Westviewwins Heart

The Voice of the West Village WestView News VOLUME 16, NUMBER 2 FEBRUARY 2020 $1.00 WestView Wins Heart Lab By George Capsis What I also learned from Dr. Kaufman was how deadly a heart attack can be. It is In the more than five years thatWestView the number one cause of death; one per- News fought to save St. Vincent’s Hospital, son dies of a heart attack every 37 seconds. one voice emerged as the spokesperson for But the doctor also told me that there was the doctors, nurses, and hundreds of staff- a procedure that could unblock a heart in ers that had spent years of their careers in seconds by pushing a flexible tube (a cath- the that massive collection of buildings that eter) up the main artery until it reached traced its history back to a small Catholic and broke up the blockage. This procedure orphanage in 1849. That voice was Doctor is done in what is called a cath lab, which David Kaufman and what a voice it was— is a dedicated heart-specialized operating precise and focused—demanding, “Save room with powerful x-ray equipment that this hospital.” is able to see the catheter as it makes its I got to know Dr. Kaufman and we invit- way up to the blockage. ed him to write for the paper. He informed The science and technique of the cath lab me about the “cath lab,” required to save a is now well-advanced and relatively safe, but heart attack victim in the (otherwise) few until very recently the State Health Com- minutes they might have left to live. missioner required a standby operating Prophetically, in 1968 St. Vincent’s in- room in case the catheter pierced the artery troduced a mobile coronary care unit that MINUTES TO LIVE. Northwell West Village physicians and WestView publisher celebrate the and the chest needed to be opened for ar- could drive to a patient who’d had a heart State Health Commisioner's final approval of a local operating facility for heart attacks. tery repair. As this makes having a cath lab attack and offer emergency treatment From left to right: Babak Hassid, MD, Varinder Singh, MD, George Capsis, Alex Hellinger. prohibitively expensive, when Dr. Kaufman, while racing back to the hospital. Photo by Dusty Berke. continued on page 12 Cuomo’s Veto Betrays Independent Pharmacies and Patients By John Kaliabakos was opposed by three Fortune 25 com- to address the budget deficit, PBMs stole panies (CVS Caremark, Optum Rx, and more than $300 million from taxpayers in Hundreds of community pharmacists and Express Scripts) and the Pharmaceutical just one year; and until they are truly regu- patient advocates from across New York Care Management Association (PCMA), lated, New York will have to pay for PBM protested at Governor Cuomo’s State of a special interest group based in Washing- greed,” said Steve Moore, president of the the State address in Albany. The protest ton, D.C. that represents PBMs (pharmacy Pharmacists Society of the State of New was in response to Cuomo’s recent veto benefit managers). York. “Abusive practices of pharmacy ben- of legislation that would have kept rising As attendees entered the State of the efit managers are having devastating effects prescription drug prices in check, protected State address at The Egg in Albany, com- on the affordability of, and access to, phar- doctors’ freedom to prescribe medications munity pharmacists in white lab coats maceutical care. Patients have experienced that are best for their patients, and ensured passed out prescription pill bottles filled the forceful removal of coverage for their that New Yorkers would remain free to with messages opposing the veto and high- trusted pharmacists and are aware of the visit the pharmacies of their choice. lighting the impact the governor’s veto gag clauses that PBMs placed in the con- The bill that Governor Cuomo vetoed will have on New Yorkers. “Without this tracts with our pharmacists that kept them (S6531/A2836) was supported by doc- critical legislation, PBMs will continue to from telling their patients that the costs BREAK INDUSTRY PRICE CONTROL. Our tors, pharmacists, patient advocates, labor steal money from taxpayers, destroy com- of medications could be affordable if they local Village Apothecary protests Cuomo veto to bill that would have broken industry unions and lawmakers. In June, it passed munity pharmacies, and restrict patients’ didn’t use their insurance, as the copay was self-serving price control. Photo by Arnel unanimously in the assembly and with access to life-saving medications. While higher than the cash price. PBMs showed Molina. overwhelming support in the senate. It the governor purports to turn every stone continued on page 11

Hudson Yards LifeThymeket Integral Yoga Examine the lack of Jason Bander's health food The holistic, integrated ap- overall vision for the market emphasizes service, proach to self-mastery and Hudson River waterfront. quality and value. inner peace that is accessible to every body and everybody.

SEE PAGE 5 SEE PAGE 7 SEE PAGE 9 2 WestView News February 2020 www.westviewnews.org WestView WestViews Published by WestView, Inc. by and for the residents of the West Village. Correspondence, Commentary, Corrections

Publisher West Village Birds Executive Editor are part of the life of the Village. Restau- and to for publicizing this George Capsis West View News rants and bar life and coffee shops and true spirit-of-the-community event. Art Director pizza parlors and the gathering places like Kim Plosia —N. Shipman parks are all part of the fun we all enjoy. Advertising Manager and Designer Just the other day I spotted a red Cardinal Stephanie Phelan Advertising Success who often flies into the St. Lukes Garden. in WestView News Traffic Manager My old Village pal Edward Albee, now Liza Whiting gone, alas, who spent most of his life in the Dear WestView, Photo Editor Village, loved the paper and after reading it We resumed advertising in your fine com- Darielle Smolian for a while felt it had successfully supplant- munity newspaper in January and are al- WEST VILLAGE LAYOVER: This Blue Jay Photographers ed the Village Voice—the longtime paper I ready receiving lots of new students, taking Maggie Berkvist makes a pit stop for some peanuts. Photo contributed to in the past. Another cohort advantage of the 20 days of Yoga for just by Marco Quezada. Chris Manis of mine from the Voice, Michael Musto, $20 that we featured in our ad. Thank you Associate Editors My name is Marco Quezada. I saw your has also told me how necessary WestView for being a great voice for the West Village Gwen Hoffnagle, Justin Matthews, article last month on the West Village is now to everyone who reads it. Of course and the perfect place for Integral Yoga In- Anne Olshansky birds. I live in the West Village and for a Greenwich Village is considered the most stitute to feature our message to the neigh- Comptroller while I have been visited by an American famous neighborhood in the world and borhood and beyond. Jolanta Meckauskaite Kestrel. Also, a few Blue Jays come around it shouts out that there is every reason to —Chandra/Jo Sgammato Architecture Editor almost everyday to get some peanuts at my keep it going. Long live WestView News! Brian Pape window. —Robert Heide Let me know if you can use any of these. Fashion Editor And yes, I’m a photographer and have Loveprints Karen Rempel Affordable Housing plenty of images. I’m not looking for pay. I Lottery Assistance By Roberta Curley Film, Media and Music Editor just want to contribute. Jim Fouratt I love this paper. Dear editors, LOVE is a gripping pas de deux. Food Editor —Marco Quezada Responding to inquiries about my Janu- LOVE cries recycled tears. David Porat ary 2020 article “Clarkson Towers Prom- ise Affordable & Senior Units” and how LOVE is Belgian chocolate Regular Contributors Praise for WestView one can enter the lottery for an apartment and Arkansas diamonds. J. Taylor Basker, Barry Benepe, Caroline Benveniste, Charles Caruso, Dear WestView, there in the new development, I am pro- LOVE illuminates an infant’s face. Jim Fouratt, John Gilman, Thanks for keeping WestView going into viding the website for the The New York Mark. M. Green, Robert Heide, yet a NEW decade: 2020! City Department of Housing Preservation LOVE is choosing one person with Thomas Lamia, Keith Michael, whom to spill the beans. Michael D. Minichiello, Penny Mintz, I want to send my deep appreciation to and Development (HPD), which creates Brian J. Pape, Joy Pape, Bruce Poli, Alec all of you, once again, for the spectacular affordable rent-stabilized apartments and LOVE gallops at a heart’s pace. Pruchnicki, Christina Raccuia, Karen featured layout of my Bird of the Year 2019 homeownership opportunities for house- Rempel, Catherine Revland, Mar- LOVE stings when you overhear: tica Sawin, Donna Schaper, Arthur Z. article and photos. Another wow. holds at a wide range of income levels and “What’s wrong with her? Schwartz, Stanley Wlodyka It is amazing to me that I have now sizes. For help applying, they include ap- She must be in love with that guy.” We endeavor to publish all letters received, been a contributor to WestView for 8 years! plication guides. including those with which we disagree. That’s nearly 100 articles, and a gazillion The New York City Department of LOVE him one minute — wish him vanished The opinions put forth by contributors walks around the block with Millie. How Housing Preservation and Development the next? THAT’S TRUE LOVE. to WestView do not necessarily reflect the I have appreciated your generosity to sup- also has a service called “NYC Housing views of the publisher or editor. port me, and allow the whimsy of the bird Connect” What_to_Expect: Your Guide WestView welcomes your correspondence, comments, and corrections: life of the West Village (and Millie’s mus- to Affordable Housing at www.westviewnews.org ings) to have a place on your pages. • https://www1.nyc.gov/site/hpd/ser- Contact Us On we go. vices-and-information/housing-con- (212) 924-5718 —Keith Michael nect-application-guides.page [email protected] • https://www1.nyc.gov/site/hpd/ser- Long Live WestView News! vices-and-information/housing-con- nect-rentals.page Dear Editor: I’ve been told to expect a lot of bureau- APPLY ONLINE NOW! In the New Year of 2020 I have been remi- cratic red-tape and long waits, but it is worth 2020census.gov/jobs niscing and thinking about my involve- it, especially if you have a current residence ment in writing articles for Westview News until it is available. Clarkson Towers won’t 2020 Census jobs provide: for the last ten years. This West Village- be finished for a couple of years. Great pay Weekly pay focused paper has been with us for fifteen —Brian Pape Flexible hours Paid training years and many people I know tell me it has become not just great but legendary in Thanks to West 13th Thousands of jobs are available every sense. The paper includes photos es- Street Alliance nationwide, and many are says and articles of local interest, what is near you. Help support your going on, what has opened and what has Dear Editor: community by being closed, and the highly individualistic piec- Kudos to Birgitte, W. 13th St. Alliance, a Census Taker. es from writers who delve into everything for the terrific holiday card workshop for from theater, film and dance to profiles of adults, and to THE INK PAD on 7th Av- For more information or help applying, please call talented art and fashion people and even enue for all the beautiful supplies. Local, 1-855-JOB-2020 the lore of the birds who come and go and small businesses are the best! Thanks to MIA SAYS: We feel age but love is always The U.S. Census Bureau is an Equal Opportunity Employer. new. Photo by Dusty Berke. the pampered dogs and other animals that Boro President Gale Brewer for funding www.westviewnews.org February 2020 WestView News 3

