W42ST issue 18 - Hell's Kitchen's Going Places

w42st

ISSUE 18 JUNE 2016

Hot ff! stu OT CALLED IT'S N CHEN HELL'S KITH ING T O FOR N

INSIDE

IT'S THE TRAVEL ISSUE, SO WE'RE TAKING YOU ALL OVER, FROM HAVANA, CUBA, TO THAILAND IN SEARCH OF THE PERFECT ESCAPE. PLUS LINA BRADFORD IS IN THE HOUSE, MARCELO GOMES DANCES HIS WAY INTO OUR HEARTS, WE'VE GOT FITNESS, DATING, REAL ESTATE ... AND DOGS!

CONTENTS June Edition

12

Let’s make a deal, OK? Let’s not talk about the weather. Summer’s been a long time coming. But when it does finally arrive, we’ll be the first to leave.

Long Beach. Fire Island. New England.

Rockaways. New Yorkers love few things more than a summer getaway. So we asked our readers to share their favorite destinations with us. Come along for the ride. This month, we’re going places.

And don’t forget to sign up for our weekly email newsletter if you haven’t already. Just follow this link: bit.ly/W42STnewsletter.

THE TEAM THAT BROUGHT YOU W42ST

PUBLISHER PHIL O’BRIEN phil@w42st.com (646) 535-4407

EDITOR RUTH WALKER ruth@w42st.com (646) 847-9645

SALES DIRECTOR BOB BRUNO bob@w42st.com (929) 428-0767

FOUNDING ED SIMON KIRRANE SENIOR ART ED LEE CAPLE lee@w42st.com

SOCIAL MEDIA ED SANDRA MANGAN sandra@w42st. com OPERATIONS MANAGER HJØRDIS LINNBLANFORD hjordis@w42st. com

CONTRIBUTORS

ALISA KRUTOVSKY JACI STEPHEN NACHO GUEVARA NATHALIE GUINAMARD CHRIS PENWARDEN CHRISTIAN MILES FELICIA MARIA D’ASCANIO DUSTIN COHEN CIERA COYAN JEREMY KAPLAN MAURA LYNCH ADRIEN POTIER

LUISA CERUTTI BROOKE BLOCKER HARRY HEISSMANN SAMINA KALLOO LIZ PALEY JENNA PETOK DAVY MACK CORY CANNATARO CARLA DUVAL MYKEL C SMITH ANDREW WATSON KATHRYN STOMSVIK

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be used without written permission of the publisher ©2016. Please note: Every effort has been made to avoid errors, misspellings, and omissions in this publication. However, if you spot one please accept our sincere apologies.

COMMUNITY

“don’t forget your passport” IS one of them!

6 NUMBERS GAME

21 TIME FOR TAKE OFF

7 JACI STEPHEN

22 READ ALL ABOUT IT

8 MY HELL’S KITCHEN

56 GALLERY

We’ve travelled far and wide from the hood this month. How far?

We’ve done the math.

Our columnist defines the differences between New Yorkers and Angelenos.

Sammy Bravo’s brand of Latin soul brings the spirit of Honduras to Hell’s Kitchen.

10 OUT & ABOUT

The 9th Avenue Food Festival, the unveiling of Sky’s pumpkin, and Karim Rashid’s latest invention – it’s all here.

12 GOING PLACES

Readers take us on their favorite escapes – from Havana, to Istanbul, to New England, to ... um ... Long Island City. We’re a well-traveled bunch!

18 TRAVEL SECRETS

Ten top tips to make sure you have the perfect trip. And, yes, that old

Meet the man who’s behind the neighborhood’s sharpest new commute.

Get your summer reading fix ... with books that are based right here in the Kitchen.

Anyone with an eye for a picture and a half-decent cameraphone could have their work published in our magazine.

64 PHOTO FINISH

Port Authority’s going to be changing – but what did that daily commute through our favorite terminal look like back in the 1950s?

WHAT’S GOING ON 26 EVENTS

Our diary of happenings, from theater to dance to the city’s oldest garage sale, is the only guide you’ll need this month.

Keep it close.

3

42

10 28

38 28 LINA BRADFORD

The legendary Fire Island DJ gets her glam on in our exclusive photo shoot. Sparkle alert!

34 MARCELO GOMES

Just as American Ballet Theatre starts its summer program, we interview its Brazilian principal dancer at his apartment in Hell’s Kitchen.

are delivering the world’s new favorite wines.

49 BEER

Ciera Coyan goes a long, long way to track down her favorite, rare craft beer. That’s commitment!

REAL ESTATE

38 DANCE CELEBRATION

50 KEEPING IT REAL

EATING & DRINKING

54 SASSY SOUVENIRS

More fancy footwork to mark NYC Dance Week, as we travel the world at Alvin Ailey. Get ready to salsa (and sabar, and Masala Bhangra ...).

42 GET FRESH

Staff Survey with Fresh From Hell’s smoothie-talking, healthy living boss, Bryan Ware.

Publisher of The Real Deal, Amir Korangy, on why, of all the real estate deals in NYC, he chose to live in HK. Step aside, snow globes. There’s a new crew of cool mementoes in town. And we’re going shopping.

LIFESTYLE

45 A WORLD OF FOOD

58 DANCE YOURSELF FIT

47 GOODBYE BURGUNDY

60 DATING

No vacation this summer? No worries – you can still travel the planet, all from a restaurant near you.

The unexpected destinations that

Inside Broadway Dance Center’s magic kingdom, where you can learn anything from hip hop to dancing in heels.

Mary Geneva meets the perfect guy

COVER Nathalie Guinamard is an artist/ illustrator based in London, UK. She studied fine art at Chelsea College of Art and Design, London, and The Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, Oxford, UK. Commissioned by the Royal Mail, she designed a special stamp for the 2012 London Olympics. Fond of a challenge, she completed a drawing each day in 2015. www.nathalie guinamard.com @natguinamard

62 ... shame he lives such a long way from Hell’s Kitchen.

61 NUTRITION

The secret life of seeds – and what makes those tiny little suckers so damned super.

PETS 62 WAGGING TALES

Our pick of the most photogenic pups in Hell’s Kitchen. Get involved by emailing waggingtales@w42st. com with your dog’s vital stats. We’ll do the rest.

W42ST+ THE GUIDE IS HERE!

Do not adjust your sets. W42ST has turned its back end upsidedown and created a guide to the very best of Hell’s Kitchen.

Here’s where you’ll find everything from bars and restaurants, to nail salons, dog walkers, personal trainers and more. Plus an illustrated map. Want to be included? Contact bob@w42st.com.

5

APPETIZERS

6

DIGITAL EDITION

JACI STEPHEN

GOING BI-COASTAL The five reasons LA life is alien to New Yorkers

T

here was a time when you wouldn’t have got me on a plane even under the influence of chloroform. These days, I’m rarely off them, and my favorite trips are the bi-coastal ones where I get to experience the difference between two planets – New York and Los Angeles.

It’s not only my body clock that has to adapt.

Each time I swap cities, my diet, emotions, mindset, spirit and behavior transform, along with my temperature. Should anyone be considering an east/west travel existence, you’d do well to heed the following in order to prepare yourself fully for what lies ahead.

ROAD SAFETY

NEW YORKERS Pedestrian crossings are there only to show pretty lights – white and red. White means you can cross to the other side; so does red.

If anyone ahead of you does not understand this basic principle, it is acceptable to shout: “Hey! Move it, people!” and shove them into oncoming traffic in order to save yourself three valuable seconds.

ANGELENOS Don’t even think of getting to the other side of the road until you’ve made at least three phone calls, while forgetting that you’re required to push the button on the crossing to bring up the pretty lights. And specially don’t think of crossing on red. This is considered an act of civil disobedience and will get you instant incarceration from a vigilant policeman who has watched too much NCIS.

Confessions of a

TRAVELING

CELEBRITY STALKER

1

Trying to earn my ears at the Playboy mansion with Hugh Hefner. I didn’t. Surgery would have been required.

“Always remember that there could be a pizza famine at any moment.”

DIET

NEW YORKERS If it stands still long enough, chuck it straight down your throat, bypassing tongue and teeth. The idea is to gain at least seven pounds from the moment you start eating to when you call for the check. Always remember that there could be a pizza famine at any moment.

ANGELENOS Never under-estimate the power of a leaf. Should you feel too full after swallowing said leaf, you can rush to the rest room and put your fingers down your throat.

SERVICE

NEW YORKERS New Yorkers are not rude, just very direct.

Expect to be chased down the street with a very sharp fork if you don’t leave a tip, and expect to be greeted like a long-lost relative on your next visit if you leave a large one.

ANGELENOS Everyone’s a failed actor.

Finding a waiter who is doing it for the love of the job will take as long as it did Steven

2

Rob Lowe, possibly the most handsome man I have ever met.

And I’ve met a lot.

3

Auditioning to be a corpse in Diagnosis Murder with Dick van Dyke.

DIGITAL EDITION

Spielberg to win his first Oscar (a long time, since you ask). Expect to be asked for ID everywhere, even if you look 103.

DRINKING

NEW YORKERS Never expect to find anyone 100% sober, unless they’re in AA. “Will you do a shot with me?” is a regular phrase delivered with such an air of melancholy, it seems rude to refuse. If you’re a regular and tip well, expect to enjoy a complimentary drink. Sales people for new drinks are also forever promoting their wares in bars, which means you need never have single vision again, should you so choose.

ANGELENOS Expect to go on safari to find a decent happy hour and never, ever expect a free drink, unless you’re a hooker hanging out at a hotel bar. If you are, by the way, the technique appears to go along the lines of: you arrive at the bar at 5pm, drink tap water for anything between one minute and three hours, and then, when a potential client turns up, decide that nothing short of six $25 cocktails is going to quench your thirst.

NEW YORKERS There isn’t any.

But maybe that’s just me.

ANGELENOS There isn’t any.

But maybe that’s just me.

4

Stalking fellow Welshman and star of The Americans Matthew Rhys at 30,000 feet on Virgin Atlantic.

5

SEX

My favorite Osbourne, Sharon, in the Air New Zealand lounge at LAX.

6

Simon Cowell: along with Clooney, a man who chose a tall, leggy, thin brunette over me. What’s wrong with him?

7

Ken Branagh.

I reviewed him when he was nobody. I AM the Talent Whisperer!

7

MY HELL’S KITCHEN

“I just got another tat of a one-linecat, honoring our gender-fluid kitten Lola.”

8

DIGITAL EDITION

MY HELL’S KITCHEN

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

Email news@w42st.com

Play it again, Sammy Singer Sammy Bravo reveals his favorite HK hangouts, his neighborhood hero, and what’s on his playlist

HAIR: SCOTT WASSERMAN, HAIR & THE CITY; MAKE-UP: DEXTER PHILLIP, DEX NEW YORK; WARDROBE: ORIGINAL PENGUIN, LANVIN, LOUIS VUITTON

Photograph Felicia Mariah D’Ascanio How long have you lived in Hell’s Kitchen?

I lived in Hell’s Kitchen for a couple of years starting in 2009, and moved back last fall. The change in the neighborhood has been incredible – it’s a completely different place from when I first lived here: the bars, food, people, architecture. I’m thrilled to see what it will be in the next five years.

Why here? Why now?

My husband works in the theater so it’s quite accessible for both of our lifestyles. What’s great about HK is that you have options. I enjoy being on the perimeter of the madness. We live on 10th Avenue, which is more residential and quiet, but you can dig into the action just an avenue away.

Where are your favorite places to eat here?

Don’t get me started. My biggest incentive in staying this time around is the upgrade in restaurant options.

Bea is my favorite restaurant in the neighborhood. It has incredible beer on tap, the food is fabulous, and they project classic films on the wall. Hell’s Kitchen Restaurant is brilliant Mexican food, Joe Allen is wonderful after the theater, B+B is deadly if you’re feeling Italian, 44 1/2 is perfect for date night, and Taboon is just perfect anytime.

What about the bars?

Pocket Bar – it fits in your pocket and it’ll empty it too because you’ll go back again and again. They only do wine and beer but it’s cozy and the staff are lovely. Mickey Spillane’s is a fun

neighborhood bar that welcomes all. If you go, tell Brittney that Sammy Bravo (and W42ST) sent you!

Are you a diner breakfast or a boozy brunch guy?

Diner breakfast. I’m not much of a drinker unless I’m going all out, and that’s not very sexy in the daylight.

I have no idea what I’ll do now that Renaissance diner is closed. My heart is torn.

Who are the people you admire in the hood?

My husband Ryan Ratelle. Naturally, being in the theater, he has strong roots in this neighborhood. He’s a pretty brilliant publicist, director and producer. He’s directing and producing his first Off-Broadway production this summer. Scott Wasserman, co-owner and stylist of Hair & The City on 47th between 8th and 9th is a gem, the nicest, most well-rounded human and brilliant artist. If you’re looking for a neighborhood spot to make your frizz look fly, they’re it.

When you escape from the city, where’s your happy place?

Anywhere with a beach. I love the Hamptons, Fire Island, Miami, or just chilling in Central Park with some wine coolers.

Tell us the story behind your bee tattoo?

That’s Bee’atrice. My buddy “Red” from HK Tattoo did it a couple of months ago. I have a fascination with animals and would have been a zoologist if I

DIGITAL EDITION

hadn’t found music. Since I can’t own a lot of these creatures, I decided to stamp my body with them. I find bees to be absolutely incredible – from how they live as a society, to how ferocious and loyal they are to their queen. We live two blocks from HK Tattoo, which is owned by Richie Friendly. He’s the man behind the curtain at venues such as Mr. Biggs, Mickey Spillane’s, DBL and Vodka Soda: Bottoms Up. I just got another tat of a one-line-cat, honoring our gender-fluid kitten Lola.

Put your iPod on shuffle – what are the first five songs that play?

That’s always the hardest question for a musician. At the moment, it’s as follows: Lucy by Destra, Willing & Able

by Disclosure, Automatic by The Pointer Sisters, Gorgy Porgy by Toto, and Fool for You by Alice Smith.

What’s your most used emoji?

The ghost sticking its tongue out pretty much sums me up. If there were a bacon emoji, I’d use that nonstop.

Where do you work out?

Equinox. I absolutely love their vision.

Fitness doesn’t have to be an awful, unattainable place, it’s what you allow it to be.

Tell us a neighborhood secret ...?

The lobby of citizenM Hotel is an amazing hang-out. I love going there to lounge before dinner, a show, or just to sit and converse. They have tons of coffee table books and chachkies for your curiosity. It’s the perfect mix of hotel lobby and alcoholic coffee shop.

BIO

Originally from Honduras, Sammy Bravo describes his music as “Latin soul,” and is heavily influenced by artists such as Stevie Wonder and Amy Winehouse.

He’s had sell-out performances at The Cutting Room, and his new EP Chromatic is released this summer. www.sammybravomusic.com SAMMY’S HK

Restaurants Bea, W43rd St 9th/10th Ave Hell’s Kitchen, 9th Ave - 50th/51st St Taboon, 10th Ave 52nd St Joe Allen, W46th St - 8th/9th Ave 44 1/2, 10th Ave 44th/45th St

Bars Pocket Bar, W48th St - 9th/10th Ave Mickey Spillane’s, W49th St - 9th Ave

9

OUT & ABOUT

COMMUNITY

If it’s happening in Hell’s Kitchen, we’ve got it covered YAYOI KUSAMA’S PUMPKIN

Clockwise from left: Joseph and Stephanie Moinian; Million Dollar Listing’s Luis Ortiz (second from right) and head of leasing, Natasha Vardi; a string quintent accompanies the launch; Matthew and Joseph Moinian unveil another piece of art by Kusama.

S

ky, the US’s largest single tower luxury rental development (on 42nd Street between 11th and 12th Avenue), unveiled the only permanent public artwork in NY by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, a dramatic bronze pumpkin!

KARIM RASHID’S BUMP LAUNCH

T

IMAGES: PHIL O’BRIEN

he bump, designer Karim Rashid’s colorful solution to our forever dying mobile phones, was launched from his W54th Street studio. A portable charger, he describes it as “the next truly democratic universal product for the digital age.”

Clockwise from right: Guests recline on Karimdesigned furniture; drinking sangria from a can; Karim (center) with Richard Smiedt, co-creator of the bump; deep in conversation.

