W42ST Magazine Issue 7 - Why Should Hell's Kitchen Have All The Good Music?

w42st

ISSUE 07 JUNE

Why should Hell's Kitchen have all the good music?

TAKE ME! I'M YOUR ENTIRELYS... AND FREE

INSIDE

The Hit Factory's heyday pacha's rise to club supremacy ny cABARET'S BEST-KEPT SECRET BEHIND THE SCENES AT BURLESQUE MIRACLE ON 42ND STREET HUGH JACKMAN BOXING FITNESS BEER FESTIVALS DIGGING IN DUMPSTERS FOR TREASURE HELEN MIRREN CHEESE! HK'S TOP DATE DESTINATIONS AND DOGS!

5

APPETIZERS

1957

The year the original Broadway production of West Side Story opened.

$1.50 The original admission price to Birdland on Broadway.

1946

The date of the vintage Wurlitzer in the Jukebox Cafe on 10th Ave (now the Pony Bar).

802

$5.85m

To give it its full title, Musicians Local 802, one of the largest local unions of pro musicians in the world, based on W48th St.

The price you’ll pay to live in the Hit Factory’s penthouse duplex apartment.

4.3m

The cost of the penthouse of the Piano Factory, once used for steamy seduction scenes between Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger in the 1986 movie Nine And A Half Weeks.

1985

The year Run DMC and the Beastie Boys kicked off their summer tour with a photo shoot on a rooftop in Hell’s Kitchen.

6

42

The “naughty, bawdy, gawdy, sporty” street from the musical of the same name.

From West Side Story to Stevie Wonder, how much do you know about the hood’s musical heritage?

16

The age of convicted murderer Salvador Agron, the subject of Paul Simon’s failed musical The Capeman.

825

The number on 8th Ave that is home to Island Records.

9

The number of months it took Stevie Wonder to Record Songs In The Key Of Life at The Hit Factory.

1979

The year Sound Associates Inc introduced the first infrared listening system to Broadway for show-goers with special needs.

COMMUNITY

Have you got something going on in Hell’s Kitchen?

Tell us all about it news@w42st.com

ECO MANIACS

New Yorkers are among the greenest in the world. Yes, we found it hard to believe too! Leslie Woodruff gets the latest on city sustainability

D

GETTING YOUTH ON TRACK EARLY Birds Nest Foundation gives non-profits a voice by producing documentaries which tell a story about each organization’s mission and successes. They also offer grants to worthwhile causes, including the Ground Up campaign, which aims to put healthy food gardens in over 100 NYC schools. Research has shown that by engaging youngsters in the process of growing their own food before the age of 10, they will be more health conscious throughout childhood and into adulthood.

id you know we live in one of the greenest cities in the country?

Hard to believe, isn’t it? Living in a concrete jungle like Manhattan, sometimes it feels like living a sustainable lifestyle is an impossible task. But we checked out the Green Festival Expo at Javits Center during Earth Week to learn about the latest trends in sustainability.

Our favorite NBC TODAY Show correspondent Joy Bauer paired up with founder Avis Richards of Birds Nest Foundation to give a demonstration on preparing healthy snacks and teaching children about healthy living from a young age.

SNACKING DONE RIGHT Walk away from the bag of chips and sugary snacks. For the best refreshment this summer, whip up a healthy smoothie in your blender. (Not one of the many commercial juices that are loaded with unnatural sweeteners and are often carb-laden!) Make drinks at home for a fraction of the price and feel good about all the beneficial fruits and veggies you are cramming in.

Joy’s smoothie favorite: A handful (about 1 cup) of baby spinach – nutrient dense and less bitter than kale.

Half a banana, cut into chunks – even if you don’t like bananas, they are rich in potassium and you probably won’t even taste it.

Tablespoon of Greek yogurt – this makes it super creamy

Handful of fresh or frozen fruits like strawberry, blueberry, pineapple, etc.

Splash of coconut water – excellent for hydration and detoxing You can even sneak in a cut-up vegetable or two to make it healthier (great for leftovers or fresh veggies that are expiring soon).

Above: An example of sustainable jewellery and, inset, the ubiquitous photo booth.

ORGANIC DOES MATTER While buying organic for every single item in your grocery cart may not be financially viable, there are some important rules of thumb for keeping chemicals out of your body. Fresh fruits with soft outer skins are most susceptible to pesticides, so these items should always be bought organic. Items like oranges and bananas are safer because you are peeling off the outer layer and the inner fruit is not exposed to the elements.

Red alert

Blood donation saves millions of lives every year, yet still demand far outstrips supply.

Play your part this year to mark World Blood Donor Day (June 14). Port Authority Donor Center is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays

and Fridays from 12:30pm until 6:45pm. And, by becoming a regular donor, you can be a part of the Advantage Program which rewards donors with points towards things like Mets baseball game tickets or gifts. Donations

FARMING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD Most neighborhoods have begun their own farming projects, and our community is on the forefront. Started in 2010, the Hell’s Kitchen Farm Project is a collaboration of MCCNY charities, Metro Baptist Church, Rauschenbush Metro Ministries and the Clinton Housing Development Company. Their rooftop farm is an urban agricultural hub and source of education for youth. Funding for the project became a reality when United Way of New York awarded it a grant as part of its Urban Farming Seed program. www.hellskitchenfarmproject.org While we all live busy lives, even a few changes can help us on the road to being greener. Don’t forget about our own farmers’ markets that take place every Wednesday and Saturday from 8am-5pm on W57th St, and on a Saturday on W43rd - 9/10th Ave. Now you have no more excuses for not making that smoothie!

during critical periods even earn extra points. For more information, check out www.nybloodcenter.org.

PORT AUTHORITY DONOR CENTER, 625 8TH AVE 40TH/41ST ST

7

COMMUNITY

Do you have something going on in Hell’s Kitchen?

Tell us all about it news@w42st.com

WHO IS THAT GUITAR MAN?

He started off at rock bottom in Hell’s Kitchen; now David Ippolito is live streaming his music all over the world

F

or years, David Ippolito carried his acoustic guitar from his home in Hell’s Kitchen to perform at a little grassy spot by The Lake known as The Hill in front of tourists and locals just hanging around in the sun.

Now he’s know worldwide as That Guitar Man from Central Park. Songs like Tom Cruise Scares Me (Lyrics: “How about you?

He shouldn’t be that scary, he’s only five foot two”) and Hashtag Jesus have made him a YouTube superstar – his video for Facebook Is A Stupid Idiot has had more than 500,000 views.

Now he’s just released his ninth album and embraced live streaming … for all those who can’t quite make the hoof up to Central Park.

And on June 6 he’ll be performing at author AJ Jacobs’ Global Family Reunion at Flushing Meadows, Queens, alongside the likes of Lisa Loeb, Daniel Radcliffe and David Blaine. “My fans can get a ridiculous discount on tickets through my website,” he says. “It’s very cool.”

No wonder he describes himself as the luckiest man alive. “About 25 years ago I considered myself to be a failure in just about every way. I was a drunk, broke, essentially homeless, trying to do my body-weight in cocaine ... just a mess. But all that changed at the end of 1991. And by the spring of 1992, I thought it might be cool to bring my guitar out to Central Park to make a little music, to feel better, and make a little lunch money.”

His confidence was at rock bottom, so he chose a quiet spot, and started to play cover tunes – Eagles, the Beatles, Dylan.

“Something magical happened that day.

In about an hour or so, there were between 300 and 400 people sitting on this grassy hill. Over the course of that afternoon, I must have shared music and laughs with over 1,000 people.”

One of those people was Jack Rosenthal, senior editor of The New York

8

Above: David will soon be swapping Central Park for a star-studded stage in Flushing Meadows.

Times, who published an article the next day – and David’s fame was guaranteed.

“The whole world comes to me,” he says. “It’s really amazing. But back when I first started, there was no internet or world wide web to speak of. Now ... oh man! I get email and Facebook messages from all 50 states, and countries I didn’t even know were countries! And this year, we began streaming music live to the entire world through a platform called Concert Window.

People show up regularly in the chat room from Amsterdam, Lebanon, Germany, the UK, Brazil.”

But there will always be a special place in his heart for Hell’s Kitchen. “It’s where my life dramatically turned around for the better. In 1991 I was living in a one-room apartment on W49th St on the top floor of a five-floor walk-up. I had no furniture and a futon mattress. In 1992, when I got sober, I would retreat to that little place, spend hours walking by the Hudson, sit on the rooftop in summer listening to music, and I started to open up and get to know the people in my neighborhood.

“I guess a person has a special fondness for the place they live if at that time of his life things took a wonderful turn for the better. I lived in Hell’s Kitchen until about 1995 and still have many friends and colleagues in that neighborhood now.

That’s where I lived when I first became ‘That Guitar Man from Central Park’.” www.thatguitarman.com

Play Time

Nick Stavrides’s piano isn’t just for playing ON; it’s for playing WITH. The HK artist’s design will appear in a New York park or public space as part of Sing For Hope’s outreach program from June 5-21.

“My piano is called ‘Please Play’,” says Nick. “I create little people that participants will be encouraged to play with, so even if you don’t know how to play the piano, you can still play WITH the piano by putting the little people into the cityscapes.”

At the end of the two weeks, the instrument will find a new life.

“I did a piano in 2013,” he says, “and that one wound up at BaileyHolt House on Christopher St, the nation’s first congregate residence for people living with AIDS.” www.singforhope.org

VOICES OF AWESOME They’re a W42ST favorite, and we’ve been singing their praises for long enough.

Now we’re excited to see acapella ensemble Voices of Gotham have produced their debut album. Self titled, and six years in the making, it brings the talented group’s treatment to tracks such as I Am What I Am, Baby It’s Cold Outside, Good Vibrations and Sweet Caroline. www.voicesofgotham.org

JACI STEPHEN

JACI DOLITTLE

Hell’s Kitchen’s resident dog whisperer will now take your calls

I

Best of the rest

IMAGE: NACHO GUEVARA

am the Hell’s Kitchen dog whisperer, after agreeing to be a walker for my friend’s dog, Keela, a four-year-old puggle (beagle and pug mix). On walk number three, I noticed she was limping.

She had great difficulty walking and kept falling over (we’ve all been there – haven’t we?), until she finally gave up and sat on the sidewalk, her back right leg doubled up under her body. I had to carry her home – and, at 1kg, that was no picnic.

I’ve grown up with dogs and told the holiday carers they should call the vet.

“She wasn’t limping this morning,” was their response, making me feel like the pooch abuser of the scenario.

I know a dog in pain and, after contacting my friend (who, quite rightly, worships this adorable dog), the carers were instructed to take Keela to the vet the next day if the situation hadn’t improved overnight. It didn’t, and she was whisked into doggie emergency.

BluePearl veterinary partners (W55th St - 9th Ave) were extraordinary. It transpired the poor little

Left and above: Keela’s now back to full health and Jaci has a new career, should the writing thing not work out.

thing had a herniated disc, which required urgent surgery by a neurologist. They didn’t think she would survive (she was paralyzed by the time she was taken in) but, thankfully, she did. I went to see her in the hospital twice a day for a week and she greeted me as the mighty savior I undoubtedly was.

Her owner returned and my contract as dog whisperer was terminated. I got one thank you lick, and that was that.

I can cure hiccups, too, should anyone be interested. But somehow the ‘hiccup whisperer’ doesn’t have quite the same ring to it.

10 THINGS I’VE BEEN OFFERED (AND POLITELY REFUSED) IN HK THIS MONTH

1

A Jameson’s shot, mixed with tequila and ginger (ugh, shoot me now).

home (I’ll be honest, I was tempted: during the barren times, all things are considered).

2

A threesome – of the heterosexual variety (turns out there really are straight people in HK).

3

A homeless guy offered to walk me

slamming and me still lying there six months on).

8

Intimate knowledge of a Yotel bedroom (even I have standards).

4

6

9

5

7

10

Drugs (never done them, not interested).

Blindfold and handcuffs (hmmmm …cue fears of hearing only the door

Therapy (been there, done that, I’m still a mess).

Pelvic mesh compensation (OK, that was on the telly and I still have no idea what it is).

A cruise on the Norwegian Gem (at sea, nobody can hear you scream).

Yotel again (seriously – will I ever meet anyone who stays at the Carlyle?).

The whole point about a rest room is surely that you rest IN the cubicle, not stand resting outside it while you wait for the occupant to finish their business.

Nowhere in New York is the bladder less catered for than in Hell’s Kitchen, where, invariably, there is just one (two, if you’re really lucky) servicing the whole establishment.

What do people do in there that takes so long? To me, it’s simple: the Three Es. Enter. Empty. Exit. I don’t want to write a movie in there.

To me, a rest room is a mini Alcatraz: you have to do your time but you are desperate to get out.

Some places make their Alcatraz oasis just too nice, which encourages loiterers, but I still admire people who make an effort, and in this, I am voting the men’s urinal at 44&X the best in HK. Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t actually been in it, but my friend tells me it is beautiful, full of fresh roses that hide the unsavory smells I know emanate from such places (another reason I employ the Three Es in a rest room).

Now all they need is loud music to cover up the Niagara of noise.

The people you just bump into John McEnroe Snr

Frank Delaney

9

MY HELL’S KITCHEN

10

MY HELL’S KITCHEN

Know someone cool who’d make a great My Hell’s Kitchen? Put us in touch, we’ll do the rest.

Email news@w42st.com

WEST SIDE STORIES Music industry insider Jesse Kirshbaum sings HK’s praises Images by Adrien Potier How long have you lived in Hell’s Kitchen?

On and off for about 10 years now. I took a little break for three years to soak in the California way of life but I realized I’m a New Yorker to the core and there’s no place like home.

IMAGE: CONTE+POTIER/CONTEPOTIER.COM

How has it changed since you came?

When I first got here, there were so many legendary studios where artists would mix, master and record their albums. It was the heyday of the record business.

Puffy had Daddy’s House where the best and brightest in hip hop were constantly hanging out. Sony Studios was a great spot. Legacy Studios was where the old school artists would record. And the Hit Factory was the place to cut smashes.

As a young buck, it was so exciting to be in those rooms and witness these creative geniuses do what they do best.

The Hit Factory has converted to condos now – that’s sometimes still crazy for me to think about.

What do you eat in the area?

My regular Sunday night spot is Gotham West Market. To have a glass of wine and some oysters and wind down before the week’s madness begins is my little treat. Also, I love the North River Lobster Boat. I threw my birthday party on it last July. About 100 friends, family and colleagues came out, and we sailed into the river, ate lobster, drank, listened to a playlist we curated and had a ball.

The Market Diner on 43rd Street - 11th Ave is a staple. It’s open 24 hours, which can be clutch, and you never know who you’re going to run into there. One time I ate next to Shaq at 3.30am – it was epic!

What bars would you recommend?

I love the music venues here in Hell’s Kitchen. T5 is one of the best clubs in NYC to see mid-tier acts. I’ve had some crazy nights at Pacha and Space.

Hudson Terrace is a good place for

What’s the best thing about HK living?

For me, it’s chilling at home. My building is awesome – I have a swimming pool, basketball court, steam room, sauna, sun deck, beautiful gym and a gorgeous view of the NYC skyline and water. I come home at times and the bright lights from the city are still beaming and I feel completely at peace and inspired.