tiques) on East 57th Street. Making 16 mil- Plan Early for Your Obit limeter “art” films was just beginning and we decided to gather everybody together to By George Capsis enue (three flights up). A dark cold Sunday make a sort of mutual support club; Jonas brought an East Village crowd, neverthe- was one of the people we decided to include. A month or two before Jonas Mekas died, less. Everybody seemed to be “an artist.” Dick and I went down to Orchard Street he and his son Sebastian came to my kitchen As I sat and listened to the first speakers, which was THE Jewish shopping street table at 69 Charles Street to talk about raising I thought I might learn a little more about and found the Mekas apartment bereft of money to fix up the Film Forum on Second what Jonas had done in his 96 years that furniture except for two beds and a table/ Avenue and East 2nd Street. Jonas pulled would bring such a reverential crowd. desk. There was no bathtub but they had from his briefcase a transcript of our first I was given the book a few days before the discovered the cold-water pipe in the ceil- meeting 60 years earlier in their tenement Film Forum event, was cautioned that I was ing, jammed an ice pick into it, and took apartment on Orchard Street. Jim Fouratt, only mentioned in Chapter 4 (the very early showers by standing in a white porcelain sometimes-film critic forWestView , snatched years), and sure enough, found my name pan. Jonas proudly showed me a draft for the transcript away and I have not seen it but could not recreate or remember the his would-be magazine Film Culture and I (nor Jim) since. But I discovered that Jonas conversations during which “George said” told him, to his instant rejection, that “cul- and his brother Adolphus were big jour- and “George disagreed.” Another shocker ANNE KÖNIG of Spector Books, Editor ture” was not the right word. nal writers, and also that several subsequent was that my father, very very Greek, but of the Jonas Diaries, and Filmmaker Jim As my age exceeds that of the oldest de- meetings I had with Jonas were recorded and nevertheless a real estate broker, negotiated Jarmusch. Photo by Peter Sempel. ceased in the Times obits each morning, I are written about in his just-released book. repeatedly and unsuccessfully with Jonas think of how I will be remembered—and it I was invited to speak about Mekas at about renting a movie house, and may have I met Jonas with Dick Brummer, whose will only be for slapping a cop and shouting the ancient Film Forum on Second Av- been the broker for the Film Forum. family owned the Brummer Gallery (of an- at a politician who lost St. Vincent’s Hospital.

Still Moments Mount Sinai’s Plan Comes Up for State Review Photography Exhibit By Penny Mintz tative Tracy Raleigh. The DOH accepted consuming trip. Once you get to 102nd and By Gayle Kirschenbaum wholesale every element of Mount Sinai’s First Avenue, there is still the crosstown jag Mount Sinai is in the final stages of its analysis and predictions. all the way to Fifth Avenue. If you have to application to the State Department of After Raleigh, Jeremy Boal, Executive rely on public transportation, you need a train Heath for authorization to replace Beth Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of and bus and still have several blocks of walk- Israel with a 70-bed facility, and move the the Mount Sinai Health System, was joined ing from the bus to the excellence facilities. vast majority of the medical treatments and at the speakers’ table by three other Mount The committee voted after the public com- tests that were once available downtown to Sinai colleagues. They spoke about the “cen- ments concluded. Four members, including “centers of excellence” far uptown. ters of excellence” that they were creating and Ann Monroe, the newly appointed member On Thursday, January 23, the Estab- the declining hospital census. Hospitals, in representing public consumers, had serious lishment and Project Review Commit- their view, are apparently dinosaurs. concerns and opposed the application. With- tee, which is part of the Public Health and After Mount Sinai, members of the pub- out the necessary quorum, the committee “Give me a plane, train or bus ticket, or Health Planning Council (PHHPC), con- lic were given three minutes each to speak. was unable to approve the application. a set of wheels and I promise I will come ducted the state’s preliminary hearing on the In attendance were about 20 concerned cit- The committee chair was concerned that, back with photos and stories that will Mount Sinai application. The Department izens and members of an ad hoc coalition without PHHPC approval, Mount Sinai’s warm your heart.” Never leaving home of Health will eventually make its decision of groups focusing on Mount Sinai’s plans promised $1 billion investment would dis- without her IPhone, intrepid Emmy based on the conclusions of PHHPC. The for Beth Israel and for Rivington House. appear, and we would end up repeating the award winning Netflix filmmaker and TEDx speaker, Gayle Kirschenbaum, decision of the committee was something Most wore white ribbons, so that they St. Vincent debacle. So the committee at- can’t stop herself. Her insatiable curios- of a surprise because all indications before- would be clearly visible to the committee. tached two contingencies to the plan. ity to see the world, to learn about oth- hand had been that PHHPC and the DOH Nearly all of them spoke, including George First, Mount Sinai is required to provide ev- ers and to document her experiences had no interest in hearing, much less acting Capsis, publisher of this newspaper. idence of investigating studies and developing and impressions has been captured in upon, the concerns of the public. George Capsis dramatically shared the concrete plans for the addition of a birthing her first solo photo exhibition called Still First, PHHPC had originally scheduled traumatizing experience of his wife’s final center at the new 13th Street facility. Dr. Boal Moments at the First Floor Gallery at all their Mount Sinai-related hearings in illness, which occurred when they could said that they are very committed to that, but the Westbeth Main Building 55 Bethune Albany, where local people would be un- still walk from their home in Greenwich only if the service can be provided safely. That Street, New York City, 10014 likely to participate. Fortunately, Lois Ut- Village to Saint Vincent’s Hospital—now gives Mount Sinai a lot of wiggle room. Kirschenbaum, who has won interna- tley, of Community Catalyst, successfully gone. Mount Sinai, Capsis pointed out, is Second, Mount Sinai must come to the tional attention for her family reconcili- pressured PHHPC into conducting the now eliminating another full-service local next PHHPC hearing with a comprehen- ation documentary Look At Us Now, Mother!, offers highly personal imagery hearings in New York City. hospital. This will leave large swaths of sive plan to assist lower Manhattan con- of landscapes, faces of indigenous peo- Second, the hearing date is released only lower Manhattan underserved. sumers in navigating the changed system ple, and emotionally charged glimpses one week before the hearing, thus limiting The concerns of the rest of the public with of health care access and solve problems of of the phantasmagoria of reality. the time to contact local people who would regard to Beth Israel fell primarily into two traveling uptown to the other Mount Sinai Kirschenbaum is a multi-award want to come and speak. categories: the impact of the loss of maternity facilities where the services are being con- winning filmmaker whose films and pro- Third, PHHPC has a very tight schedule services, and the difficulty of accessing all of solidated. That would be an improvement, grams have premiered on Netflix, HBO, for accepting written comments. The cutoff is the myriad medical services that were until but not as good as continuing to provide and Discovery. In addition to Look At Us 72 hours before the start of the hearing. In this recently provided locally. Now they are avail- medical services locally. Now, Mother! she has produced and case, that meant that no written comments able only in the Mount Sinai “centers of ex- The next PHHPC hearing on Mount directed A Dog’s Life: A Dogamentary would be accepted after 10 am on Monday, cellence” at 102nd Street and Fifth Avenue, Sinai’s Certificate of Need application will and My Nose and created several “little January 20, which was Martin Luther King 59th Street and Ninth Avenue, or 91st Street take place on February 6, 2020, at 90 Church people” shows and series for Discov- ery. Her photographs were exhibited in Day. With a great deal of pressure from Lois and Columbus Avenue. These facilities are Street, 4th Floor. The large outpouring Spain at the Barcelona Foto Biennale Uttley and from State Assembly members extremely difficult to access from downtown, of public concern changed the outcome in October 2018, and she received an Harvey Epstein and Richard Gottfried, the especially for the frail and elderly. last month. Continued public presence is honorable mention under landscape for cutoff was moved to 4 pm on January 21. Dr. Boal claimed that the trip from Beth needed to make sure that the contingencies the Pollux Awards 2019. The Westbeth The overall impression of disinterest in Israel or Union Square is “a straight shot up- squeezed out Mount Sinai come to fruition exhibit will run through March 31 (2020). the concerns of the public was compounded town.” But that is not exactly true. Even in a before they will be permitted to build the For more information: 914-434-7783 with the statements of the initial speaker, car, which he apparently believes that every- new facility and sell the existing Beth Israel or [email protected] Ins- committee member and DOH represen- one in medical distress can afford, it’s a time- real estate to the highest bidder. tagram: GLKIRSCHENBAUM. 4 WestView News February 2020 www.westviewnews.org Back-Tracking at Hudson Yards

By Brian J. Pape, AIA was “misinformation.” This is not the first time Related has Stephen Ross, founder and chairman of had to back-track; last year they instituted The Related Companies, has been do- ‘free’ tickets to climb the “Vessel”, a court- ing some back-tracking lately at Related’s yard centerpiece of gleaming copper-clad Hudson Yards, the largest new develop- Escher-like staircases, but with a waiver ment in the United States and the city that granted Hudson Yards the rights to since the Rockefeller Center development any images or recordings made of it, in in Midtown during the Great Depression. perpetuity. When revealed to the public, After Community Board 4 got a prelimi- Related quietly changed the waiver terms. nary presentation recently about new ideas Perhaps Mr. Ross is preparing for the for the Phase 2 development, slated for next back-tracking after sponsoring fund- completion in 2024, there was immediate raising events for an impeached president? blowback in the media, and elected officials A dedicated 4th estate is certainly to be and community leaders were up in arms; congratulated for this exposé, but there is Manhattan Borough President Gale Brew- another unsung hero in this story: the local er, State senator Brad Hoylman, Assembly community boards. The community board member Deborah Glick, Council Speaker structure was established over 40 years ago Corey Johnson, HighLine Executive Direc- after decades of corrupt politics run by par- tor Robert Hammond, community board ty hacks, giving out favors to get their way, leaders Lowell Kern and Burt Lazarin, and with no one to stop them. Now, any change HRPT chair Madelyn Wils have all spoken to an approved plan, or change in a special out against Related’s new idea. district, must be reviewed in a public hear- That new idea was to break their prom- ing before the community boards. ises to taxpayers by changing the site plan Without that “grass-roots” step in the to include a parking garage that would af- process, who knows what could get slipped fectively loom 20’ above the adjacent High in when no one is looking? Line Park. Related promised a new public The district mandates a variety of uses, school amidst the additional office and resi- bulk and urban design controls applicable dential towers to be built on a platform over to six subdistricts. In certain zoning dis- the Western Yard of Long Island Railroad tricts, the maximum floor area ratios of tracks serving Penn Station, open park land the underlying districts may be increased (50% of the site) and a sloping lawn to down through a District Improvement Bonus under the HighLine until it meets the side- mechanism (alone or in tandem with the walks of 12th Avenue and 30th Street. Inclusionary Housing designated areas This expensive corporate park is sup- Program that would support financing of ported by six billion dollars in subsidies specific capital improvements in the area. and tax credits and other corporate welfare Transfers of floor area are also permitted payments to the rich—yes, that’s $6 billion under certain conditions. with a “B”! Flexible as-of-right height and setback Within days of the media exposure of controls accommodate large floorplate of- THE SITE PLAN APPROVED BY THE CITY PLANNING DEPARTMENT shows only small areas this proposed building wall next to the fice buildings and allow for creative design of buildings next to the High Line Park, while sloped lawns under the Park structures, along High Line, Related backed off with a within the predominantly commercial ar- 30th Street and 12th Avenue, would maintain quasi-connections to the Hudson River Park. Twitter statement saying, “It never was in eas. Mandated improvements include retail Unfortunately, the buildings that are allowed can be 60’ or even 90’ above the High Line the cards. We were not going to build a use on major corridors, street wall continu- bed (track level). Image credit: City Planning Department. wall by the High Line.” Sounding a lot like ity, pedestrian circulation space, plantings, the alt-right accusations of “fake news”, subway entrance easements, and screened unique off-street parking regulations that can be constructed in the district as it is Related claimed the news about the wall or below-grade parking. The district has manage the total amount of parking that developed.