DIGITAL EDITION

11

COMMUNITY

Sweet

ESCAPE When the heat of the city makes you curse the sun, where do you find relief? Readers share their favorite destinations for day trips and vacation inspiration

Florida

Who doesn’t love wearing flip-flops every day? Seafood festivals, sixtoed cats, pygmy deer, karaoke with applause signs, manatee and gator sightings, nightly Key West sunset party, Frank Sinatra impersonators ... but the best of all was looking up long-lo st cousins.

Oh, and Florida is so friendly that even the fish smile.

Maura Lynch

12

“Florida is so friendly th at even the fish smile.”

DIGITAL EDITION

COMMUNITY

Cuba

Despite the influx of tourists recently, Old Havana is still a special place. The colors are bright, the people are friendly, and the classic American cars still fill the streets.

A few hours south-west, in the Vinales Valley the mounta ins are breathtaking and the farmers grow some of the best tobacco in the world. A few kilometers from the city center, you can find the 600+ meter tall Mural de la Prehistoria, commissioned by Fidel Castro in 1961.

Dustin Cohen

DIGITAL EDITION

"Farmers grow some of the best tobacco in the world."

continued over

13

COMMUNITY

“Oh Ireland, I am under your spell.”

Ireland, UK

I stopped counting miles or rain showers on this particular day of cycling in Ireland when I got to the top of yet another hill and was met by this spectacular scene. Not a movie set or a painting, no filters or retouching, just the marvelous work of Mother Nature. Oh Ireland, I am under your spell.

Liz Paley

Charleston, SC

“A quick flight away awaits an oasis of Southern ch arm.

I was particular ly taken by this little folly, the Shell House, used as a lounge by pupils attend ing a local sc hool – how ch arming is th at?”

Harry Heissmann

14

Vietnam

“How ch arming is th at?”

“Our favorite country is Vietnam, in particular the north, where the ethnic tribes live.

They wear the most amazing hand-embroidered costumes that distinguish each tribe.”

Luisa Cerutti

DIGITAL EDITION

“Ethnic tribes wear amazing costumes.”

Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul is one of the most incredible cities I have ever visited, the golden light palpable at times. For centuries, this place was the cultural capital of many different empires and, walking down the streets of this sprawling city, you can’t help but feel surrounded by so many different layers of history. Incredible restaurants, cool bars, and hidden tea gardens lie around every corner and the locals have an endless supply of hospitality.

Dustin Cohen

continued over

DIGITAL EDITION

15

COMMUNITY Long Island City, Queens Home to stunning sunsets, world-class cultura l institutions, sprawling waterfront parks, a weekend flea market, breweries and unique eats, LIC is the perfect neighborhood to explore on a summer day. Michelin star-rated M Wells Steakhouse is located in an unmarked, former auto body garage. And Dutch Kills Bar is king for cocktails. Summer revelers flock to Warm Up parties at MoMA PS1, or visit Socrates Sculpture Park, which hosts larger-than-life installations, dance, yoga and outdoor movies.

Jenna Petok

New England

The north shore of Boston, and Marblehead in particular, are like walking back in time. The old houses, crooked streets, and sweeping Atlantic views make you understand why the earliest settlers cho se this as home.

Toda y, old and new mix seamlessly to provide a sense of charm and ease you simply can’t find anyw here else.

Davy Mack

16

DIGITAL EDITION

"Socrates Sculpture Park hosts dance, yoga and movies."

COMMUNITY 10 reasons to be a tourist in NYC 1

J Sandy Hook, N dive into

Ditch the urban jungle and sun and sand when you hop aboard the to Seastreak Ferry for a 35-minute cruise is Sandy Hook. The best wa y to explore the soon by bike, so bring yours or rent one as as you get ashore. Find food trucks along the wa y. Then, at the end of a stellar d beach da y, bike across the bay for seafoo ind and eat as you watch the sun sink beh the M anh attan skyline.

Central Park – climb the Alice in Wonderland statue, visit the Conservatory Garden, enjoy the buskers at Bethesda Fountain and be sure to hear the Boyd family singing under the overhang called the Minton Tile Arcade.

Frick Collection – worthwhile any day (except Mondays when it’s closed). Pay-what-you-wish on Sundays from 11am-1pm.

Explore The Highline and the Meatpacking District then take Bleecker Street through the West Village and into Greenwich Village.

Go up and down MacDougall, Sullivan and Thompson and walk through Washington Square Park.

Ellis Island – take the Hard Hat Tour followed by a visit to the Tenement Museum to complete the immigrants’ experience. Have a pastrami sandwich at Katz’s Deli, or dim sum at the famous Jing Fong.

Broadway Up Close tour – learn how a Broadway show is produced, how the theater is chosen and other legends and stories about the theater district.

Intrepid Air and Space Museum – so much to see including Concorde and the Space Shuttle.

Harlem Jazz tour (www.big applejazz.com) – learn about Harlem’s history and listening to jazz in off-the-beaten-path venues.

Experience a gospel church service at one of the many churches in Harlem, or locally at the Times Square Church.

Have a drink on the 35th-floor bar of the Mandarin/Oriental Hotel at Columbus Circle then go downstairs and listen to jazz at the wonderful Dizzy’s Coca-Cola.

Hungarian Pastry Shop – tucked near the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, this place has great atmosphere and even greater pastry and coffee options. Unique.

2

“Ditch the urban jungle and dive into sun and sand.”

3

4 5

Jenna Petok

6 7 8

Bannerman Castle, NY

“Travel back in time to the mysterious ruins of Bannerman Castle. Board a boat across from Beacon Station for panoramic views and a guided tour of Pollepel Island, rumored to be haunted."

9

10

Maura Lynch

Provided by 414 Hotel, voted the #1 NYC hotel on TripAdvisor (www.414hotel.com)

DIGITAL EDITION

17

COMMUNITY

“Capture each moment; new experiences, mishaps, food, breathtaking sights, and laughs with old and new friends.”

18

DIGITAL EDITION

COMMUNITY

TRAVEL SAVVY Ten ways to be

Life’s a trip, so pack your passport and make every journey count, says Cory Cannataro

D

on’t go on a vacation, go on an adventure! Live life with the #YOLO mentality, discovering all the remarkable and breathtaking places this planet has to offer. Make your escape exceptional by following these travel tips:

1

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

Take this two ways. On the positive side, expect to be overwhelmingly floored by some of the amazing wonders you see. Now on the flip side, keep in mind that patience is key when traveling. Expect delays. Relax, take a deep breath, and figure out the solution.

It never makes sense to get angry or upset when the inevitable happens. There is always a way.

2

MAKE A LIST AND CHECK IT TWICE

Don’t be the one who says: “I know I’m forgetting something.”

Be the one who knows they have everything. How? Make a list, adding/ subtracting items as your departure day nears. Check once to make sure you have everything, then again to make sure it all made its way into your bag. You might laugh … until you’re at check-in without your wallet!

3

KEEP THE PLANE PLAIN

Some suggest drinking your way through a flight is a relaxing, fun way to start a trip. Not so much.

There are three essentials to your flight: hydration, face wipes, and sleep. So drink a ton of water. (Interestingly, hydration also helps you adjust to jet lag.) And have face wipes ready to freshen up. Finally, the easiest to some and most impossible for

others, SLEEP your way through the flight.

If that’s impossible, bring a good read or watch a long movie.

4

STAY AHEAD OF THE PACK

ALWAYS have your passport and/ or ID packed. Get a secure, easyto-carry wallet for your money and credit cards. Long hours of traveling can cause serious BO and bad breath, so always have mints handy, an extra toothbrush, and deodorant. Also, pack an extra outfit in your carry-on just in case there are problems with your luggage.

5

LEAVE A NOTE

Let the ones you love know where you are, who you’re with, and all possible ways to contact you. You could be snowmobiling across the largest glacier in Iceland while your best friend is giving birth to your godson.

Make sure they can call/text/email you with the great news.

6

RESPECT THE CULTURE

Make sure to do your research to better understand the possible cultural differences. ALWAYS remember you are the visitor. Things will be different, and that is sometimes the most amazing part of traveling, trying to adjust to a new way of life.

7

EAT! EAT! EAT!

For all you foodies out there, please try all the different delicacies and staple foods each country offers. Whether it is chowing down on the rodent we know so well, cuy (guinea pig), while enjoying the scenery of Lima, Peru, or getting a little too buzzed from

DIGITAL EDITION

Opposite: Pack your camera – the photographs you take will be the best souvenirs of your trip.

drinking and eating all the wines and cheese from all different regions of France, it is worth every bite … and sip. Research the best restaurant before going, and take suggestions from the locals – they know best.

8

SCHEDULE SOME SPONTANEITY

Itineraries are a must, making sure you visit the most heard-of and talked-about sights. But always leave a few time gaps to be spontaneous and seek out the places tourists may not go. It’s these unplanned and unexpected experiences that sometimes become the most unforgettable. Like stopping in a coffee shop in Amsterdam and finding yourself spending your 25th birthday enjoying a “schmoke” and a pancake with one of the biggest names in the comic con world, Frazer Irving!

9

TAKE A TON OF PHOTOS

Make a photo diary of your trip, whether on your iPhone or camera. Those are the best souvenirs you’ll be taking home. Capture each moment; new experiences, mishaps, plates of food, breathtaking sights, and laughs with old and new friends.

10

DON’T STOP

They say that people who wait to travel the world never do. Don’t be one of them. We have one life on one enormous planet, with amazing and almost unbelievable marvels that can bring you to tears, make you smile from ear to ear, and sometimes cause your jaw to drop in awe. So, where are you going next?

19

COMMUNITY

Heading to the Hamptons this summer?

Rob Wiesenthal can get you there in style

WORDS: CARLA DUVAL

N

Photograph Nacho Guevara

ow THIS is what we call traveling.

Two years ago, former music industry executive Rob Wiesenthal launched Blade as a way of bringing technology to helicopter travel – and making it more democratic in the process.

“I wanted to leverage crowdsourcing mobile users to make short-distance aviation more affordable,” he says, “and to bring back a greater sense of service, detail, and adventure to flying.”

A born and raised New Yorker, he established a heliport at the far west side of 30th Street, right on the river, and has watched as the neighborhood has grown around him.

“I like the fact that everything in New York City is moving west. What’s happening with Hudson Yards and the High Line has transformed the neighborhood – the High Line is the last new urban development around a project that’s for people.

“The idea of having an elevated public park that was repurposed from train tracks is ingenious. It’s an incredible thing to watch – people trying to be around the energy that this public park creates both for retail and for residential. I’m watching a neighborhood be created; it’s very exciting.” www.flyblade.com

DIGITAL EDITION

21

COMMUNITY

n o i t c i f KITCHEN Put down your phone and pick up a book. Wherever you travel this summer, you can still take Hell’s Kitchen with you, discovers Carla Duval Hell’s Kitchen Homicide: A Conor Bard Mystery

By Charles Kipps Page one – lights dim in a smoky bar in Hell’s Kitchen.

Enter the protagonist, Conor Bard. He’s every middle-aged man’s dream alter ego: part detective, part (aspiring) rock star, all ladies’ man. He takes the stage, guitar in hand and gun at waist. By the time his first set is over, he’s made an arrest and still has time to grab a drink.

Hell’s Kitchen Homicide is a great read for lazy beach days. It follows Bard and his soon-to-be-retired partner, Ralph Kurtz, as they scour the Kitchen to solve the murder of wealthy lawyer Walter Lawton, ironically infamous for getting murderers off the hook.

The clues lead the duo to confront a variety of suspects, including Lawton’s seductive wife, her Mafioso ex-lover, an Albanian gunman, and an elusive man by the name of “Fat Albert” (no relation to the beloved cartoon character).

Bonus lot The verbal exchanges between Bard Kipps included a rk; wo of local flair in his and Kurtz keep this novel fast-paced and e recogniz HK familiars will entertaining. But if you read a lot of crime ic sm Co d an Pia Maria novels, you might find the twists in Hell’s rd’s Diner as two of Ba .

Kitchen Homicide predictable. There’s go-to dining joints no denying that Charles Kipps crafts an excellent story; after all, he’s an award-winning television writer for crime hits such as Law and Order and Columbo. So if you’re looking for an enjoyable story with a few clever quips along the way, by all means, pick up a copy.

22

DIGITAL EDITION

Murder in Hell’s Kitchen (Manhattan #1)

By Syrell Leahy (as Lee Harris) Detective Jane Bauer is starting over: she’s selling her apartment, ending her 10-year adulterous relationship, and taking a cushy job with an insurance company.

Before she can take that last step, she’s assigned to a special division that solves cases left untouched for years. When Bauer goes to reinterview the neighbors of a man killed in his apartment building four years ago, she discovers that every occupant from that time has disappeared. This rouses Bauer’s suspicions, since a little thing like a murder is not enough to drive HK residents from their rent-controlled apartments.

While “Hell’s Kitchen” makes the cut in the title, the neighborhood doesn’t have much of a presence in the novel. Yes, the murder does take place in HK as promised, but the hunt for the killer takes Bauer as far from the city streets as Omaha, Nebraska. The story lacks the rich, gritty cultural aspects of Hell’s Kitchen that some other novels in this genre capture.

What makes the story worthwhile is the complexity of Detective Jane Bauer. She comes across as a living, breathing individual rather than a two-dimensional character. She drags her past behind her with quiet dignity, owning up to what she’s done and dealing with it when it keeps resurfacing. Even though this novel takes a while to pick up speed, the intricacies of the case and the way both the murder and Bauer’s personal dilemmas are wrapped up make for an engaging read.

COMMUNITY Stoop to Conquer

Hell’s Kitchen (John Pellam #3)

Bringing Out the Dead

by John Michael Bolger

By Jeffery Deaver

By Joe Connelly

You may have seen John Michael Bolger grace the screen in Public Enemies as Martin Zarkovich or in the TV series Third Watch. Often playing the role of an NYPD officer due to his Irish countenance, Bolger takes his knowledge of the Hell’s Kitchen streets and puts it in this story about a 17-year-old kid named Francis Doonan. It takes place in 1980 during the course of one summer, at an age when one summer seems like a lifetime.

As his family moves away for a better, safer life outside the city, Doonan stays behind in Hell’s Kitchen, where he was born and raised.

His nickname is “Frankie Flowers,” since he works at a flower shop and aspires to run one of his own someday. Despite this charming innocence, Doonan quickly gets involved in a lifestyle where sex and drugs are easily accessible, and violence between the Irish and Italian gangs is unavoidable.

Doonan doesn’t really do much; it’s more that things keep happening to him. Bolger includes a lot of thematic issues such as family dysfunction, loyalty, first love, drug/alcohol abuse, and loss.

While these aren’t occurrences that every reader will relate to fully, they’re presented in a way that is straightforward and human.

This is the perfect read for sitting around a campfire. Ex-stuntman John Pellam arrives in Hell’s Kitchen to film a documentary. Instead, he finds himself involved in a major criminal investigation when the star of his film, an elderly woman named Ettie Washington, is placed under arrest for assisting a wanted arsonist. Pellam navigates the darker side of HK trying to find proof of her innocence – confronting gang lords, corrupt fire marshals, evasive social workers, and one unstable pyromaniac.

Hell’s Kitchen can be a lot to chew on; Deaver gives readers harrowing portrayals of the area’s underground prior to the new millennium, depicting gruesome scenes of poverty, gang violence, prison life, and arson – lots and lots of arson.

One of the more interesting features of the novel is that Deaver gives the reader a peek into the point of view of the “villain” right from the start. You witness the pyro hunting Pellam as Pellam hunts the pyro. Despite knowing both sides of the case, Deaver includes numerous unexpected plot twists – the kind to make me gasp and curse aloud in shock until the very end. If you don’t mind wading through some bleak (and sometimes extensive) exposition, the rich suspense of this novel is well worth it.

Frank Pierce is a paranoid paramedic who roams the streets of Hell’s Kitchen, saving lives when he’s not busy making stops for coffee and vodka.

He’s haunted by hallucinations of those he couldn’t save and visions of the wife who left him.

Every time he tells the captain he’s quitting, Pierce finds himself back in the ambulance for another bloody night shift – screeching around corners, running red lights, and helping those who don’t always want the help.

Joe Connelly wrote Bringing Out the Dead after working as an HK paramedic himself for nine years. As such, the medical emergencies portrayed in this story are horrifyingly realistic (I had to put down the book several times in order to get the gruesome descriptions out of my head). Connelly’s firsthand knowledge of what life is like for a paramedic Fun fact In 1999, Bringing is in part what Out the Dead was ad makes this novel apted into a film direc ted by so gripping. Even if Martin Scorses e and you’re the squeamish starring Nicolas type (like me) and Cage. have to read this novel in short bursts, Frank’s unusual story will keep you determined to stick it through to the end.