And the worst thing?

That winter wind off the water. Living all the way off 12th Ave can kind of feel like Siberia and the long, cold walk home can be a real draaaag.

“The fact that we are such a legendary part of the city is awesome. I love when I’m traveling and tell people I live in Hell’s Kitchen.” events or to pop bottles with friends and/or clients. I’ll occasionally host meetings or pow-wows at Yotel with outof-town guests – it’s got a nice cafe in there. Also, believe it or not, Lucky Strike is known to host a good party.

What’s your favorite place locally?

My favorite spot is when the weather is warm, the strip right next to the Hudson River. I ride my bike or go for a run and see all the beautiful, chic, stylish, fit people of New York and say: “Wow, what a place!”

How do you think the neighborhood compares to other areas of Manhattan?

It would be cool to see a bit more upscale and trendy restaurants. Also, where is our Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s? How about a matcha tea house?

Come to the Kitchen! But the fact that we are such a legendary part of the city is awesome. I love when I’m traveling and get to tell people I live in Hell’s Kitchen. It gives me a sense of pride.

Who do you admire in the hood?

I love my guy Lenny at Manhattan Plaza Racquet Club. He’s always on point, in good spirits and down to set up a match for me. And my hairdresser, Doreena at Beba Blue, is fantastic. She’s like my therapist, stylist and motivational speaker all in one.

Do you have an HK secret? You can trust us ... we won’t tell a soul!

My other passion is tennis, but it can be hard to get court time in NYC, and crazy expensive. However, my building, River Place, has two courts on the third floor roof overlooking the river. They’re rarely used, which means I get to play whenever I want. Don’t tell anybody … unless they have skills to pay the bills and if so, meet me there 8am on Tuesday and let’s hit the fuzz.

BIOGRAPHY Music industry entrepreneur Jesse Kirshbaum is CEO of Nue Agency (www.NueAgency. com). Day to day, he’s traveling the world putting together concerts, tours and major endorsement deals. When he’s in the city, he’s a night owl, going to five or more shows a week hunting out the latest talent.

Jesse’s Hell’s Kitchen RESTAURANTS Gotham West Market, 11th Ave 44th/45th St Lobster Boat, Pier 81, W41st St Market Diner, 11th Ave - 43rd St BARS Hudson Terrace, W46th St 11th/12th Ave Lucky Strike, 12th Ave - 42nd St Yotel, 10th Ave 41st St MUSIC VENUES Terminal 5, W56th St - 11th/12th Ave Pacha, W46th St 11th/12th Ave Space Ibiza, W50th St - 12th Ave

11

COMMUNITY

OUT & ABOUT

Theater, music and food – all life’s essentials in one convenient place HURLY BURLY

T

en years ago a show called Hurly Burly opened at Theatre Row. The Off Broadway revival focused on the lives of four Los Angeles men and their Hollywood women. It was a brutally comic picture of the coke and sex-addled Hollywood of the 1980s.

Last month the original cast reunited at the Signature Theatre for one night only to perform a benefit reading in aid of The New Group. We were there too.

IMAGES: DAVY MACK

Clockwise from top left: Parker Posey; Wallace Shawn?

Inconceivable! (Sorry, we couldn’t resist.); Ethan Hawke; the original poster for Hurly Burly; Bobby Canavale; Amanda Seyfried joined the reading prior to her New York stage debut in The Way We Get By at Second Stage.

12

COMMUNITY MARIA CHAVEZ

B

rooklyn-based sound artist and DJ Maria Chavez pushed the boundaries of St Luke’s Chamber Ensemble this month by collaborating on a unique piece of work, NYC Sonic Scores, 2015. After speaking about the concept, the after party, billed as a ‘sonic immersion’, saw Chavez create a soundtrack tailored for the nuances of the space at DiMenna Center, and to the movements of those around her.

IMAGES: ORTAL MIZRAHI

Clockwise from top: Maria Chavez at the decks; Linnea Pittman, David Halpern and Jacqueline Basse; Ashley Kuitunen, Dane Leach and Javen Malaviya; Bill Rhoads and AJ Benson; event host John Glover; Jose Rincorn and Bobby Wolf.

13

COMMUNITY DRAMA DESK NOMINATIONS

N

ew World Stages hosted the flashbulb frenzy that was the 2015 Drama Desk Awards nominees reception, celebrating the very best in Broadway, Off Broadway, and Off-Off Broadway productions.

Talk about an exercise in star spotting – of the established and ones-to-watch variety.

IMAGES: NACHO GUEVARA

Clockwise from top: Helen Mirren (nominated for The Audience); Tom Smedes and Tom Kirdahy (producers of The Visit); Josh Grisetti (It Shoulda Been You); Andy Karl (On The Twentieth Century); Carolee Carmello (Finding Neverland); Julie White and K Todd Freeman (Airline Highway); Kate Baldwin (John & Jen); Leslie Odom Jr (Hamilton); Matthew Morrison (Finding Neverland); Leanne Cope (An American In Paris).

14

COMMUNITY 9TH AVENUE FOOD FESTIVAL

T

he sun shone, the corn sizzled, and the home-made lemonade quenched our thirst as W42ST turned out as official media sponsor of the 9th Avenue Food Festival. Thanks to all the amazing people who came by our booth to say hello, to share your snacks, and to tell us how much you love the magazine.

IMAGES: DAVY MACK

Above: The stretch of 9th Ave between 42nd and 57th St were closed to traffic as people from all over the world sampled food, met with friends and enjoyed the sunshine.

15

MUSIC & THEATER

ACTING, NOT DROWNING The reality of the industry ain’t all that pretty, says Matt D’Silva

W

orking as an actor is not glamorous. The rate of success is low and most of the time you need to look somewhere else to make an income.

There is the constant rejection, working and refining your craft, keeping on top of the buzz of the industry, not to mention the cost associated with head shots, gym membership, coaching and attending workshops. This is all before you even land your first audition … and it doesn’t guarantee you’ll start making any money.

Networking is a huge part of the equation, but where do you start out?

Who even knows how to make the first steps towards securing an agent, let

“The busiest time is pilot season, which is from January to April.

For an actor, that would be the busiest part of your year.” alone where to turn when you need help with what direction to steer your career?

Actors Connection was founded in 1991 as a way of providing that support and guidance for artists on their journey.

Tony Nation, the co-founder, says: “We basically offer actors a platform to work on their craft through numerous workshops, make introductions to agents and a space to rehearse and prepare for auditions.”

16

Keeping it real: Tony Nation is the support network an actor craves

MUSIC & THEATER CLASS ACTION June 3

Julie Tucker, one of NY’s busiest casting agents, leads an intensive class focused on auditioning and booking co-star and guest star roles for television series and pilots. She casts for series including The Expanse, The Affair, Family Fortune, Sirens, The Following and Those Who Kill.

June 4

An on-camera course led

by Jenny Ravitz, casting agent for the hit NBC series Chicago Fire and Chicago PD.

June 8

A film and TV intensive with Kevin Kuffa, whose previous work includes Robocop and Eat, Pray, Love, and who is casting on a daily basis for TV series, mini-series and feature films.

June 10

“Believe it or not, 60 per cent of all Uber drivers are actors.

It offers great pay and allows them to choose the time they work, so they can attend auditions.”

Located in the stunning art deco gem that is the Film Center Building on 9th Ave, the Actors Connection has “numerous studios for actors to work, attend workshops or for producers to hold auditions. We have a chill-out room, where actors can sit and relax or wait to hear back from agents,” says Tony.

The film and television industry has continually increased its production in New York, with more work available here than ever.

“All areas have continually grown in New York City and it is great to see so

much work becoming available,” says Tony. “The busiest time is pilot season, which is from January to April. For an actor, that would be the busiest part of your year.”

But the reality is there will be down time between gigs, and you’ll need to find work to stay alive. Yet that work needs to be flexible enough to accommodate the last-minute audition that could be the break you’ve been waiting for.

“Believe it or not, 60 per cent of all Uber drivers are actors,” says Tony. “It offers great pay and allows them to choose the time they work, so they can attend auditions. But actors also work in events, nannying, temping, and quite often as photographers.”

One last word of advice about the industry: “I would say to all struggling actors who have lost some perspective, keep a positive mind, continue working on your craft, maintain the passion about the business and remember why you decided to make this your life.”

Follow Matt D’Silva on Twiiter @MattDSilva www.actorsconnection.com

Above: The 9th Ave art deco gem that is home to Actors Connection.

A one-night-only musical theater audition class with Patrick Goodwin, whose casting credits include Annie, Kinky Boots and Wicked.

June 22

A feature film intensive with Joey Montenarello, who cast for Pitch Perfect 2 and Dallas Buyers Club, and who is currently working on several major projects including feature films and an as yet untitled TV series.

June 23

Character and animation voiceover technique with professional voice actor Paul Liberti, from Nickelodeon, PBS, Noggin, Pokémon, Disney and the Muppets.

June 29

Erica Palgon has cast promos for the new Amy Schumer show, The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore and South Park.

This is your choice to learn from her a true comedy pro.

17

ART PREVIEWS

THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET LOUD! This is the summer of music, people. So pull out your ear buds and get a load of the real thing, live and in your face in the hood.

Hillary Reeves has all the intel The line-up at this huge outdoor venue is packed this summer. Meghan Trainor is sure to be the hit of the series, considering her tunes have had lots of radio play this year, but her opening act sounds exciting and teen-pleasing too. Look out for the beachy vibes of Life of Dillon. Otherwise, lots of throwback favorites are on the docket, from Dashboard Confessional (looks like we weren’t the only ones who were in need of a good cry to Screaming Infidelities), to Third Eye Blind, to Cheap Trick (Surrender has to be one of our favorite summer anthems EVER), to Peter Frampton. We’re looking forward to Barenaked Ladies, in particular. Not only do we love the Canadian rockers’ hits like One Week and If I Had A Million Dollars, but we’re also hoping they’ll jam out to the theme song they wrote for The Big Bang Theory. Bazinga! www.hudsonriverpark.org

DIZZY’S CLUB COCA COLA

Sometimes we like to imagine that we’re characters in the New York of the 1920s. Jazz is roaring, Daisy Buchanan is throwing a fit at The Plaza, and a Renaissance is happening uptown.

Seriously, just walk down the street with Rhapsody in Blue blaring on your earbuds and you’ll see what we mean. For the reallife version, visit Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola this month. Sure, there are lots of hole-inthe-wall jazz clubs you could find in other parts of the city, but for the best of Hell’s Kitchen, this is the spot. Plus, in the theater, summer months usually alleviate the pressure for crowd-pleasing programming that the holidays puts on. Artists are free to take more risks and the results mean

18

IMAGE: FRANKSTEWART MWENSO

PIER 97

Above: The Jazz Age comes alive at Dizzy’s. Left: Meghan Trainor is set to be the hit of the Pier 97 series.

ART PREVIEWS fun, easygoing listening on cool summer nights. Check out the late-night series in particular – artists like Sammy Miller, Adam Moezinia, George DeLancey, and Dean Tsur are options in June. www.jazz.org/dizzys

TERMINAL 5

A bunch of great artists touch down at the Hell’s Kitchen hot spot this month, but come prepared for a sweaty sesh. While so many other artists take to outdoor venues for evening concerts to help beat the heat, there are still some amazing musicians that will make a trip to Terminal 5 worth your while in July. We’re particularly pumped for Paul Weller. The English singer-songwriter never quite took off in the States, but he’s huge across the pond.

His style feels distinctly British with a mod flare that’s all his own. Some fun names swoop in come July (the theater currently has a few weeks of dark time in late June) like George Ezra and Norwegian DJ Todd Terje. Get tickets soon! www.terminal5nyc.com

THE RIVER ROCKS SERIES ON PIER 84

If you’re looking for slightly more niche, under-the-radar acts, Hudson River Park’s River Rocks series should be a low-key counterpoint to the big-time names you’ll see at Pier 97. Waxahatchee will play Pier 84 on July 9; that’s the pier right by The Intrepid Air & Space Museum. Their indie-folk sound is a perfect pairing for an after-work picnic. Or you can wait until July 23 for We Were Promised Jetpacks, also at Pier 84. The Scottish indie rockers are slightly more upbeat, and will put on a great show … sorry in advance for all the noise, New Jersey. www.riverrocksnyc.com

PATHMAKERS: WOMEN IN ART, CRAFT AND DESIGN, MIDCENTURY AND TODAY AT MAD

We’ve had a lot of music recommendations this month, so for something a little less noisy, head up to MAD at Columbus Circle. The relatively young museum is a gorgeous space to check out if you’ve never been (plus Robert, the restaurant on the top floor, serves an incredible meal – make a day of your visit and get dinner). This month, go to see Pathmakers: Women in Art, Craft and Design, Midcentury and Today.

The exhibition looks at the contributions of women designers in post-war culture,

Above: Pop cutesies Life of Dillon support Meghan Trainor on her summer tour.

Bottom left: Check out that view at Dizzy’s! The music ain’t bad either.

Bottom right: Women’s art is in the spotlight at MAD.

“The Scottish indie rockers are slightly more upbeat, and will put on a great show … sorry in advance for all the noise, New Jersey.” through the 1950s and 1960s. Previously, the group has gone largely unexamined, so it’ll feel like a real diamond-in-the-rough museum experience. www.madmuseum.org

CELEBRATING AL HIRSCHFELD

Seeing as the only Broadway house that falls on our patch is named after the guy, we have always had a soft spot for Al Hirschfeld. The legendary Broadway cartoonist won two Tony

lifetime achievement awards for bringing Broadway’s works and stars to life in his beloved artwork. His signature style included large, glowing eyes and blackand-white caricatures that perfectly captured the spirit of every show he illustrated. In later years, he notoriously hid his daughter’s name, Nina, all over his drawings and it was a challenge to uncover them all as fans examined his pieces in the paper, often opposite reviews of a just-opened show. Events all summer long will celebrate his life and legacy, with 2015 marking 100 years since Hirschfeld saw his first Broadway show, among other milestones. Check out AlHirschfeldFoundation.org to find specifics, or stop by the Al Hirschfeld theater for a performance of Kinky Boots.

Arrive early so you can mill around the theater and see some of his best portraits, which are hung throughout the lobby.

Challenge each other to see who can find more Ninas! www.AlHirschfeldFoundation.org

19

JUNE

Every day’s a playday with our calendar guide to one-off events and ongoing offers around Hell’s Kitchen

IMAGE: NACHO GUEVARA

what’s on in

Saturdays/Sundays Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market W39th St - 9th Ave

Make your way here every Saturday and Sunday for the best in vintage finds and collectibles. www.annexmarkets.com

IMAGE: ZAK DEZON

All month The Most Dangerous Man In America

Ends June 7 Moliere’s Don Juan Pearl Theatre

This is your last chance to see Molière’s lampoon of the legendary, deliciously unrepentant rogue. www.pearltheatre.org

Ends July 12 The Qualms Playwrights Horizons

A world premiere by Pulitzer Prize winner Bruce Norris about sexual politics and suburban swingers.

