes and hiking trails. The beauty of the Royal Sonesta is that you can have both: a convenient urban base and a true tropical beach escape.
After a day of sightseeing, the resort’s Zen Spa Brisas offers massages, facials, body treatments and hydrotherapy, along with a sauna and steam room. The fitness center is open 24 hours and has expansive windows overlooking the beach and Atlantic, a welcome reminder that even a workout here comes with a view. Ultimately, The Royal Sonesta San Juan gets the Puerto Rico vacation equation right: a spectacular beach, a vibrant pool, plenty of dining options and an airport-close location that makes getting there remarkably easy. It’s a place where the hardest decision of the day may be whether to spend the afternoon with your toes in the sand or a cocktail in the swim-up bar. P sanjuanroyal.sonesta.com
parkmagazineny.com | 97
The Best of California’s Sun, Coast and Wine B Y R YA N N R E Y N O L D S
I
n Oceanside, CA you can wake up at the beach, eat exceptionally well, and then enjoy local wine in Temecula’s stunning vineyards less than an hour later. For the beach lover who is also food and wine obsessed and searching for a unique Southern California escape, it is time to tap into the growing synergy between Oceanside’s flip-flop-fine-dining laidback culture and the neighboring wine country in Temecula. Oceanside’s shoreline and elevated culinary scene pair naturally with the proximity of Temecula’s award-winning wineries. Together, the two destinations create an itinerary that marries Southern California’s ocean breezes with its thoughtfully crafted vintages. Just 45 minutes north of San Diego International Airport, a quintessential Southern California escape awaits in O’side. The Seabird Ocean Resort & Spa and its sister property, Mission Pacific Hotel by Hyatt, are playful examples of coastal design done right. Chic interiors showcase
98 | parkmagazineny.com
local artwork from the Oceanside Museum of Art (OMA), while each property embraces its own distinct personality. The Seabird is ideal for families seeking a relaxed beachfront retreat, while Mission Pacific caters to a more adult crowd with its vibrant social atmosphere. With such close proximity, guests can easily enjoy the amenities at both. The Seabird’s oceanfront pool is perfect for leisurely afternoons in the sun, while Mission Pacific’s rooftop pool, complete with sweeping Pacific views, craft cocktails and a lively DJ scene, has become one of Oceanside’s most sought-after gathering spots. Positioned directly across from the beach and within walking distance of downtown O’side, the dual property concept makes exploring the neighborhood effortless. Better yet, one of California’s most exciting Michelin recognized dining experiences awaits just steps from your room. Valle pays homage to the Mexican culinary
traditions of Baja California while celebrating the region’s wine country just south of the border. Chef Roberto Alcocer, whose Valle earned a Michelin star for three consecutive years, brings that same spirit to every meticulously composed course, balancing technical precision with bold creativity. Guests can settle in for an immersive multi course tasting menu at the intimate Charlie Trotter style chef’s counter or opt for an à la carte experience in the stylish bar and lounge. Don’t sleep on Chef Roberto’s favorite dish in the bar, the Valle Burger. Oceanside’s expanding culinary scene is fostering must visit restaurants like The Plot, which could be reason enough to travel to the San Diego County destination on its own. The Plot is a vegan’s dream come true and will leave even non vegans impressed by the flavors and creativity of its full tasting menu. Co founder Jessica Waite takes pride in demonstrating how accessible sustainability can be while executing mouthwatering dishes.
ESCAPES
After a night at The Plot, the perfect way to start the morning is by grabbing a delicious beverage from Succulent Café before joining a rooftop yoga class with Delve Yoga. Think cat cows while peeking out over the Pacific and taking in the O’side landscape.
After you’ve soaked in O’side’s sea kissed culture, a quick 40 minute drive lands you in Temecula for impressive pours and relaxing vineyard views. While you can visit for the day with Grapeline Wine Tours, staying a few nights lets you settle into the pace of wine country and experience more of the region.