DIGITAL EDITION

23

COMMUNITY

24

DIGITAL EDITION

COMMUNITY

Not another

SELFIE

From Times Square to Sydney Harbor, The Reading Project turns the lens on our social habits

W

e share enough selfies in any given hour as it is. I wanted to share something different.

Something more.”

So began The Reading Project, which has now travelled to 30 countries, taking its creator from Times Square subway station to Sydney Harbor Bridge.

“I didn’t want to share the same and another selfie with the world,” says “Sherry,” an art director who works at the Ogilvy & Mather agency in Hell’s Kitchen, and who illustrated W42ST’s April 2015 cover.

So instead, he left piles of books in locations all over the city: on an overpass by the George Washington Bridge, in an elevator on the Upper East Side, a staircase on the Upper West Side, and even on a busy subway platform at Times Square.

Part-commentary on the way we live today and part-experiment, the books were accompanied a simple note encouraging passers-by to take a book for free, read it and, on completing the book, email Sherry.

So, after putting them up and photographing them, he simply walked away.

“Part of the idea was not to hang around or revisit to see the results,” he says. “That would be like sharing a photo on social media where I could go back and check how many likes it

DIGITAL EDITION

Left: Stacks of books await their readers, from Sydney Harbor Bridge, to Times Square to the Brooklyn Bridge.

“That would be like sharing a photo on social media where I could go back and check how many likes it got. This had to be pure.” got. This had to be pure. I wanted to see what the world did with it. There was no pattern to it, but they all had one thing in common – the books covered a wide range of subjects, from art, philosophy, biographies, and fiction to funny to self-help etc.”

Titles included The Decision Book, The Buddha Walks Into A Bar, The War of Art, The Alchemist, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich and Shit Happens So Get Over It. And they traveled as far as the Netherlands, France, Canada, Brazil, Hong Kong and India.

Now Sherry has just placed a new stack in Australia, and another one will soon be appearing in London.

“I’ll be putting them out in a lot more countries as times goes on,” he says. “I’d like the reach to be bigger.

That means more people will end up reading more books. Which is why I did this in the first place.” www.madebysherry.com

25

what’s going on in

JUNE

Every day’s a play day with our guide to the month’s events in and around Hell’s Kitchen.

June 1-4 World Stamp Show Javits Center

It’s a once-a-decade event, so if you’re a philately freak, you’ll want to be here. 250,000 people are expected, plus 200 dealers. www.ny2016.org

June 4 West 44th Street Garage Sale June 3 Brand New Heavies BB King’s

Theatre at St Clement’s

www.bbkingblues.com

www.VincentPlay.com

www.west44nyc.com

June 7 William Doyle

All month Bent, Cast & Forged

Part of Blue Note Jazz Festival, the British band (who once supported James Brown – give it up!) brings their jazz/funk/soul sound to BB King’s.

Opens June 6 Liberty the musical 42West

Telling the story of Lady Liberty’s arrival in America through the eyes of a young French immigrant, played by Abigail Shapiro.

Written by Leonard Nimoy, this show about Vincent van Gogh is told through letters between the artist and his brother, Theo.

Irish Arts Center

The author reads from his book PT 109: An American Epic of War, Survival, the World War II story of shipwreck, survival and JFK.

Museum of Arts and Design

This exhibition explores the jewelry designs of Harry Bertoia, following experimentation with form and material in his early career.

June 8-19 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Lincoln Center

A two-week, 15-performance engagement kicks off with a gala benefit on June 8.

www.libertythemusical.com

www.irishartscenter.org

Fridays Distorted Pride

Opens June 11 Very Hungry Caterpillar

Laurie Beechman Theatre

Theatre Row

Birdland

Columbus Library

www.westbankcafe.com

www.hungrycaterpillarshow.com

www.castpartynyc.com

www.nypl.org

Holly Dae, Pixie Aventura, Brenda Dharling and Bootsie LeFaris, plus our favorite gay anthems, equals Pride with a twist.

26

Ends June 5 Vincent

W44th St - 9th/10th Ave New York City’s largest and oldest garage sale is celebrating its 40th year this year. Open to residents of W44th St, neighbors from Hell’s Kitchen and their friends. It’s a place to pick up clothes, books, CDs/records, kitchen appliances, couches, chairs, mirrors, vases, rugs, cabinets, computers, jewelry, air conditioners ... anything someone else no longer needs.

www.madmuseum.org

This stage version of the Eric Carle classic is so popular, it has a wait list.

Told through puppets, it brings the books to life.

DIGITAL EDITION

Mondays Jim Caruso’s Cast Party An open mic night that could see wannabe performers and on-thecusp talents share a stage with Broadway stars on their night off.

www.alvinailey.org

June 14-17 Be A Game Builder A four-day free workshop that explores the world and the concepts of game design with Lego bricks. For children aged between 13 and 18 years.

June 17 Blue Oyster Cult

Thursday & Saturday One Funny Mother

Fridays Write-in

New World Stages

Gotham Writers

BB King’s

www.onefunnymother.com

www.writingclasses.com

www.bbkingblues.com

Saturdays Quiet clubbing

June 19 Broadway Bares

Rooftop 48

Hammerstein Ballroom

Wednesdays Dance Party

www.stage48.com

www.broadwaybares.com

Dena Blizzard turns her mothering mishaps into comedy gold in her show about how parenting can make you just a little bit nuts.

Headphones and glow-in-the-dark gear supplied. You just bring a willingness to dance at this rooftop venue with sublime views of the city.

June 27 National High School Musical Theatre Awards

A no-pressure, safe space to explore your writing, drink some wine, and get to know your fellow writers.

The 26th annual, always soldout event includes burlesque performances from some of Broadway’s biggest stars.

www.nhsmta.com

www.gazillionbubbleshow.com

June 29 July 4 Party

June 30 Next W42ST out

Yes, we know it’s early, but get planning your party menu so you can pull off a perfectly fun and festive 4th of July party. www.surlatable.com

A major one-person exhibition by the artist famed for his sculptures that investigate the relationship of the human body to space. www.skny.com

June 26 Pride march

Bryant Park

Fifth Avenue

www.bryantpark.org

www.nycpride.org

The party begins with a little lesson before the bands tune up and the dancing starts. Explore a different genre each week. Until June 22.

The highlight of Pride Week, grand marshals this year include Jazz Jennings, the 15-year-old trans activist and personality.

New World Stages

A colorful interactive show featuring lasers, lighting effects ... and bubbles, obvs. David Beckham was there last month. Just saying.

Sur La Table

Sean Kelly Gallery

Friday, Saturday, Sunday Gazillion Bubble Show

High school students from across America gather to compete for the coveted Jimmy award.

Minskoff Theatre

The Long Island-based hard rock band, best known for Don’t Fear The Reaper, bring their 2016 Reaper Residency to the city.

Ends June 18 Antony Gormley

All around Hell’s Kitchen

We’re talking outdoors next month – parks, festivals, rooftops, fun and games. If you’d like to be featured in the magazine, contact us on news@w42st.com.

DIGITAL EDITION

27

PHOTO

ESSAY

Lina Gown, $550, Terani Couture; Shoes, $750, Christian Louboutin; earrings, $750, House of Roderick

28

Jason Jumpsuit, $388, Mr Turk; sneakers, $725, Nicopanda

DIGITAL EDITION

PHOTO

ESSAY

Princess Legendary DJ Lina Bradford spills the beans on ten years of Fire Island, and why she may not mark Pride this year Styling Mykel C Smith Photographs Andre Watson

B

orn and raised in the shadow of Carnegie Hall, Lina Bradford trained as a dancer before bringing her legendary tea dance to the Pines in Fire Island – the result of a dare from some friends.

She now plays a weekly residency at the Living Room in Times Square Growing up in New York was such a beautiful gift.

“Coming from a biracial, supportive family, I never knew I was anything but who I was. Intellect was always instilled in my make-up, educating myself and being secure.

“Learning and asking questions brought me to be the together woman I am today, and able to pay it forward and school not only young transgender children but just people in general. People place too much emphasis on labels – I find that it hinders people and limits. The only label I’m comfortable with is the one I’m wearing on my back, or creek of my arm.”

I never experienced any prejudice.

“I’ve always been very comfortable with who I am and very articulate, and people have always been drawn to my light. I don’t know negativity.

I’m very blessed.”

“The only label I’m comfortable with is the one I’m wearing on my back, or creek of my arm.”

I’ve been a DJ for about 20 years.

“It was a dare from some colleagues who were huge DJs before I started, who I’d worked with in the club scene, and they knew I had a great ear for music. They dared me on my birthday.

Needless to say, I took the dare and – well – here we are a lifetime later.”

I first went to Fire Island in the mid 1970s.

“I’ve always known the culture to be so magical and would never have guessed I would have a ten-year residency and add to the wallpaper of the soundtrack to people’s lives.

“Last year was my ten-year anniversary and my last. I’m blessed to have been a part of it, but I have much more to do. That’s why I press on.”

Music brings so many people together.

“I’ve traveled to Sardinia, St Tropez,

DIGITAL EDITION

I’m in Paris and London all the time.

I’m about ready to go to Vietnam.

Regardless of upbringing, finances or ethnicity, music is something that brings people together. It’s a time that people really do become one.”

Opposite: Lina in her natural habitat – at the DJ booth in the Living Room.

My motto in life is ...

“Be happy, healthy, and full of love. My friends call me the princess of light because I only give out good energy.”

I’m still deciding on whether or not to do Pride this year.

“For me, that’s every day of my life. I don’t need Mother’s Day to represent my mother, Valentine’s Day to show my boyfriend that I love him –these are all homogenized moments for people who don’t feel like they need to do it every day of their life. I do it, I practice it, I walk it.

“I do understand what Pride represents to everyone else, but for me, I’m prideful every day.”

Lina Bradford is global ambassador for the Harvey Milk School’s Hetrick-Martin Institute and a board member of Aids care and prevention group GMHC. Her talk show, In the Dollhouse with Lina, is on her Youtube channel. And Lina’s Werk Shop is every Friday at The Living Room, W Hotel, Times Square (www.djlina.com)

continued over

29

PHOTO

ESSAY

Lina Gown, $800, Terani Couture; shoes, $1,200, Christian Louboutin; earrings, $250, Laruicci Jason Shirt, $180, and jacket, $228, CWST; hightop sneakers, $725, Nicopanda Johannes Polo shirt, $180, Mr Turk; pants, $150, Penguin; shoes, $225, Florsheim Caesar Shirt, $225, Plac; jacket, $350, Matiere; pants, $200, David Hart; shoes, $195, Florsheim Zachery Jacket, $468, Mr Turk; pants, $125, Penguin; shirt, $89, Penguin; shoes, $225, Florsheim

30

Gold crown, $195, Ellen Hunter; dress, $800, Terani Couture; shoes, $795, Christian Louboutin; Rings, $150 each, Ellen Hunter

DIGITAL EDITION

PHOTO

ESSAY

Lina Bejewelled crown, $3,500, Ellen Hunter (made to order); dress, $800, Terani couture; shoes, $1,200 Christian Louboutin

DIGITAL EDITION

Zachery Jacket, $468, Mr Turk; pants, $125, and shirt, $89, both Penguin; shoes, $225, Florsheim 31

PHOTO

ESSAY

Gown, $7,800, Dennis Basso; shoes, $1,200, Christian Louboutin

32

DIGITAL EDITION

PHOTO

ESSAY

Bejewelled crown, $3,500, Ellen Hunter (made to order); dress, $800, Terani Couture

Credits

CASTING: DIMAS BRAVO PRODUCTION DIRECTOR: BLAIR MORGAN MAKE-UP: JOSEPHINE FUSCO HAIR: MARCELINO GONZALEZ NAILS: MR LUIS MEN’S GROOMER: FRAN FREEMAN ASSISTANT STYLISTS: VANESSA DECATUS, TIMOTHY LAWRENCE PRODUCTION ASSISTANT: KADEEM MASON

MALE MODELS

CAESER STOVALL, RED MODELS NYC JASON STEELE, RED MODELS NYC ZACHARY HANCOCK, MSA MODEL MANAGEMENT JOHANNES HASLER, MSA MODELS

DIGITAL EDITION

SHOT ON LOCATION @ The Living Room, W Times Square

Shopping Guide

Terani Couture (www.teranicouture.com); Dennis Basso (www.dennisbasso.com; Christian Louboutin (us.christianlouboutin. com); House Of Roderick (www.houseof roderick.com); Ellen Hunter (www.ellen hunternyc.com); Penguin (www.original penguin.com); David Hart (www.david hartnyc.com); Mr Turk (www.trinaturk.com); Florsheim (www.florsheim.com); Plac (us.plac-official.com); Matiere (www.matiere.com); Nicopanda (www.nicopanda.com); Laruicci (www.laruicci.com)

SPECIAL THANKS

Frisson Espresso, Fresh From Hell, Chop’t and Homer delivery for keeping the team fed and fueled throughout the shoot.

33

ARTS

“Now I have a little roof over my head where I can decompress, a place where my dog can live.

We both live a very happy life here.”

34

DIGITAL EDITION

ARTS

The boy from

BRAZIL

American Ballet Theatre principal Marcelo Gomes finds a place to call home Words Ruth Walker Photographs Dustin Cohen

C

oming home holds a special kind of pleasure for Marcelo Gomes.

Not least the loving welcome of his aging little dachshund Lua, who demonstrates her affection by constantly, adoringly licking his fingers throughout our interview. But I suspect there’s more to it than that: a desire, a need even, to put down roots and find a space to call his own.

The principal dancer for American Ballet Theatre left his family in Rio de Janeiro at the age of 13 to pursue his dance studies in the US. He knew no one.

Spoke no English.

“It was very difficult,” he says. “I was living in a dormitory in Florida. My very first room mate was a guy from Indiana. So I was exposed to this totally different culture. It was 1993. We didn’t have cell phones, so we had to go the payphone and use the calling card. When it rang, everyone ran to it – we all thought it was our family.”

Now tall, elegant, utterly at ease with himself, back then it was a different story – he was yet to grow into his dancer’s

body. “I was pretty short until maybe 16,” he says. “I had my baby fat and long arms.

Strange times …”

But his tutors saw something else in the little boy who had such a passion for dance, and who loved to make up moves for Madonna songs.

“I think I had the artistry before I had the technique,” he says. “And because I couldn’t express myself verbally, I knew I could focus on the music and what my teachers were saying. I had incredible teachers, incredible mentors, incredible people who believed in me. I was very much nurtured.”

He joined ABT back in 1997, first as a member of the corps, and worked his way through the company to become principal in 2002.

Five years ago, after eight years living in Hell’s Kitchen (and never once living alone), he made the momentous decision to buy, off plan, a one-bedroom condo on W47th Street, complete with chill, shady courtyard, a small gym, and delicious roof terrace. Finally, after all those years of traveling, he was home.

“What makes it home is the

DIGITAL EDITION

peacefulness of it all. I don’t watch TV that much, even though I have one. I just like to be quiet in the house, just feeling blessed that I have one. I know that buying in Manhattan is incredibly expensive. I’ve worked very hard to become a principal dancer in my company. And now I have a little roof over my head where I can decompress, a place where my dog can live. We both live a very happy life here.”

Lua’s showing her age these days.

“She’s 13 years old already – she has little white paws. She’s definitely slowing down a little.” But she can still hold her own in the local dog parks. And she’s the first one to welcome guests – which are many – to the apartment with her excited barking.

“I like company. I’m not only a Libran, but I’m also Brazilian. Our culture is warm and open. We have a tradition of opening the door when people are leaving in Brazil.

We say the host needs to open the door so the guests can come back – if you want them to come back!” he laughs.

“That’s something I do here in my house.”

He loves to cook – he does a mean omelet – and says: “In my non-dancer

Left: As a boy, Marcelo would choreograph dances to Madonna tracks.

continued over

37

ARTS Kevin [McKenzie, artistic director] about it,” recalls Marcelo. “He was just like, ‘It’s your life. As long as you know what the consequences are and what you are doing, if this is how you feel, you should do it.’

“At that time there were not a lot of principal dancers who were so public.

They were out already. But during interviews they’d be asked, ‘Do you have a girlfriend?’ I’d usually answer something very general like ‘I don’t

life, if I could, I’d have been a chef. I like the artistry of it all. I like creating a dish and plating it. I don’t know any of the techniques – the stuff like how to use a knife. But maybe if I stop dancing and I’m not choreographing or being an artistic director, I’d like to go to cookery school.”