Car keys at the ready ...

Castillo Theatre

Set in the period of McCarthyism, this last play written

by Amiri Baraka tells the story of WEB DuBois, a scholar and political activist who was indicted in 1951, at the age of 82, as “an agent of a foreign power.” www.newfederaltheatre.com

www.PHnyc.org

June 13 Origami workshop

Live Music Every Night!

Two Happy Hours Every Day

Saturdays & Sundays Sistas

Columbus Library

St Luke’s Theatre

Learn the ancient art of paper folding. Who doesn’t want to leave a mysterious origami unicorn wherever they go?

With the songs of Billie Holiday, Beyonce and Whitney Houston, this tale follows three generations of black American women.

www.nypl.org

www.sistasthemusical.com

Brunch from $11 Bottomless Brunch add $15 11am-4pm Saturday & Sunday

508 9th Ave, (Bet. 38th & 39th Street) (646) 490 4803 scallywagsnyc.com www.facebook.com/scallywagsnyc

20

June 13 Hudson River Games Hudson River Park

Pogo classes, hula-hooping, dodgeball, pentathlon, kayaking ... and so much more, all at various locations on the banks of the river. www.hudsonriverpark.org

IMAGE: JOE EPSTEIN

4pm-8pm, 12am-2am

June 14 World Dance Alvin Ailey Citigroup Center

The culmination of workshops celebrating the fact that the world has no boundaries when you communicate using music and dance. www.alvinailey.org

Ends June 14 The Way We Get By 2econd Stage Theatre

Love, lust and a drunken one night stand. We’ve all been there … haven’t we? With Thomas Sadoski and Amada Seyfried. www.2st.com

Until June 20 Office Politics June Havoc Theatre

Opening June 5, we follow the fate of a male colleague who makes an off-the-cuff racist remark to – gulp!

– disastrous consquences. www.OfficePoliticsThePlay.com

Until June 17 Navigating New York

All month Clinton The Musical

Fountain House Gallery

New World Stages

A group exhibition in the Hell’s Kitchen gallery that represents and supports artists in the area with mental illness.

Could there be a more politically timely show to see RIGHT NOW? This show raises the curtain on the circus of US politics.

www.fountaingallerynyc.com

www.newworldstages.com

Until June 20 For The Last Time

June 21 Father’s Day

Theater Row

Four young artists become friends and lovers in 1950s New Orleans, set against a soundtrack of – what else? – red hot jazz. www.theatrerow.org

Everywhere there are dads

Today dads get into Intrepid for the same price as their kids. Just go to the website for the must-have money-saving coupon. www.intrepidmuseum.org

Fridays & Saturdays Sex Tips 777 Theatre

Full title: Sex TIps For Straight Women From A Gay Man, this show prides itself on having no taboo. You have been warned. www.SexTipsPlay.com

Until June 26 ANT Festival Ars Nova

Hold on to your seats for this nightly adventure featuring the next wave of Ars Nova’s breakthrough artists, a fast, furious line-up of comedy, music and theater mash-ups. www.arsnovanyc.com

Sundays Art show ShopStudios

An opportunity to see the work of artist Jacques Rosas in this unique show space. Every Saturday and Sunday, 11am-4pm. www.JacquesRosas.com/paintings

June 19 & 20 Satyricoño Intar Theatre

A new work by Migdalia Cruz, a dynamic mash-up of Petronius, Fellini, hip-hop and classic Italian movie music. www.intartheatre.org

June 23-26 Django Reinhardt Festival Birdland

It’s been called “the best jazz show in town”. Do you really need to be told any more? www.birdlandjazz.com

Until June 27 Marathon of One-Act Plays Ensemble Studio Theatre

Just what it says on the tin. Three programs of new one-act plays.

See the website for the vital stats. www.estnyc.org

July 1 Next W42ST out All around Hell’s Kitchen

The bumper July/August issue, packed with news and things to do, comes out today. If you have anything you’d like featured, contact us on news@w42st.com.

21

MUSIC & THEATER

The Hit Factory recorded some of the most important music of our generation. Studio manager Zoe Thrall recalls its glory days

IMAGES: NACHO GUEVARA

S

tevie Wonder’s seminal Songs In The Key Of Life was the first album to be recorded there in 1975. Dream Theater’s Octavarium was the last, before it finally closed the doors on its famous freight elevator in 2005. In the years in between it played host to the world’s music greats – people like Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Barbra Streisand, Madonna, John Lennon.

And while The Hit Factory’s studios may now be have been turned into luxury condos, it lives on music industry legend.

“It was recognized as one of the premier studios in the world,” says Zoe Thrall, former studio manager. “They had nine studios and five mastering rooms and it certainly made its mark in its time.”

As legendary, perhaps, as its famous clients was its creator, Eddie Germano, a onetime singer and A&R man who bought the studio in 1975 and moved it into W54th St, turning it into a state-ofthe-art six-story, 100,000 sq ft complex

“If artists asked us to maintain their privacy, it was our job to make sure that happened.”

complete with gym, steam room and swanky apartments for visiting stars.

“He was a force of nature, that guy.

He was a big, big personality,” says Zoe. “He was very savvy in terms of business, and would bend over backwards for the clients. He really knew how to treat the clients very well.”

There are tales of him ripping up the carpets because they offended one artist, and filling a studio with 40 bales of hay to make a country musician feel more at home. Urban myths?

“No, those stories are all true!”

Luther Vandross was a client for many years – he recorded, among several other albums, Dance With My Father there – and he remains one of her favorites. “He was such a great person and an enormous talent,” says Zoe. “All the people that worked around him were great, so he’s one I would point to as one of the best and really missed.”

There were challenging clients too, of course. But it was up to her to make sure all whims were catered for.

“There were many times when, just by

Left: Gibson has preserved the original studios on the ground floor.

GREATEST

HITS 22

Songs In The Key Of Life (1976) Stevie Wonder Standout tracks: As, Sir Duke, I Wish, Knocks Me Off My Feet

Double Fantasy (1980) John Lennon and Yoko Ono Standout tracks: (Just Like) Starting Over, Woman, Beautiful Boy

Born In The USA (1984) Bruce Springsteen Standout tracks: Born In The USA, Glory Days, Dancing In The Dark, I’m On Fire

Riptide (1985) Robert Palmer Standout tracks: Addicted To Love, I Didn’t Mean To Turn You On

MUSIC & THEATER

the nature of where the rooms were located, artists would rub elbows with each other. I’m sure collaborations would have come out of that. Other times, if artists asked us to maintain their privacy, it was our job to make sure that happened.”

One of the building’s unique features was a freight elevator big enough to drive a car in. “Some artists would literally drive into the building,” she recalls.

“Mick Jagger was coming in one time and we told him we would meet him on the street with the elevator. We sent one of the production assistants down and one of the techs happened to be there too. The kid goes down, picks up Mick, and they’re in the elevator, and the tech told me later the kid started air guitarring and singing Satisfaction to him. I was horrified!”

The Rolling Stone’s reaction, sadly, was not recorded for posterity.

“I wish!” laughs Zoe. “Those were the days before cameras on phones.”

For all the showbiz glamor, however, it was a demanding environment with demanding clients. “It could be stressful at times. Because it was such a big facility there was a lot going on. There was a competitive nature among the staff in terms of everyone had to be on their game, but not to the point where

Graceland (1986) Paul Simon Standout tracks: Graceland, Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes, You Can Call Me Al

Above: The Hit Factory today – a luxury condo building.

Dream Of Life (1988) Patti Smith Standout tracks: People Have The Power, Looking For You (I Was)

There are tales of him ripping up the carpets because they offended one artist, and filling a studio with hay to make a country musician feel more at home.

The Bodyguard (1992) Whitney Houston Standout tracks: I Will Always Love You, I Have Nothing, I’m Every Woman

HIStory (1995) Michael Jackson Standout tracks: Scream, Earth Song, Smile

there was any backstabbing. It was more that everyone supported each other just to make the whole thing better.”

Germano died in 2003, and two years later it was announced that all operations would move to Miami.

It was claimed The Hit Factory had become a victim of technology that enabled anyone to make professionalsounding recordings cheaply from their own bedrooms. But Zoe refutes that.

“We always stayed on the cutting edge of technology, it was nothing to do with that. I don’t want to talk about why, but it was just more that the owners decided to close. But the reasons weren’t because of advances in technology.”

The closure hit the team hard. “It was horrible, it was heartbreaking, it was shocking,” she says. “But good things must come to an end, I guess.”

Now director of the Studio at the Palms, Las Vegas, she says The Hit Factory will be remembered because of the thousands of gold and platinum albums recorded there. “That’s its legacy,” she says. “I think the artists would say the same thing.”

But it’s story isn’t quite over: Gibson, the guitar giant, has preserved part of the building as its own showroom/entertainment space/studio. The legend really does live on.

This Is Me … Then (2002) Jennifer Lopez Standout tracks: Jenny From The Block, You Belong To Me

Dangerously In Love (2003) Beyonce Standout tracks: Crazy In Love, Naughty Girl, Baby Boy

23

Dressing room

SECRETS

Backstage at the burlesque, all is revealed Images: Nacho Guevara

24

PHOTO

ESSAY

25

Up

on the stage, the bright lights blinding, the music playing, all is a charade – a glamor that is at odds with the reality of the dressing room. But backstage is where the magic really happens; where the make-up and the dressing up, the sequins and the tasseled pasties, create the characters who so intoxicate us with their tales.

Our photographer was granted exclusive backstage access to the longest running variety show in New York, where strip tease artists perform alongside sword swallowers, contortionists, jazz singers and jugglers.

Produced by Bonnie Dunn, Le Scandal is the sexiest show off Broadway. This is just a glimpse ‌ www.lescandal.com

26

Previous page: Lucy Buttons.

Above left: The Luminous Pariah in the spotlight.

Centre: Even the Apathy Angel can need refreshment.

Far rght: Queenie Tarts kicks back between sets.

Left: Natasha Veruschka.

Right: Show producer Bonnie Dunn and Queenie Tarts.

PHOTO

ESSAY

“Backstage is where the magic happens; where the make-up and dressing up, sequins and tasseled pasties, create the characters who so intoxicate us with their tales.�

27

MUSIC & THEATER

The unstoppable

Annie Ross

by Matt D’Silva

Annie Ross’s residency at The Metropolitan Room is music’s best-kept secret

28

MUSIC & THEATER

IMAGE: ADRIEN POTIER/APIMAGES.NET

Y

ou know you have really made it in Manhattan when you have a cocktail named after you. Annie Ross. You may not know the name, but she worked as a child actor at MGM in the 1930s, has sung with the likes of Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington, had her own venue in London where people lined up to meet her, and toured the world time and again. But this former Hell’s Kitchen resident is still performing every Tuesday night and enjoys having a drink or two with her audience afterwards.

“Well the Annie Ross is actually the pie cocktail (cinnamon schnapps, apple vodka and kahlua topped with cream – so sweet it tastes like apple pie!), but it is delicious,” she says. “I usually have it after my performance. It is my favorite.”

Waiting to hear her sing at the Metropolitan Room on W22nd St, I couldn’t help but overhear an elderly lady leaving the venue, dressed in fluorescent blue leather pants and rubber boots, walking with a limp.

“I know not to ride my bike when I’m this drunk,” she said. This was a clear indication it was going to be a fantastic night.

Annie Ross’s story is almost unbelievable. Winning a contest in the late 1930s to work at MGM, she starred alongside Judy Garland in Presenting Lily Mars. Leaving MGM to work on a solo jazz career in the 1950s led her to work with such legends as Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington, replacing Holiday at the famed Apollo one evening. Talk about a baptism of fire!

“Working with Garland was nonexistent,” Annie says of the experience.

“She didn’t say hello or make us feel welcome on set. They led her in, she sat down without a word. The cameras rolled, she said her lines and then when it was finished, she left. Not a word.”

She formed a group called Lambert, Hendricks & Ross in the late 1950s that released a number of albums, before leaving the group in the mid 1960s to open her own jazz club in London, Annie’s Room.

“Well, a lot of people wanted me to set up my own performance space, but I didn’t have the money. So my friends found people to invest and that is how it started. It was a lot of fun. I found it an intense and enjoyable experience,” she says.

Throughout the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s she was seen in the occasional film, varying from cult classic to mainstream. For this writer, her most memorable role is in Superman III as evil sister Vera.

“You know, that film was a lot of fun,” she laughs. “Working with Richard Pryor was a great experience. We just clicked and had a great time together.”

Fast-forward to 2015, Annie Ross is

“When I heard Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday perform, that is when I realized I wanted to be a singer.

It touched my soul.” now performing weekly at the famed Metropolitan Room, doing a tribute to her friend Billie ‘The Lady’ Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. To think that her first appearance on screen was in Our Gang Follies of 1938 at MGM and almost 77 years later she is still performing is outstanding.

“When I heard Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday perform, that is when I realized I wanted to be a singer. It touched my soul,” she says. “I loved it and I knew that this is what I wanted to do.”

Her voice is velvet, albeit she was suffering a cold the night we saw her perform, which was the 100th birthday of Billie Holiday. But the veteran didn’t let a cold put a stop to her performance. At one point the trumpeter offered her some water, to which she replied: “Honey, I need something a little stronger!”

Annie Ross is every bit as sassy as you can imagine. As we were leaving the venue we saw the chanteuse herself, sitting ever so elegantly, holding a martini glass, relaxing with her jewels sparkling.

Thanking us for coming, she invited us back the following week, promising to be even more “fabulous”. If her voice is velvet when unwell, I cannot wait to hear her sing when she is on top of her game.

Annie Ross performs every Tuesday night at the Metropolitan Room, 34 W22nd St, tickets $25 (www.metropolitanroom.com) Follow Matt D’Silva on Twitter @MattDSilva

29

MUSIC & THEATER

30

MUSIC

CHERRY

PICKING A gamble ten years ago has grown into a dance music legend

A

nightclub in daylight hours is a curious thing. Without the neon, the lasers, the throbbing music, the dancers’ arms raised in hypnotic salute, it just feels wrong.

Add those magic ingredients, however, and you are Dorothy suddenly transplanted over the rainbow. What was once monochrome is now vivid, glorious Technicolor.

Eddie Dean understands only too well the importance of those ingredients.

Ten years ago, the New Jersey boy and dyed-in-the-wool sports fan took what was probably the biggest gamble of his life when he opened a Europeanstyle superclub in New York City’s back of beyond. Otherwise known as Hell’s Kitchen. That club was – and is – Pacha.

“I’d been in the business for about 15 years and this is a business that is quite grueling – it can wear you down,” he says. “So I was going through a moment where I’d had enough and was thinking of getting out.

“At the same time, this opportunity came up. I’m real sports-minded, a competitive guy, and at that time there were a lot of new clubs opening up in the city, it had become really competitive.

“I’d started with this tiny little bar in Brooklyn, worked my way up to the big city, had a club downtown – a smaller club – so, you know, I’d made it to New York and there was something intriguing about the big club. In the end the competitive side got the best of me and I said, ‘You know what, let’s do it.’”