Check into Carter Estate, where cozy villas, an onsite tasting room and a relaxing pool set the tone for wine country living. Guests can also take advantage of the complimentary shuttle to its sister property, South Coast Winery, where you can enjoy a spa day and take advantage of the grounds and amenities. Part of Temecula’s appeal is how approachable the wine experience feels. Tasting rooms are relaxed, vineyard views stretch in nearly every direction, and the region lacks some of the formality associated with California’s more established wine destinations. Pick a few wineries, linger over the pours and leave yourself enough time to actually enjoy where you are. For a unique dining experience, book a table at The Cave Restaurant. What started as a COVID era restriction has lived on as one of Temecula’s most distinctive dining experiences, with tables tucked into wine barrel alcoves that create a VIP atmosphere perfect for date night, a family dinner or a girls’ night out. A memorable way to experience Temecula from above is with a Grape Escape Hot Air Balloon ride. Think sunrise aerial views of the Temecula landscape followed by a celebratory glass of sparkling wine after landing. While a Waves to Wine itinerary could easily fill an entire week, if you happen to have more time to explore or simply crave a bit more adventure, add Big Bear to your travel plans. You won’t regret visiting Southern California’s charming mountain town. Enjoy some of the best poke in California at TropiCali, sip exciting wines at Barrel 33 where Joanne will keep you entertained with her welcoming personality, or book an outdoor healing experience with Rosie Velasquez of Mystic Rose Studios. A Waves to Wine expedition from Oceanside to Temecula, with a side quest to Big Bear, showcases what California does best: beaches, wine, food and mountains all in one unforgettable trip. If you’re ambitious, you might even experience all three in a single day. P
parkmagazineny.com | 99
SOCIAL SAFARI
Couri
SOCIAL SAFARI Global Happenings Emily in Paris, Hailey and Justin Bieber in the Hamptons, Jeff Bezos in Mykonos, Yoshiki in Hollywood, Rosie O’Donnell in Ireland & Ali Marks Brunson at The Pearl NYC
Emily in Mykonos The cast of the hit tv show Emily in Paris, including Lily Collins, Ashley Park, Lucas Bravo, and Kate Walsh, have been filming in Mykonos, Greece and stopping tourists in their tracks when they see their famous faces. The show has been filming shopping scenes, where the cameras are capturing them in the old city’s maze of streets surrounded by white-washed buildings. The show has hired locals for 100 euros Lily Collins a day to be extras on the show. Photo PMC Collins is bunking down in a 10-bedroom villa with a view of the ocean that is renting for approximately $12 thousand a day with a private chef and full staff. Comedian Kevin Hart, rapper Ludacris, and 28-year-old Aryna Sabalenka, the current No. 1 Tennis Player in the world have also been spotted on Mykonos. Basketball legend Michael Jordan has been seen getting on and off his yacht at Nammos, the island’s most Maria famous beach club that boasts Menounos Photo PMC Las Vegas-type show girls in skimpy costumes, carrying enormous blue feathered fans while parading through the hot spot onto a stage set up on the beach during lunch. Maria Menounos, the actress and former co-host of E! News was seen arriving at the airport with her husband, producer Keven Undergaro and three-year-old daughter Athena with 6 big bags. Menounos wore a sexy cropped top and her husband tipped the porter 100 euros to help them through the terminal and get into their van. Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez have not been spotted on the island yet, but it’s rumored that they will arrive on their $500 million superyacht Koru, which features a barebreasted figurehead said to be modeled after Sanchez, before the holidays. Locals say the couple already have a reservation at their favorite restaurant Nōema under the name of one of their crew where they previously ordered the hot Martin & spot’s famous lobster over Audrey Gruss pasta dish. Leonardo Photo PMC
BY R. COURI HAY
100 | parkmagazineny.com