The Special Hudson Yards District (HY) was districts may be increased through a District established to foster a mix of uses and den- Improvement Bonus mechanism, alone or in sities, provide new publicly accessible open tandem with the Inclusionary Housing des- space, extend the Midtown central business ignated areas Program that would support district by providing opportunities for sub- financing of specific capital improvements stantial new office and hotel development, in the area. Transfers of floor area are also reinforce existing residential neighborhoods permitted under certain conditions. and encourage new housing on Manhat- Flexible as-of-right height and setback tan’s Far West Side. The special district controls accommodate large floorplate of- includes two new corridors for high-density fice buildings and allow for creative design commercial and residential development within the predominantly commercial areas. supported by a subway line extension, new Mandated improvements include retail use parks and an urban boulevard. New mid- on major corridors, street wall continuity, density residential development will form a pedestrian circulation space, plantings, sub- transition to existing residential neighbor- way entrance easements, and screened or hoods and the Special Garment Center below-grade parking. The district has unique District to the east. off-street parking regulations that manage The district mandates a variety of uses, the total amount of parking that can be con- bulk and urban design controls applicable to structed in the district as it is developed. six subdistricts. In certain zoning districts, the Text and Photo: City Planning Department. maximum floor area ratios of the underlying www.westviewnews.org February 2020 WestView News 5 No to Wall, Yes to Bridge

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By Barry Benepe role as a manager only west of West Street and the Route 9A Highway. New York Scotty Elyanow In a gracious retreat from a misguided pro- City and New York State actually own the Long time West Village posal to build a 20-foot high concrete wall park. NYC DOT and NYS DOT have sole Resident/Broker/ enclosing a parking garage over the railway control over what is legally a city street. Community Volunteer westvillagebroker.com M: 917.678.6010 tracks against the High Line alongside the The High Line, while still an operating Lic. Associate RE Broker [email protected] villagescotty Western Yards below 33rd Street, Related railroad, was purchased for a dollar by Pe- Companies has returned to their earlier pro- ter Obletz, a local neighbor, who wanted, posal to grade the lawn down to the edge of with Congressman Jerry Nadler’s support, the highway under the High Line. This too to restore it and the rail yards to a working is a hazardous solution, placing thousands rail freight line. They did not realize that of pedestrians, seniors, mothers with stroll- rail-dependent industries on the West Side ers and others with a dangerous crossing were being replaced by people wanting to of a roaring, speeding highway. The only live near the river. Also, regional producers acceptable solution is to join the Western became more dispersed to areas not served Open Space of Hudson Yards above the rail by rail. Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani tried yard with the High Line, which is virtually to sell it to Edison Parking, which owned at the same level. Then we could bring a the land underneath it and wanted to tear it park ribbon over the highway down to the down and develop it. Mayor Mike Bloom- park. There are many good examples of berg saved it by purchasing it for park land, such landscaped bridges. One is a proposed and Friends of the High Line was formed bridge over the Thames River in London, by Joshua David and Robert Hammond in designed by Heatherwyck Studios, design- 2002 with a seed money grant of a million ers of Pier 55. Another is at Sherburne dollars (a long way from Peter Obletz’s dol- Falls, Massachusetts. A design for such a lar) from Diane Von Furstenberg to begin landscaped “seamless” connection was part and implement the design of what has be- of the group submissions exhibited at the come one of the great parks of the world, beginnings of Friends of the High Line. as revolutionary as Central Park was in the There are only two logical places to link 19th Century. the High Line Park to the Hudson River What we lack today is an overall vision Park. One is here where the High Line for the Hudson River waterfront and an Dina Andriotis, Chris Tsiamis, and Nikitas Andriotis (from left to right). swings to the west before turning east again agency to carry it out. There are many in- to join 33rd Street at grade. The other is at dividual actors named above, but no agency 77 Christopher Street its southern terminus at Gansevoort Street to coordinate them. The Planning Com- Between Seventh Avenue and Bleecker Street where the Whitney Museum failed to make mission has not produced a waterfront a connection either to the High Line or the plan. Even if it did, how would it be im- Pharmacy Hours: park. Renzo Piano, the designer of the mu- plemented? One model might be the Bat- Monday - Friday: 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM seum, actually made a delightful watercolor tery Park City Authority, which controls Saturday: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM sketch of a suspension pedestrian bridge housing, offices, park, road and waterfront Closed Sunday leading over West Street to a sculpture park development in a coordinated fashion. We on the Hudson River. The Whitney gave it could do this by extending the authority of Telephone: 212-255-2525 • Fax: 212-255-2524 the Hudson River Park Trust with strong short shrift. email: [email protected] The basic problem is one of diverse ac- community involvement. It is time now to tors with no one in charge of an overall vi- articulate the challenges and begin to ad- www.newyorkchemists.com sion. The Hudson River Park Trust has a dress them.

6 WestView News February 2020 www.westviewnews.org The Intellectual Savior in a Time of Nazi Darkness clair, John Dos Passos, and other American cultural and political leaders gave support. Emergency Rescue Committee Today, we see these brilliant cultural icons’ enormous contributions to our world’s arts France’s swift collapse caused by Hitler’s armies came as a shocking blow to the and culture. Nearly a century old, Justus is United States and Great Britain, but it also alarmed activists who were concerned about refugees in Europe. In 1940, a group of these concerned activists met in the remaining living witness to aiding such New York and organized the Emergency Rescue Committee (ERC) to help refugees a dramatic gift to our American creativity displaced by the war. The committee felt strongly that the restrictive quotas of the and humanitarian values. Immigration Act of 1924 would prevent needy refugees from coming to the United As a teenager, and only child, in Danzig States, and were particularly concerned about the status of refugees in Vichy France (Gdansk) Poland, Rosenberg was captured who could be surrendered to Nazi authorities at any time. With the U.S. government by Nazis and sent to Auschwitz but man- refusing to open its borders to increasing numbers of immigrants, private organiza- aged to escape. He then spent two years in tions like the ERC took on the job of helping Jews and non-Jews gain safe passage the south of France hiding in cellars and to secure locations. moving about the countryside (shades of the JUSTUS ROSENBERG, 1974, above, was From the outset, the ERC enjoyed strong support from influential members of New awarded the Legion d’Honneur (2017) for film Inglourious Basterds). One day in Mar- York’s literary community, including John Dos Passos, Upton Sinclair, and Dorothy saving artists and intellectuals from the seilles he encountered a humanitarian group, Thompson. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was also very active in providing help, link- Nazis. Photo by Bruce Poli. led by American journalist Varian Fry, whose ing the ERC to the power corridors of Washington. mission was to save European intellectu- Varian Fry, an editor and writer, was a founding member of the ERC and traveled to By Bruce Poli als and artists from the SS. Our lives have France on the committee’s behalf. He assisted refugees in acquiring visas and other been elevated by the courageous work this documents necessary for a quick escape, but was quickly overwhelmed by the My mentor and advisor at Bard College, group accomplished eight decades ago, when sheer volume of people who needed assistance. He responded by establishing a le- Justus Rosenberg, a Polish Jew who speaks Rosenerg became their messenger and couri- gal relief organization under the auspices of the French government, using it as a fig a dozen languages, turned 99 on January er, carrying messages and forged identity pa- leaf in order to evacuate endangered refugees through illegal means. These included 23rd. He studied at the Sorbonne, taught pers to those the group was trying to save...a falsified documents, black market transactions, and clandestine escape routes. Fry Brecht in China, and socialism, revolu- key role in the future of European-American and his team of young assistants, however, could not prevent detection by col- tion, theater, French poetry, languages, and culture. The rest of the story is etched into laborationist forces forever. Working without a valid passport, Fry naturally attracted general cultural classes including one of American history. the attention of the secret police, who put him under surveillance and detained him his favorites, “Ten Plays That Shook the Until five years ago Justus never ut- for questioning on several occasions. As evidence mounted that Fry was operating illegally, the Vichy French administration sought his removal from the country. In this World,”—which he still teaches today— tered a word about his legendary past to effort they were assisted by the U.S. State Department, which was seeking to pre- here in America. anyone. “The Professor Has a Daring vent American entry into the war for as long as possible. Not long after Vichy France Rosenberg was one of the New School’s Past” (New York Times, May 1, 2016), re- obtained American cooperation in 1941, Fry was arrested and deported back to the early and longest-serving professors (1959- counts his harrowing journey and brushes United States; consequently, the ERC’s activities were halted indefinitely. Neverthe- 2013), teaching 18 different classes (which with death in Europe (example: his jeep less, during the thirteen months that Fry had actively aided refugees, he succeeded at one time was “the only job Jews could convoy was blown up and everyone was in helping over 2,000 people leave Vichy France. They included political, cultural, and get”), and has taught at Bard and the New killed but him, as he was on the back flap labor leaders like Hannah Arendt, Pablo Casals, Marc Chagall, Wanda Landowska, School for more than 60 years. He brought of the jeep and thrown backwards) through and Alma Mahler. Hannah Arendt and Isaac Bashevis Singer, his rise as a pioneer at the New School and In 1942 the International Relief Association and the ERC joined together, forming among others, to Bard. on to Bard College where he has taught the International Rescue Committee (IRC), an organization that remains committed Far more remarkable, however, are languages and literature for 58 years. He to refugee relief operations to this day. This is why democracy matters in our dark Rosenberg’s years in the French Un- was my professor and guiding light from times. Our lives have all been enriched by the courageous and remarkable work this derground with the Emergency Rescue 1971-1975. His intellectual breadth and group has accomplished during the last eight decades. Committee—a legendary Resistance historic knowledge is invaluable; I consider group—that saved the lives of 2,000-4,000 him an architect of 20th century Europe- intellectuals and artists from the Nazis. The an-American culture. France?” “Commandant!” he answered. He ous study of hatred and antisemitism, em- group helped save, among others, Marc Over the years Professor Rosenberg has has also received honors from the Shoah phasizing projects that help college students Chagall, Andre Breton, Marcel Duchamp, been given many awards. One is the Le- Foundation and The New School. and promote academic freedom. Rosen- Max Ernst, Jean Arp, Pablo Casals, Wanda gion d’Honneur—France’s highest mili- The Justus and Karin Rosenberg Human berg’s memoir, The Art of Resistance: My Landowska, Alma Mahler, and Hannah tary award. I said to him, “In England Rights Foundation was founded in 2011. Its Four Years in the French Underground, was Arendt. Eleanor Roosevelt, Upton Sin- they knight you, what do they call you in mission is to combat and increase the seri- just published by Harper Collins.