It was a complex process, permissions and licenses to apply for. So when they suddenly got all the approvals rubberstamped, he looked at his business

“Suddenly everyone was talking about Pacha and it slowly turned. Next thing you knew, we were in the right place at the right time.” partner, Erick Morillo, in shock and said: “Oh boy! Now we gotta go fill this place!”

“We were in Midtown West,” he says, “there wasn’t any mass transportation nearby, people whizzed past the highway, whisked down 11th, so to get people from downtown here was a real challenge.”

A big act wasn’t enough. A beautiful club wasn’t enough. Great staff weren’t even enough. It had to be all those things …. and

Above: It took about six months but soon crowds of party people were flocking to the west side of the city.

continued over

31

INSET IMAGE: WARREN WHITMORE

MUSIC more. “We treated every single weekend as if it was a grand opening weekend,” says Eddie. “We never took anything for granted, we worked really really hard, continually tried to improve the place, to improve the staff. The first six months were tough and there were definitely moments of doubt, where we thought, are we going to make it? No question about it, we had sleepless nights.

“Then, seven, eight months in, things started coming together. Suddenly everyone was talking about Pacha and it slowly turned. Next thing you knew, we were in the right place at the right time.”

The right time was the explosion of the European dance music scene, and Eddie had industry contacts throughout Europe, thanks to Pacha’s roots in Spain.

“You talk to some of the biggest DJs in the world, for many of them their first gigs in America were here. It became that place where, if you wanted to play America, you came to Pacha New York.

“Avicii tells a story of how he came over here to visit for the first time and one of the most important things he wanted to do was to come to Pacha. We have a policy on Friday nights where it’s 19-plus and he was 18 at the time. So he tells a story of how he was turned away,” says Eddie, “which was a good nod to our security. Good thing he was a sport about it and didn’t hold it against us!”

Ten years on, the club is a dance music institution and that early gamble to set up, not in Chelsea or Meatpacking but the windy west side of Hell’s Kitchen, has paid off big time. But Eddie’s not ready to let his guard down just yet.

“I’m sort of like George Costanza from Seinfeld, you know? When something good happens to him it’s like, ‘God is going to take that away from me.’ ‘Good things don’t happen to me.’

“But then, I think back to the very first place I had. I was a young guy and we had probably been in business five or six years. It was just one of those moments, I was in my little pub, I had a band playing, a lot of friends, I’m looking around and the place was packed and I just remember thinking, ‘Wow!’ It was a pub that held about 150 people but, for what it was, it was a pinnacle moment. I literally got down below the bar level and was like: ‘Yes!’” He punches the air.

“I didn’t want anyone to see me. I let myself enjoy that one moment.

“But here, though there are many moments I’ve enjoyed, I always feel like

32

Left: Eddie Dean started out with a little bar in Brooklyn and rose to become a major player in the club scene.

MUSIC

Left: The nights move smoothly, says Eddie, because of the weeks and months of planning behind the scenes.

“You talk to some of the biggest DJs in the world, for many of them their first gigs in America were here.

It became that place where, if you wanted to play America, you came to Pacha New York.”

we could be better. I always feel like there’s something else we could do to improve things.”

He does that by constantly planning; constantly preparing. “People come out on a Saturday night and they don’t realize how much time – the meetings, the strategizing – goes into it. It’s like, if you’re a sports fan, looking at the coach on game day. He’s standing there and he’s in command of the game but if you look, he’ll have the sheets and there’s maybe 500 plays on there. He’s prepared, he’s under control, he has a clear mind.

“To me, you go to a nightclub where you see chaos, the door is a mess, you’re asking for a manager because the bartender gave you the wrong drink and you asked for a refund and you’re waiting and waiting, when you see lightbulbs are out and things don’t work … I learned from

a guy a long, long time ago, when you see those things, it’s absentee management and ownership.

“I pride myself on the fact that our lights are always working, the sound system is always 100 per cent, everyone’s prepared on game day.”

But a lot can change in ten years. The industry has moved on. Fortunately for Pacha, the club has moved with it. But Eddie’s a little older … a lot wiser. He met his wife Kim in 1987, when he ran the Brooklyn club Faces. The couple now have three children.

In a previous life, before the siren call of clubs, he was working in real estate, and was given “a great opportunity” to work in Wall Street. He passed.

“In my heart I was always a hustler and an entrepreneur and the idea of nine to five, suit, jacket and tie just frightened the hell out of me. About two or three years after I passed on the job, Wall Street decided to go casual. Dammit.”

Does he ever then, as he crawls across George Washington Bridge, heading home at sun up, wish he’d gone the way of the suit? The nine to five?

“The truth is, things happen for reasons.

I’ve met amazing people in this business, it’s allowed me to travel, it’s changed me tremendously.

“And I am blessed with not only having a great staff but also a great family,” he says.

“I have definitely cut back on my late night hours because I have a great management staff who I can really trust.

“I try to spend a little more time on the weekends at home. And I am known as the club owner who takes his family everywhere. When we go to Ibiza or a music conference you’ll see my wife and my three kids tagging along. Though,” he adds, “now it’s two because my 19-year-old doesn’t want to tag along anymore.

“A lot of people misunderstand clubs.

Years ago, growing up, we’d watch movies – any scene in nightclubs, there were brawls, there were pool sticks getting whacked over heads, bottles over the bar, and fights and drugs and gambling and mafia.

“You know what, it’s a business that’s matured a lot. We are a big business and there’s no time for that sort of stuff. You can’t fake it.

“We are the biggest club in the biggest city in the world. Anywhere I go, I know somebody. And everywhere I go, people love Pacha New York.” www.pachanyc.com

33

A wee piece of Ireland, right in Hell’s Kitchen!

Live Music - Wednesday’s 8pm (Irish), Saturdays 11pm

American Classics with Irish Influence Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, Daily $14 Brunch on Saturday and Sunday Sunday Roast - 1pm-9pm

24 Craft Beers on Tap

fncfh o % 0 1 u nd Br Lunch a

this Ad ntion of with Me ME N E STS T or #W42

22 TVs + Jumbo Screen All major sports leagues shown Private events up to 300 people

Tir Na Nog 315 W 39th Street, NYC 212-760-0072 www.tirnanognyc.com Like us on

@TirNaNogTimesSq

FOOD & DRINK

AND THEN DIM SUM

Look to the east and you will find the Asian dining experience you seek …

D

umpling challenge” you say?

Where do we sign up?

If the 9th Avenue International Food Festival has given you a taste for culinary celebrations, this is next on the calendar. And the dumpling challenge is just one of the elements that makes Taste Asia worth venturing beyond the HK boundaries between June 26 and 27.

Now in its seventh year, it is the largest Asian food festival in North America and this year will be taking over one and a half blocks between 43rd and 44th Streets on Broadway.

“Some of the most prominent and gifted Asian culinary masters are joining us,” says a representative. “In the past six years, we have had more than 1,000 chefs participate and this year we are welcoming old and new faces including Michelin-starred chefs Hemant Mathur (Haldi, Chola) and Joe Isidori (Chalk Point Kitchen, Black Tap Burgers), Japanese Iron Chef Yuji Wakiya (KOA), Terry French (World Extreme Chef 2012), Brian Tsao (Mira Sushi, Beat Bobby Flay), Esther Choi (Mokbar, Beat Bobby Flay), Barret Beyer (Hell’s Kitchen 11, Cuttthroat Kitchen) and Zizhao Luo (Radiance, Great American Seafood Cook off).

The nabe’s own Hell’s Chicken will also be cooking up a storm.

WELCOME TO THE TABLE

Above: If live cooking demonstrations don’t fire up your senses, nothing will.

ROCKING TOPPING

Look out for the Best Asian Restaurants contest, which will allow New Yorkers to vote for their favorite Asian dining destinations in the city across 50 categories. “We also have some of the most incredible culinary talent joining our team this year and will even be offering a dumpling challenge with Cathy Erway, author of The Food of Taiwan and The Art of Eating In. Yuh-huh. See you there. Race you to the dumpling stand … www.tasteasia.org

A big Hell’s Kitchen hi there to the newest addition to the neighborhood’s dining scene. Rustic Table’s USP is, actually, in its name – the centerpiece to the restaurant is a communal rustic table that seats around 14 people, made of repurposed wood dating back to the late 19th century.

So shove up, share your space, and enjoy what the co-owner Jordan Hadani describes as “fresh market cuisine” – coffee, pastries, sandwiches and smoothies.

“We wanted to create a space different from other shops,” he says. “Most places either excel at efficiency, or excel at food. We wanted to do both. Here you can always expect the highest quality coffee and pastries, while choosing your experience – counter selfservice or full table-service.”, Rustic Table comes from the creators of the B Cup Cafe, on the Lower East Side.

504 W42nd St - 10th/11th Ave

Tenth Avenue Freeze Out is a Bruce Springsteen track from the album Born To Run. And also a pizza at Kiabacca (topped with fennel sausage, broccoli rabe and crushed tomatoes – just the way The Boss likes it. We think.) Eat to the beat …

35

Two become one

FOOD & DRINK

1

Smokey Mountain round goat's cheese, North Carolina

Paired with Pepitas and pumpkin seed oil Emily says “The ligh t smokiness of the cheese pairs well with the smokey pepitas . It adds a nuttiness and an amazing texture contrast too .”

2

Tomme de Berger 's raw sheep and goat cheese, France ple

and sour pineap Paired with Sweet me du Berger is Tom e “Th s say Emily ed aty. That combin me and t gen pun r marinated sou and eet sw h wit orts you to a luau!’ pineapple transp

36

Cheese and their pairings can make beautiful music together. Emily Lindh, fromager at Casellula, composes some culinary magic

"The general concept is this: I design each plate with a variety of familiar flavor combination s to pairings that surprise your palate. This takes eating chee se to a whole other level."

FOOD & DRINK

3

Appenzeller raw cow cheese, Switzerland

and fennel dust Paired with Pickled carrot a traditional AlpineEmily says “Appenzeller is salt. Paired with style cheese, made with little r bursts in your a salty pickled carrot, the flavo addictive.” mouth and actually becomes

4

Cayuga Blue raw goat's cheese, New York

WWW.CASELLULA.COM IMAGE: NACHO GUEVARA

ar fudge and Paired with Brown sug t fudge milk chocolate coconu sic salty/ Emily says “This is a clas ures are sweet combo. The text where the similar so you can’t tell e begins. cheese ends and the fudg ple who think This is a way to get peo cheese to they don’t really like blue ething they try it and discover som tried. We try wouldn’t normally have to convert people!”

37

STAFF SURVEY

Know anyone who works in Hell’s Kitchen who’d be great for the Staff Survey? Don’t keep them a secret, share the love with news@w42st.com

WHAT’S IN A NAME? To Bea, or not to Bea ... Jeffrey Dickash enlightens us on the thorny old question of pronunciation How long have you worked at Bea? Almost six months now. I travel by train from just over the Queensboro bridge in Astoria.

What is your favorite thing on the menu?

The sea bass won me over from day one. I still hold to this day that it is one of the many reasons I inquired about the possibility of working here. It’s that good!

“It’s ‘Bee-uh’ (like you’ve forgotten the third letter of the alphabet, mid-song).”

If you could serve anyone ...?

I have had the privilege of serving some very famous, powerful and/or wealthy customers in my time and I have found that my hope is not to serve any one specific person, but everyone who wishes to enjoy a fantastic meal and cocktail in one of the most unique restaurants in NYC. What is the team atmosphere like?

At any one time there are 13 of us on the floor attempting to deliver exquisite service to all of our guests. The servers have dedicated sections but, because we are a very tight-knit family, they (as well as the back waiters and hosts) are constantly

IMAGE: NICOLE ROLLO

What is the question you’re most often asked by customers?

When I do my rounds of the restaurant, checking on tables, delivering cocktails, etc, the question that comes up the most is the pronunciation of our name, Bea. In case you too have been troubled by the same irksome question, let me relieve you of your troubles: it’s pronounced ‘Bee-uh’ (like you’ve forgotten the third letter of the alphabet, mid-song).

helping out wherever there is need. The back of house works as a fine-tuned machine run by our head chef.

What is the most fun part of working there?

I have been fortunate enough to take over the greatest group of hard working, passionate, fabulously fun individuals I have met under one roof. It is a pleasure to come in to work every day and see the smiles on the faces of the people I’ve grown to care very much about.

Are there any other places you eat and drink in Hell’s Kitchen?

Añejo is my favorite spot to grab a bite in Hell’s kitchen. Their pork belly tostada

Above: The restaurant had him hooked with the sea bass ...

and shredded chicken tacos are my go-to dishes. I frequent Dalton’s, on 9th Ave, for a quick Guinness, or Bourbon on 46th St for an after-work drink.

A lot of people who work in the neighborhood are also performers – do you have an alternative career?

I have been an artist for as long as I can remember, producing, commissioning, donating and selling paintings to individuals and businesses (www.jeffreypeter.com).

BEA 212.602.1910 www.beanyc.com 403 W43RD ST - 9TH AVE

39

FOOD & DRINK

COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH

JUSTIN CUCUMBERLAKE Ingredients 2oz either Hendricks gin or Titos vodka 1oz cucumber puree ½oz ginger puree 2 limes Sparkling water

Pour into a mason jar and top with sparkling water.

Vynl, 9th Ave - 51st St (www.vynlny.com)

41

IMAGE: ROBIN RILEY

Muddle the limes with ginger puree in a cocktail shaker. Add the cucumber puree and gin/ vodka with ice. Shake.

W42ST

FREE

The Magazine for Hell's Kitchen

W42ST is the only way to stay in touch with what’s happening in your neighborhood...

Follow us on FACEBOOK TWITTER GOOGLE+ INSTAGRAM

EMAIL US WITH YOUR NEWS NEWS@W42ST.COM

follow us on

FOOD & DRINK

LITTLE OLD WINE DRINKER ME Jeremy Kaplan pops open a bottle and considers the effect of music on our enjoyment of the noble grape

W

hen considering the characteristics of a wine – the quality, nuances, and intricacies – we use four of our senses.

First, and most obviously, we use our mouth to taste the sweet, the sour, salty, bitter, and savory aspects. And the tongue is useless without the nose, as our sense of smell accounts for 75 per cent of what we taste.

We use our eyes to look at the wine – to consider the color, the label. We feel the wine as different grapes interact with different parts of the tongue, lips and roof of our mouth. (And when I say feel, I really mean FEEL, as in sensitivity or stimulation.) The combination of these senses allows us to understand and appreciate the wine at hand.

But what about sound. Or, more specifically, music? Can listening to the right music enhance the qualities of a wine? Or, on the other hand, can the poor pairing of audio and taste bring the wine down?

The answer is yes on both accounts.

Turning on your favorite jazz track and putting on your headphones while drinking a glass of Gevrey-Chambertin can transport you anywhere you want to be. But in reality, it is all very personal.

Just as people like certain wines, likewise, they like certain music.

The soothing power of music is well established. It has a unique link to our emotions. Listening to the right kind of harmony can have a tremendously relaxing effect on our minds and bodies.

It can have a beneficial effect on our physiological functions, slowing the pulse and heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and decreasing the levels of stress hormones. All of which allows us to enjoy the wine more fully.

and Drake both suggest this wine in their lyrics. A bottle or red or white with Billy Joel? And who would not enjoy a bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape with the Beastie Boys’ Body Movin’?