DiCaprio, Ariana Grande, Naomi Campbell, Paris Hilton, and Lindsay Lohan, who once co-owned a nightclub on the island, have all been photographed here over the years. Hetrick-Martin Institute School’s Out The Hetrick-Martin Institute welcomed more than 600 guests, including Kelly Bensimon, Tamron Hall, Lush Steiling, Rolonda Watts, and designer Frederick Anderson, to the home of Marcus Brown in Water Mill for the annual School’s Out Benefit. One of the most fun events of the Hamptons Summer season, attendees celebrated Kelly Bensimon LGBTQIA+ youth in an evening & Jillian Hervey Photo BFA full of empowerment and advocacy. After dinner and drinks, the live performance featured genre-defying singer-songwriter Jamie Hannah and Grammy-nominated dance music icon Crystal Waters. After Waters performed her timeless hits “Gypsy Woman” and “100% Pure Love,” guests were treated to a synchronized swimming performance. The event raised more than $1 million, the first seven-figure result in the history of the organization. hmi.org Southampton Hospital Foundation Summer Party Jamee and Peter Gregory, Audrey and Martin Gruss, John Paulson and Alina de Almeida, and Margo Nederlander joined hundreds of their fellow Southamptonites under the iconic tents on Wickapogue Road at the Southampton Hospital’s 68th Annual Summer Party. The benefit supports the East Hampton Emergency Department and Stony Brook Southampton Hospital. The evening, themed after the supper clubs of the 1940s, was chaired by Lynn Scotti, with Fern Mallis serving as the Fashion Chair. With the golden age of nightlife as the backdrop, brought to life by brilliant event designer DeJuan Stroud, guests sipped on
signature cocktails. Following a delectable seated dinner by Andrea Correale’s Elegant Affairs, attendees hit the dance floor to the beats of The Frank Simmons Band. Renowned auctioneer Lydia Fenet also took the stage to lead the charge in raising funds to support the Stony Brook Southampton Hospital. “The Summer Party is a longstanding tradition, but its purpose is very much about today and the future,” said Scotti. An impressive $1.5 million was raised by the night’s conclusion. southamptonhospitalfoundation.org
Mane on the jumbotron. The city’s crack animal rescue team humanely relocated the cute raccoon, who workers nicknamed Rocket after the rascal in The Avengers movies. When contacted for comment after Rocket started popping up on social media, Bentley laughed and said, “We have offered Rocket a job because he is such a good climber.” bentleymeeeker.com
Hollywood. The musical superstars took to the stage at YOSHIKI’s two-day concert at Disney Hall. The TIME100 Honoree and his friends changed the set list for each performance. Yoshiki has also performed with Bono, Diana Ross, and the Jonas Brothers, to name just a few. yoshiki.net
The Pearl NYC Jane Fonda & Rosie Knicks star Jalen O’Donnell Brunson’s wife, Ali Celebrities like Jane Marks Brunson, Fonda, 88, and Kathy Bieber Hamptons partnered with Griffin, 65, have Justin Bieber, his wife Hailey, and former Knicks City been very open their almost two-year-old son, Dancer Marcella about their facelifts. Jane Fonda & Tory Burch Jack Blues, were seen all over the Hymowitz’s The Pearl Rosie O’Donnell, Photo PMC Hamptons last month. Justin and studio on the Upper 64, just confessed on Hailey dropped into the Hampton East Side for her Substack from Bays Starbucks and ordered iced signature AMB Method Ireland, “I used to feel very strongly Justin & Hailey Bieber coffee and left a 20 dollar tip. pilates class. She joined about facelifts, I thought it was a Photo PMC They were also seen in Sag a long roster of betrayal of feminism, and then I Harbor, where the loved-up couple instructors, including lost 50 pounds. I’m quite pleased Ali Marks Brunson & Zara Terez Tisch were friendly with fans and posed for selfies. Love is Blind’s Raven and Dallas with the whole thing, and, guess Photo Courtesy of The Pearl The attractive duo held hands and looked Cowboys Cheerleader Reece what, no one has noticed. Not one like a happy family as they walked around Weaver. Hymowitz brought the person. I didn’t disappear, I didn’t the harbor and looked at the boats. energy to the Hamptons in August, become someone else. This is me.” holding bi-weekly classes at Wave in Age-defying beauty is no longer reserved World Cup Fan Village Southampton and two special classes at for the young stars like Sydney FIFA legend Cafu, the Brazilian Soccer Player Sag Harbor’s Post House. The sold-out Sweeney and