worked in the New York City corrections I attended Orville’s memorial service and A Remarkable Man system. They loved him and would always learned so much about him. At the service By Gordon Hughes stop and swap stories when they saw him were West Villagers, corrections officers, on Bleecker Street. That night one of the police officers, jazz musicians and folks A remarkable West Village native passed two cops he was talking to was a rookie who live in our co-op, and, of course, fam- away on December 25th, Christmas after- and didn’t know Orville. The rookie was ily. The love in that room was palpable. All noon. He had just wished his granddaugh- not aware of Orville’s background as a jazz who attended had wonderful uplifting sto- ter a Merry Christmas, sat back on his bed, musician. Orville told the young officer, ries about this man. and peacefully slipped away in his apart- “hang on kid.” He then ran into his apart- Orville was born in Baltimore in 1940. ment on Bleecker Street. Not a bad way to ment and came back with an old-fashioned When he was 11 his family, looking for better go after an amazing life. I know about this 33 1/3 LP which he had recorded in the economic opportunities, moved to New York because he lived in the building I live in. ‘70s and gave it to the rookie. The young City. That’s when Orville began to take off. Orville Harrison had just turned 79 officer had never seen an LP in his life. Or- In the ‘50s he joined a doo-wop group, years old, and was a Village fixture. There ville had had his own Zanzibar trio back in the Delphis, and they recorded two hits. It are numerous stories to tell about him but the day, he explained to the young officer. was then that he learned to play the violin my personal favorite was the night he was That’s when I started asking him questions and bass (self-taught). He traveled around standing on Bleecker Street in front of our about his life in the Village. That’s when I the country as well as Europe in the ‘60s. He building kibitzing with two police officers. stopped just saying hi and began to get to once told my pal Claude that the thing he Many officers knew Orville because he had know him. What a treat. continued on page 9 www.westviewnews.org February 2020 WestView News 7 Jason Bander of Lifethyme Health Market’s Dharma: Service, Quality & Value

“Lifethyme Market has been proud to JASON BANDER (above), General Manager and Director of Purchasing, Lifethyme Health Market. Photo by Chris Manis. serve Greenwich Village By Hannah Reimann tion clothes on and work on the store every for 25 years!” day and every weekend, until it was ready for Lifethyme Health Market opening. He would work five days a week 410 Sixth Ave between 8th and 9th at night, twelve hours Saturday and Sunday It’s a time to give thanks. Streets while working his other job. He came to a Deepak Chopra says, “the highest expres- point in his finance career that he could bow Thanks to: sion of the law of Dharma is expressing out eight years after Lifethyme opened. He All the hundreds of staff who have your gifts and service to others.” When I was given the opportunity to take control of asked Jason Bander, who opened Lifethyme the store as its General Manager and Direc- contributed to our longevity. Health Market with his dad, Stuart Bander, tor of Purchasing. The thousands of customers who walked our to describe his long-time workers and what “We take every opportunity to embrace aisles and contritbuted to our he’d like to see in newly hired workers, he and support the community any way we can told me, ”People who want to serve. Engag- without bias. It’s not a store of opinion or livelihood—our mutual livelihood— ing, friendly, knowledgeable people who are that will take a position. We want to serve, Take this coupon to Lifethyme for an additional passionate about the business, adept, savvy provide, protect the integrity of our food people capable of great human interaction. choices and the food choices in the neigh- savings on your next visit. We’re all servants. To be a servant is not a borhood and maintain a community-mind- bad thing, it’s a wonderful thing. We can all ed vision. We want to know folks’ names.” February Savings (good through the end of be fantastic servants. Whether I’m bagging Bander was first influenced by this kind February, 2020) groceries, checking out purchasing, clean- of community spirit when he lived in Ver- ing out the grease traps, fixing things on mont as a child. His mother was a professor levels that no one else in the store is, I’m at Goddard College and they frequented 410 6th Ave, Greenwich Village a servant, I’m serving myself, the store, my farmers’ markets, farm to table dinners and (212) 420-1600 staff, customers and I take pride in that.” other community gatherings. As a longtime customer at Lifethyme As Lifethyme enters it’s 25th year of lifethymemarket.com who always loves shopping there, I notice business, Bander plans to expand the busi- that workers are conscientious and custom- ness by creating a blueprint for more stores, er-service oriented. I realize that they are a social media presence and Pop Up shops in reflection of Bander and he, of them. establishments like Saks Fifth Avenue. He “Lifethyme was like a rocket,” when it intends to improve window and store de- opened in 1995, Bander said. “It launched sign while maintaining the stores’ integrity at that time the Village was rich with artists with the community, quality and value. $10 off and that utopian, bohemian, tight commu- Compared to 1995 when there was an nity. Everyone knew each other then.” Stuart abundance of community health food any purchase of $50 or more and Jason Bander wanted to bring the farm- stores, the larger market is diluted now, (good for only one use, ers’ market to the people. Jason also worked much more expensive. How important is can not be combined with any other Lifethyme coupon) for seven years on Wall Street as a research Lifethyme to people in the Village who publisher while living in the Village. He want to build health-conscious products would come home every weekday, drop his today? Bander explained to me, “In this suit off at his apartment, put his construc- market, we’re a critical player.” 8 WestView News February 2020 www.westviewnews.org The W Hotel Sign: A Hazard to Humans and Fish Actually, I left NYC in August, 2007, sive, misdirected or obtrusive artificial that claims to help joint pain, weight loss, just before the W Hotel opened, for several (usually outdoor) light. Too much light skin inflammation, symptoms of aging, years for a job in the Middle East. When pollution has consequences: it washes out psoriasis, depression, and other conditions, I returned, on vacations, to my apartment starlight in the night sky, interferes with through stimulating the mitochondria of in Westbeth on the Hudson River, I was astronomical research, disrupts ecosystems, the fat cells using infrared light therapy. horrified to see a hideous large “W” sign has adverse health effects, and wastes en- The FDA has regulations about the length fouling my view of the park, river, and NJ ergy.” and frequency of sessions that can last for skyline. I started complaining on social Disrupting ecosystems has serious con- only 15-20 minutes; any greater exposure media about it, advocating a boycott of the sequences for the Hudson River, which re- is dangerous. And only a few weeks of ses- W Hotel. But I was not here long enough quires a delicate balance that many people sions are permitted. to pursue my protest and research the addi- in NYC have fought to preserve. The light Continual red light is known to increase tional negative effects of this invasive ugly from the W sign has negative impacts on one’s metabolism, heart rate, and blood sign. Now, having returned again, I see that plant and animal physiology. The natural pressure. It produces anger, stress, sleep- an even larger W sign has been erected. It diurnal patterns of light and dark direct the lessness, and anxiety. So those of us in low- destroys New Yorkers’ views of the sunset rhythm of life. Continual red light inter- er Manhattan who have to look at the “W” every day, and is a permanent bleeding scar feres with these patterns and is dangerous sign daily—beware! If your bedroom win- on the surface of the river as it imperializes for ecological dynamics. Animals can be- dow presents a view of the “W,” draw thick NIGHT SKYLINE, with W sign on, reflected the NJ skyline. It is a permitted terrorist come confused regarding their migratory black curtains over your window before on River. Photo by J. Taylor Basker. weapon of mass obstruction—obfuscating patterns, and the competitive interactions you try to sleep. If you bike, jog, or walk the view of the river, the sky and clouds, between animals is affected, altering pred- in the Hudson River Park, buy blinders to By J. Taylor Basker the sun, and the NJ shoreline. ator-prey relations and causing resultant block out the sign. We can share creative For a wonderful week in January, the physiological harm. strategies we use to obstruct the sign. I put In 2005 the Applied Development Com- sign was dark. There again was the view of There are adverse health effects on many a small artificial Christmas tree in my win- pany and Starwood Hotels and Resorts the river at night flowing silently like black species, especially humans, that follow cir- dow to block it. Worldwide began construction on a new W satin. The NJ skyline was restored to bal- cadian rhythms. The production of mela- I have nothing personal against the W Hotel in Hoboken, along the city’s south- ance and harmony. Sunsets were pure and tonin can be affected by light pollution as it Hotel. I would love to live in it for life! Yet ern waterfront on the Hudson River facing sacred again. Then the sign returned, a is regulated by light and dark (i.e. day and its sign presents a hazard to the health of Manhattan. Designed by the architectural large red vampire sucking the soul of view- night). Humans can experience sleep dis- all species of life forms that have to look firm Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Ar- ers trapped into looking at it, turning us orders and other health problems such as at the invasive, powerful red neon W on chitects, it was only the fourth hotel in the into zombies marching to the beat of the headaches, fatigue, stress and obesity due its roof. Maybe Westbeth could erect a gi- country to carry the W sign, the others being drum of unrelenting advertising. to lack of sleep, and increased anxiety. The ant W on its roof looking towards NJ as in Arizona, Florida, and Texas. Conveniently Hoboken City Hall says the W sign does damage of the glare of this light on eyes, a form of revenge. But let us be hopeful! located near the PATH train and Hudson not violate any Hoboken building codes. I especially aging eyes, is significant. Even Remember the large but legal four-story River Ferries, near Newark Airport and the am still waiting for a call back from their ties to cancer are being discovered. These Traveler’s Insurance red neon umbrella Meadowlands, it would provide an opportu- legal office. I called Hudson River Park ad- effects are increased by exposure to just one sign mounted on 388 Greenwich Street nity for visitors to avoid crowded Manhattan ministrators inquiring about the annoyance form of light, i.e. red, rather than the entire that we banished from Lower Manhattan hotels and to enjoy the magnificent skyline of to people using the park and the negative spectral composition. in 1998, that drove us crazy and could be Manhattan. The hotel was opened in the fall effects of the continual red light on the en- The color red has an ancient history seen for miles? It is time for us to take ac- of 2007—good for the Hoboken economy vironment. They never returned my call. of association with healing, and there is tion again to abolish another visual blight and visitors, but bad for humans in Manhat- Light pollution research is quite exten- a health treatment known as Red Light for the sake of the health and sanity of our tan and the fish in the Hudson River. sive. Light pollution is defined as “exces- Therapy (RLT), first developed by NASA, citizens and our fish! Extracting Aids from Our Minds And Bodies: “I’m Not Poz!”