So we say yes – music helps you enjoy wine by putting you emotionally in a better place, which allows you to also enjoy the wine more, explore its details and qualities.

So next time you open a bottle of anything, click on your favorite Pandora track first and let the senses and the wine flow.

CORK TALK Perfect harmony?

Turns out it both wine and music are all a matter of taste.

“Who would not like a glass of Red, Red Wine when listening to UB40?”

I took an informal poll of wine ‘experts’ and there was definitely some patterns. Bordeaux seemed to marry with opera, Burgundy with jazz, New World red (cabernet most specifically) pairs with good old American rock ’n’ roll. Then there seemed to be more thematic pairings – especially when wines are mentioned in songs. Who would not like a glass of Red, Red Wine when listening to UB40? Champagne with Livin’ La Vida Loca or almost any Frank Sinatra? Moscato seems to be the choice of many a rapper – L’il Kim

JAZZ AND RED BURGUNDY Seek out a premier cru and something with a little age like this Parize Pere et Fils, Givery 1er. ($32) BALLADS AND CHAMPAGNE Sinatra, Connick Jr, or Michael Buble all meld nicely here.

Christian Etienne 2006. ($48) CHIANTI AND ROCK Even if you don’t like Billy Joel, the music always sounds better with Italian wine. Fattoria Valacchi

43

FOOD & DRINK

TWO BECOME FUN Beer + summer = a whole lot of good times, says Ciera Coyan

IMAGE: ADRIEN POTIER

I

’m one of those annoying people who can’t shut up about how much they love summer. Even with sweat on my brow and the smell of warm trash in the air, I’ll vote for summer every time.

With the coming of the season, though, also comes a weird, probably specific to New York, pressure to do fun things. Whether you love summer or not you’re, expected to get out there and do activities. Two of my favorite activities are drinking beer (duh) and being outside, both of which are brought gloriously together by beer festivals.

Beer festivals are the perfect way to sound like you engaged in a hip summer activity when really all you did was day-drink. But this is day drinking ramped up a notch: the tents, the selections, the beer snobs, the sunshine!

For newbies to the festival scene, the basic premise is usually such: you pay a flat fee for a ticket that gets you into the festival and a tasting glass. Breweries set up booths and you’re free to wander through the booths getting two to three ounce tastes in your glass. Throw in a few local food vendors and you’ve got yourself a beer festival.

Kicking the summer off this year is Hand Crafted Tasting Company’s NYC Craft Beer Festival (www.handcraftedtasting.com). The name’s a little on the nose but with over 75 participating breweries and three days of revelry you might forget your own name, let alone the festival’s.

Taking over Pier 15 from May 28-30, this festival features six different events and is meant to expose participants to maximum beer options.

Not to be outdone by Manhattan,

44

Right: More power to her elbow: Ciera is one of New York City’s top ten bartenders

“With over 75 participating breweries and three days of revelry you might forget your own name, let alone the festival’s.”

Brooklyn has its own festival this summer. Pour The Core is a hard cider festival located in Greenpoint on June 13 (www.pourthecore.com).

It’s a day-long celebration of the apple and the magic process of fermentation. Local ciders and food trucks will be showcased as well as imported cider and perries. Seminars about making and drinking cider will be held and the event will raise funds for the charity KiDS NEED MoRE. You’ll be able to educate yourself, support local business, and help a charity, all while day-drinking!

If you’re ready to go for broke and really over-indulge like a true American, this next festival is for you: Beer, Bourbon, and Bacon festival in Rhinebeck, NY (www. beerbourbonbacon.com). Just let that name sink in for a minute. This festival is over the top in all the right ways. Tickets get you samples of beer and bourbon while bacon vendors are set up ready to sell items like the truffle bacon mac and cheese cannoli.

For a festival that can double as a weekend away, Empire Brewfest (www.empirebrewfest. com) in Syracuse is just the ticket. The event features beer and food, of course, but also seminars, games, speakers, music, homebrewing, and even a cornhole tournament. Empire Brewfest is meant to be more of a relaxed, less rushed event.

It’s even held on NY State Fairgrounds to really get you in that glorious summer vacation mood.

FOOD & DRINK

A GOOD CUP

The story of Hugh Jackman’s friendship with a poor African farmer will touch your heart … and perhaps change your drinking habits

W

hen you reach for that reviving cup of freshly brewed Joe tomorrow morning, eyes still halfclosed, brain still half dead, will you take a moment to consider the journey it took to get from crop to your cup? Nah. Why would you?

Full-time coffee lover and occasional movie star Hugh Jackman didn’t give it much thought either. Not, that is, until a trip to Ethiopia, where an unlikely friendship, and a whole lot of excrement, proved life changing not just for him, but for entire communities of farmers.

The powerful, feature-length documentary, Dukale’s Dream, about his experience opens in selected theaters from June 5.

Back in 2009 Jackman and his wife Deborra-lee Furness travelled to the African country with the charity World Vision. And, while they come from unimaginably different worlds, he formed a strong bond with a 27-year-old farmer named Dukale; a young man struggling to pull his family out of poverty.

“Meeting Dukale was in the middle of a very busy part of my life,” says Jackman, “and it totally stopped me in my tracks and made me reassess everything I was doing, and why I was doing it, and what was really important.”

Working side by side on Dukale’s farm, Jackman learned how his friend had the vision to create a simple but effective biofarm that has a zero carbon footprint.

A methane gas system converted waste produced by cows on the farm into fuel for cooking and lamplight. The knock-on effect was improved health for his family, more time for his wife (whose job it had been to collect firewood) to spend with the children, and improved educational possibilities for their future.

“A few years ago we were struggling just to survive,” says Dukale. “Now I’m planning for the future. I do not want things just given to me. What I really need is to

COFFEE

STATS

54% of Americans over 18 drink coffee every day.

“This was about change, this was about hope, this was about a guy with a wife and five children.” develop my own knowledge, my own skills, so that I can be my own man.

“I did not know who this Hugh Jackman was but when I learned he was a very well known figure in the world I was greatly honored to meet him.”

The friendship moved Jackman to action. On his return to New York, he felt driven to do more than just drink fair trade coffee.

“I was now connected to it,” he says.

“It was not just about economics. For me, now, it was about livelihoods. This was about change, this was about hope, this was about a guy with a wife and five children.”

So, in 2011, he launched Laughing Man Coffee & Tea, with the aim of dealing directly with growers to give them the best possible price, thus enabling them to pull themselves out of poverty. One hundred

per cent of profits from the company go to the Laughing Man Foundation, which supports educational programs, community development and social entrepreneurs across the world. Its most popular coffee is Dukale’s Dream.

“Traditionally the poor are the most vulnerable,” says Jackman. “There are some areas where they’re taken advantage of. Coffee buyers will come in and offer way below market value, and they can’t afford to go anywhere else.

“My job is to step up to the plate and advocate for these people who don’t have a voice.”

Years later, the documentary revisits Dukale farm and the saplings planted by Jackman have begun to bear fruit, Dukale has increased production on his farm, invested in more land and hired more local workers. His wife, Adanesh, runs a cafe in their village and their eldest child, Elias, is on track to become the first member of the family to graduate high school.

“When we buy Dukale’s coffee,” says Jackman, “he’s using practices where every aspect of the production is sustainable and ethically responsible. It’s not just about profits, it’s about how we can develop and still sustain the planet.”

Dukale’s Dream is at selected New York theaters from June 5 www.dukalesdream.com

On average, we drink three cups a day.

We spend

$40BN

on coffee every year.

55%

of coffee drinkers would rather gain 10 pounds than give up coffee for life.

52%

of coffee drinkers would rather go without a shower in the morning than give up coffee.

49%

of coffee drinkers would rather give up their cell phone for a month than go without coffee.

45

PROPERTY

STATION TO STATION

If subway stations really do dictate how much you pay in rent, things can only go up in Hell’s Kitchen

Y

ou’re on the annual hunt for a new apartment? We feel your pain. So, what are your priorities? City view?

Washer dryer? Want to be close to that hot new tacos place everyone’s talking about, or just within walking distance from work?

Maybe the simple absence of bed bugs and a decent deadbolt on the door are enough for you to sign on the dotted line.

Most of us will be in agreement about one thing though: we need it to be affordable, and proximity to a subway station is all. Sure, we love Hell’s Kitchen, but sometimes we need to go someplace else, right?

Billed as the essential guide to where you can’t afford to live (*weeps*), Thrillist has put together an awesome map detailing the median rental per bedroom near every single Manhattan subway stop.

And it turns out the 59th Street corridor is right up there – with prices hitting an eyewatering $2,800 across the board.

Living along the A, C and the E lines will cost you too – a minimum of $2,000 a month – until you get above 125th St. Thrillist compiled the depressing data using census blocks (roughly equivalent to city blocks), looking at rentals within a quarter-mile of any given station, courtesy of real estate agents Trulia.

And if you’re not crying into your flat white just yet, consider what will happen when the 7 line eventually extends all the way into Hell’s Kitchen.

Construction of the $2.4 billion project began in 2007 and has been plagued by delays. The grand opening of the station on 11th Ave was once planned for the end of 2013, but now officials say it won’t open until the third quarter of this year.

MTA figures estimate the Hudson Yards station will service 200,000 passengers by 2025. And, to put that into some kind of context, Times Square sees a comparable

NEWS IN BRIEF TRULY, MADLY, DEEPLY

This month it was announced that everyone’s favorite redhead was moving into the hood.

Yes, Christina Hendricks, Mad Men’s luscious Joan Holloway, has snapped up a $1.16 million condo at the luxurious Parc Vendome building on W56th St. She’ll live in the one-bedroom, 810-square-foot apartment with her husband, the actor Geoffrey Arend. And, now the show has reached its finale, perhaps we’ll be seeing quite a lot of her.

MAIL ORDER

The development above a working post office at 320 W52nd St has finally been given a name. The Sorting House will feature 30 apartments ranging from single bedrooms to three bedrooms, with facilities including rooftop terraces, a fitness center, bike garage, doorman, and storage rooms.

Expect to see sales begin in late summer.

THE ONLY WAY IS UP Above: Thrillist’s subway map – now you know where you’re haemhorraging all that cash every month.

197,696 every day. There can be little doubt that, while the development will be a welcome link to the rest of Manhattan for HK residents, it will further force up property prices.

Observers have said it could transform the neighborhood in a similar way to the transformation of Park Avenue a century ago. You have been warned. www.thrillist.com

Metro Apartments, the 13-story hotel that lies in the shadow of Port Authority Bus Terminal, has been sold for nearly $28m.

The buyer of the 55,000-square-foot property at 440 W41st St, Jacobs Real Estate Advisors, has guaranteed a tidy profit for the seller. It was bought by a partnership of Israeli investors in 2010 for just $17.5m.

47

PROPERTY

LOOKING GOOD ON PAPER Don’t just wing it, says Ian T D Smith. Most renters forget one of the most critical parts of their apartment search

IMAGE: PHIL O’BRIEN

Y

ou did it. Finally. After weeks (but what seemed like months) of searching, dealing with difficult people, looking at shoeboxes and being dispirited repeatedly, you found the perfect apartment. As it is the busy season of apartment hunting (May 15 – September 1) you run to back your real estate agent’s office and start signing papers to secure it.

As the ink is about to dry on the papers he asks you about what documents you have to send to the landlord. As a blank stare comes over your face you start scrambling to find the various items required. Just as your guarantor emails over her last two years of tax returns your heart drops as you find out someone just put in an application with all their paperwork before you even had a chance to be considered.

This happens again and again in a city with one of the lowest vacancy rates for housing in the world (usually around 1% of the total market is available at any given moment). You are almost always racing against time.

And while knowing what you want in an apartment is critical, having assembled your paperwork ahead of time is something that separates the good agents from the bad. Before I take a client out, I have already started the ball rolling on preparing what they need to get the perfect place.

In New York, renting an apartment to anyone is a risk, so landlords insist you provide them with pertinent information to help them make their decision.

Landlords are people like the rest of us and all have different requirements but, generally, you should prepare the following before you even look at an apartment by yourself or with a licensed real estate agent: Verification of income. A letter of employment on a company letterhead

“Having assembled your paperwork ahead of time is something that separates the good agents from the bad.”

stating your salary, length of employment and supervisor’s name.

Remember, most require you to earn 40 times the monthly rent.

Recent tax return: your W2 or 1040 form showing your annual income. Some landlords ask for the past two years.

Three recent bank statements. Save some trees – simply provide the account overview or first page of each month.

Copy of your government-issued ID. Two most recent paystubs. This shows you are still employed.

Ian TD Smith is a licensed real estate broker.

Contact him at ian@adomee.com

I suggest you send these documents in a PDF to your agent or, if you are working alone, have them easily accessible on your mobile device so you can speedily forward it to management.

By having your paperwork with you when you see that dream apartment, you vastly improve your chances to beat out your many competitors. Good luck out there.

49

PROPERTY

A PLAZA TO CALL HOME

It helped revitalize Hell’s Kitchen. Can Manhattan Plaza now be the role model for other artistic communities?

MAIN IMAGE: ORTAL MIZRAHI

I

t was a social experiment that happened by accident and ended up becoming a model for affordable housing everywhere.

Manhattan Plaza, a pair of buildings that occupies a block of W43rd St - 9th/10th Ave, is home to a community that makes its living from the performing arts. Actors, writers, musicians …

Alicia Keys grew up there. Al Pacino lived there. So did James Earl Jones, Mickey Rourke, Tennessee Williams, Patrick Dempsey, Larry David. Samuel L Jackson worked as a security man in his first (and only) non-acting job.

The building and its creative community of residents is now the subject of a film the makers hope will premier at next year’s Tribeca Film Festival. But, more than that, the intention is that it will start a national conversation about the value of the arts in America.

“Artists have led the way towards social regeneration and neighborhood renovation and rehabilitation,” says Ken Aguado, executive producer of Miracle On 42nd Street. “Whether it’s NoHo, SoHo, downtown LA , artists lead the way. They move into a neighborhood that’s downtrodden because they’re all poor and struggling, the neighborhood gets a hipness about it, then suddenly it gets gentrified and the artists can’t afford to live there anymore.

“But because of Manhattan Plaza, that’s different.”

Originally designed as luxury housing,

50

Above: The site of the development was in a run-down, seedy Hell’s Kitchen. Left: Manhattan Plaza today.

PROPERTY

the complex failed to attract the gentrified crowd and, as a last-minute compromise (desperation? inspiration?), apartments were offered instead to artists – at a subsidized rent.

The building’s success – and its contribution to revitalizing Hell’s Kitchen – didn’t happen overnight, of course.

“It took a generation,” says Ken. “When 2,500 people moved into Manhattan Plaza in 1977, there was nothing there. It wasn’t designed to be an experiment in affordable housing.”

One of the building’s earliest residents, Mary Jo Slater, who is also the film’s producer, recalls: “There was sawdust on the floor, the carpets weren’t laid yet … it was exciting, it was a beautiful place to live, but outside it was horrible. It was pretty dingy, there were hookers, crack pipes, squeegee men … you name it they were there.”