Not that he shows any sign of slowing down either physically or creatively. He’s dancing in Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty this month, as well as playing Romeo, a role he’s danced so many times it must be hard to bring something new, something young and fresh, to the part.

“It’s about really losing yourself in the story,” he says, “even though you know exactly what’s going to happen, forgetting it so you can be spontaneous. So the first time you look at Juliet’s eyes in the middle of the ball, that’s a shock to you.

That is the instant love when you first see a person at a party. Or at a bar in Hell’s Kitchen!

“It’s funny,” he adds, “but I feel that the older I get, it’s easier to play younger roles.

Somehow the life experience gives you that knowledge instead of, when I was in my 20s, I hadn’t experienced much and was trying to act young.”

Getting older (he’s now 36) does present certain challenges though. “The ‘battle’ is how to keep my body healthy at my age, keeping the level up so that every time I step on stage I surpass what I’ve done, not doing the same Swan Lake performance I did last year. That motivation can be diminished – but I think I still have it.

Above and right: The dancer has to work hard to stay at the top of his game - working out three times a week, as well as taking ballet class.

“My body’s still doing what it’s supposed to do. I work out quite a bit aside from ballet. I have an incredible trainer, who was a dancer as well, but it’s just about taking care of yourself and committing to it. I try to be at the gym two or three time a week in the morning and take class and do the rehearsals. That’s the only way I’ll have longevity.”

Next year he’ll have been with ABT for an astonishing 20 years. A lifetime.

“I’ve known some of the dancers my whole life. We’ve seen each other go through break-ups, romances, pregnancies, deaths – some real stuff. We have this bond that is undeniable. That personal stuff really builds on our relationships with each other on stage. It’s crazy to do something like Romeo and Juliet with someone you’ve known since you were 17 years old.”

His dance family was 100% behind him when, 13 years ago, he came out in a cover interview with The Advocate magazine. It was quite the cause célèbre at the time. “I did have a conversation with

DIGITAL EDITION

have time,’ but I just didn’t want to be that person anymore. I really didn’t. I felt proud of who I was.”

So, when the punishing schedule of a principal dancer does begin to take its toll, he’d be happiest bringing that same sense of care to a new generation of dancers.

“I feel like directing a company would be something that would give me great pleasure,” he says. “I like the idea of putting rep together and, just as people nurtured me, I’d nurture a body of dancers. I’d really take care of their future and their present, be in the studio and choreograph and give my ideas to the world.”

Not yet though. Not yet. He’s still at the peak of his talents, and enjoys the creative challenge of projects away from ABT (his performance in Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man last year was a triumph), as well as the opportunity to choreograph within the company.

“It’s a very exciting time for me,” he says. “Artistically, I feel in a really great place.” www.abt.org

37

ARTS

38

DIGITAL EDITION

ARTS

Global

HEARTBEAT The world’s music and dance styles combine in a life-affirming celebration. Get on your feet!

Words Kathryn StomsVik Photographs Christian Miles

B

raat digga-digga dah DAH TAH! Our instructor, Babacar M’Baye, calls out the rhythm while demonstrating a complicated series of rapid footwork, turns, aerial kicks, effortless undulations, and decisive gestural accents.

We, his students, watch with a combination of awe, excitement, and perplexity. A broad grin spreads across his face as he says: “I’ll break it down for you.”

Sabar, one of the performance workshops offered in the Ailey Extension World Dance Celebration, is a unique dance from Senegal usually performed at special events such as weddings or the presentation of babies. The drummer holds a stick in one hand while playing with the other hand, creating the distinctive “crack” that echoes through the studio. The more you learn to sing the rhythm as you dance, the faster you understand it.

Many dancers consider sabar the most challenging class they’ve ever taken – and they can’t get enough of it.

Frequently airborne and fiercely assertive, it’s not for the faint of heart, but the music and energetic movement are pure joy for the spirit.

Babacar was born in the Griot family of Wolof people in Senegal. A Griot is a member of a class of traveling poets, musicians, dancers, and artists whose role it is to maintain a tradition of oral history in West Africa. Dance is not only an occupation, it is a means by which traditions stay alive.

This year’s World Dance Celebration represents dances from Africa, Brazil, Cuba, India, and the Middle East.

DIGITAL EDITION

“The result is a class that feels like a party yet is efficiently run and fast paced.”

Each workshop culminates in a public performance where dancers of any age, from beginner to professional, can present in their chosen technique. Some of these dances are strictly traditional; others are fused with more popular or western traditional techniques. It takes a good amount of courage to commit to nine weeks of rehearsals and two to four performances, but the rewards are life-changing, invigorating, and promote a closer understanding of one another through the power of dance.

The hugely popular West African dance is taught by Maguette Camara.

The students are mostly dressed in traditional African lappas (a beautiful patterned material worn like a skirt).

Maguette addresses his class with a calm and positive attitude. He smiles sincerely and begins to teach a challenging dance called Cuckoo. The students are impressively attentive and quickly absorb the movement.

After teaching each section, he drums the specific rhythm himself and the class performs the movement independently.

His multi talent for music and dance are not uncommon in many African cultures where the two disciplines are frequently intertwined. Dance does not have borders.

Next Stop, Bollywood. Masala Bhangra

Left: West African dance class in full swing. Above: Sarina Jain leads the Masala Bhangra class.

continued over

39

ARTS has been voted one of the top five workouts in the US, and creator Sarina Jain’s opening session could have been easily mistaken for a family reunion.

Everyone was hugging and running to one another and the room was radiant with smiles.

First order of business: learn everyone’s names – right now! Sarina learned and memorized the names of each of the 45 participants within a mere 10 minutes. Her personal attentiveness and appreciation for each individual instantly earned the respect of her students.

Next, she had everyone shake the hand of a person they didn’t know and introduce themselves. “This person will be your partner for the rest of the workshop.”

She encourages her students to get together inside and outside of the studio, stressing that the group works as a team and helps each other. The result is a class that feels like a party yet is efficiently run and fast paced.

Masala Bhangra (spicy dance) has elements of classic Indian dance fused with the steps from popular Bollywood films. The movement is sexy, joyful, and very presentational. The class is composed of participants of all ages and cultural backgrounds, men and women.

40

Above: Sabar is colorful, rhythmic, and not for the faint-hearted.

Right: Instructor Babacar M’Baye Below: Samba’s seductive sway.

DIGITAL EDITION

ARTS

Everyone is having a blast. Dance is interaction.

Afro-Cuban dance is taught by Noibis Licea, a native of Bayano, Cuba with a broad background in modern, ballet, AfroCuban dance, jazz, and acrobatics. Noibis begins with a structured warm-up that combines elements of African, Cuban, and modern dance.

The dance has a specific rhythm 1-2, 1-2, 1-2-3-4-5, 1-2 … and the motions are often downward, with the torso curved forward. The arms are at times gesturing symbols of everyday activities like throwing a fishing net and lifting the catch over the shoulders. Symbolic gestures are a key element in many of the World Dance workshops. Dance is an expression of life.

Bellydance is a subtle and articulate art that celebrates the sensuality of the female body. A true bellydancer is a self-assured woman who understands and appreciates her femininity. She is a sophisticated performer with incredible muscle control and theatrical mystique. In Groove Fit Bellydance, taught by the technique’s originator Jannelle Cortes, women are encouraged to learn the movement not by

Top: Afro Cuban dance is an expression of live.

Above: Sabar often sees the dancers airborne. Left: The samba strut, as demonstrated by Quenia Ribeiro.

DIGITAL EDITION

studying the footwork on the floor, but by confidently observing themselves in the mirror and discovering the subtle motion within. The process transforms students as they gain a fuller understanding of themselves and this alluring technique.

Janelle is working with two groups.

The first is the full company of students with movement that is somewhat confrontational and percussive while still exhibiting the seamless grace, undulations, and abdominal “flutters” we associate with the style. She refers to this group as “bellydance soldiers.” Next, a smaller group of more advanced students pulls out brightly colored silken veils. This section is deeply mysterious and lyrical.

Intrigued by the graceful flow of color and elegant motion, it is easy to understand how modern dance pioneer Ruth St. Dennis was inspired to create her hypnotic “Incense.” Dance is empowering.

Last but far from least is samba, the celebrated dance from Brazil led by the bright spirited Quenia Ribeiro, a native of Rio de Janeiro. Quenia has been teaching ballet, modern dance, and Brazilian folkloric dance for more than 25 years.

Her class is enjoyed by all ages and backgrounds.

This workshop is accompanied by three percussionists playing a variety of instruments, creating a sound that is full and driving, and the dance is magnificent.

The movement appears to be logical variations on the distinctive samba strut.

Circularity is present throughout the body in the shoulders, arms, legs, hips, and torso giving the motions that seductive ease and sway. Quenia told me the group will have head dresses and full costume for the final performances. Dance is uplifting.

Lisa Johnson-Willington, director of Ailey Extension, says her favorite part about directing this program is going to the performances and seeing family and friends waiting for the dancers after the show presenting flowers and expressing their pride and excitement.

Quoting Alvin Ailey himself, she says: “I believe that dance came from the people and that it should be delivered back to the people.”

And the World Dance Celebration offers the opportunity for anyone, regardless of age or ability, to experience dance as a global extension of ourselves.

World Dance Celebration, Ailey Citigroup Theater, June 11 and 12 (www.alvinailey.org)

41

STAFF SURVEY

42

DIGITAL EDITION

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

Smoothie

OPERATOR

The beach is in our sights – any last-minute tips, Bryan Ware?

Photograph Nacho Guevara What’s the story behind Fresh From Hell?

My partner, Gabriel, and I have been living in Hell’s Kitchen for the past 15 years. We love it here – it’s such a vibrant neighborhood, quintessentially NYC, gritty and with a unique personality. We always wanted to open our own place, so when the opportunity presented itself, we grabbed it, making sure the name was not only catchy enough, but part of the story.

But you and Gabriel have more going on than juicing and salads – what are your “day jobs”?

Well, I’m a real estate salesperson, so my day job keeps me busy. I just closed on a multi-million dollar building in TriBeCa and I’m taking care of another big listing on W53rd Street. I also leased a retail space to a restaurant on 9th Avenue and 53rd Street, and I have four buildings in Hell’s Kitchen that I’m the exclusive rental agent for. So, yes, never a dull moment.

My partner is a creative director.

He also has his own design firm, Hyperdom Multimedia. He’s all about branding and, naturally, he’s behind the visual identity of the store. Our backgrounds are different, and I think that’s why we make a great team.

You guys must be pretty healthy – do you walk the walk?

Yes, I do walk the walk. Knowledge is power and, as I get older, the better my health has become. Walking this earth for over 50 years has taught me many things about food, health, exercise. The first thing I do every morning is drink a tall glass of room temperature water with half a lemon squeezed in. Then I extract juice from various veggies and fruits; I enjoy coming

“Everything on the menu is what I’ve been eating at home for the past 10 years or more.” up with different combinations that are both delicious and nutritious. After that, I usually prepare oatmeal or yoghurt with fresh fruit.

When you come to Fresh From Hell, you see what I eat. Everything on the menu is what I’ve been eating at home for the past 10 years or more.

Plus, working and living in Hell’s Kitchen allows me to walk almost everywhere, which is part of my exercise, along with going to the gym a couple times a week and playing tennis with Gabriel.

What’s your favorite thing on the menu?

My single most favorite thing on the menu would be the eggplant caponata. I have a special Sicilian recipe with my own little twist. This dish has become so popular that we run out almost every day. It takes the most time and love to make, but it’s well worth it.

Left: Just an average day’s fruit fix for Bryan ...

Body Cleanser juice in the morning. A green smoothie like Green Machine is also high in fibers and allows your body to eliminate toxins, promoting clear, radiant skin just in time for the summer. The dark, leafy greens are a rich source of healthy minerals like calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. Great skin definitely starts with the green! Another healthy choice in the morning is the Creamy Coconut Oatmeal. This is a hearty, fat-burning breakfast with lots of fresh fruit.

For lunch I’d recommend our mixed greens salad with three of our toppings, like beets, three bean, and lentils.

Have you had any customers from the Broadway community?

Over 50% of our customers are from the Broadway community. They’re so supportive – a leading actress of a top show even gave us a tour of the theater – it was magical. We actually came up with a discount for anyone who works in the Broadway theater community, on or off the stage. They make our lives better with their work and we wanted to show our appreciation.

What’s the most common request from customers?

Gluten-free bread. So much so that we’ve added it to our sandwich line-up.

Where else do you hang out in the hood?

We like the rooftop at Ink 48 if we’re meeting friends for a drink. For dinner, we like Briciola on W51st Street and Mercato on W39th Street, both small, good food and good people – you can’t beat that combination. And, of course, Boxers and Therapy – it is Hell’s Kitchen after all!

Summer’s coming up and the W42ST team needs to look great on the beach – what can help us get there?

For sure you want to start out with the

FRESH FROM HELL (212) 956-4355 www.hkgoodness.com 326 W47TH ST - 8TH/9TH AVE

DIGITAL EDITION

43

EATING & DRINKING sauce at Pio Pio began over 20 years ago in Queens. But new on the scene is Ñaño Ecuadorian Kitchen, a homely, familyrun restaurant specializing in recipes passed down through the generations. Try owner Abel’s mother’s seco de pollo, an invigorating chicken stew incorporating naranjilla juice, a fruit with hints of lime and rhubarb.

10th Ave - 47th/48th St www.nanobarhk.wix.com/nano

FEED the world

CLUB MED

Spanish tapas, Italian pizzas, Greek and Turkish meze, southern French seafood and Moroccan spice – all quintessentially Mediterranean. New kid on the block, Mémé, manages to deliver almost all of them. The style is slanted towards the Cohen brothers’ Franco-MoroccanIsraeli roots, with meze/tapas-style baked meatballs, moussaka and charred merguez sharing center stage with fragrant tagines. The result is completely authentic and effortlessly delivered.

10th Ave - 44th St www.memeonhudson.com

THE GRAND FROMAGE

You don’t need to go far to fill your social media with snap-worthy global food. Chris Penwarden goes on a grand tour without leaving the hood

F ILLUSTRATION: FREEPIK.COM

ood options in Hell’s Kitchen are so diverse that you can get a flavor of foreign travel without even packing your suitcase.

Whether you’re back from vacation and want a taste of the exotic, or just fancy a staycation this summer, there is something here for every palate.

KOREA OPTIONS

There’s a growing band of Korean eateries to join the wealth of Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants. Forget K-Town’s BBQ joints, Hell’s Kitchen is home to Hell’s Chicken, a tiny place specializing in spicy

Above: Around the world ... or just around the block?

fried chicken (of course) and a Korean classic, bibimbap, comprising a bowl of rice, mixed veggies, meat and egg. The chicken kicks most buffalo wings into touch – sticky, crispy and deliciously spicy.

10th Ave - 45th/46th St www.hellschickennyc.com

SOUTH AMERICAN DREAM

Going for a Brazilian certainly means something very different than it did ten years ago. These days, matching an Argentinian malbec with a steak and chimichurri sauce is legendary. Even the Peruvian rotisserie chicken and green

DIGITAL EDITION

Fancy the apres ski without the ski? Want to say cheese, without a million selfies?

Head to Maria’s Mont Blanc, an Austrian/ Swiss restaurant that has been serving the finest fondues and raclette for over 30 years. For the uninitiated, fondue was a dinner party classic in the 1970s and 1980s, but is seeing a comeback like all things retro. Raclette has become a farmers market favorite, served warmed and melted on to plates. Both fit nicely into the shared plate philosophy of tapas, meze and Korean BBQ. W48th St - 8th/9th Ave www.montblancrestaurant.com

A FORK IN THE ROAD?

Don’t know which way to turn? Try something that answers all your cravings: a sushi burrito! This Instagram and Twitter sensation arrived on our shores last year, inspired by the temakeria bars of Brazil.

Who’d have thought Brazil would be a hotbed of Japanese fusion, spawning an ingenious late-night snack for the clubbers of Ipanema and Rio? Most pictures cannot do justice to the enormity of the burrito sushi roll, but it is gargantuan.

Gotham West Market, 11th Ave 44th/45th St www.umatemakeria.com

45

EATING & DRINKING

Where will you

DRINK NEXT?

Jeremy Kaplan explores the world’s more unexpected wine regions

W

ine has a long and storied history, especially in Europe, where the combination of varied geology and unique geographic vineyard sites have traditionally made the best wine in the world – sometimes for millennia.