By Kambiz Shekdar, Ph.D. of their identity as being gay itself. At the rose up in opposition when a cure for certain This is not the time to become cavalier. height of the AIDS epidemic, when few kinds of deafness was first in the offing. A An estimated 37 million individuals are Why do we say “I’m HIV-positive” or “I’m had hope of curing HIV/AIDS, owning cure threatened their sense of community currently living with HIV/AIDS world- POZ,” but not “I’m gonorrhea-positive,” or the deadly disease may have been a help- and identity. Somewhat similarly, when As- wide. There exist two individuals who more affectionately, I’m GONO-POZ?” ful coping mechanism. After all, how else perger’s Syndrome was first included in the have recently been cured of AIDS. Using Since this issue of my monthly column could one grapple with an ugly virus that broader diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Dis- biotechnology originating from The Rock- about the twists and turns on the path to would insist on running through one’s order it was “Aspies” who protested, angered efeller University, Research Foundation to finding a cure for AIDS comes out weeks veins until it killed them despite any and at the loss of their sense of self-identity. Cure AIDS (RFTCA) intends to develop before Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d write all their efforts? Does anyone remember when George a broadly-applicable cure for all those in about some of the ways in which we think Internalizing and labeling ourselves with W. Bush stood in front of the “Mission need based on the science underlying the and speak differently about AIDS com- a disease can backfire. Consider the follow- Accomplished” banner during the early first two reported cures. Everyone can help pared to other sexually transmitted diseases. ing (invalid) proclamation from some long- days of the Gulf War? Despite our heavy by extracting HIV/AIDS from our psyches Perhaps when there is hope of beating a time AIDS activists just as the first hints of arsenal of treatment and prevention drugs, by choosing to say “I have HIV,” not “I’m condition or disease we refer to it as some- a possible cure started to emerge: “We now we are far from winning the fight against POZ.” With a cure, HIV/AIDS may one thing we have—as in, I have pancreatic can- have the means to end the global and U.S. AIDS. Yet in light of the prophylactic use day be serious, but temporary; and in at cer, I have a bad hip, or I have gonorrhea. On HIV epidemics, even without a vaccine or a of AIDS medications like TruvadaÒ for least that way, no different from gonorrhea. the other hand, when we believe we must be cure.” A comment by Dr. James Hudspeth, PrEP, the thinking in some corners goes resigned to live with it forever, maybe that’s a researcher who studies the science of hear- like this: “If you do happen to contract Kambiz Shekdar, Ph.D. is a biologist, a when we may, instead, self-identify with it ing at The Rockefeller University, may shed HIV while taking PrEP (chances are you biotech inventor, a gay man, and the presi- as a way of owning it and finding agency. I some light on how some of the same people won’t), you’ll potentially go from taking dent of Research Foundation to Cure AIDS am diabetic, I am bipolar, I am hypertensive. who once charged the streets in a fight for one pill a day to taking one pill a day,” or so (RFTCA). Visit FreeFromAIDS.org to help Some gay men even speak about disclos- their lives could put down their arms. After says Grant Roth, an HIV peer counselor, accelerate a cure for AIDS. Contact kambiz. ing their HIV status as “a second coming a lecture about his work, Dr. Hudspeth re- ending his statement with an emoji shrug, [email protected] to inquire about joining out,” as if having HIV is as much a part marked that it was the deaf community who as if to underscore the banality of it all. RFTCA’s founders’ circle. www.westviewnews.org February 2020 WestView News 9 What is Integral Yoga? VILLAGE the organs and systems inside. Guided deep relaxation connects you to the peace inside you (and that of everyone else). Medita- tion relaxes and settles the mind. Practiced regularly, the Integral Yoga class is a natural APOTHECARY prescription for health, well-being, and se- renity. But that’s just the beginning. 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Remarkable continued from page 6 addiction. This was based on his own per- sonal experience—one that he overcame. remembered most about France was the size Helping folks led him to a new career, of their cows! That was Orville. Many years in law enforcement, in which he worked later Claude, being French, sometimes had around the city for years. It was said that a hard time understanding Orville’s jazz- not only did his fellow officers love him but hip speech and when he asked her for some so did inmates because of the way he talked “bread” she went and brought back a ba- to them and helped them. 227 West 13th Street * 212-929-0585 guette. Not really what he was looking for. So many attending Orville’s memo- Website: iyiny.org His landlord remembers fondly that Or- rial spoke of his most important strengths. ville would show up promptly at the begin- First was his sense of humor, which got ning of each month to pay his rent in cash, him through so much and which he passed “A safe space for everyone who wants to try Yoga.” and on one occasion brought along his jazz on to all he met. Second was his style, al- —A recent new student LP. He signed the cover and to this day ways the natty dresser. His ever-present the landlord still treasures it. Which takes friendship, when once encountered, was me back to when Orville became a Village never forgotten. 20 days for $20! icon. He started his own Orville Harrison He loved to watch the Fourth of July Limited time offer Trio and played a number of West Vil- fireworks from the roof of our co-op and lage jazz clubs. He played regularly at La those who joined him up there remember On sale only until February 29 Chaumiere (on West 4th Street), sadly, his smile as the fireworks cast a glow over no longer in existence. He was so popular the city. For those of us who were lucky Current students: that Mr. Rogers of Mr. Rogers Neighbor- enough to have him pass through our lives hood had him do a guest appearance on his we will never forget him. Ask about our NEW free month deal! show. Through a number of circumstances Orville was indeed, as he would say, “a Orville began helping people with drug happening part of the West Village scene.” 10 WestView News February 2020 www.westviewnews.org Uno, the One Who Stole Our Hearts

By Leslie Adatto twin have competed at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show’s annual compe- Remember Uno, the irresistible 15-inch tition? On February 11, 2020, the 144th tall beagle with long, floppy ears and the consecutive Best in Show competition will jaunty gait, who took the Westminster take place in Madison Square Garden. This dog show by storm in 2008? He howled at is America’s second oldest sporting event; the judge and charmed the massive Madi- only the Kentucky Derby predates West- son Square Garden crowd, before being minster. Steeped in layers of tradition, the crowned the country’s top dog and winning underlying ethos of the Westminster Ken- Best in Show. Uno continued to appear on nel Club pedigree dog breeding philosophy TV, participated in the Macy’s Thanksgiv- is all about improving dog breeds the old- ing Day Parade (on the Snoopy float, of fashioned way: making puppies by pairing course) and remained a celebrity long after champion bitches and dogs. So the short his 2008 trophy was passed to future canine answer is that even an Uno clone (might he winners. Sadly, the dogs we love never live have been called Duo?) could not qualify to long enough, and eventually even charming compete at Westminster. champions succumb. Last fall in 2019, we Thousands of the world’s top dogs rep- lost Uno, who was then 13, to cancer. resenting 204 distinct breeds, not a single In the normal course of events, a top dog one of them a clone, will compete to be the like Uno would have sired many litters of Top Dog at the 144th Annual Westminster puppies, and those offspring would have Kennel Club Dog Show over three glori- had more puppies, which should have soft- ous canine-filled days. Dogs, handlers and ened the blow of losing Westminster’s most judges will be in the rings at Pier 94 on popular Top Dog of all time. But Uno, it UNO, TOP DOG AT WESTMINSTER KENNEL CLUB IN 2008. Manhattan’s west side on February 9 and turns out, was sterile and could not sire 10, with the Best in Show round at Madi- puppies. mal, and in 2005, the first dog was cloned. mately $50,000 later, she has two dogs that son Square Garden in New York City on Could science come to the rescue? Could Dog cloning entered the popular imagi- are genetically identical to her previous Monday, February 11, 2020. Full moon or we clone Uno? nation in 2018 when Barbra Streisand re- pooch. not, get ready to bay and howl with delight Theoretically, the answer is yes. In 1996, vealed that she cloned her precious Coton This begs the question that if Uno had as 2,630 of (hu)man’s best friends fill our Dolly the Sheep was the first cloned mam- de Tulear lap dog, Samantha, and approxi- been cloned, could his genetic identical hearts with joy.