She moved into Hell’s Kitchen with her family from a place on the Upper West Side and everyone thought she was crazy. But she says: “It felt very creative. On Halloween, displays in the lobby were 20 feet high pumpkins with different colored lights, all made by set designers from Broadway.

And the Christmas decorations were outrageous. It was truly the most

“It was truly the most wonderful place I’ve ever lived in my life.” wonderful place I’ve ever lived in my life.”

She moved out in 1986, when she was offered the job of vice president of casting with MGM in LA and her son, Christian, was becoming a movie star.

“I cried for a year,” she says. “It was nirvana in the middle of hell.”

Jennifer Schatten is pretty sure she moved into the Slaters’ apartment just as they moved out to LA. She was six; her mother, a former Marilyn Monroe impersonator, still lives there. “It was a great place to grow up,” she says.

“I’m from the same generation as Alicia Keys, Terrence Howard, Donald Faison. Alicia was always a good girl.

She was always practicing her piano.

I was the wild child so she wasn’t allowed to play with me after a certain point. But we had fun!”

The other kids in the neighborhood – the kids who didn’t have the privilege of a swimming pool, playground and

Above: Alicia Keys, Terrence Howard and Larry David all honed their talents while living at Manhattan Plaza..

basketball court in their backyard, considered Manhattan Plaza kids the rich kids, “even though we weren’t,” says Jennifer. “We had guards on the corners and we were very protected.”

She didn’t realize how sheltered she had been until she went to USC. “I hadn’t realized that everybody wasn’t open and free and artistic.

“We would be hanging out in the playground and one of our friends was this incredible dancer. He would listen to his headphones and do grand jetes and tap-dance.

“Other kids would sit and do Jackson Five numbers – they would be all rehearsed with the moves down, the harmonies down. It was never amateur. Kids would do backflips across the playground. It was like a scene from Annie.”

A onetime actress, now a photographer, film-maker and makeup artist, Jennifer explains that the building works on the basis of your family’s size. “So if you are a single person you get a studio. If you get married, you move into a one-bedroom; if you have kids you move into a twobedroom. And when your kids leave, they move you out and put you in a one-bedroom.

“Of course, it’s really difficult,” she agrees. “But my mother says that’s what this building is about.

Somebody else needs that space for their family that’s growing. It’s one of the sacrifices you make to live in a building that gives us all this privilege, to be able to be artists and live in a city like this and not feel like we’re going to become homeless if we’re not making enough money.”

“We don’t spend a lot in this country on the arts,” says Ken, “and when school budgets get cut, it’s the arts programs and music programs that get cut first. So the message of the movie is that the arts occupy a special place in American life.

“The film will be released as a movie then, thereafter, it will have a long tail of distribution as an outreach vehicle.

It will be screened by local councils and chambers of commerce. The intention is for it to be a vehicle for conversation, a vehicle for change.

And because it has a high celebrity quotient, it will hopefully start a national conversation.” www.miracleon42ndstreet.org

51

PROPERTY

DUMPSTER chic

You see trash? Vinicius Ribeiro sees a whole lot of potential

IMAGES: ORTAL MIZRAHI

N

ew Yorkers are constantly on the move. Rents go up, relationships end, jobs change … and that L-shaped sofa that once looked so perfect in your expansive loft apartment doesn’t quite squeeze into your downsized walk-up.

But your now unwanted piece of furniture – whether that be the slightly tatty old standard lamp acquired from a friend you didn’t really like much anyway, or a chipped photo frame an ex bought you – could find new life in someone else’s apartment. And why not?

“All furniture is like a boyfriend and a girlfriend,” says Vinicius Ribeiro.

“Sometimes it’s great … it’s just not great for you.”

The curtains, lamps, an elaborate mirror, table, chandelier, two chairs, the sofa he’s sitting on … pretty much everything in his apartment has been picked up, gratis, on New York’s streets and transformed with his artist’s eye for detail.

Originally from Brazil – where he was a costume designer for the carnival – he came to New York to study English. “Then I met my boyfriend and changed the whole story,” he says. “Now I’ve been here since 2001.”

Further studies in window display and exhibit design, where he learned about the decorative painting techniques he now applies to furniture, led to a day job in events, organizing sets, props and catering. But his real passion is to walk around Hell’s Kitchen and breathe new life into the things the rest of the neighborhood has thrown away.

“I see things as a plain canvas,” he says.

“Sometimes you find things that are not a great color, but your vision has to be about the shape, the potential.”

So that ornate mirror on the wall? It was once gold – now repainted gunmetal grey to suit his aesthetic.

The headboard was white – again, he repainted it to his taste.

The winged armchair with a Union Jack flag? It started out blue, with a large

52

Above: The ornate mirror, the winged armchair, the headboard, the studded sofa – all were given a new lease of life with some love and a lick of paint. Right: Think size not color when furniture foraging – this table fits perfectly; it just needed a stylish facelift.

PROPERTY “Most people think I’m crazy. Most people would be embarrassed to go and grab something and walk away.

But who’s going to know?”

Top: A coat of paint, some sandpaper and fresh studs, and this sofa from the street has a new home.

Far left: Vinnie used masking tape before finalising the flag design freehand.

Left: This pinboard is an artwork in progress – selfportrait perhaps?

rip in the back. Vinicius simply repainted it, sanding it down when dry to give it texture, and adding studs for effect.

Some things, though, don’t need any attention at all. The black chandelier is just as he found it.

“I’m making mistakes all the time,” he says. “A friend was like, ‘Leave those things alone!’ Most people think I’m crazy.

Most people would be embarrassed to go and grab something and walk away. But who’s going to know?

“Unfortunately people judge you by your look. So whenever I go to get these things, I dress well, like I don’t belong there.

“Then when people see all the things I do, they’re like, ‘Wow! I don’t believe you found that.’”

Sometimes he even climbs inside the dumpster to get a closer look at the treasures within. “You might not be able to see everything from the street,” he says.

“In a dumpster on 39th Street they had brand new ladies’ shoes – Prada, Gucci, Armani – and I saw fancy ladies go inside!

Really! It was amazing!

Of course, he’s aware of the risks of picking up furniture from the street – no one wants uninvited guests crawling into their apartment. “I have a roof terrace, so

before I bring things into the apartment I take them up there and clean them.

“And you have to make your own judgement about where you’re going to collect things in the neighborhood. You have to be smart. Most of the things I get are from hotels.”

Tempted to join the furniture foraging revolution yet? Vinicius’ top tip is to not get carried away. “Don’t be greedy,” he says. “Put in your mind: what do you need? For myself, right now I need a table.

So when I walk around the street, I look for the shape. It needs to be narrow because my apartment is very small. Sometimes you’ll find something gorgeous, but it won’t fit anywhere. Why would I take something that looks amazing, but does not look amazing in my apartment?

“See every piece as a plain canvas,” he adds. “You might find something but you don’t like the color. So just change the color.”

And while all this is, of course, incredibly cheap, sometimes it’s not about the money; it’s more about creating something that is unique, with his own fingerprint.

“Sometimes you go to someone’s house and it just looks like a hotel – there is no personality. I’ve been to some people’s houses and I’ve been afraid to move around in case I break something.

If you’re not comfortable in your own apartment, what are you going to do?”

His enthusiasm is infectious.

Irresistible even.

“When I started doing this my friends were like, ‘Oh no!’ Now they send me pictures saying, ‘Look what I found! I got it!’

“You can’t be embarrassed,” he says.

“How many people walk around the city?

Millions. Who’s going to remember?

Just grab it!” www.facebook.com/thefabulousruins

53

PROPERTY

DID SOMEONE SAY MUSIC?

We delve into HK’s flea market and uncover a wealth of musical memorabilia

LIBERACE ALBUM $10

SHEET MUSIC from $3

WIND INSTRUMENT (IS IT A FLUGELHORN? WE COULDN’T BE SURE) IN BOX $125

VICTROLA RECORD PLAYER (WITH RECORDS) $1,250

54

PROPERTY

‘ELVIS PRESLEY’ MICROPHONE AND STAND $295

VARIOUS VINYL from $3

TRUMPET $175

CLARINET IN CASE $125

WOODEN XYLOPHONE (WITH BEATERS) $450

RECORD PLAYER $335

55

GALLERY

#W42ST Hashtag your Instagram pics and they could star in the mag!

The New York summer is finally here, with the misty mornings and glorious, take-your-breath-away sunsets to match. What the fork would we do if we didn’t have Instagram to record it all for us?

Don’t forget, anyone can get involved – just tag your Instagram pics #W42ST and they just might end up in next month’s bumper summer fun mag – two months for the price of one!

56

GALLERY

57

HEALTH & FITNESS

Boxing clever The toughest workout in NYC? Ruth Walker gloves up …

S

ince time began, man has battled it out in the arena in the name of sport. And, whatever your opinion on the ethical rights and wrongs of boxing, it’s hard not to admire the level of physical fitness required to reach the top of the sport.

Also, who hasn’t wanted to punch something really, really hard at least once in their life? Just us? I think not.

So, of all the benefits to a boxing workout, the first must be the chance to hit, kick and punch an inanimate object for a whole hour.

The second is that said object won’t hit back.

Bonus: you burn off a whopping 1,000 calories in the process.

So, are you in?

Title Boxing Club NYC reckons its classes are so additive, you get your first hit for free. And they don’t do easing in gently. From the minute you arrive (turn up ready to rumble – there are limited changing facilities), it’s a case of twisting hand wraps on and finding a bag station before the bell rings.

Round one is the warm up – time to get your blood pumping with stretches, jogging, lunging and squats. It’s high energy and already I’m sweating.

For the next 30 minutes we’re on the bag. Each set of exercises is set up in three-minute rounds using a combination of jabs, hooks, uppercuts, crosses and kicks, followed by a one-minute active rest.

The word ‘rest’ is misleading. You may take a break from the bag, but the intention is to keep your heart rate up, so you’ll be doing a series of push-ups, jumps … pay attention. Things move fast and this is not a class for slackers.

For the final 15 minutes, the gloves come off and the focus is on core – crunches designed to give you a knockout body.

“The big misconception,” says Title’s Michael Tosto, “is that boxing only uses

58

Above: Michael Tosto lines up a well-aimed right hook.

DON’T BE DECEIVED …

No more excuses. The three most common misconceptions are:

1

IT’S A MALE WORKOUT. “Our clientele is 70% female,” says Michael. “This is primarily because females tend to do classes and males tend to ‘lift’ weights. However, the fitness world is finally beginning to realize that heavy weights in a gym are not necessary the way to toned, athletic muscles. And too much weight and size, muscle or not, is just unhealthy.”

2

BOXING WILL MAKE ME REALLY BIG AND MUSCULAR. “Boxers need to watch their weight and it would be counter-productive if the more they trained and boxed in preparation for a fight, the more weight and mass they gained.

Boxing gets you a longer, leaner, sculpted

look. An athletic, fit look. Think Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquaio. Many models, men and women, love this workout because they are able to elongate and define their muscle without making them bulky.”

3

I’VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE. “No experience is needed here. Our memberships are unlimited classes and you go at your pace. Over 75% of our members never boxed before and now look pretty bad ass on the bags. The learning curve is ultra quick and, let’s face it, it’s fun punching things. We understand this concern and it’s important to us that we go out of our way to make the experience comfortable and comforting.”

HEALTH & FITNESS “A punch that’s thrown properly works out all the major muscle groups in the body, head to toe.” your upper body. The majority of energy and power when punching properly is expended in the legs, glutes and core.

When I teach two or more boxing classes in a day, it’s my lower body that’s sore the next two days. A punch that’s thrown properly works out all the major muscle groups in the body, head to toe. Your entire body should be one moving part.”

The difference between this and a traditional aerobic gym class is simple, he explains. “It’s going from a resting position to accelerating and meeting the resistance of the 100lb bag. The resistance the bag provides is what produces those amazing toning resulting that everyone talks about (similar to resistance that gravity provides when we lift weights).

“The explosive nature of being at a resting position to punching the bag is also what gets the heart rate and calorie burn through the roof. Think of hopping in place for a minute versus squatting to a resting position and then jumping as high as you can 10 times in a row. Try that and see what gets your heart rate higher.”

Three times a week and he promises significant results. But, to get the most out of it, he advises participants to go at their own pace. “I strongly feel, when going at full capacity, this workout is the hardest in NYC. Therefore it’s also the most efficient use of your time in attaining great results. Even my trainers are winded after a class. If it’s your first class, ease into it. Build up your endurance and stamina.

“No one gets called out in my studio.

We encourage and motivate to get the most out each individual person, so maybe on your first day that’s only 50 per cent. But we know the workout is addictive and you’ll keep coming, and continue to increase your stamina and fitness levels. It’s very difficult to plateau with this workout, so results and gains keep coming.” www.titleboxingclub.com

GET SET FOR A SUPERFOOD SUMMER Kimchi. Eat up now, it’s good for you!

Now summer’s arrived, there can be no more excuses for gorging on comfort pizza and grilled cheese sammies.

Celebrity trainer Louis Coraggio delivers his take on the season’s top health trends. Your new regime starts now.

Four new super foods 1. Amaranth has a slightly crunchy texture and is packed with musclebuilding protein. This grain is gluten-free.

2. Fermented foods, from kimchi to kefir, are packed with beneficial bacteria that help build a strong immune system.

3. Dandelion greens are an excellent source of vitamins A, K and C, and a good source of fiber, calcium, manganese, iron, and vitamins B1, B2 and B6. Many of these nutrients are often lacking in the average person’s diet.

4. Black rice. Once known as forbidden rice, this contains antioxidants called anthocyanins —approximately six times higher than the common brown or white rice varieties. Anthocyanins and other flavonoids believed to have a positive effect on heart health. … and 10 tips to get you started 1. Increase mindfulness when eating. Chewing your food more increases the absorption of nutrients

and reduces the possibility of any problematic digestive issues.

2. Have a glass of water before meals.

This helps reduce the amount of calories you take in.

3. Soak produce in water, lemon and vinegar to kill bacteria.

4. Improve your brain power and general health by playing crossword puzzles and memorizing poems.

5. Aerobic activity and other forms of exercise also increase brain power.

6. Studies show we eat less when we can see ourselves eat. So if your goal is to lose weight, try eating in front of a mirror next time.

7. A banana has less sugar when it is ripe (slightly green) so is better for you.

8. High-intensity training burns more fat than lower level activities.

9. Increase your weekly runs no more than 10 per cent distance per week. For example, if you start at 10 miles a week, you would run 11 miles the following week and so on.

10. Include whey protein isolate (30g-40g for men, 20g-30g for women) after each training session to accelerate recovery and promote muscle protein synthesis. www.bodyarch.com Instagram: BodyArchitect Twitter: BodyArchitect

59

Join The Community ‘Like’ W42ST on Facebook and join the the rest of the neighborhood to see and share what’s happening in Hell’s Kitchen go to WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/W42ST or search W42ST FACEBOOK

HEALTH

THE LAST SYMPHONY Music is so much more than entertainment, says Emmy-winner Gary Malkin, it is medicine for the heart and soul

E

mmys. ASCAP awards. Clios.