Zendaya, as more who won two World Cups in 1998 and 2002, sculpt and Hip Hop classes brought in women in Hollywood and across the joined fans at the LEGO Group’s unveiling of residents and vacationers alike. Much country in their 60s and 70s their FIFA World Cup Trophy, made entirely like at her NYC location, Hymowitz are opting for surgery. Dr. from LEGO bricks, at Rockefeller Center. welcomed younger girls to her classes, Radbeh Torabi of Elite Another unexpected “celebrity” sighting hosting weekly teen dance workouts. Plastic Surgery in Phoenix required organizers to call The fall season is revving up as she said, “A facelift in your late Lionel Animal Control to remove a returns to New York, with cheer, sixties is not an act of vanity; Messi Marcella raccoon that climbed to the dance, pilates, and yoga classes it is an act of restoration.” Hymowitz top of a lighting truss and filling up fast. thepearlnyc.com eliteplasticsurgeryaz.com In Photo YanaLOVE made his home on the top of Vegas, Dr. Mustafa Ahmed the steel structure where the TIME100 Honoree YOSHIKI said, “A facelift after 65 is famous Christmas tree Grammy-nominated singer Josh not about looking 30 again. normally is. Lighting Groban, who has sold over 35 million The goal is to look refreshed guru Bentley Meeker albums worldwide, and Grammy-winning and natural, while preserving created the singer Jonathan Davis, the lead the patient’s identity.” illumination and singer of the group Korn, lvbodysculpting.com Aleksandra & Dr. Kenneth Mark sound for the Fan who was featured in the Summing things up nicely was Photo Rob Rich Village space in the vampire movie Queen of Dr. Luis Macias, who practices ice skating rink the Damned, for which in Los Angeles, California, space, so fans could he wrote the music, and stating, “The goal today isn’t tight, it’s watch Lionel Perry Farrell of Jane’s believable. The best facelifts don’t look like Messi, Addiction, performed facelifts.” aestheticmdr.com Oana Salusbury Guillermo with rock star Join me on the following pages for & Bentley Ochoa, and Sadio YOSHIKI in a look back at the season’s best parties. Meeker Yoshiki Photo PMC
Photo PMC
parkmagazineny.com | 101
SOCIAL SAFARI
Louise Nevelson
The Event
ISABELLE BSCHER
Mark Bradford
Aspen Art Week The Story
Shepard Fairey, the painter behind the Obama Hope poster, Rashid Johnson, Björk, and KAWS have all attended the annual Aspen Art Week. This year’s fair, held at the Hotel Jerome, featured 35 leading galleries, including glamorous gallerist Isabelle Bscher’s Galerie Gmurzynska, which presented works by the late legendary NYC sculptor Louise Nevelson, Mark Bradford, Dan Basen, Roberto Matta, and Wifredo Lam, whose work recently had a major retrospective at MoMA. gmurzynska.com
Eskil Lam Christoph Niemann
Isabelle & Lucas Bscher Kathy & Rick Hilton
Brandon Davis & Ashley Benson
The Event
Jenna Johnson
NANCY DAVIS Race to Erase MS The Story
Barbara & Nancy Davis
Naomi BulochnikovPaul, Chandra Wilson & Debra O’Connell
Kathy and Rick Hilton, Jaime King, and Ashley Benson and Brandon Davis joined founder Nancy Davis at the 33rd Annual Race to Erase MS Gala at the Fairmont Century Plaza in LA. The evening featured performances by Ty Dolla $ign, Rachel Platten, and Dancing with the Stars’ Alan Bersten and Emma Slater, as well as a L’AGENCE fashion show. The benefit honored Naomi Bulochnikov-Paul and raised over 1.8 million dollars. erasems.org
Fern Tessler The Event
WHITNEY GALA PHOTOS PMC, BFA, GETTY, COURTESY OF NEVELSON, MICHAEL KOVAC, BFA
Neil Patrick Harris
Anicka Yi, Christine Y. Kim & Julie Mehretu
The Story
Neil Patrick Harris, Aaron Dessner, Stacey Bendet, Bobbi Brown, Beth DeWoody, and Co-Chairs, including Stephanie March and Dan Benton, Laurie Tisch, Kimberly and Neil Bluhm, Susan and John Hess, raised $6.3 million at the Whitney Museum’s Gala. The event honored artist Julie Mehretu, director Adam D. Weinberg, and Whitney Board Chair Fern Kaye Tessler. After dinner, Engell Speyer introduced two-time Grammy Award winner Shaggy, who performed live. whitney.org
June Ambrose Kimberly & Neil Bluhm
BY R. COURI HAY 102 | parkmagazineny.com
Cristen Barker & Nigel Barker
The Event
Yoshiki & Annette Bening
YOSHIKI
Brooke Shields
Morgan Spector & Carrie Coon
Annette Bening The Story
Jordan & Daryl Roth