Assisted Living: Not Just for the Wealthy Charlie By Alec Pruchnicki, MD of nursing homes and still living in commu- Services are extensive, and often signifi- Caruso’s Quips nity based ALFs, which often had a nicer cantly more than fancier for-profit ALFs. Most people who have been to assisted liv- ambience. But, with Medicaid money comes On site, there is a geriatrics fellowship The woman always decides. ing facilities (ALFs) are greeted with the Medicaid regulations and many ALFs refuse trained full-time primary care physician sight of an overwhelmingly white, some- to accept residents on Medicaid, especially (the author ), a variety of part-time medi- The first letter of the New York Times what wealthy population of elderly peo- since Medicaid reimbursement rates are low. cal services (Ophthalmology, Psychiatry, logo looks like Trump in profile. ple, mostly women. Since ALF rents are Sometimes an ALF will even evict an elderly Vascular Surgery, Podiatry, and sometimes A fool and his Honey are soon parted. usually more expensive than living in the resident when funds run out, the same way Dentistry), two part-time psychologists for community, due to the level of additional you might evict anyone who can’t pay the rent memory training and talk therapy, along The JFK murder in Dallas was services they provide, a higher than average on any apartment. with a certified home healthcare nursing much more shocking than Pearl income is usually needed. But, not always. When New York State service, and a long-term rehabilitation Harbor because it involved someone Assisted living, in general, is considered started to use Medicaid funds to pay for group for physical and occupational ther- we knew or thought we knew. Only a form of housing, not a form of medical ALF services, a non-profit community or- apy. An outside laboratory comes in for strangers died at Pearl Harbor. care. Originally, ALFs followed the “social ganization in East Harlem was given per- blood and urine tests, along with another model” where socialization to prevent iso- mission to build a facility which would re- for portable x-rays and ultrasounds. These A cackle of hen’s ... lation was offered along with a low level of ceive those funds. The Robert Lott (named are in addition to the facility’s social work- Anthony Bourdain’s mother had medical and nursing services, if any. But, after Father Robert Lott a Catholic priest ers, recreation therapists, and others. his name tattooed on her as people started to view assisted living as at a local church) was opened in 2000. It The purpose of such an extensive level wrist after he died. a way to avoid nursing home placement, is a community run, non-profit, Medicaid of services is not just to directly address sicker and more debilitated people came supported facility with 127 single person resident needs. It is hoped, and some of Everything goes wrong on a to ALFs and the “new” or “nursing” model studio apartments on Fifth Avenue and our data shows, that we can sometimes weekend when there’s developed. Services weren’t as extensive as 108th street overlooking Central Park. In keep people away from emergency rooms no one around to fix it. nursing home care, but they included more 2019 it was re-named Vista on 5th, which and out of the hospital and nursing home. than community or social model ALF care. is its official title now. Geriatricians have done this for years, but If you have to look to see whether Since ALFs are considered a form of hous- All of the residents are enrolled in Medi- now the rest of organized medicine has re- you spilled something ing and not medical care, rent was usually care and about 90% are also in Medicaid, alized that community care is often better on your vest, it’s too late. not covered by Medicare, Medicaid, or pri- the so-called “dual eligible”. Unlike many and safer than a hospitalization. And now, Football will slowly disappear like vate insurance any more than the rent in any profit making ALFs, it is multi-racial with with Medicaid funding, more people can smoking, and for the same reason. apartment would be. Eventually, the states, about one third each white, African Amer- actually achieve it. whose nursing home Medicaid budgets are ican, and Hispanic residents. Residents Marriage: Two virtual strangers massive, began to consider using Medicaid include those who were formerly homeless Vista on Fifth sleeping in the same bed. funds to pay for ALF rents. This would save along with retired doctors, lawyers, artists, 212-534-6464, ext5153. the state money, and keep some people out musicians, domestic workers and others. Speak to Dorothy the intake manager Senility: A geezer disease. www.westviewnews.org February 2020 WestView News 11 Let’s Get Real About Aging By Gail Evans immigrants and people of color. And I am all for them; it’s their turn to achieve what Following is the second part of my interview they will. with West Village resident George Held, poet I’m an optimist on social change, but I’m and retired Queens College English professor, also a skeptic. Experience has taught me to as he looks back on his life. be skeptical because, God knows, you can’t put your faith in much today. We’re find- I think you don’t want to be old and have ing out that even our beloved constitution regrets. I know I made mistakes and would is feeble and our country in danger. I think probably have done some things different- we’ll never again be the democracy we ly, but regret is a fool’s game. I like Edith once were. And look what’s happening to Piaf ’s “Je ne regrette rien.’’ The only thing I the planet. If Trump doesn’t get re-elected might do differently now is, I’d teach envi- we may find a way to survive longer, but I ronmental studies rather than literature. In think we’re doomed. my time, the academic study of literature Have I lived a fulfilled life? I don’t think was a thriving field, but now, the valuing of in those terms. With age, I fit in less and literature is over. Still, I enjoyed teaching less with social norms and definitions— more than 40 different courses at Queens maybe because my opportunities to travel MEDICAL DERMATOLOGY | COSMETIC DERMATOLOGY College, even becoming a Shakespeare have given me a broader perspective, maybe MOHS SURGERY | LASER SURGERY scholar toward the end of my career. I find because I’m out of sympathy with the status something new in Shakespeare each time I quo. A fulfilled life is something we were all read him. And I’m still in contact with lots encouraged to seek, that’s why we went to Bay Ridge West Village of my students. college to get our degrees, as though we’d 7901 4th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11209 67 Perry Street, NY NY 10014 No, I don’t have regrets. But I value my- be given keys to unlock a magic kingdom 718-491-5800 (t) 212-675-5847 (t) self less now than when I was young. All called fulfillment or whatever. But I don’t 718748-2151 (f) 212-675-7976 (f) my life I’ve been the beneficiary of white necessarily assent to the assumptions that privilege—straight, white, good-looking many of my contemporaries bring to our privilege. Although I don’t think I’ve taken conversations, and I don’t like to be nice advantage of it consciously, there you are. just to be nice. So, I would rather spend my Ronald R. Brancaccio, M.D | Peter Saitta, D.O. I’m not the hotshot I thought I was when time alone or writing. I value my friends Sherry H. Hsiung, M.D. | Lisa Gruson,M.D. | Anna Karp, D.O. I was president of my college fraternity highly, I really do. But again, they’re all dy- and captain of my high school’s basketball ing off. My best friend in California lives team. Someone had to be those things in a quarter of a mile from the evacuation that era, someone white and privileged, line in the last California fires. “We are all and it’s okay that it was me. Now, white alone,” as Hunter Thompson said. privilege is dying out. I think all these peo- George Held goes to his window, pulls ple in their gated communities have to take up the blind, and shows me the moon, account of where they are in relation to this which has just risen. “My wife and I love new country. The strivers now are mostly the moon,” he says. “It’s half-moon now.” Do You Need Home Care? Cuomo Veto continued from page 1 er independent pharmacies across the state no concern for the patients who walked of New York, will continue fighting for a Continuity Home Health Care away, empty-handed, unable to pay the in- level playing field and advocating for the flated costs. Now they want patients and rights of all New Yorkers. taxpayers to trust them and believe that By vetoing a bill that would have pro- they have our best interests in mind. That’s vided vulnerable patients, taxpayers, and not how trust works,” said Loretta Boesing, community pharmacies with desperately Where Healing Continues... founder of Unite for Safe Medications, a needed protections from abusive prescrip- A licensed home care agency providing nonprofit organization. tion drug middlemen known as pharmacy health care services, both professional Boesing continued, “It’s past time for benefit managers (PBMs), Governor Cuo- and paraprofessional, for individuals those who have been elected to office to mo sided with corporate special interests living at home since 1996. step up for the patients, taxpayers, and con- over New Yorkers. stituents whose voices were wrongfully si- lenced by the veto of this legislation. PBMs John Kaliabakos is Director of Pharmacy Ser- are not adding value or saving money, but vices at Village Apothecary, New York City. destroying America’s pharmaceutical care.” Call Tim Ferguson at (212) 625-2547 The Albany protest was organized by FixRx, a campaign by the Pharmacists So- WestView News would like to or drop in to 198 Avenue of The Americas ciety of the State of New York (PSSNY) congratulate John and Village on behalf of healthcare providers, patients, Apothecary for the recent honor We accept most private and taxpayers to fix New York’s broken bestowed upon them by the City prescription drug distribution system by of New York. Designating Janu- insurances reining in the pharmacy benefit manag- ary 3 Village Apothecary Appre- and private pay. ers (PBMs) at their center. In 2019 FixRx ciation Day, the City recognized won a ban on spread pricing in Medicaid their compassion, resiliency, and [email protected] managed care after PBMs used the tool to substantial contribution to the pocket $300 million from New Yorkers the community during the AIDS epi- previous year. demic and beyond. Well done! The Village Apothecary, along with oth- 12 WestView News February 2020 www.westviewnews.org

LOYALTY PROGRAM • GIFT CARDS EXPERT CARDIOLOGY INSIGHTS Lenox Health Greenwich Village FREE DELIVERY Five steps to a healthy heart SERVICE LINE: CARDIOLOGY hours per night are more likely to have a heart attack or THOUGHT LEADER: stroke than people who get seven or eight hours. GREENWICH VILLAGE ALEXANDER GORODNITSKIY, MD DON’T SMOKE. Avoid secondhand smoke whenever possible. 512 HUDSON STREET • NYC 10014 WWW.SEAGRAPEWINES.COM • 212-463-7688 What can you do to keep your PRACTICE GOOD DENTAL HYGIENE. Bacteria in the mouth heart healthy? Prevention is key. that cause gum disease can travel through the blood- stream, increasing your risk of heart disease and stroke.

EAT HEALTHY FATS, NOT TRANS WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF A HEART ATTACK? FATS. Trans fats clog your ar- - Lightheadedness or feeling weak teries by raising bad cholesterol - Shortness of breath HOPEFULLY levels and lowering good ones. - Pain or discomfort in the chest, arm or shoulder, Photo courtesy of Cutting these fats from your back, neck or jaw Lenox Health diet will improve blood flow and - Nausea or vomiting Greenwich Village. WE WON’T lower your chances of having a - Unexplained and severe fatigue heart attack or stroke. - A cold sweat KEEP MOVING. Exercise is good for the heart and keeps If you experience any of these symptoms, call 911 im- BORE YOU the blood flowing. If you work behind a desk, make it a mediately. priority to get up and move throughout the day. Make sure your heart is healthy before starting a new exercise An expert in cardiology, Alexander Gorodnitskiy, MD, is program—see your local cardiologist! the associate director of cardiovascular medicine at Lenox Health Greenwich Village. To schedule an appointment LEFT BANK BOOKS 41 PERRY ST. NYC 10014 GET PLENTY OF REST. People who sleep fewer than six with Dr. Gorodnitskiy, please call 646-973-3400. AN ECLECTIC SELECTION OF USED, VINTAGE AND RARE BOOKS Heart Lab continued from page 1 @leftbankbooksny www.leftbankbooksny.com and then WestView, asked for one there was silence and [email protected] 877.212.6778 defensive explanations. But WestView continued to ask and ask, and at the opening of the two floors of doctors’ offices in the North- well Health building at the former site of St. Vincent’s emergency room entrance some months ago, President Don’t put off taking off Michael Dowling, seeing me in the back, recognized those extra pounds – and me and said, “George Capsis, once our enemy now our keeping them off! friend.” As we went down to cut the ribbon I asked, “Are Please allow me we getting the cath lab?” and he nodded yes. “We are to help you on your waiting for the health commissioner’s approval. You know weight management journey how hard that is.” That approval came on January 22nd at the commission meeting at 90 Church Street, and we Joy Pape, Family Nurse Practitioner took a photo with Executive Director Alex Hellinger and [email protected] the medical staff of our new cath lab. 917-806-1945 When I’d asked Dr. Kaufman how hospitals could al- NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF DEATH: A blockage to the heart low people to die of heart attacks his reply was, “they don’t cuts off oxygen to the heart causing death in minutes. count.” Now they are counting. Image credit: American Heart Association. Reverse Deportation of Jean: Here’s How