Gary Malkin has them all. The composer, best known for his 15 years on Unsolved Mysteries, had success, wealth, the recognition of his peers. “But all those years I just got more and more hungry for something with more emotional depth,” he says. “I really wanted to be a part of something that was meaningful.”

The opportunity came in the most unlikely of ways.

“A dear friend came to me. He was applying for a George Soros grant for artists dealing with the end of life, and said, ‘If I was going to die, your music is the one I’d want to hear.’ So would I help him?”

Above: Gary Malkin has embraced the healing power of music

“If I was going to die, your music is the one I’d want to hear.”

The result was an ambitious project that took words of deep wisdom from the world’s spiritual leaders and set them to music, as they might appear in a film score. “We asked them point blank: If you were going to die, what would you want to share with your loved ones? I call it heart jazz – it came directly from their life experience. We could feel something was happening.

It gave us chills.”

These words were edited and combined with a sweeping musical score, performed by an 80-piece orchestra, and recorded at George Lucas’ Skywalker Sound studio.

“We uncovered something that was really extraordinary,” says Gary. “We live in a culture where everyone is sweeping feelings of death, dying and loss under the carpet and very few people address it head on. We’re living in a mountain of denial and avoidance.

“What we found with this project was deep, deep wisdom around facing

this part of the cycle of life. It woke people up to those hidden feelings and allowed them to feel safe in admitting how they really felt.

“It had a profound influence on clearing the air, on helping people recognize what was really happening, in inspiring people’s capacity to ask for forgiveness, to say goodbye,” says Gary. “This is what hospices call ‘the gold standard of a good death’.”

The reaction – “people were saying we brought their families together, amazing stories” – convinced Gary the music

he’d built a career around making was so much more than entertainment. It could, in fact, be medicine for the heart and soul. Indeed, it is proven to boost the immune system and promote physical and emotional wellbeing. So this initial work led to others in the same vein. ”I created a work to help people face cancer, to open their heart to love, to help deepen the parent-newborn bond.”

But, ironically, it nearly killed him.

He was rapidly running out of cash, but still couldn’t let go.

His own healing came in the form of a progressive long-term care management firm that wanted to research the value of music in medicine.

“It’s the perfect place for me,” says Gary, who brought his message to the visionary Art of Dying conference at the New Yorker hotel recently. “I’ve been hired to oversee and develop resources to help elders get off the horrible, anti-psychotic drugs most of them are prescribed, to give beauty and artsrelated therapy that will help treat them with dignity and help them develop mindfulness and deal with conditions like Alzheimer’s.”

A researcher will write papers based on the evidence of his work. And so, while he still believes his earlier work will have a profound effect on the baby boomer generation, as they start to face death head-on and realize they have no language to talk about it, this new role will be his legacy.

“Someone I respect said to me, ‘This is going to be one of the most intractable challenges America is going to face in the next 20 years. You could be part of creating the landscape; orchestrating the role the arts play in releasing us from the stranglehold pharmaceutical companies have on us.’

“This is a great final chapter of my life. I think we’ve barely scratched the surface on what is possible.” www.GarySMalkin.com

61

nachoguevara.com nachoguevara73

facebook.com/nachoguevaraphotography

HEALTH

The parent trap

A record number of New Yorkers are choosing to remain child-free. Are they selfish? Dr Tama Lane joins the debate

M

ad Men, hands down one of the best shows in the history of TV #DonDraper! But it was also a show about mad women, pre-cursor to the 1970s, women’s lib, bra burning, and unfriending Betty Crocker. Challenging role expectations in a patriarchal society impacted all characters, from the aspiring career women to the trapped not-so happy homemaker and, finally, their decisionmaking male counterparts.

During this era, the role of motherhood was often viewed as the sun cresting the horizon – an expected and unquestioned life event. Most girls were raised in a culture of assumed motherhood – no ifs, ands, or buts. Conversely, if a couple did not have a child, it was because they were physically unable to do so. And, given that employers were within their legal rights to fire women who chose parenthood, those who combined motherhood AND a career were a strange phenomenon indeed.

Fast forward to the age of women competing for the role of President, Vice President, and winner of The Bachelor.

While balancing a career and family resonates with many, juggling the role of mother, partner, and 6am conference calls is a path increasingly avoided. More women in the US are opting out of the role of motherhood than ever; having children has become an option rather than a prerequisite for fulfilling adulthood.

There may be myriad reasons behind a woman’s child-free choice, but women and couples alike are often misunderstood and misjudged. They are sometimes viewed as selfish, self-indulgent, thieves robbing their parents of joyfully transitioning into the role of grandparent. Dare I add to the

at all. The first step is learning to accept your child-free decision, giving yourself permission to let go of guilt, and google ‘where to buy impenetrable, invisible force fields’ to block the societal pressure in a pro-family culture.

Psychology of choice

Ted: “Someday you’ll be glad I made this decision.”

Peggy: “Well aren’t you lucky. To have decisions.”

Mad Men

gender debate by saying that men are rarely shamed for choosing the same non-traditional family model? Nope, I’ll save that can of worms for another article.

Unplugging the biological clock

There are some women whose biological clock becomes louder, almost deafening, with every passing year. However, there are some who simply unplug that loud ass clock. In reality, some couples do not experience that long-awaited yearning

The choice to have children is as valid as the choice not to procreate. Typically, we make choices that align with our value system – essentially, choices that lead us down the yellow brick road towards happiness. However, choice means the possibility of regret, paths not explored, and fantasizing about the ‘what could have beens.’ Child-free women and men often discuss the painful emotional journey of accepting their whole selves, accepting that they are still feminine/ masculine, healthy emotional individuals, despite going against the grain in a familycentric society.

While it’s important to own the choices we make, having social systems to support the diversity of those choices is equally important. True, it can be difficult for family and friends to completely grasp the child-free option, but Rome wasn’t built in a day. And we don’t live in a bubble – our decisions affect others.

Creating a space in which we can compassionately understand and listen, and authentically share feelings of grief, relief, disappointment, contentment, anger, or loss are valuable bridge-building blocks towards acceptance.

Normalizing the kaleidoscope of choice and celebrating difference helps us realize there are many paths to fulfillment and meaning in the adventure of life.

THE FIGURES Nearly half of women between the ages of 15 and 44 were childless in 2014 (up from 46.5% in 2012 to 47.6% in 2014) Among women between 25 and 29, 49.6% were childless in 2014 (all-time high).

In the group between 30 and 34, 28.9% were childless, up from 28.2% in 2012 but below an all-time high of 29.7% in 2010.

US Census Bureau 2014

Dr Tama Lane is a clinical psychologist who is a proud resident of W42ST. She has her private practice of the UWS (www.nypng.com) and is an activist for survivors of trauma and torture. You can email her at drtamalane@gmail.com, twitter @DrTamaLane, Facebook Dr Tama Lane

63

RIDE LOCAL 419 WEST 55TH STREET/NYC

MIDTOWN WEST’S ONLY BOUTIQUE INDOOR CYCLING STUDIO 212-776-4335 WWW.REVOLUTIONS55.COM

HEALTH

HELL’S KITCHEN’S TOP FIVE DATE DESTINATIONS

Seeking inspiration for a place to take your latest online squeeze?

Anthony Recenello tests the best the nabe has to offer

W

hen looking for date destinations, I look for quiet, unusual spots with enough space to flap my wings. I want my personality and her personality to become accentuated because of the way we can riff off of the setting. I want the color of the venue to mix with a color of my personality. This is what I can’t get at a sports bar or a sad restaurant.

So here is my pick of the five best date destinations in Hell’s Kitchen.

IMAGE: NACHO GUEVARA

BARBETTA W46TH - 8TH AVE I wanted to reserve the garden for this date because the statues seem to be peeing into the fountain and it looks romantic at night. But every time I visit they decline my proposal for the garden (too cold). I live in New York for the opportunities to enter completely new environments I would never visit otherwise, and Barbetta fits the bill perfectly. It is one of the most beautiful old places I’ve ever been to. The waiters back away from you, bowing as they retreat from the table. A sommelier asked if we needed help with the wines.

However, it has the feeling of a museum and, as it was half-empty, there were extended moments of complete silence.

The temptation to make farting noises was just too much!

SIGNATURE CAFE Signature Theatre Company W42ND ST - 10TH AVE When you are on a first date and you want a good place to relax with a cup of coffee and talk for a couple hours, this is the place. Signature Cafe is on the second floor of the Signature Theatre.

Nobody knows about this place. There are couches and tables sprinkled throughout the gigantic venue, and hardly anyone except theatre-goers are passing through.

here is better looking than me. The music is just the right volume so you can have a comfortable conversation without worrying if others can listen in. I don’t think you’ll find pretentious people here because a place like this has nothing to prove.

It’s classy and relaxing and doesn’t try to reinvent the rooftop wheel.

Above: Oh yes!

The intimate rooftop space at Above 6 sends all the right messages to your date.

“If you don’t bring your online dates here you are out of your mind. It’s perfect grounds for testing the potential for a relationship.”

Plus they have late-night happy hour with remarkably discounted drink prices. If you don’t bring your online dates here you are out of your mind. It’s perfect grounds for testing the potential for a relationship many times a week.

PRESS LOUNGE Ink48 Hotel W48TH ST - 11TH AVE Press Lounge is my old faithful. It has everything I want for a good date. The view from this hotel rooftop is beautiful. Nobody

ABOVE 6 6 Columbus Hotel W59TH - 8TH AVE Above 6 is a peculiar spot. I feel as though I’m in someone’s beach house living room, but in fact am at a charming rooftop lounge. The bartender rushes around waiting on the little tables, makes drinks at his tiny little bar, and orders food for the patrons from Blue Ribbon sushi downstairs. The whole place couldn’t be more than 700 square feet, and the view isn’t exciting. But when I’m up there, I forget I’m in New York. It’s isolated from the chaos. You couldn’t fit more than 40 people up here before it starts getting crowded, and I like it that way.

BAR CENTRALE W46TH ST - 8TH AVE Bar Centrale doesn’t want you to know about Bar Centrale. They close a little past midnight every night. I had a passionate discussion with the hostess about it, but after ten years it knows what it’s good at and doesn’t compromise. Still, this is my favorite spot in Hell’s Kitchen. Call for a reservation as you won’t be able to walk in for a table. Play up the 1990s theme.

Walk in with shoulder pads in your blazer or a tight black dress. Reek of hairspray.

I think Bar Centrale was designed for having good conversations. Sittingroom only keeps the place from getting crowded or too loud. Seated conversation is committed conversation is thoughtful conversation. Bring a thoughtful person to join you and watch the topics spin.

65

PETS

Wagging

IMAGES: PHIL O’BRIEN

Lucy Human’s name: Aaron.

Breed: Jack Russell.

Age: A year and a half.

Best friends: Penny the puggle – we’re like two peas in a pod.

What makes me bark?: Anytime I think my human is at the front door I get excited. And birds and cats walking by.

Three words that describe me: Rambunctious, spontaneous and demonic!

My confession: I’m pretty well behaved actually.

66

Bucky Human’s name: Bobby.

Breed: Black labrador.

Age: A year and four months.

Best friends: Messi – but not the actual soccer player, obviously!

What makes me bark?: Our neighbors – and the W42ST photographer. I’ll bark at you until I get to smell you, but then I’m fine.

Three words that describe me: I’m super laid back; a city dog.

My confession: I chew the furniture all the time.

Trudy Human’s names: Justin and Frankie.

Breed: I’m a rescue dog so I don’t really know – a mini schnauzer Jack Russell mix is my best bet.

Age: Three.

Best friends: I have a boyfriend in San Diego – it’s hard!

What makes me bark?: I’m very dominant so lots of things – other dogs mainly.

Three words that describe me: Scrappy, inquisitive and intelligent.

My confession: I’m generally very good.

tales

PETS These camera-happy canines took a time out from the morning stroll for a quick Q&A with W42ST

Hudson Henry Human’s name: Alissa.

Breed: Coton de tulear.

Age: Three.

Best friends: I have loads – a shitzsu named Marshall is one.

What makes me bark?: Sometimes I bark when I’m playing.

Three words that describe me: Curious, loyal and fluffy.

My confession: I’m an excited pee-er, definitely!

Human’s name: Shawn.

Breed: Pomeranian.

Age: Three.

Best friends: I have two brothers, Malvin and Hampton. Hampton’s another pomeranian and Malvin is a Maltese.

What makes me bark?: Anyone that rings the doorbell.

Three words that describe me: Fun, loving and full of mischief.

My confession: I go into the garbage a lot. I tear up everything – all the paper goes everywhere.

Lilli Human’s name: Mark.

Breed: I’m a raggle – that’s a beagle and a rat terrier mix.

Age: I’ve just turned one.

Best friends: I have two best friends: Truffles and Rhuaridh.

What makes me bark?: Not much – I’m a pretty behaved girl.

Three words that describe me: Fun, energetic and I can be a bit shy sometimes.

My confession: I sometimes eat dog poo. When the snow came, there were poo popsicles everywhere and I started then.

67

PETS

Creature comforts Treats for cats and dogs have moved on since the days of balls of wool and sticks – check out these purrfect presents for new ways to cosset your pet

BORN TO BE WILD

HUNGRY EYES

Harley Davidson plush bone, $9.99, www.petco.com

Wee Pinkie Mouse, $5.08, www.greenhawk.com

EINE KLEINE NACHTMUSIK

RING MY BELL

Pet bed/music station, €149, www.svayk.com

Pet Chime, $33.49, www.wag.com

There’s a rebel in every puppy just bursting to get out. Give them this bone toy, complete with Harley Davidson motorbike sounds, to really get their motor running. Vroom vroom!

Pooch stressed? Play some Mozart. Research shows pets react well to music, so this bed that doubles as a music station is surely your next big investment. Just one problem: you’ll have to ship it from Germany.

68

Turn kitty into the hunter she really is with this little catnip-filled toy that squeaks just like a real mouse. It promotes healthy mental and physical stimulation, apparently, and delivers hours of amusement.

In the world before this gizmo, your dog barked at the door to indicate the call of nature. Now, though, he can announce his need via this pushbutton bell. It has a choice of two rings. One is a dog barking. Um …

PETS

BIRDHOUSE IN YOUR SOUL

QUIET LIFE

PET SHOP NOISE

Birdhouse kit, $98, www.uncommongoods.com

Sonic Egg bark control, $39.99, www.sunbeam.com

Hear Doggy! giraffe toy, $9.38, www.amazon.com

HAPPY TALK

SWEET SOUL MUSIC

LOOK WHAT THE DOG DRAGGED IN

Petcube, $199, www.petcube.com

Pet Tunes, $54.95, shop.petacoustics.com

Spike dog collar, $49.99, www.petsmart.com

Horns. Sirens. The unmistakeable sound of the city. Try replacing that with a little birdsong. This adorable birdhouse comes with soil, cuttings and a hanging kit. Put it together and start enjoying nature’s sweet music.

We know … you’re worried about leaving your precious pet home alone. Now you can keep watch via the Petcube, a camera controlled by your cellphone app. And wait! It has a built-in mic that allows to talk to them too! Genius.