But in the last couple of centuries, and in some instances only decades, new and great wine cultures have developed all around the world.

We obviously don’t know how long-lived and cellar-worthy some of these will be, but great wine, and often great value, can be found in unexpected places: England, Greece, Switzerland, Turkey, Romania and Tunisia, for instance. We’re going to travel a little further …

SOUTH AFRICA Though wine-making is nothing new to South Africa, the western world has really only been enjoying these wines since the fall of apartheid in the mid-1990s.

Look for bottles from Paarl, Stellenbosch and Swartland for starters, but great wine is being made all over the country. Unlike other wine upstarts, South Africa does have a grape that was developed there: pinotage. A hybrid of pinot noir and cinsault, it has a strong flavor profile some associate with burnt rubber, so it’s not for everyone. But all the global noble varietals seem at home in South Africa.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA Overshadowed by the regions in the east of the country, the wines of western Australia are gaining in popularity and recognition. The reason you don’t know them is because so little is produced.

Compared with, say, McLaren Valley, Barossa and Coonawarra, western Australian regions such as the Frankland and Margaret Rivers and the Swan District grow only 3% of the country’s wine grapes.

Above: Don’t just focus on Europe when exploring your wine boundaries.

The end result tends to be leaner, brighter and more European in style, especially the whites including riesling and chardonnay – the most famous of which is from Leeuwin.

Unlike their east Australia counterparts, these wines tend to be a little more expensive but worth every penny.

BRAZIL and URUGUAY You did not hear wrong. We all know the wines of Argentina and Chile, but these two countries are starting to produce some very elegant, and rich wines – and at very good prices.

In Brazil, it’s the Val Dos Vinhedos region, and in Uruguay, Canelones. Both are making wines that have a wide appeal to western palates. Soft, generous, and rich, the reds lack the tannins usually associated with the wines of France and Italy when young. Expressive yet

DIGITAL EDITION

approachable, they are crowd pleasers.

The whites, though rarer, tend to be lean, with little contact with oak. In Uruguay specifically, look for the tannat grape, which is from the south-west of France, where it is made into a rough, country wine. Here, they manage to harness the best the grape has to offer in an arid part of the country adjacent to Argentina.

We’re just scratching the surface here.

Great wine is being made from Eastern Europe to Eastern Long Island, from the Czech Republic to Sweden. An evergrowing thirst for wine, combined with changes in the environment, have made it easier to grow and make wine in regions not possible before. Ask your retailer or waiter to recommend something off the beaten path – you might be surprised.

Jeremy Kaplan, Veritas Studio Wines (www.facebook.com/veritasstudiowines)

47

BEER

PARADIS FOUND Ciera Coyan goes in search of a most heavenly beer

IMAGE: ADRIEN POTIER

W

hen it comes to traveling (or anything, for that matter) I’m not much of a planner. I prefer a more spontaneous, “see what the new day brings” approach to life.

When I went to Montreal this past April, I had only one thing on my agenda: visiting the brasserie Dieu Du Ciel.

My first bar job in New York was waitressing at a now closed Belgian beer bar on St Mark’s. My introduction to Belgian beer was whatever the bartenders could sneak me while we worked.

This usually meant small pours from the taps, but every once in a while a bartender would “accidentally” open one of the more rare bottles.

Dieu Du Ciel’s Blanche du Paradis was one of the first beers I really loved. It’s a very accessible Belgian wheat style with the classic orange peel and coriander flavor profile.

As my palate expanded and I began to get a little more adventurous (and I started bartending so I could “accidentally” open a bottle or two myself) I got a new favorite beer: Dieu Du Ciel’s Peche Mortel. This imperial stout has rich, intense coffee flavor, a velvety mouthfeel, and a perfectly dry finish. It’s such an impressive beer.

Naturally, it was my ongoing quest for this hard-to-find beer that led me to the brewery. Located in a trendy neighborhood near the base of Mount Royal, the Montreal location is unassuming on the outside and spacious and charming on the inside. It was also surprisingly full for a Wednesday afternoon. The crowd was mostly young, trendy Montrealers who would look perfect in Bushwick.

I snagged a spot at the bar from which I could see through glass windows into

Right: Ciera finds a cozy seat in the corner, sits back with her beer and watches the hipsters.

“Menthalite, beer’s answer to a mint julep, is all mint and bourbon.”

DIGITAL EDITION

the brewery itself. Most of the brewing is done at their second location in Saint Jerome, built after business took off and demand for their beer kept climbing, but they still brew a small amount at their original Montreal spot.

I was pleased to see that their tap list included almost exclusively beers that I hadn’t encountered in New York. After a few tasting flights, my favorites were Disco Soleil, a surprisingly tasty, juicy, and well-balanced IPA brewed with kumquats, Rosee D’Hibiscus, a Belgian wheat with hibiscus (they bottle this one, so it might pop up in an NYC beer bar or bottle shop every now and then), and Menthalite, beer’s answer to a mint julep. This stout is all mint and bourbon.

After getting into a conversation about politics (something I avoid at bars already, but was made even worse with the embarrassing realization that the Canadian with which I was speaking knew significantly more about American politics than I did), I was ready for the piece de resistance: the Peche Mortel. Served on nitro, which perfectly complements the brew’s already luxurious texture, and bursting with fresh roasty flavors, this beer was worth the entire trip.

Nestled in the corner, sipping this boozy coffee goodness, and watching the French-speaking hipsters around me get progressively more tipsy and happy, I felt perfectly at home.

49

REAL ESTATE

50

DIGITAL EDITION

REAL ESTATE

West win Publisher Amir Korangy knows a really great deal when he sees it Photographs Dustin Cohen

A

mir Korangy would like to claim superior insight as his reason for buying in Hell’s Kitchen long before the real estate boom began. But the reality is he just lucked out. Big time.

The publisher of The Real Deal had his heart set on a loft space in SoHo – even had the perfect place picked out – when “this guy I’d never met before” called to say he’d found a place on W37th Street between 9th and 10th Avenues. “It’s a great loft. It’s 1,000 sq ft – more than you are about to buy – and $1m less.”

He was tempted. “I was like ‘hmmm.’ I’d never walked on 37th Street before, but I went to see it, and immediately wanted it.

It was three units combined into one.

“One of the units was an editing studio for Darren Aronofsky and Wes Anderson.

So after I moved in, for almost two years, I was getting gifts and tickets from different agencies and brands and companies.

Initially, I’d send them back by finding their agents on IMDB, but then they’d say, ‘We don’t even represent these people.’

So – wine of the month club? Sure, where do I sign?

“Then I got tickets for the Golden Globes for Darren Aronofsky for The Wrestler. I also got Wes Anderson’s People’s Choice Award for The Fantastic Mr Fox. They finally came to my office and said, ‘Can we have our award back?’ I said, ‘Of course, I’ve been trying to reach you people!’”

Born in Tehran, Amir’s family fled the Islamic Revolution in 1979, settling first in Paris and Madrid then eventually Washington DC. He studied journalism then, straight out of college, moved to Mexico, where he started a local newspaper called The Gringo Gazette. That sold within the first year, to the paper’s printer, and he went on to found the Washington Free Press.

DIGITAL EDITION

“Five, six, seven years ago, people were saying, ‘The west side of Manhattan – that’s the next pioneer.’ I was already there.”

“I sold that to the city paper then I went back to school for publishing,” he says.

“But then I realized I knew more than my teachers. I was like, ‘This is a total waste of time.’ So I got a degree in foreign relations then came to New York.”

The year was 1998. Three years later, 9/11 happened and the world stopped. He was ready to move on again, “but when I went to sell my apartment, I was like ‘oh my God! It’s gone up 200%.’ So I took the money and started investing in other real estate. It was really good. I thought, ‘I’ll never work in an office again.’

“But I missed publishing and journalism and all that stuff. So I did this one deal that wasn’t supposed to happen and I took the money and went to Office Depot. I bought a fax machine and a scanner and an office chair and turned my dining room table into my office. I started to put together The Real Deal. That was 13 years ago.”

Now a 60,000-circulation monthly print magazine and constantly updated website (500,000 views a day), he’s never looked back.

“This market was so desperate for something about real estate,” he says.

“Real estate is the second richest industry in New York City after finance.

It accounts for 12% of the real estate in the United States.

“I’d pitched the idea to other bigger

Opposite: When Amir moved into his Hell’s Kitchen loft, he was surrounded by parking lots.

Eleven high rises have gone up on the street since.

continued over

51

REAL ESTATE publishers, with me being associate editor.

They asked, ‘Who’d want to read about real estate?’ The New York Times was using its style writers. They thought it was ‘declasse’ to write about stupid real estate transactions, even when these buildings can sell for $1.9bn.”

He was only planning on publishing for four months. “Then stuff started happening. It just kind of lured me in. At first I was doing it part time, making my money on real estate deals. But it took on a life of its own.”

Telling the stories behind the nation’s mega-money real estate deals has not always made him popular. He’s gotten threats “from very respectable people.”

“One time, I remember this guy saying, ‘If this article comes out and I don’t like it, I’m going to send over some guys from Avenue U.’ I don’t even know what that means! I guess there are some tough people there.”

He’s had opportunities to sell up too, he says, but he’s never taken the cash. He still loves the job too much. And there’s the question of drive.

“I’m an immigrant. You always feel that you’re going to be broke. It doesn’t matter what happens, or what you own – you always work, you never retire, you don’t really stop to smell the flowers.

“Coming to this country and really not having anything at all – I knew from early on, I hate this, I hate eating rice every day, I just don’t want to go back to that.”

His father was a judge, mom a stay-athome mom, and Amir worked as soon as he could persuade an employer he was old enough. “I used my brother’s social security when I was 13 years old and started bussing tables, washing dishes.

This was when minimum wage was $3.15. You worked for two weeks and your check would be like $90. That was a tough racket.”

These days he has a staff of 63 working from The Real Deal’s Miami, LA, and W29th Street offices (they’re soon to move to a swanky new home on W31st Street and 10th Avenue, in the heart of Hudson Yards). Only 11 of those staff, he says, can still afford to actually live in Manhattan.

“They used to all be in Brooklyn, but now it’s Queens. New Jersey too. So many people are going to New Jersey because it’s more likely that you’re going to pay $1,500-1,600 for a one bedroom, rather than in Hell’s Kitchen where you can pay $3,000. I can’t even imagine that, but they’re filling up so fast.

Above: Home is “an island” – a place where he can get things done.

“Real estate is the second richest industry in New York City after finance. It accounts for 12% of the real estate in the United States.”

“On 42nd St and 11th Avenue, where Sky is going, that building is like a resort all in itself. It’s got two pools, they have a basketball court, everything you need is in there. But the tenants are coming from across the street and they’re coming from the buildings next door. It’s like one building is emptying and then has to fill up again.

“But at least they’re getting the activity there. The west side is getting really active and really busy with people. Five, six, seven years ago, people were saying, ‘The west side of Manhattan – that’s the next pioneer.’ I was already there.

“But now you walk down 10th Avenue or 11th Avenue and it’s all cranes and glass

DIGITAL EDITION

towers going up. It’s sort of becoming monotonous – I can’t tell the difference between most of these buildings. They’re all square boxes, glass boxes. Personally, I like older buildings, where the plumbing makes a noise. You know the building’s alive – it’s more normal.”

He describes his own home as an island. “I spend a lot of time there, and get a lot of work done. It gets great light.

“When I lived in Brooklyn, nobody wanted to come visit me. They were like, ‘You’re so out of it.’ When I moved to Hell’s Kitchen it was totally the same thing. Other than the people who lived in Hell’s Kitchen, nobody wanted to come to the west side.

They were like, ‘I never really cross 9th Avenue.’”

That’s all changing. On his street alone, 11 high rises have gone up since he moved in. “It was all parking lots when I arrived – it was so quiet and nice. But they haven’t taken my view yet. One of my views – of the New Yorker building and the Empire State Building – is going to be ruined by a tower going up. But my view of the west side will still be there.”

And, as Amir would agree, the west side is definitely the best side! www.therealdeal.com

53

REAL ESTATE

Postcards from the edge

We hunt down the best souvenirs of NYC … and there’s not a snow globe in sight

BROADWAY APRON

Every mealtime will be a song-anddance affair when you wear this Broadway apron (with matching mitt).

Shows featured include 42nd Street (natch), Cabaret, Chicago, Little Shop of Horrors, West Side Story and Wicked. $25 (sale price), broadwaycares.com

CUSTOMIZED SWEAT

Take one super-soft boyfriend sweat, then add sequin letters, emojis, and let the fun begin. This is our first attempt … $58, www.bowanddrape.com

NEW YORK TIMESVELOPES

Hand made to order, these up-cycled envelopes make a cute alternative to postcards – and are an eco-friendly use of old NYT front pages from the 1930s to 1990s. Headlines include “Peace Signed in Paris,” “Kennedy is Killed By Sniper,” and “First U.S. Woman in Space.” $9 for a set of six, www.etsy.com

54

DIGITAL EDITION

NEW YORK CITY NOTECARDS

Made in the USA by onetime W42ST cover artist R Nichols, all NYC street life is here – including the little dog and the inside-out umbrella. $17 for eight, www.r-nichols.com

REAL ESTATE

COLLAPSIBLE BIKE HELMET

CONEY ISLAND PHONE COVER

You’ve taken a CitiBike to work – but what do you do with that bulky helmet? Fold it up into a convenient little bag, if it’s the MC2 from Martone. It fits into most handbags and backpacks, and even includes a detachable visor for blocking the sun, and a removable “rain cape” that covers the vents to keep the head (and, most importantly, the hair!) dry during storms. $195, www.martonecycling.com

From the “Coney Island and Other Magical Places” series by by Mina Teslaru, this phone cover transports you to the boardwalk and the beach – even if you’re stuck on the hot, sticky subway in the middle of August. $35, www.society6.com

FIRE HYDRANT TEE

As iconic a New York landmark as the Empire State Building and pizza rat. Fire hydrant, take a bow. $33.30, www.zazzle.com

TRAVEL ADAPTOR

NEW YORK WOOD CUBE

Forbes voted this its Best Holiday Gift in 2015. Each wood cube is hand crafted, made with different types of wood (maple, walnut, pine, oak, and cherry) and, when opened, becomes a “Little Apple” complete with tiny Freedom Tower, Empire State Building, Chrysler Building and Flatiron Building. $48, www.souvenirs.nyc

A practical item made pretty = good design in action. This four-way travel adapter clicks together for easy packing, and is color-coded so you know which one to use and where. $25, www.momastore.org

SUBWAY FLIP-FLOPS

The city will always be at your feet in these flipflops printed with the subway map. $3.99, www.nytransitmuseumstore.com

NEW YORK PILLOWS

Cuddle up to these plush photographic pillows and you can almost smell the hot dog stands. They’re the perfect way to remember the city that never sleeps – even if you have to, because you’ve got the gym at 6am. Handmade by Ronda J Smith in Brooklyn.

From $35, www.uncommongoods.com

DIGITAL EDITION

55

GALLERY

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

Spring! Blue skies, rain clouds, flowers, bartenders, frowny dogs ... and creepy nun dolls. What’s not to like? Every month we trawl Instagram looking for fun, cool or just plain weird pics that illustrate the crazy life we live in Hell’s Kitchen. Anyone can get involved -- just tag your images #W42ST and you might be the one whose photograph ends up in the next issue.

56

DIGITAL EDITION

GALLERY

DIGITAL EDITION

57

LIFESTYLE

Disneyland

for dance

From ballet, to hip hop, to Hamilton, Brooke Blocker enters the magical kingdom of Broadway Dance Center

S

trolling down tree-lined 45th Street, it’s easy to walk right past Broadway Dance Center.

Its retail storefront appears tiny to passersby, but to those who know, it’s anything but.

April Cook, a tap instructor at BDC, describes it as Disneyland for dancers – and it’s no surprise when people like Britney Spears, N’SYNC, New Kids on the Block, or Brooke Shields stop by for rehearsals or a tune-up.

Founded in 1984 by Richard Ellner, it was intended as a one-stop-shop for dance. At a time when professionals had to jaunt across town to specialized studios, BDC offered a centralized location serving a diverse menu.

Over the years, and a couple of moves later, BDC evolved into much more than its modest beginnings as a small studio on 55th and Broadway.

Now in the epicenter of the Theater District, it’s more like a factory.

Pumping out over 350 dance classes a week, it’s an operation spanning a multi-level building with seven studios.

And you better believe that from 9am until about 11pm, every single studio is in use. Like clockwork, a ballet class ends as a hip-hop class begins.