2018. He had been detained before, ten years earlier in Haiti, and the uncanny Haitian earthquake saved him. Where were they going to put people in Haiti that day? When he was to leave any day, by plane, from a de- tention center in Pennsylvania, the plane didn’t go. But a miracle happened. He showed up on the front steps of Judson Church, much to our surprise, during a time when we were praying for our failure to keep him. There JEAN MONTREVIL WITH HIS SON, Jahsiah, ex-wife Jani he was, with nothing but a plastic bag in his hands. Native Manhattanite and West Village resident Cauthen, and pastor Donna Schaper. Photo by Michelle ICE wanted Jean for some reason. They knew his for the past 42 years. Y. Thompson for Judson Memorial Church. power as a leader and a friend, the kind of man who owns Licensed in Real Estate for the past 21. a van business but will move people’s stuff for whatever Board Certified New York Residential Specialist (NYRS®). By Donna Schaper Here to help you and yours find your next perch or move they could pay. He was the kind of man who loved to on whether in New York or elsewhere. Ever Feel like you can’t do anything good? You can. bring rice and peas or squash soup to church potlucks, Alexander de Bordes Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. the kind of man who shipped enormous boxes of cloth- Send this article to Virginia from the Village you Love. ing and food to Haiti every Christmas and every Eas- 917-640-3707 Jean Montrevil was deported, abruptly, picked up out- ter, the kind of man who looked really good in designer [email protected] side his home, while heading to work on January 16, continued on page 14 www.westviewnews.org February 2020 WestView News 13 Viruses and Cancer

By Mark M. Green modified virus (T-VEC) to attack certain (Abstracted from “A Scientist’s View of Al- cancers—a virus that in its unmodified form most Everything,” by Mark M. Green, 2019) causes herpes. One specific example of the effort to Cancer patients in the 1800s were observed, move forward on viral therapy for cancer too often to be chance, to be relieved of their treatment is based on work at the Univer- cancerous tumors when they were ill with sity of Calgary, which led to the formation respiratory problems. When viruses were of a company called Oncolytics Biotech discovered later in that century, it was hy- located in Calgary. The company’s work pothesized that viral particles were respon- is focused on the fact that many meta- sible for the effect on the cancerous tumors. static cancers arise from a mutated protein, The discovery of viruses arose from the fact Ras protein, which is responsible for cell that infectious fluids remained infectious growth. When a particular type of muta- when transferred from one animal or plant tion occurs in this protein, the protein’s to another even after processes were used function can be turned on permanently so that were known to kill or remove bacteria. that cell growth occurs without limit, giv- ark M. Green, an emeritus professor of Chemistry at New Soon after the discovery of viruses, doc- ing rise to cancerous tumors. York University, has written “A Scientist’s View of Almost tors began to experiment with using viruses A virus commonly encountered in human M to treat cancer, but with mixed results. It’s beings, reovirus, which causes infections Everything,” in which he translates into layman’s terms subjects interesting that the greatest successes were that are subclinical—in other words they such as climate change, black holes, the biological basis of in the treatment of patients whose immune give rise to no or very slight symptoms— homosexuality, how plexiglas affected the outcome of WW II, systems were depressed, which was under- has been discovered to preferentially infect viruses and cancer, the origin of death, serotonin and mood, stood as arising from the fact that the virus, cells in which the Ras protein is “turned among many others shining light on a variety of topics ranging which was therapeutic against cancer, had on.” Infection of certain tumors by a reovi- not been removed from the blood of the pa- rus causes cancerous cells to produce more from health to politics to personal experiences. tient by their immune system. reovirus, and causes lysis of cancerous cell In the middle years of the twentieth cen- walls, killing the cancerous cells and releas- “A Scientist’s View of Almost Everything” (ISBN tury, doctors tried to use viruses to treat can- ing more of the reovirus, which can then go cer with some success, although too often on to kill more cancerous cells. 9781614684947) is available from Battenkill Books, 15 East the viral infection killed the patient. This At Oncolytics Biotech, products based Main St., Cambridge, NY 12816, (518) 677-2515, treatment strategy was therefore mostly on the reovirus are currently being used [email protected], and also from Amazon. abandoned, returning cancer treatment to in trials that could lead to their wide use use of radiation and chemotherapy, which in cancer therapy. In an article written by are still primarily used today. Heidi Ledford published in Nature/News, However, in recent decades the ability Brad Thompson of Oncolytics Biotech de- to alter the genetic material of viruses has scribed the general idea behind viral ther- given rise to their use in battling cancer by apy for cancer succinctly by pointing out removing the viral characteristics that cause that cancerous cells in their high growth, human disease. Nevertheless, serious major leading to tumors, are far more susceptible problems remain to be solved in suppressing to infection than normal cells: “Malignan- the immune system of the patient to allow cy can suppress normal antiviral responses, the therapeutic virus to get to the tumor. and sometimes the mutations that drive Another problem involves delivering the vi- tumor cells also make cells more suscep- rus to the tumor, since the virus cannot be tible to infection. Viral infection can thus used systemically. Some success does appear ravage a tumor while leaving healthy cells to be in the wings, with the Food and Drug untouched.” Administration of the United States and It appears that the infectious characteris- the European Medicines Agency recom- tics of viruses might lead to important new mending and allowing use of a genetically medical procedures for dealing with cancer. Measuring Success with Web Analytics By Robert Johannesson important than ever. Web analytics ser- vices can help gather this data and ar- A newspaper posts articles online, a cloth- range it into easily legible tables, charts, ing designer markets through google, and a and graphs. Google Analytics leads the political candidate runs a web-based cam- analytics market, is free, and provides a paign. How do they measure the effective- wealth of traffic data. ness of their effort? Consider an online newspaper. The bulk The web’s democratization of publish- of the staff ’s effort is in creating engag- ing capacity has led to an unprecedented ing quality content. Therefore, they would amount of content. As a result, cutting want to know what content is garnering through the noise by knowing and effec- the most attention and engagement. Using tively catering to one’s audience is more continued on page 18 14 WestView News February 2020 www.westviewnews.org