Has your hound got a nasty habit of barking constantly? Get that bad boy under control with this device that picks up the barking and reacts by giving out a high-pitched ultrasonic sound only audible to the culprit.

Whatever your animal’s stress points – noise phobias, separation anxiety, kennel stay overs – there are Pet Sounds to calm them. These bluetooth speakers pre-loaded with music are proven to reduce their stress … and yours.

If anyone else buys your dog another earbleeding squeaky toy, so help you … Hear Doggy! products, on the other hand, have an ultrasonic squeak ONLY DOGS CAN HEAR! Which means your zen state can be restored.

We already know Hell’s Kitchen’s dogs rock.

A studded collar just emphasizes the point.

Designed by Poison frontman Brett Michaels (pet parent to two German Shepherds), it comes with bona fide rock credentials.

69

Animal Care

Directory

New York Beer Company

Luxe Den Salon & Spa

Liberty Bicycles

www.nybeercompany.com

www.luxe-den.com

www.libertybikesny.com

Coco and Toto

321 W44th St - 8th/9th Ave (212) 245-2337

www.cocoandtoto.com

Pacha New York

Massage Envy

Metro Bicycles – Hell’s Kitchen

www.pachanyc.com

www.massagenvy.com

www.metrobicycles.com

730 11th Ave - 52/53 St (212) 956-5822

519 8th Ave - 35th/36th St (212) 9716100

The Spot Experience

618 W46th St - 11th/12th Ave (212) 209-7500

www.thespotexperience.com

Scallywag’s Irish Pub

Pura Dermatology

Delis, Food & Drink

www.scallywagsnyc.com

www.puradermatology.com

941 8th Ave - 56th/57th St (212) 245-0007

600 W42nd St - 11th/12th Ave (646) 767- 4199

525 W42nd St - 10th/11th Ave (212) 473-3689

846 9th Ave - 55th/56th St (212) 757-2418

Westside Animal Hospital

508 9th Ave - 38th/39th St (646) 490-4803

www.westsideanimalnyc.com

The Pony Bar

West Vibe Hair Salon

www.theponybar.com

www.westvibe.com

453 W46th St - 9th/10th Ave (212) 247-8600

446 W38th St - 9th/10th Ave (646) 706-7747

Auto Services

637 10th Ave - 45th/46th St (212) 586-2707

415 W54th St - 9th/10th Ave (212) 265-3120

The Jolly Monk

Beer, Wine & Spirits

www.jollymonknyc.com

460 W34th St - 9th/10th Ave (212) 564-6830

54th Street Auto Center www.54thstreetautocenter.com

Cybert Tire and Car Care 726 11th Ave - 52nd St (212) 265-1177 www.cyberttire.com

Bars & Clubs

Alquimia Bistro Bar

506 9th Ave - 38th/39th St (646) 370-3578 www.alquimianyc.com

House of Brews

302 W51st St - 8th/9th Ave (212) 541-7080

www.houseofbrewsny.com

Iron Bar

713 8th Ave - 45th/46th St (212) 961-7507 www.ironbarnyc.com

Molloy’s Irish Pub

737 9th Ave - 49th/50th St (212) 247-3400 www.molloyspub.com

Mr. Biggs Bar & Grill

596 10th Ave - 43rd/44th St (212) 246-2030

www.mrbiggsnewyork.com

701 9th Ave - 48th St (646) 657-0080

Tir Na Nog

315 W39 St - 8th/9th Ave (212) 760-0072

451 W46th St - 9th/10th Ave (212) 265-6794

34th Street Wine & Spirits

www.34thstreetwineandspirits.com

42nd Street Wine Loft

www.tirnanognyc.com

507 W42th St - 10th/11th Ave (212) 736-1375

Beauty & Well-being

Grand Cru Wine & Spirits

9th Avenue Barbershop 495 9th Ave - 37th/38th St

www.9thavenuebarbershop.com

Albano Salon

450 9th Ave - 35th/36th St (212) 967-4726

www.albanosalonnyc.com

Best Barber

694 10th Ave - W48th/19th St (646) 791-0560

570 11th Ave - 43rd/44th St (646) 682-9278 www.grandcruny.com

Ninth Avenue Vintner – Liquor Store 669 9th Ave - 46th/47th St (212) 664-9463

www.ninthavenuevintner.com

Veritas Studio Wines

www.bestbarber.nyc

527 W45th St - 10th/11th Ave (212) 581-3163

David Ryan Salon

Cycle Shops

www.davidryansalon.com

693 10th Ave - 47th/48th St (212) 247-3300

429 W46th St - 9th/10th Ave (212) 956-1830

Erik’s Barbershop

660 10th Ave - 46th/47th St (212) 459-2884

www.eriksbarbershop.com

Al’s Cycle Solutions

653 10th Ave - 46th/47th St (212) 581-4500

Bread & Honey

www.breadandhoneynyc.com

Empire Coffee & Tea Company 568 9th Ave - 41st/42nd St (212) 268-1220

www.empirecoffeetea.com

Garden City Deli

607 9th Ave - 43rd/44th St (212) 974-0573

International Grocery 543 9th Ave - 43rd/44th St (212) 279-1000

www.internationalgrocerynyc.com

Port Deli

681 8th Ave - 43rd/44th St (212) 245-2362

Poseidon Greek Bakery 362 W45th St - 8th/9th Ave (212) 757-6173

Schmackary’s Cookies 362 W45th St - 8th/9th Ave www.schmackarys.com

Sea Breeze Fish Market 541 9th Ave - 40th St (212) 563-7537

www.seabreezefishmarkets.com

Stiles Farmers’ Market

www.alscyclesolutions.com

352 W52nd St - 8th/9th Ave (212) 582-3088

Enoch’s Bike Shop

Tehuitzingo Deli & Grocery

www.enochsbikes.com

www.tehuitzingo.net

480 10th Ave - 36th/37th St (212) 582-0620

695 10th Ave - 47th/48th St (212) 397-5956

Taqueria Tehuitzingo

578 9th Ave - 41st/42nd St (646) 707-3916

Westerly Natural Market 911 8th Ave - 54th/55th St (212) 586-5262

www.westerlynaturalmarket.com

Florists

Fresh Cut Flowers, Inc.

444 W43rd St - 10th/11th Ave (646) 473-0274 www.freshcut444.com

Health & Fitness

CrossFit Hell’s Kitchen NYC 315 W36th St - 8th/9th Ave (646) 234-8425

Jadite Custom Picture Framing 662 10th Ave - 46th/47th St (212) 977-6190 www.jaditeart.com

Keep Your Home Clean 353 W48th St - 9th/10th Ave (646) 238-5924

www.keepyourhomeclean.com

Lanyon36

365 W36th St - 8th/9th Ave www.lanyon36.com

M2 Organic Cleaners 826 9th Ave - 54th/55th St (212) 954-7417

www.crossfithellskitchen.com

Prudence Design & Events

Manhattan Plaza Health Club

www.prudencedesignsnyc.com

482 W43rd St - 9th/10th Ave (212) 563-7001 www.mphc.com

MedRite

347 W36th St - 8th/9th Ave

The ReGallery

362 W36th St - 8th/9th Ave

www.facebook.com/theregallerynyc

330 W42nd St - 8th/9th Ave (212) 695-4444

Restaurants, Diners & Cafes

Mid-City Gym

647 W42nd St - 11th/12th Ave (212) 594-4312

www.midcitygym.com

Adella

www.medriteurgentcare.com

345 W42nd St - 8th/9th Ave (212) 757-0850

www.42ndstrestaurant.com

Rolates Pilates www.rolates.com

Afghan Kebab House

Professional Services Epstein’s Paint Center 562 W52 st - 10th/11th 212-265-3960

www.epsteinpaint.com

Gotham Mini Storage

501 10th Ave - 38th/39th St (212) 931-5731

www.gothamministorage.com

Hartley House

413 W46th St - 9th/10th Ave (212) 246-9885 www.hartleyhouse.org

The Cafe Grind

www.baluchis.com

www.thecafegrind.com

493 9th Ave - 37th/38th Ave (212) 695 2222

477 10th Ave - 36th/37th St (212) 279-4100

Cupcake Cafe

Better Being 940

537 9th Ave - 40th/41st St (212) 353-1986 www.betterbeing.net

545 9th Ave - 40th/41st St (212) 465-1530

www.cupcakecafe-nyc.com

Bis.Co.Latte

Dafni Greek Taverna

www.biscolatte.com

www.dafnitaverna.com

667 10th Ave - 47th/48th St (212) 581-3900

Bricco Ristorante

304 W56th St - 8th/9th Ave (212) 245-7160 www.bricconyc.com

325 W42nd St - 8th/9th Ave (212) 315-1010

Frisson Espresso

326 W47th St - 8th/9th Ave (646) 850-3928

continued over

TO GET YOUR HELL’S KITCHEN BUSINESS LISTING IN HERE:

42nd Street Pizza

410 W43rd St - 9th/10th Ave (212) 273-0737

939 8th Ave - 55th/56th St (212) 247-9603

Baluchi’s Indian Food

www.adellanyc.com

764 9th Ave - 37th/38th St (212) 303-1612

Ardesia

510 W52nd St - 10th/11th Ave (212) 247-9191 www.ardesia-ny.com

Azuri

#W42S ITN

AVEN IT’S HE KITCHEN HELL’S

Get one of these in your window

#Yourbiz

465 W51st St - 9th/10th Ave (212) 262-2920 www.azuricafe.com

Email us at sticker@w42st.com

Restaurants, Diners & Cafes (cont.)

Oovah

Troy Turkish Grill

F & D Pawnbrokers

www.oovahnyc.com

www.troyturkishgrill.com

Green Nature Coffee House

496 9th Avenue (212) 967-3892

www.ohmygoshcoffee.com

Pio Pio

Tulcingo Del Valle

www.piopio.com

www.tulcingorestaurant.com

555 W42nd St - 10th/11th Ave (917) 916-9408

Hell’s Chicken

604 10th Ave - 43rd/44th St (212) 459-2929

www.hellschickennyc.com

Pom Pom Diner

641 10th Ave - 45th/46th St (212) 757-1120

Il Forno

610 11th Ave - 45th/46th St (212) 397-8395

www.ilfornonyc.com

Quinn’s NYC Bar and Grill

713 8th Ave - 45th/46th St (212) 247-1978

www.pompomdiner.com

539 9th Ave - 40th St (212) 465-0888

359 W54th St - 8th/9th Ave (212) 586-3707

Morning Star News

www.jonnypanini.com

Route 66 Cafe

760 10th Ave - 51st/52nd St

www.kavanyc.com

Sangria 46

www.route66nyc.com

Landmark Tavern

338 W46th St - 8th/9th Ave (212) 581-8482

www.thelandmarktavern.org

Sergimmo Salumeria

626 11th Ave - 46th/47th St (212) 247-2562

www.sangria46nyc.com

Lucky’s Famous Burgers

456 9th Ave - 35th/36th St (212) 967-4212

www.luckysfamousburgers.com

SIRI Thai

370 W52nd St - 8th/9th St (212) 247-6717

www.sergimmo.com

Market Diner

641 10th Ave - 45th/46th St (212) 245-4601

www.marketdinernyc.com

Staghorn Steakhouse

572 11th Ave - 43rd/44th St (212) 244-2888

Nano Ecuadorian Kitchen 691 10th Ave - 47th/48th St www.nanobarnyc.com

Ninth Avenue Vintner – Beer & Cheese 671 9th Ave - 46th/47th St (212) 957-7500

www.vintnerwinemarketny.com

Noodies

830 9th Ave - 54th/55th St (646) 669-7828

www.sirithainyc.com

315 W36th St - 8th/9th Ave (212) 239-4390

www.staghornsteakhouse.com

Tartina

653 9th Ave - 45th/46th St (646) 590-0577 www.tartinanyc.com

The Jolly Goat

517 W47th St - 10th/11th Ave (646) 509-8957 www.thejollygoat.com

Thrift & New Shop

602 9th Ave - 43rd/44th St (212) 265-3087

462 9th Ave - 35th/36th St (212) 971-8530

Retailers

470 W42nd St - 10th/11th Ave (212) 239-4442

www.popularcarpet.com

Zoob Zib

www.quinnsnyc.com

Kava Cafe

432 W38th St - 9th/10th Ave

315 W54th St - 8th/9th Ave (212) 262-0542

Jonny’s Panini

858 9th Ave - 55th/56th St (212) 977-7600

Popular Carpet Distributors

Uncle Vanya Cafe

356 W44th St - 8th/9th Ave (212) 445-0131

439 9th Ave - 9th/10th Ave (646) 484-5733

412 W43rd St - 9th/10th Ave

665 10th Ave - 46th/47th St (212) 262-5510

GET YOUR MESSAGE TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

Adam 99 Cents Plus

If you are based in Hell’s Kitchen there only is one choice:

American Home Hardware & More

590 9th Ave - 42nd/43rd St (212) 765-7356

Columbus Hardware Inc. 852 9th Ave - 55th/56th St (212) 265-2425

To advertise in W42ST

www.columbushardwareinc.com

Crystal Art & Craft Design 493 9th Ave - 37th/38th St

www.crystalartandcraftdesign.com

Call (646) 828-7813 Or email ads@w42st.com

Columbus Hardware

Locksmith Hardware Paints Plumbing Hardware

Mon-Fri: 8.00 a.m. - 6.00 p.m.

Sat: 9.00 a.m. - 3.00 p.m.

We offer Merchant and Contractor Discounts

852 9th ave - W55/W56 Call 212-265-2425 Fax 212-265-7588 www.columbushardwareinc.com

www.noodiesnyc.com

Join at www.climbingfish.com

LAST WORD

PHOTO FINISH

IMAGE: BYRON COMPANY, MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK

“Never before in the history of the piano trade has an instrument sprung into such great popularity in so short a time as the Hardman upright piano.”

Hardman Peck Piano Company, 618-634 W49th St (1907)

T

he Hardman Peck Piano Company opened for business in 1842. The Founder, Hugh Hardman, was born in Liverpool in 1815 and the business took on the Peck name after Leopold Peck joined the company in 1880.

For many years, Hardman served as the official piano of the Metropolitan Opera Company and had the same status in the Franklin Delano Roosevelt White House. It was also Enrico Caruso’s favorite instrument. The legendary tenor said: “The Hardman is the only piano I use in my

74

apartment in New York. I also have one in my home in Florence.”

The firm’s New York showrooms were on Fifth Avenue, but sales spread far and wide. In 1884, Folio magazine in Boston said: “Never before in the history of the piano trade has an instrument sprung into such great popularity in so short a time as the Hardman upright piano.”

The growth years were in Hell’s Kitchen.

When this picture was taken, the factory was on W49th St. But piano factories at that time were dangerous places and this site had two major fires – one in 1902

and another in 1910. The 1902 fire was so large it attracted a crowd of 5,000 to the west side just to watch the drama unfold.

Damages were over $200,000 and several hundred pianos were lost.

The factory pictured was totally destroyed in June 1910, and insurers reported that tanks of varnishes, oils and turpentine were to blame.

The disaster instigated a move to new, purpose-built premises at 524-546 W52nd St and 531-539 W51st St. Hartman pianos are still in production today.