The first thing I notice, looking through the glass panes into the brightly lit studios, is the enthusiasm and ambition shining through – from students who look like they’ve just rolled out of bed (and I assume they have, what with the late-night shifts and performances that are synonymous with showbiz in this town) to their counterparts donning

58

“Street Stiletto teaches how to werk it in your favorite pair of heels. The choreography evokes the intensity of Britney + the fabulosity of Beyonce + the sensuality of Shakira.”

DIGITAL EDITION

freshly-pressed outfits with full hair and make-up (perhaps warming up for that big audition). The 30,000 square foot area permeates with the energy of determination and passion for the art.

But BDC is much more than the space it occupies. It is a community where dance professionals and recreationals go to train, share a mutual interest, and establish valuable connections. The options are boundless. I could list all the choices, but that would take up the entire page. Not exaggerating. But to list a few, BDC regularly offers: ballet, jazz, lyrical, tap, hip-hop, and theater, from basic to advanced.

It also has classes geared towards

Above: A hip hop class in full flow. Opposite: Commercial jazz.

IMAGES: CHRISTIAN MILES

LIFESTYLE honing theater skills, such as acting and vocal technique.

However, the one that piqued my interest the most was Street Stiletto.

This class teaches how to werk it in your favorite pair of heels. The choreography evokes the intensity of Britney + the fabulosity of Beyoncé + the sensuality of Shakira. I suggest Googling Yanis Marshall to get a better feel for it … or just for utter entertainment (fun fact: he guest teaches at BDC).

BDC hosts many other incredible visiting master instructors. It also hosts visiting students with its International Student Visa Program. Dancers from around the world come to NYC for between three and 12 months. For aspiring dancers wanting to launch their professional career, it has the Professional Semester, a four-month training program. And the studio offers a real chance for making that big break, with opportunities to interact with directors, casting agents, and Broadway stars.

There are also workshops, each with its own unique appeal to further a dancer’s repertoire. These typically include choreography

lessons with the field’s leading dance professionals, seminars with industry experts/agents, and mock auditions. For instance, there’s The Rockettes Experience, with your very own Rockette teaching actual choreography from The New York Christmas Spectacular.

For the absolute beginner, there’s the Absolute Beginner Workshop.

Consisting of a weekly one and a half hour class, it weaves you through one style of dance for four consecutive weeks.

And if you want to learn a certain Broadway show’s dance number, get in line for the popular Broadway Choreography Series.

BDC receives permission from a current show to use its choreography and music. It doesn’t have just anyone teach these classes either; it hires either the show’s choreographer, associate choreographer, or dance captain. Making it extra legit.

This year it offered the opportunity to learn Hamilton choreography. Can you imagine the leg up (sorry!) those students had when Hamilton held open auditions last month? www.broadwaydancecenter.com

Well, well, well

Can you guess what’s the hottest travel trend of 2016?

If you like to stay active and healthy while on the road, you’re already part of the biggest trend of the year. Wellness tourism is now a multi-billion dollar industry.

Most of us know someone who has been on a retreat (if we haven’t been on one ourselves).

From weekend getaways in the Berkshires learning archery and eating farm-to-table cuisine, to week-long beach-body boot camps in the Caribbean with detoxifying cleanses, these breaks come in all shapes and sizes.

Observing this shift, hotels have jumped aboard the wellness boat too, and numerous chains (including Kimpton, Westin, and Omni) provide guests with health-conscious lifestyle choices – whether that be complimentary bikes, run clubs, in-room yoga mats, standing desks, or juice bars.

Just in Hell’s Kitchen alone, we have multiple health-centric hotels for when friends come to visit. The TRYP by Wyndham on 35th Street

has fitness guest rooms. That’s right, an NYC hotel room with enough space for your own stationary bike!

On the same block is the newly opened EVEN hotel. This concept by IHG brand focuses solely on wellness and boasts in-room fitness, madeto-order smoothies, and organic bathroom amenities. Tired guests can even set LED mood lighting to help adjust circadian rhythms before passing out on eucalyptus linen sheets. Sounds dreamy. And for those sweaty workout clothes you don’t want to reuse or stuff back into the suitcase? Just leave it to the wellness-whiz staff to provide complimentary cleaning and folding, almost forcing you to get in that second (or third) workout.

And don’t forget about The Row NYC on 8th Avenue that hosts Cyc Fitness, a cycling studio beneath the hotel (but we won’t tell your instructor if you take a trip upstairs to City Kitchen for a Nutella-filled doughnut from

DIGITAL EDITION

Dough, which has no place in the middle of all this wellness talk ... but they’re irresistible!).

Not only have hotels started implementing healthy choices and amenities for guests, but upscale gym chain Equinox has also announced plans to dive into the hospitality sector. The first of its kind, an Equinox hotel is slated to open in 2019 in Hell’s Kitchen’s backyard, Hudson Yards. Travelers to the area will have access to the largest Equinox gym yet, equipped with pools and healthy food options.

The future of travel looks mighty healthy and foresees complimentary fitness apparel, wearable technology, personal nutritionists, and more individualized programs. Even as a fitness instructor, it’s hard for me to imagine spending vacation time lifting a barbell instead of a Corona at the beach. But it looks like this trend is here to stay.

Brooke Blocker

59

DATING

Tales from the

SHALLOW END Mary Geneva falls bad for Manly Man on an unforgettable trip down under …

I

recently won an award at work. My prize was a trip anywhere in the world.

I chose two places I’d always wanted to visit: Australia and Fiji.

This was a trip of a lifetime, and I decided to go it alone. I pictured the trip as a kind of Eat, Pray, Love thing – only condensed into two weeks.

A friend had taken a vacation to Sydney two months before, and she had a local boy picked out for me because she knew I’d be traveling solo and might get lonely, which I did. I booked five-star hotels because, as a woman traveling alone, I was worried about safety (plus, I deserved a little luxury), but being alone in a luxury hotel full of couples and honeymooners and families can be kind of a bummer.

So I connected with the guy on Facebook and we made plans to meet on my third day in Sydney. He told me to bring my bikini and water, which sent me into a complete panic.

The bikini part; not the water part.

See, like many women, I’m selfconscious about my body, especially when 95 per cent of that body is on display for anyone and everyone to see.

So when I saw this amazing, perfect, model-gorgeous man walking up to ME in my itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny, my first thought was to turn around and run back inside the hotel. Or maybe pretend I spoke another language and didn’t know who he was. I kept thinking: “OMG, I’m going to look like a beached whale next to this guy.”

I managed to talk myself off the ledge.

After all, you only live once. Who knew if I would ever see him again? Sydney is about as far away from NYC as a person can get.

So I didn’t run. I said hello, put a big, black bike helmet on, hopped on the back of his motorbike and we whisked through Sydney to catch the Manly Ferry for a day

60

“I connected with the guy and we made plans to meet on my third day in Sydney.

He told me to bring my bikini and water.” at the beach. We found a secluded spot away from the tourists and just talked and talked for hours. We laughed, we played in the ocean ... and eventually, we started flirting.

The ferry ride back to Sydney was breathtaking. He kissed me as the sun set over the Opera House – probably one of the most romantic moments of my life.

We rode his bike back to my hotel. He came up to my room, and let’s just say the

DIGITAL EDITION

lights went down. Then it was time to hit the town. He took me to his apartment overlooking Sydney Harbour – complete with an infinity pool. I kept asking myself: “Is this real?” I couldn’t wait to tell the girls back home.

My final day in Sydney, Manly Man took me all over the city on his bike. He didn’t want me to miss anything. We had wedges at the Opera House, we drove to the botanic gardens, we walked over the Harbour Bridge, we held hands, we kissed, and we enjoyed each other’s company.

In just two days, we had become great friends.

Then, just as quickly as our adventure in Sydney had started, it was over. The next stop on my trip was Queensland and I was scheduled to go alone so I could reflect, get to know myself, grow as a person, and all that stuff. I actually cried at the airport as I boarded my plane.

I wondered: “Is this love?” Or was I just being my typical, foolish, romantic self?

Turns out my abroad adventures always leave me with a new date in a foreign country. I feel like I’m the United Nations of dating.

Of course, my trip wasn’t all about hooking up. I got in the best of both worlds and squeezed in as much culture and sightseeing as humanly possible in my short time down under. In Queensland, I had my picture taken next to a koala bear with big balls. I fed kangaroos, cruised down a crocodile-infested river, and walked through the Daintree Rainforest (filled with bugs, reptiles, and slithery things that can kill you). I went scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef and hugged a sea turtle, and I went to Cape Tribulation (the only place in the world where two World Heritage sites meet). I really did it all.

Yes, in addition to a couple of guys. It was a very well rounded trip.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mary Geneva is a sales professional by day and semi-reformedhopelessromantic serial dater by night.

Married at 21, divorced at 26, she and her rescued pets, pup Valentino and kitty Diva, were left to learn how to balance their checkbook.

In her book Nicknames, Mary tiptoes back into the dating pool accumulating many late-night, drunken scraps of paper and text messages outlining unbelievable – yet totally true – events. Knowing she couldn’t make this shit up, she stored the memories away to finally share with you.

Undaunted, Mary lives, works, and plays in New York City, and calls Hell’s Kitchen home.

Follow her adventures on Twitter and Instagram @marygeneva nyc. You can buy Nicknames on www. nicknamesnyc. com. Stay tuned for Mary’s next adventure in the August issue of W42ST.

NUTRITION

Small but

MIGHTY What makes seeds so damned super?

Samina Kalloo gets on their case

T

here has been a lot of hype about seeds as superfoods recently.

From granola bars to baby food, the health industry is booming with products containing these wonder ingredients. But what makes them super?

These nutrient-dense gems are one of the world’s oldest sources of nutrition and have made a major comeback in the 21st century. They’re healthy, filling, portable, and offer a big bang for your health buck.

Although small in size, rest assured they pack a real punch nutritionally.

IMAGE: PHIL O’BRIEN

Ch-ch-ch-chia Remember Chia pets from the 1980s?

Chia seeds have certainly come a long way since then, and it wasn’t until recently that they exploded in popularity for their myriad health benefits. Don’t let their tiny size fool you. These unprocessed whole grains are often referred to as a nutritional powerhouse, loaded with antioxidants and nutrients such as fiber, calcium and phosphorous, which promotes bone health. They contain a higher amount of omega-3s per ounce than salmon and more calcium by weight than milk. They can absorb many times their weight in water, forming a bulky gel, which can help you feel fuller longer and more hydrated.

HOW TO EAT THEM: Sprinkle over foods you habitually eat such as oatmeal, salad, yogurt or cottage cheese or add some to juice or water for a boost of nutrition and satiety. Blend them with your favorite smoothie and even try chia pudding, which is a simple concoction of chia seeds, milk and optional fruits.

Flax Flax seeds are often referred to as one of the most powerful foods on the planet. One ounce provides 5g of protein and a high

chia

pumpkin “Add water, they can be used to replace eggs in baking. Add some to mustard or mayo for an easy sandwich spread, stir into oatmeal or blend it up in a smoothie.” dose of antioxidant-rich lignans, omega-3s and fiber, which can aid digestion and help relieve constipation. Research suggests they may help reduce the risk for heart disease and some cancers.

HOW TO EAT THEM: Known for their slightly nutty flavor, flaxseeds make a tasty addition to everything from baked goods to cereal and salads. Add water and they can be used to replace eggs in baking. Add some to mustard or mayo for

DIGITAL EDITION

flax Above: Nutritionally dense and superversatile, seeds are creative gold for savvy chefs.

an easy sandwich spread, stir into oatmeal or blend it up in a smoothie. Flaxseeds are absorbed easier in ground form, so if you buy the whole seeds, be sure to grind them before use.

Hemp In comparison to other seeds, hemp shines for its balanced nutritional profile, containing 20 amino acids, including nine essential amino acids the body can’t produce, and 9g of protein in a single serving. They also provide a healthy dose of iron, magnesium and zinc. This superior source of vegetarian protein is easily digestible and contains phytonutrients which help strengthen the immune system.

HOW TO EAT THEM: Hemp seeds are easy to cook with and can be made into milk. They make the perfect addition to smoothies, cereal, trail mixes and quinoa or pilafs. For those with a gluten sensitivity, ground hemp seeds can substitute breadcrumbs to coat chicken or fish.

Pumpkin With a chewy bite, great taste and diverse mix of antioxidants, pumpkin seeds make the perfect snack. Also known as pepitas, they’re abundant in nutrients including iron, zinc and magnesium. What else makes these seeds so impressive? Like chia, they have a high amount of tryptophan, a compound that improves mood naturally and may help you sleep better.

HOW TO EAT THEM: Pumpkin seeds make a healthy addition to any meal or snack to up the protein and fiber content.

Think salads, sandwiches, oatmeal, whole grain dishes, trail mixes and soups. Create a pesto using pumpkin seeds, fresh basil, parmesan and olive oil. To enhance their flavor, try toasting them along with seasonings such as garlic or chili powder.

As the saying goes “good things come in small packages” and seeds are no exception.

Since they vary in their nutritional composition, it’s recommended to include a variety in your diet to reap all the benefits they provide. Keep in mind that seeds are calorie dense and should be eaten in moderation. Now get creative and enjoy exploring the wonderful world of seeds – your taste buds and body will thank you.

Samina Kalloo is a registered and certified dietitian, freelance nutrition consultant, and mom. Connect with her on Twitter (@ SaminaKallooRD).

61

PETS

Wagging Radar and Franny

Mia Humans’ names: Susan and Richard.

Breed: Shih Apso.

Age: Three years old.

What makes me bark: When I’m happy to see my humans, when I’m waiting at the door for company, or wanting to play.

Three words that describe me best: Sociable, happy, mischievous.

Confession: I can’t resist any paper, plastic or foil.

62

Human’s name: Deborah.

Breed: French bulldog (Radar) and pug (Franny).

Age: Seven (Radar) and two (Franny).

What makes us bark: The upstairs musician who lets me come up for treats (Radar); tourists who surround me to tell me I am cute (Franny).

Three words that describe us best: Soulful, hilarious, strong (Radar); mischievous, bratty, snugly (Franny).

Confession: I really can walk down steps but prefer to be carried (Radar); I am a little like Pope Francis, my namesake (Franny).

DIGITAL EDITION

Mollie Human’s name: Debra.

Breed: Pomchi.

Age: Nine.

What makes me bark: Sleeping humans.

Three words that best describe me best: Bossy, mischievous, charming.

Confession: Out of all the humans I know, I love Ava G. the best.

Shhh, don’t tell Debra!

tales

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

Take a

bow-wow

S

o many of you have contacted us, asking how your own happy hound can be included in Wagging Tales. Well, we’ve heard your pleas, duly considered them, and thought, hey, what the heck, why not? (We must have been barking mad not to have thought of it sooner!)

This all means, of course, that you can now send us the finest photograph you can find of your furry best friend, answer the questions below, then cross your paws you’ll be included in our monthly column of local canine celebrities.

India Human’s name: Tsuts.

Breed: Mini pinscher.

Age: Six years old.

What makes me bark: Squirrels.

Three words that describe me best: Mischievous, audacious, resourceful.

Confession: I use my charms to get treats from strangers, and I am in love with a Mexican tea cup chihuahua.

Diego Human’s name: Markella.

Breed: Lab mix.

Age: 14.

What makes me bark: Loud people.

Three words that describe me best: Wise, charming, proud.

Confession: I love classical music, and the right side of the couch (with the Hudson river view) is mine.

DIGITAL EDITION

Your name: Dog’s name: Breed: How old?

What makes your dog bark?

Three words that describe them best: Naughty confessions (dish the dirt – not literally, of course!): And are you an Instadog?

Send it to waggingtales@w42st.com and we’ll do the rest.

63

LAST WORD

PHOTO FINISH Port Authority 1955

IMAGE: PORT OF NEW YORK AUTHORITY_MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK X2010.11.5188

S

wap iphones for cigarettes, headphones for hats, jeans for suits, but keep the angry frowns on crowds of commuters.

The Port Authority Bus Terminal was just five years old when this photograph was taken. Starting out as a much smaller build, taking up just one block between 8th and 9th Avenues and 40th and 41st Streets, it was already well on its way to becoming what it is today: the world’s busiest bus terminal, and, according to VirtualTourist, one of the world’s ugliest buildings.

Around 9,000 tons of structural steel, more than two million bricks, and a whopping $24 million went into the original building. In 1979, it was extended to 42nd Street.