Carrie Coon, Morgan Spector, Brooke Shields, Judith Light, Jordan Roth, a host of Broadway stars, and Chair Annette Bening led the applause at the Entertainment Community Fund Gala at Cipriani as Yoshiki, Japanese rock star and philanthropist, received the organization’s Medal of Honor after a spectacular performance. Also honored at the benefit were producer and thirteen-time Tony-award-winner Daryl Roth and the cast of HBO’s The Gilded Age. yoshiki.net
Candace Bushnell
Gillian Miniter & Katherine Birch
The Event
CONSERVATORY BALL NY Botanical Garden
Jean Shafiroff & Stella Jacob
The Story
Candace Bushnell, Cynthia Rowley, Vice Chairs Gillian and Sylvester Miniter, and James Aguiar were among those in attendance at the NYBG Conservatory Ball. Guests joined chairs Maureen and Richard Chilton Jr. in enjoying cocktails, dinner, and dancing. The evening highlighted their summer exhibition, Flower Power, which combines floral installations with paintings, photography, and posters from the 60s and 70s, celebrating peace and love. The show is open through October 18th. nybg.org
Julia Haart
Peter Thomas Roth
Priya Shukla
Skylar & Mackenzie Chu-Robin
The Event
KAREN LEFRAK American Promise
Joe Parker & Maria Konrad
PHOTO NATALIE POWERS, TRICIA BARON, GETTY, JACK USSHER
Janna Bullock, R. Couri Hay & Karen Klopp
The Story
Karen LeFrak & Maestro Constantine Orbelian
Violinist Joshua Bell attended the Bryant Park Picnic Performances to support his wife, singer Larisa Martinez’s performance. Maestro Constantine Orbelian led the NYC Opera in playing composer Karen LeFrak’s piece, “Prairie Dawn,” with Larissa Saveliev’s YAGP dancers debuting choreography to both pieces. Guests included Julia Haart, Peter Thomas Roth, and Martha Cohen Stine. On July 3rd, the NY Phil played LeFrak’s “American Promise” at David Geffen Hall, celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. nyphil.org
BY R. COURI HAY parkmagazineny.com | 103
SOCIAL SAFARI The Event
Stacey Bendet
GOD’S LOVE WE DELIVER
Aqualillies Performer
Midsummer Night Drinks The Story
David Burtka & Neil Patrick Harris
Terrence Meck & Katie Couric
Jonathan Lau
Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka hosted the 25th Annual God’s Love We Deliver Midsummer Night Drinks at their whimsical East Hampton estate. The event took inspiration from iconic photographer Slim Aarons’ poolside soirées. Guests, including Katie Couric, actress Hari Nef, GLWD President and CEO Terrence Meck, and Alice + Olivia CEO Stacey Bendet, were entertained by a synchronized swimming performance by the Aqualillies as they nibbled on Petrossian Caviar, among other bites and sips. This year’s benefit raised over half a million dollars, helping fund more than 50,000 medically tailored meals for New Yorkers living with serious illness. glwd.org
The Event
JUDY GLICKMAN LAUDER Southampton Arts Center
Jamee & Peter Gregory
Robin Leacock Danielle Benardette
The Story
Photography aficionados, including Jamee & Peter Gregory, Elyn Kronemeyer, Christine Mack, and Lucia Hwong Gordon, joined Simone Levinson and Christina Strassfield at the Southampton Arts Center’s opening reception for “Presence: The Photography Collection of Judy Glickman Lauder.” Alongside Judy Lauder’s collection, the show includes works by Gordon Parks, Diane Arbus, and Richard Avedon and explores the presence and the human spirit through portraits, landscapes, reportage, and cityscapes. Guests enjoyed a preview of the traveling exhibition, which will be at SAC through September 27th. southamptonartscenter.org
Megan Zuckerman, Miranda Josephson & Miriam Mian
Simone Levinson, Leila Heller & Christine Mack
Judy Glickman Lauder
The Event
TASTE OF SUMMER
Sherry Lee & Rebeca Espinosa
Central Park Conservancy
PHOTOS PMC, ROB RICH, YVONNE TNT
The Story
Betsy Smith & Katie Nixon BY R. COURI HAY
104 | parkmagazineny.com
Gillian Miniter & Susan Magrino
Event Chairs Aileen & Chris Bruner, Pakhi & David Eder, and Mo Sakurai & Harry Taylor hosted over 900 guests at the Bethesda Terrace for the Central Park Conservancy’s annual Taste of Summer benefit. Patrons like Gillian Hearst and Merryl & James Tisch, along with honorary chairs Laurie & Jay Mandelbaum, Gillian & Sylvester Miniter, and Melissa Vail & Norman C. Selby, raised over $1.4M while enjoying Amalfi-inspired décor and gourmet samplings from NYC’s most renowned restaurants. centralparknyc.org
SOCIAL SAFARI
EMPIRE STATE BUILDING IMAGE
®