Baffling those who use it and travel past it every day, and despite its busy nature, the ever-growing station is not too popular with New Yorkers: “Those who pass by this iron monstrosity might be tempted to ask about a completion date, but alas, this is the finished product,” says one quote, also from VirtualTourist.

With the increase in population, it serves more people each day. Around 59 million passed through in 2006; these days it’s more than 66 million – and that number can only go up.

Now Port Authority says its masterpiece is too old and too small, so it’s planning a brand new one. The rebuild will take an estimated 15 years and cost $10.5 billion, and could see the new terminal relocating to land west of 9th Avenue.

This mammoth move would take out some of the neighborhood’s muchloved sites including Sea Breeze, International Grocers, Better Being, Metro Baptist Church, and Capizzi, not to mention more than 200 apartments.

The community continues to fight the proposals. But one thing’s for sure: this photograph could look very different in another 60 years.

64

DIGITAL EDITION

w42 st + TCHEN • I K S HE ’ L L LL E H

EN • HEL H C L T I ’S K K HELL’ K I T EN • C H CH E IT

’S

JUNE 2016 FREE

THE GUIDE N

NEW YORK

K ELL’S ITCHEN •H •

Fold-out illustrated map; guide to all the best bars, restaurants, sights, and shopping, plus essential local businesses and services

© JEANINE HENDERSON/W42ST

GUIDE LISTINGS

EAT

w42 st +

The essential guide to Hell’s Kitchen, from working out to eating out (and in) – it’s the business!

STYLE

EAT CHILL DINNER At Nine Restaurant 9th Ave - 42nd/43rd St

Bar Bacon 9th Ave - 54th/55th St

W

Ñaño Ecuadorian Kitchen

10th Ave - 47th/48th St eatery serving traditional dishes with some modern flair. Family recipes make Ñaño a special experience.

W

Bourbon Street Bar

www.nanobarnyc.com (646) 649-4678

White Oak

Fish Bar

10th Ave - 54th/55th St

Pier 81, W41st St - 12th Ave

It’s worth the effort to walk a few

Fish Bar at North River Landing,

more blocks! Home of the ALL

a 3-story seafood restaurant &

DAY Happy Hour + $1 Oysters.

lounge on a 160 ft. yacht, sails

Craft cocktails - Elevated “Pub

along the Hudson and is home

Grub” - Raw Bar - Daily Specials.

to a vibrant bar scene.

www.WhiteOakNYC.com (646) 692-9247

(212) 630-8840 www.northriverfishbar.com

OUT

Ecuadorable! Quaint, Ecuadorian

W

W46th St - 8th/9th Ave

Feel like you stepped into New Orleans’ French Quarter with gas lamps, wrought iron balconies,

Oovina

Chimichurri Grill

9th Ave - 37th/38th St

9th Ave - 43rd/44th St

9th Ave - 55th/56th St

(212) 245-2030 www.bourbonny.com

Siri Thai 10th Ave - 45th/46th St

Dafni Greek Taverna

The Marshal North River Lobster

10th Ave - 44th/45th Ave

El Azteca

Pier 81, W41st St - 12th Ave

Tulcingo Del Valle

North River Lobster Co. is NY’s

9th Ave - 52nd/53rd St

10th Ave - 46th/47th St

1st floating lobster shack. Dine

Il Forno

& unwind on 1 of 3 decks while

SOMETHING SPECIAL

W42 St - 8th/9th Ave

Kodama Sushi & Japanese W45th St - 8th/9th Ave

Noodies

taking short cruises on the Hudson up to 7 times per day.

(212) 630-8831 www.northriverlobsterco.com

Bricco Ristorante W56th St - 8th/9th Ave

Cara Mia 9th Ave - 45th/46th St

9th Ave - 54th/55th St

Esca W43rd St - 9th/10th Ave

Hakkasan W43rd St - 8th/9th Ave

W

La Vela Dining & Bar 11th Ave - 42nd/43rd St

Green Fig Yotel, 10th Ave - 41st/42nd St Shared dishes, locally sourced ingredients, perfectly crafted wine list.

(646) 449-7790

PETS

8th Ave - 44th/45th St

W

LIVING

Route 66 Cafe

hurricanes and delicious Cajun fare.

Pio Pio 10th Ave - 43rd/44th

W

PRINT Restaurant 11th Ave - 47th/48th Ave

Sangria 46 W46th St - 8th/9th Ave

Staghorn Steakhouse W36th St - 8th/9th Ave

Taboon 10th Ave - 52nd/53rd St

Esanation Thai Street Food 9th Ave - 50th/51st St The newest and unique Thai restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen featuring Thai street food and specializing in Northeastern Thai dishes.

(212) 315-0555 www.esanation.com

v{iv} Thai Restaurant & Bar

Chez Josephine

9th Ave - 48th/49th St

W42nd St - 9th/10th Ave

Contemporary interior with

Return to the joie de vivre of

classic Thai and traditional

1920s Paris, with a blue tin

Northern Thai dishes. Everyday

ceiling, red velvet walls and

happy hours with drink specials.

chandeliers lighting up

Truly fun and Vibrant place to be.

Josephine Baker portraits.

(212) 581-5999 www.vivthainyc.com

www.chezjosephine.com (212) 594-1925

Trattoria Casa Di Isacco 9th Ave - 39th/40th St

Uncle Vanya Cafe W54th St - 8th/9th Ave

TIME FOR BRUNCH

W

Cosmic Diner

W

Friedman’s

8th Ave - 52nd/53rd St 10th Ave - 35th St

3

Gotham West Market 11th Ave - 44th/45th St

Hourglass Tavern W46th St - 8th/9th Ave

W

Think Coffee W42nd St - 11th/12th Ave

Underwest Donuts 12th Ave - 46th/47th St

LUNCHBREAK Aaheli Indian Cuisine 9th Ave - 54th/55th

Atomic Wings 9th Ave - 39th/40th St

Azuri Cafe W51st - 9th/10th Ave

Rustic Table W42nd St - 10th/11th Ave Enjoy a rustic selection of Mediterranean breakfast and lunch, fine espresso, homemade pastries, fresh juices & refreshers.

W

Better Being 940 9th Ave - 39th/40th St

Bombay Grill House 9th Ave - 51st/52nd St

China Xiang

A unique hidden gem on 42nd.

W42nd St - 8th/9th Ave

(212) 244-0744 rustictablenyc@gmail.com

9th Ave - 42nd/43rd St

Chirping Chicken City Kitchen at Row NYC

W

Skylight Diner

W

Theatre Row Diner

W34th St - 9th/10th Ave W42nd St - 9th/10th Ave

Tick Tock Diner 8th Ave - 34th St

Westway Diner

8th Ave - 44th/45th St

Curry Hut 9th Ave - 39th/40th St

El Rancho Burritos

W

(212) 956-4355

W

Frisson Espresso

W

Green Nature Coffee House

Brickyard Gastropub

9th Ave - 42nd/43rd St

9th Ave - 52nd/53rd St

Tehuitzingo Deli & Grocery

Dalton’s Bar & Grill

10th Ave - 47th/48th St

Vintner Wine Market 9th Ave - 46th/47th St

Authentic, 40-year-old Irish dive bar,

9th Ave - 35th/36th St

steps away from Times Square.

BURGERS AND PIZZA

(917) 475-1473

42nd Street Pizza W42nd St - 11th/12th Ave

Capizzi Pizzeria & Wine Bar 9th Ave - 40th/41st St

City Slice 10th Ave - 51st/52nd St

Clyde Frazier’s 10th Ave - 37th/38th St

Daisy May’s BBQ 11th Ave - 46th St

W

Lucky’s Famous Burgers W52nd St - 8th/9th Ave

W

9th Ave - 48th/49th St

Kiabacca 10th Ave - 45th/46th St

Featuring 20 specialty brick oven pizzas and a high quality selection of rotating crafts at fantastic prices.

W42nd St - 10th/11th St

Always interesting draft cocktails and wine on tap. Comfortable vibe.

10th Ave 46th/47th St

www.kiabaccabar.com (212) 649-4675

Kahve 9th Avenue 9th Ave - 51st/52nd St W42nd St - 9th/10th Ave

Manganaro’s Hero Boy 9th Ave - 37th/38th St

W39th St - 8th/9th Ave

original 6 foot Hero will feed 30-40.

New York Sal’s Pizza

Large restaurant: eat in, take out,

10th Ave - 48th/49th St

catering. Reasonable prices!

Uncle Mario’s Brick Oven Pizza

W

Little Pie Company

W

Poseidon Greek Bakery

W

REX Coffee 10th Ave - 56th/57th St

Hell’s Chicken

W

Schmackary’s Cookies

10th Ave - 45th/46th St

10th Ave - 50th St

W45th St - 8th/9th Ave

Kung Fu Little Steamed Buns Ramen

Craft beers & cocktails, speciality foods

Snax Spot 9th Ave - 39th/40th St

www.heroboy.com (212) 947-7325

8th Ave - 48th/49th St

Le Bon Choix

HERE FOR THE BEER AS IS

with happy hour weekdays 3-6pm.

www.asisnyc.com

W

10th Ave - 36th/37th St

10th Ave - 45th/46th St

W

The Jolly Goat Coffee Bar

Paradigm Cafe

Beer Culture

9th Ave - 35th/36th St

W45th St - 8th/9th Ave

4

Holland Bar 9th Ave - 39th/40th St

Houndstooth Pub 8th Ave - 36th/37th St

House of Brews W51st St - 8th/9th Ave

Iron Bar 8th Ave - 44th/45th St

Ivy 8th Ave - 55th/56th St

Lansdowne Road 10th Ave - 43rd/44th St This neighborhood sports bar is a great place to gather for tasty pub food, wings and a wide selection of beers while watching your favorite team. Back bar available for parties.

www.lansdowneroadnyc.com (212) 239-8020

9th Ave - 49th/50th St

The Cafe Grind

W47th St - 10th/11th Ave

8th Ave - 40th/41st St

9th Ave - 52nd/53rd St

Our 60 year anniversary! The

9th Ave - 44th/45th St

Heartland Brewery

Merilu Pizza Al Metro

Kee’s Chocolates

W43rd St - 9th/10th Ave

9th Ave - 41st/42nd St

Zoob Zib

Gazala Place

W47th St - 8th/9th Ave

Kava Cafe

Dave’s Tavern

prepared in a friendly, neighborly way.

Kahve 10th Avenue

W

9th Ave - 43rd/44th St

W47th St - 8th/9th Ave

COFFEE & COOKIES 9th Ave - 46th/47th St

9th Ave - 39th/40th St

Taqueria Tehuitzingo

Fresh From Hell

Fresh, delicious food and juices,

W

Blue Ruin

9th Ave - 35th/36th St

W45th St - 8th/9th Ave

9th Ave - 43rd/44th St

Amy’s Bread

Sushi Star

Beer Authority W40th St - 8th Ave

Scallywag’s Irish Bar & Restaurant 9th Ave - 38th/39th St The best Irish hospitality in Hell’s Kitchen. We offer delicious food, live music every night, happy hour, great sport - it’s all here for you.

www.scallywagsnyc.com (646) 490-4803

Meet the faces

SPONSORED BY

IMAGE: MICHAEL HANZ

OF SILVER TOWERS W hether it’s a shoot for a new TV series, a red carpet event, or a photo shoot for a magazine cover, Jennifer McDougall is New York’s goto celebrity hairstylist for the A-listers and It Girls.

She’s been on the set for Project Runway, Fashion Police, Good Morning America and Extra TV and has styled hair for the likes of Alexander Wang, Georgina Chapman, Parker Posey, Joan Rivers, Melissa Rivers, Chiara Ferragni, Alan Cumming, Judith Light, Rachel Bronsnahan, Katherine Jenkins, Daphne Oz and Jerry Seinfield.

There is no typical day for Jennifer. Sometimes she’s on a set preparing models and actors for shoots. Other days she’s helping celebrities get ready for red carpet events. “I’m typically running all over the city making people beautiful,” Jennifer tells us.

With call times as early as 5am in Manhattan’s west side studios and weekend commitments giving tutorials on behalf of L’Oreal Professional around the country, living near the set and within close proximity to the airports is key.

Originally from Canada, she moved to NYC five years ago.

When looking for her new home, She wanted something that was elegant and by the water. Steps away from the Hudson River, with

“I’m typically running all over the city making people beautiful.”

Above: Jennifer with her beloved Pomeranian pup, Bentley floor-to-ceiling windows, hard wood floors, a terrace overlooking the Empire State Building and white glove services and amenities, Jennifer and her model Pomeranian pup, Bentley, found their home at Silver Towers.

With her hectic schedule and heavy travel, she loves returning home to a sense of community.

She’s become close friends with her neighbors at Silver Towers through the tenant portal and resident events.

Even Bentley has made friends in the building, including his best pal Ginger, who is also a Pomeranian.

Showbiz is not just a big part of Jennifer’s life but also for Bentley, who has an agent and recently starred in a three-day shoot for a commercial. To prepare for his gigs, Bentley gets groomed at Spot, which is conveniently located at the base of the building.

When she isn’t on set, Jennifer enjoys taking Bentley for walks on the Hudson River Park, dining at the best restaurants in the neighborhood, and giving back to the community.

She’s a member of many charitable organizations, including a program with the American Cancer Society called Look Good Feel Better, where she gives beauty tips to women with cancer.

Just last month, she slept outside as a part the Covenant House Sleep Out program, which raises money for homeless teens.

“What I love the most about living in Hell’s Kitchen is the people and the relationships I have built in this very artistic neighbourhood.

Instagram: @Jennifermacdougall; @bentleypom

Our residents’ view ... as seen on Instagram #SilverIsTheNewGold

Schedule a tour to find out why silver is the new gold: (212) 473- 4242; reception@silvertowers.com; www.silvertowers.com

5

Juniper Bar

Molloy’s Irish Pub

W35th St - 7th/8th Ave

9th Ave - 49th/50th St

Landmark Tavern

Mr. Biggs Bar & Grill

11th Ave - 45th/46th St

Lincoln Park Grill 9th Ave - 56th/57th St

McGee’s Pub W55th St - 7th/8th Ave

10th Ave - 43rd St

New York Beer Company W44th St - 8th/9th Ave

Rattle ‘N Hum W39th St - 8th/9th Ave

Rudy’s Bar & Grill 9th Ave - 44th/45th St

Social Bar, Grill & Lounge 8th Ave - 48th/49th St

Stitch Bar & Lounge

10th Ave - 45th St Neighborhood bar serving fantastic American craft beer.

Our 20 “world class” drafts are always rotating & our food is

9th Avenue Saloon

9th Ave - 45th/46th St

Flaming Saddles Saloon 9th Ave - 52nd/53rd St

WINE O’CLOCK

W

34th Street Wine & Spirits W34th St - 9th/10th Ave

Adella W43rd St - 9th/10th Ave

W

Ardesia Wine Bar W52nd St - 10th/11th Ave

W37th St - 7th/8th Ave

Pocket Bar NYC

The Jolly Monk

W48th St - 9th/10th Ave

9th Ave - 48th/49th St

The Pony Bar

BOYS & BARS

The Waylon 10th Ave - 50th/51st St

Ti Na Nog

It may be little, but this wine bar packs a powerful punch.

www.pocketbarnyc.com

Tartina

W39th St - 8th/9th Ave

9th Ave - 45th/46th St

Valhalla

COCKTAIL HOUR

tasty and inexpensive.

9th Ave - 53rd/54th St

www.theponybar.com

West End Bar & Grill 8th Ave - 48th/49th St

Barcelona Bar

8th Ave - 54th/55th St

Press Lounge 11th Ave - 47th/48th St

TO GET YOUR HELL’S KITCHEN BUSINESS LISTING IN OUR DIRECTORY

Social Drink And Food Yotel, 10th Ave - 41st/42nd St “Middleterranean” inspired dishes, perfectly crafted wine list.

(646) 449-7790

EATING IN

W

42nd Street Wine Loft W42nd St - 10th/11th Ave

5 Brothers Gourmet Market 10th Ave - 47th/48th St

Big Apple Market 9th Ave - 39th/40th St A true Hell’s Kitchen institution serving USDA choice meats,

Get one of these in your window Email us at sticker@w42st.com

poultry and groceries at super low prices. Serving the

Cellar 53 Wines & Spirits 10th Ave - 52nd/53rd St

Clinton Gourmet Market 10th Ave - 45th/46th St

W

Empire Coffee & Tea Company 9th Ave - 41st/42nd St

Esposito Meat Market 9th Ave - 37th/38th St

W

Grace Wine & Spirits

W

Grand Cru Wine & Spirits

W

Gristedes

10th Ave - 43rd/44th St 11th Ave - 43rd St 8th Ave - 53rd/54th St

Healthy Market Deli 10th Ave - 45th St

Hell’s Kitchen Brewtique 9th Ave - 39th/40th St

International Grocery 9th Ave - 40th/41st St

W

Manhattan Plaza Winery 9th Ave - 42nd/43rd St

Mazzella’s Market 9th Ave - 47th/48th St

W

Ninth Avenue Vintner

W

Odyssey Wine & Spirits

W

Ray & Frank Liquor Store

9th Ave - 46th/47th St 10th Ave - 37th/38th St 9th Ave - 48th/49th St

Sea Breeze Fish Market 9th Ave - 40th/41st St

Simply Natural W43rd St - 9th/10th Ave

W

Stiles Farmers Market W52nd St - 8th/9th Ave

Sullivan Street Bakery W47th St - 10th/11th Ave

W

SUNAC Natural Market

W

The MKT @ Mercedes House

W

Veritas Studio Wines

W

Westerly Natural Market

W42nd St - 11th Ave W54th St - 10th/11th Ave W45th St - 10th/11th Ave 8th Ave - 54th St

STYLE SHOP IT OUT B&H Cameras

neighborhood since 1991.

9th Ave - 34th St

(212) 563-2555

Delphinium Home W47th St - 8th/9th Ave

W

Brooklyn Fare

Glitz & Glory

W37th St - 9th/10th Ave

9th Ave - 52nd/53rd St

TO SEE YOUR YOUR BUSINESS LISTED IN THIS SECTION, EMAIL BOB@W42ST.COM

6

W

Fine And Dandy

Liberty Bicycles

W49th St - 9th/10th Ave

9th Ave - 55th/56th St

Ties, handkerchiefs, suspenders, socks, hats, jewelry, flasks, cards, books, gifts & more.

www.fineanddandyshop.com

Housing Works Thrift Shop Couture du Jour W44th St - 8th/9th Ave A well-curated collection of

W

Mark Fisher Fitness

W

Mercedes Club

W43rd St - 9th/10th Ave W39th St - 9th/10th Ave W54th St - 10th/11th Ave

Metro Bicycles - Hell’s Kitchen

TAGG

10th Ave - 46th/47th St

Mid City Gym

9th Ave - 48th/49th St

Thrift & New Shop

W42nd St - 8th/9th Ave

mint condition vintage clothing

Hell’s Kitchen Rolfing

and accessories is a favorite

Universal Gear

W51st St - 8th/9th Ave

haunt for stylists, costumers

9th Ave - 48th/49th St

www.CoutureduJourNYC.com (646) 595-6351

Manhattan Plaza Health Club

9th Ave - 49th/50th St

9th Ave - 43rd/44th St

& girls about town.

W

FIT FOR ANYTHING Al’s Cycle Solutions 10th Ave - 47th/48th St

Proven hands-on healing art for athletes, dancers & anyone experiencing physical pain.

Enjoy a new level of well-being and physical freedom.

(212) 307-5367 www.rolfingnyc.nyc

NYC VELO W45th St - 10th/11th Ave

Rolates Pilates 8th Ave - 55th/56th St

HELLO GORGEOUS 42nd Nails & Spa 9th Ave - 41st/42nd St

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

Albano Salon 450 9th Ave - 35th/36th Ave

W

Domus Unaffected Living

W44th St - 9th/10th Ave Owners Luisa and Nicki work with artisans around globe to source unique home decor items, gifts and jewelry. Candles and cards make it a one-stop shop.

www.domusnewyork.com (212) 581-8099

Blocker Yoga

or group yoga classes led by certified instructor, Brooke Blocker. Also offering worldwide

Best Barber

W

David Ryan Salon

10th Ave - 48th/49th St W46th St - 9th/10th Ave

Dramatics NYC

www.blockeryoga.com Get your zen on with private

W

JCohen Chiropractic W52nd St - 8th/9th Ave Jonathan Cohen’s treatment

W57th St - 8th/9th Ave

Erik’s Barbershop 10th Ave - 46th/47th St

W

Grum’d

yoga + wellness retreats.

plan goes beyond adjustments,

(912) 313-9911 blockeryoga@gmail.com

stretching and re-positioning,

Hair 2 Stay

cryotherapy - even exercise.

W44th St - 8th/9th Ave

incorporating massage, careful

46th St - 9th/10th Ave

www.jcohenchiropractic.com (646) 657-0032

W

Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market

W39th St - 9th/10th Ave An authentic NY experience, one of the city’s oldest flea markets. Year round, each weekend. Antiques, vintage clothes, collectibles & more!

info@hellskitchenfleamarket. com www.annexmarkets.com

Grishko Dancewear W50th St - 8th/9th Ave

Hell’s Kitchen Barbers

Cyc Fitness

W56th St - 9th/10th Ave

8th Ave - 44th/45th St The renowned indoor cycling workout offers exhilarating, beatbased rides set to DJ-inspired playlists, energizing lighting schemes, led by motivating trainers.

(212) 256-1347 www.cycfitness.com

Manhattan Kayak Company Pier 84 - Hudson River

Premier barber shop in Hell’s Kitchen. Great service and location! Father’s Day June special: father & son come in for

Visit us daily for New York kayaking

a haircut & dad gets a shave free!

and stand-up paddleboard tours,

(212) 470-5027 www.hellskitchenbarbers.com

group and 1-on-1 how-to training and SUP Yoga. A hop, skip and jump from Hell’s Kitchen.

Enoch’s Bike Shop 10th Ave - 36th/37th Ave

www.manhattankayak.com (212) 924-1788

Jeunesse Hair Salon 9th Ave - 57th/58th St

TO SEE YOUR YOUR BUSINESS LISTED IN THIS SECTION, EMAIL BOB@W42ST.COM

7

Kolorbar W39th St - 8th/9th Ave

W

Massage Envy

READY FOR YOUR CLOSE-UP

OUT GET YOUR ART ON

W42nd St - 10th/11th Ave

National brand provider of professional massage and Murad facial services.

(212) 473-3689

Pura Dermatology W38th St - 9th/10th Ave

Rafik Barber Shop 9th Ave - 50th/51st

Skintrade Tattoos W35th St - 8th/9th Ave

W

West Vibe Hair Salon W46th St - 9th/10th Ave

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Alisa Krutovsky Graphic Design www.alisakrutovsky.com Graphic Design, Web Design, Print & Editorial, Illustration, Informational Design.

lisusha@yahoo.com

Balloon Bouquets of NY

Elodie Saracco Photographic

Nacho Guevara Photography

www.bitly.com/elodiesaracco

www.nachoguevara.com

Elodie Saracco’s authentic

I’m a professional portrait and

lifestyle photography captures

fashion photographer committed

the colorful and energetic

to producing highly creative

moments of the natural beauty

pictures with a unique look.

she finds in all her subjects.

iguedur@gmail.com (773) 441-9455

elodie.saracco@gmail.com

Fountain House Gallery

9th Ave - 48th St Our gallery exhibits and sells original, affordable art made by local artists living with mental illness.

www.fountaingallerynyc.com ariel@fountaingallerynyc.com

Ilona Lieberman Photography www.ilonalieberman.com

W

Ilona Lieberman Photography is based in New York. She shoots editorial portraits, photojournalist weddings and relaxed modern family portraiture.

(917) 566-6900 ilona@ilonalieberman.com

Lanyon 36 Gallery W36th St - 9th/10th Ave

Full Service Gallery: Artwork, Art

Ortal Mizrahi Photography

Consulting Services, Framing,

ortalmzrhi@gmail.com www.bitly.com/ortalmizrahi (347) 592-7107

giclees, photography, prints, etc..

W43rd St - 9th/10th Ave

Jay Cleaners

Installation. Original Fine Art, Public and Trade.

www.lanyon36.com (212) 971-0100

Sean Kelly Gallery

9th Ave - 43rd/44th St

10th Ave - 36th/37th St

M2 Organic Cleaners

BROADWAY BABY

9th Ave - 54th/55th St

Schwartz Luggage Storage

Ars Nova Theater

W37th St - 8th/9th Ave

W54th St - 10th/11th Ave

Vera’s Shoe Repair

Davenport Theater

9th Ave - 45th/46th St

VROOM

W

W45th St - 8th/9th Ave

Mo Lynch Photography

Ensemble Studio Theatre

molynchphoto@gmail.com

Stockwell Photography

W52nd St - 10th/11th Ave

Environmental portraits, editorial,

www.stockwellphotography.com

New Dramatists

features. Specialty--events at

Specializing in actors’ headshot,

Cybert Tire and Car Care

W44th St - 9th/10th Ave

Madison Square Garden, Javits

fitness models, events and

11th Ave - 51st/52nd St

Center, Piers 92 & 94. Favorite

weddings.

Signature Theatre

subjects--dogs and children.

(212) 465-0942 rickstockwell22@gmail.com

W W

54th Street Auto Center W54th St - 9th/10th Ave

Westside Highway Car Wash W47th St - 12th Ave

www.behance.net/MauraLynch

W42nd St - 9th/10th Ave

The New Group W42nd St - 9th/10th Ave

TO SEE YOUR YOUR BUSINESS LISTED IN THIS SECTION, EMAIL BOB@W42ST.COM

8

MUSICAL INTERLUDE Birdland W44th St - 8th/9th Ave

Jazz at Lincoln Center 10 Columbus Circle

Orchestra of St. Luke’s W37th St - 9th/10th Ave

TIME TO PLAY Frames Bowling Lounge 9th Ave - 40th/41st St

Lucky Strike W42nd St - 12th Ave

Mud Sweat & Tears 10th Ave - 46th St

Space Ibiza W50th St - 11th/12th Ave

W

Cassa Times Square Hotel

W

Comfort Inn & Suites Times Square South

W39th St - 8th/9th Ave

W

Comfort Inn Midtown West

W

Comfort Inn Times Square West

W48th St - 10th/11th Ave

W44th St - 8th/9th Ave

W

Courtyard Marriott

W

DoubleTree by Hilton

W

Econo Lodge Times Square

W37th St - 8th/9th Ave W36th St - 8th/9th Ave W47th St - 8th/9th Ave

W

Element Times Square West W39th St - 8th/9th Ave

SEE THE SIGHTS

Natural light, open spaces & healthy

Circle Line

www.elementtimessquare.com

W42nd St - 12th Ave

Hudson River Park 12th Ave - 34th/59th St

Intrepid Museum W46th St - 12th Ave

Javits Center W34th St - 11th Ave

NY Waterway Ferry 12th Ave - 39th/40th St

The Daily Show 11th Ave - 51st/52nd St

Tom Otterness Playground W42st - 11th/12th Ave

VIA 57WEST W57th St - 12th Ave

STAYCATION

W

414 Hotel

W

Belvedere Hotel

W

Candlewood Suites Times Square

W46th St - 9th/10th Ave W48th St - 8th/9th Ave

W39th St - 8th/9th Ave

options. Restore balance in the Big Apple.

W

Four Points by Sheraton

W

French Quarters Apartments

W

Hampton Inn - Times Square North

W40th St - 8th/9th St W46th St - 8th/9th Ave

8th Ave - 51st/52nd St

W

Hampton Inn - Times Square South

W39th St - 8th/9th Ave

W

Hilton Garden Inn Times Square

8th Ave - 48th/49th Ave

W

Hilton Times Square

W

Holiday Inn - Times Square South

W42nd St - 7th/8th Ave

8th Ave - 38th/39th St

W

Holiday Inn Express - Midtown West

W48th St - 10th/11th Ave

W

Holiday Inn Express - Times Square

W39th St - 8th/9th Ave

BUILDING MANAGERS AND CONCIERGES Would you like your residents to get copies of W42ST Magazine every month?

Contact Bob Bruno bob@w42st.com or (929) 428-0767 and we’ll deliver!

W

W

9th Ave - 38th/39th St

Pick up your copy of W42ST at these residences and hotels.

PICK UP YOUR W42ST HERE

W

Homewood Suites New York

W

Ink 48 Hotel, a Kimpton Hotel

W

Marriott Fairfield Inn & Suites

W

New York Marriott Marquis

W

Quality Inn Convention Center

W

Residence Inn New York

W

Row NYC Hotel

W

Skyline Hotel

W

Staybridge Suites Times Square

W37th St - 8th/9th Ave 11th Ave - 47th/48th Ave W40th St - 8th/9th Ave Broadway - 45th/46th St W36th St - 9th/10th Ave 16th Ave - 38th/39th St 8th Ave - 44th/45th St 10th Ave - 49th/50th St

W40th St - 8th/9th Ave

W

The Knickerbocker

W

The OUT NYC

W

The Time Hotel

W

Travel Inn

W

Washington Jefferson Hotel

W

Wyndham New Yorker

W42nd St/Broadway W42nd St - 10th/11th Ave W49th St - 7th/8th Ave W42nd St - 10th/11th Ave W51st St - 8th/9th Ave 8th Ave - 34th/35th St

LET’S DANCE Alvin Ailey Theater W55th St - 9th Ave

Baryshnikov Arts Center W37th St - 9th/10th Ave

TO GET YOUR BUSINESS IN OUR LISTINGS, TAKE OUT AN ADVERT, OR SPONSOR ANY OF THE PAGES IN W42ST+, WE HAVE A PACKAGE TO SUIT YOUR BUSINESS PROFILE AND BUDGET. Email bob@w42st.com or t: (929) 428-0767

TO SEE YOUR YOUR BUSINESS LISTED IN THIS SECTION, EMAIL BOB@W42ST.COM

9

LIVING RENT OR BUY

W

Silver Towers

Fresh Cut Flowers

W

The Armory

W

W

The Helena

Jadite Custom Picture Framing

W

The Helux

Matles Florist

W

The Orion Condominium

Prudence Design & Events

W

The Park Clinton

W

The Westport

W

Two Worldwide Plaza

W42nd St - 11th/12th Ave W42nd St - 10th/11th Ave

W

360 W43rd St

W

420W42

W

432W52

W

Addison Hall

W

Crystal Green

W W

Emerald Green

W

Instrata at Mercedes House

W

Manhattan Plaza

W

Mercedes House

W

Midwest Court

W

One MiMa Tower

Columbus Hardware

W

One River Place

Epstein’s Paint Center

W42nd St - 11th/12th Ave

W52nd St - 10th/11th Ave

W

Riverbank West

Framing on 9th

W43rd St - 8th/9th Ave W42nd St - 9th/10th Ave W52nd St - 9th/10th Ave W57th St - 9th/10th Ave W39th St - 8th/9th Ave W38th St - 8th/9th Ave

Gotham West

W45th St - 10th/11th Ave

W57th St - 11th/12th Ave W43rd St - 10th/11th Ave W42nd St - 8th/9th Ave

W52nd St - 10th/11th Ave

W43rd St - 9th/10th Ave

Gotham Mini Storage 10th Ave - 38th/39th St

10th Ave - 46th/47th St W57th - 8th/9th Ave

W54th St - 10th/11th Ave

to find the perfect home for you!.

(646) 641-0145 ihalpern@halstead.com

W50th St - 8th/9th Ave

American Home Hardware 9th Ave - 42nd/43rd St

Clinton Glass & Mirrors 9th Ave - 46th/47th St

W53rd St - 9th/10th Ave

9th Ave - 55th/56th St

W42nd St - 9th/10th Ave

specialize in sales and rentals in the neighborhood. Contact me

PETS Coco and Toto

10th Ave - 51st/52nd St

W

I live in Hell’s Kitchen and I

W56th St - 10th/11th Ave

Adam 99 Cents & Up

W43rd St - 9th/10th Ave

Halstead Property

GO FOR BROKERS

FIX IT UP

W54th St - 10th/11th Ave

Isaac Halpern

W36th St - 8th/9th Ave

Ian TD Smith

11th Ave - 51st/52nd St

TD Realty Corp

Petland Discounts

As a native and long term

9th Ave - 49th/50th St

resident of Hell’s Kitchen, Ian

Pets NYC

provides extensive real estate services to his neighbors in and out of the The Kitchen.

(917) 216-2771 ian@pocketbroker.co

9th Ave - 42nd/43rd St

W

The Spot Experience W42nd St - 11th/12th Ave

Westside Animal Hospital W46th St - 9th/10th Ave

9th Ave - 51st/52nd St

W43rd St - 10th/11th Ave

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

10

follow us on