community in the Village. Mariquit Ingalla, owner and Grom has left the space at 233 Bleecker Street (corner of West Village neighbor, knows every single customer by Carmine Street), unsubstantiated rumor has it that Joe’s name. In addition to a roster of wood-roasted coffee from Pizza is moving back. The Ink Pad (37 7th Avenue near IN Maine, she serves homemade snacks and sandwiches, West 13th Street) has a sign outside alerting customers that many of which are named after regulars. People (many they will be moving to a new nearby location soon. Taqueria and of whom trek in from the Upper East Side, Brooklyn, MEZ-A (95 7th Avenue South between Grove and Barrow OUT and Queens) say this place is like their living room, but Streets) closed for renovations a few months ago, and a new better.” Now Ingalla has opened a new beautiful coffee sign outside now says Lorea. Taqueria MEZ-A is owned by by Caroline Benveniste and flower shop around the corner. Judging by the crowds the BKUK group which runs a number of other restaurants there, it has also quickly attracted its own group of regu- in Manhattan. For a long time we watched the space at 95 January was once again a relatively quiet month. Greenwich lars. Rosecrans is a laptop free café. Greenwich Avenue (near West 12th Street) which was sup- Avenue, though, is heating up, with two openings practically posed to open as SoFresco, a restaurant serving Colom- across the street from each other. Two other restaurants open- Closed bian street food. Construction stalled, and at one point on ings we’d been watching for a while now look like they won’t Four years ago, Liquiteria opened at the corner of 6th Ave- their website they described problems with getting their gas happen. nue and West 8th Street (402 6th Avenue) where Gray’s Pa- turned on. Now the SoFresco signage has been replaced paya had been for many years. Now that location has closed, with a “For Rent” sign. One of the many empty storefronts Open as have the other 4 locations of the juice chain. Liquiteria on 7th Avenue South between Grove and Barrow Streets was one of the early spots to sell juice, with its first shop in was to become a Cuban restaurant called Cuban Cuisine the East Village opening 25 years ago. Pizza Restaurant (89 7th Avenue South), but now the restaurant’s name has Resca (44 9th Avenue at 14 Street) appears closed: there disappeared and a “For Rent” sign has appeared. Organika is paper covering the windows, the phone goes unanswered, previously occupied the space. and it is listed as “Not Bookable” on OpenTable. Hudson Café (628 Hudson Street between Jane and Horatio Streets) We received many helpful tips from you this month – please has shuttered, with a “For Rent” sign in the window. While keep up the good work. We always need your help! Send any it had been a popular neighborhood spot, for the last year or information you have to [email protected]. Photos so it had received many bad reviews on Yelp. For a while we by Darielle Smolian. were seeing a proliferation of vegan spots, but recently Cop- per Branch (195 Bleecker Street near Macdougal Street), the Canadian vegan import shuttered after about 4 months in business, leaving diners with one less option for Veganu- Deportation continued from page 12 ary. One of our readers noticed a rent demand for $29,304 jeans (like the pair I took from his Florida detention center on the door, dated December 19th. He followed up with the three days before they finally did deport him two years ago). company and received the following response: “We are cur- “Give the jeans to somebody who can use them,” he said. I THE BANTY ROOSTER rently undergoing management changes and hope to reopen carried them out in an oranges bag, the kind where you can 24 Greenwich Avenue between the location in early 2020. Please stay connected and thank see through the orange-colored plastic striations. Charles and West 10th Streets you for reaching out.” Another reader alerted us to the fact ICE must have seen his personal power. Why else would I received an email from the paper’s fashion editor, Karen that Hudson and Charles Dinette (522 Hudson Street be- they pick him out, and abruptly take him away? Jean shared his Rempel, who had dined at the Banty Rooster on its open- tween Charles and West 10th Streets) has closed, and a “For story and the cruelty of ICE when few were willing to do so. ing night. The restaurant is located where the upscale Jap- Rent” sign can be seen in window. The butcher shop next They told him to lay low. And when he could not stay silent, anese spot Saikai used to be, and the website says: “With door, Hudson and Charles, had opened the restaurant just his activism left a target on his back. They deported Jean to set influences from the Southwestern United States to Puerto under a year ago in part of the space formerly occupied by an example. We won’t let them. They want to silence Jean but Rico to Guam to parts of Asia, we resist being strictly cat- The Quarter. instead they’ve only sparked a larger movement and our voices egorized as anything but soulful and delicious, and never are louder than ever. ICE cannot deport a movement. take ourselves too seriously.” Karen was quite enthusiastic Coming Soon We are going to bring Jean home to hold ICE account- about the restaurant: she recommended the cocktails, the The Hudson Street storefront at 99 Bank Street which able, and to unite him with his children and faith com- potato fritters and the charred eggplant which she found briefly housed Mrs. Green’s will become a location of munity. His kids are suffering; travel and communication extraordinary. Her dining companion enjoyed the pork Gourmet Garage. A manager at their Lincoln Square are difficult and they need their father here. And Jean is collar, and they both found the music to be at the right location confirmed an August opening. Village Super suffering too; the extreme instability in Haiti means he is volume level for conversation, something that is not the Market, the company that operates Gourmet Garage, effectively housebound, frequently cut off from communi- case in many restaurants. just announced its intention to purchase the five Manhat- cation with his loved ones. tan locations of Fairway which has once again declared Jean came into ICE’s crosshairs because of a broken crim- bankruptcy. The space at 33 Greenwich Avenue (between inal legal system. He came to the US at age seventeen as a Charles and West 10th Streets) has signage up indicating lawful permanent resident. He served his time for arrests as it will soon be operating as American Bar. Previously, it a young man more than thirty years ago, but was still sub- was a short-lived Southern-inspired restaurant. ject to a deportation order after that. His deportation was a double punishment. When I went to visit him in Haiti a Moved/Other year ago, he asked that I bring the kind of toothpaste that Last month we wrote about Mini Melanie, a new sweets people use for sensitive gums. I filled up my suitcase with stand in Chelsea Market. Recently they’ve started a Truffle it. He must be allowed to return. If we got him back, we Thursday promotion, where cake truffles are $1 each, with wouldn’t have to do something small and silly and funny- a 4 per customer limit. This is a great deal, so stop by and feeling, like sending toothpaste to Haiti. If we got him back, say hi to Diana Moss, co-owner (whose name we incorrect- and we ever needed someone to help us move, we could call ly reported as Diane in our previous article). The Bonberi Jean, and he would show up with his van. pop-up location (384 Bleecker Street at Perry Street) has We are asking for the governors of Virginia and New closed after just over a year, but a sign on the door promises York to pardon him and pave a path for Jean to be a lawful ROSECRANS that they will be moving to a permanent spot at 321 West permanent resident again. Can you write a letter to the 7 Greenwich Avenue between 11th in early 2020. La Newyorkina (240 Sullivan Street at governor of New York? Do you know someone in Vir- West 10th and Christopher Streets West Third Street), the Mexican paletas and ice cream shop ginia? Can you send this to them so they can write their In the February 2018 issue of WestView News, Joe El- will host a pozole pop-up called La Pozolería through late own letter urging the governor of Virginia to pardon Jean? liot, one of our readers, wrote a letter in praise of ad hoc March. Pozole is a Mexican stew usually made with pork, We need to do this for Jean and for ourselves. collective coffee + shoppe which had recently opened. dried chiles, and hominy, but the offerings here include You have a chance to be involved with an act of mercy. He said: “Part cafe, part antique shop, ad hoc collective vegetarian and chicken versions. Flautas, esquites (Mexi- Write a letter for Jean. Get someone in Virginia to be is all about maintaining and expanding upon genuine can street corn) and churros round out the menu. Now that Santa Claus. www.westviewnews.org February 2020 WestView News 15

and their underside is golden. Cool for 8. While the scallops are browning, arrange A View from the Kitchen 10 minutes on a rack four scones on each of four plates; when 7. While the scones are baking, wash and dry the scallops are ready, place one scallop By Isa Covo the scallops. Use a large heavy-bottomed on top of each scone. skillet that can contain the scallops in one 9. Discard the oil and deglaze the skil- The second month of 2020 is the short- layer, or use two skillets. Over low heat, let with a mixture of the vermouth and est month of the year and the month of heat the oil and add the ginger cut into stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to love. Valentine’s Day usually falls halfway thin strips. Sweat the ginger until it be- dissolve any caramelized bits; bring to a through the month, but as this year is a leap comes fragrant, remove the skillet (or skil- boil over high heat and boil for two min- year it is slightly askew. No matter, this is lets) from the heat and infuse the ginger utes or until the sauce thickens slightly. the time to strengthen our existing romantic another five minutes. Remove the ginger Spoon over the scallops. relationships or glow with the light of new from the oil, return the skillet to the stove, 10. Sprinkle some of the flying fish on ones. Some choose this day for a marriage and increase the heat to medium high. each scallop and, with any left over, add proposal, as Saint Valentine is purported to When the oil begins to shimmer add the some tiny dots to the plates for garnish. be the patron saint of the betrothed. well-dried scallops and brown 3 minutes Yield: 4 first course servings or 2 as a main But let’s expand this to the love of our fam- on each side. Add the salt and pepper. course. ily and all our friends near and far. Let’s give them at least a thought or a phone call, or even Photo by Isa Covo. better, when possible, find the time to meet. February is also Black History month in container. Reheat them for five minutes in a the U.S. Today, I read again the famous and 300-degree preheated oven. Instead of hazelnuts beautifully written and rousing I Have a you may use any nutmeat you prefer. I find that Dream speech. According to witnesses, Dr. the hazelnuts give the scones an earthy flavor, but King adlibbed the portion at the very end, pistachios or walnuts work just as well. The fly- beginning with “I have a dream...” ing fish adds color and a pleasant brininess to the We are now a different demographic soci- dish. Flying fish is available in Asian markets. ety from what we were fifty-seven years ago. The scallops take minutes to cook after you have Since 1963, various wars and other political prepared all the ingredients. and economic global turmoil caused mass immigration to the U.S. from many parts INGREDIENTS of the world. Our population is now more For the scones: diverse than in the past. Immigrants and/or 1 cup all-purpose unbleached flour their descendants share positions in almost 4 tablespoons unsalted butter every domain of our society, even though 2 tablespoons toasted and peeled hazelnuts many illegal immigrants are treated as pa- ¼ teaspoon cayenne riahs and are struggling, particularly those ½ teaspoon ground ginger children who have been separated from their 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves families and are living in unspeakable con- 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg ditions. Also, unfortunately, African-Amer- 1 teaspoon baking powder icans are still not all well-served. Racism is 1 large egg still directed at people of color, even though ½ teaspoon salt among African-Americans there has been 2½ tablespoons heavy cream progress; there are prominent scholars, in- For the scallops: ventors, lawyers, judges, writers, journalists, 16 sea scallops doctors, CEOs and more. In past decades 1 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled that was only a dream. It was only part of 3 tablespoons vegetable oil Martin Luther King’s dream, which also ¼ cup dry vermouth was that we would form a coherent society ¼ cup chicken or vegetable broth where differences in origins, color, and re- 1½ teaspoons of flying fish for garnish ligions would not matter, that we could all sea salt and freshly ground pepper hold hands and create a better society. The election of President Obama gave some DIRECTIONS hope, yet now some individuals who cannot 1. Prepare the scones: grind the hazelnuts see the merits in each of us seem to have re- in a food processor or spice grinder. The gressed into racism and all sorts of phobias. nuts do not need to be ground very fine. It is unfortunate that a few raging voices 2. In a large bowl sift together the dry in- inflame some people and groups and bring gredients and the spices. Cut in the butter unrest and tragedy. Please let’s all unite and until the mixture resembles coarse sand. hold hands. We don’t have to love every- 3. Add the egg and the cream, and with one, but we don’t have to reject, insult, or fingertips blend all ingredients together attack them because they don’t look, pray, to form a soft and slightly moist dough. or act like some of the rest of us. Flatten it into a circle. Wrap in plastic This month, and this year, call for peace, and refrigerate for one hour. eliminate hate, save the country and our 4. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a planet. Celebrate life and LOVE. baking sheet and line it with parchment. 5. Roll out the dough to a thickness of a half SEA SCALLOPS WITH inch and cut into 1-inch rounds with a HAZELNUT SPICE SCONES biscuit cutter. Gather leftover dough, roll This elegant recipe can be served as a main course out again, and continue this process until or, if halved, as an appetizer. The list of ingredi- all the dough has been used. There should ents is long but the dish itself is easy to prepare. be 16 1-inch scones. WEST VILLAGE GREENWICH VILLAGE GRAND CENTRAL BROOKLYN CHELSEA MARKET HUDSON YARDS 75 Greenwich Ave. 162 Bleecker Street 43rd & Lexington 68 35th Street 75 Ninth Avenue 10th Ave. & 31st St. The little scones can be made a day ahead, cooled 6. Bake in the middle of the oven for 15 to (at 7th Avenue) (Sullivan & Thompson) (Marketplace) (Industry City) (at 15th Street) (4th Floor) completely, and transferred to a tightly covered 20 minutes or until the scones are puffed 16 WestView News February 2020 www.westviewnews.org Senator Sherrod Brown Comes to the Village

Through his new book, er- and middle-class out. If you can tax Brown urges progressive the wealthier more to have better schools in poorer neighborhoods, then we’ll likely nationwide reforms end up with a better country. I never met a person less empathetic By Eric Uhlfelder than our current president. But I don’t feel At the funeral of New York Senator Rob- qualified to know why conservatives aren’t ert Kennedy in June of 1968 at St. Patrick’s moved by suffering. The longer I am in Cathedral, his brother Ted tearfully strug- politics, the less I want to ascribe motives gled to recall his slain brother as a man to behavior. “who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and So how can you work with conservatives? tried to stop it.” I make arguments that make financial Anyone who was touched by Bobby sense about helping those less fortunate… can’t help choking up hearing these words We will save on welfare and Medicaid if we CECILE RICHARDS INTERVIEWS SENATOR SHERROD BROWN at Cooper Union’s Great again. They remind us of what we lost and Hall in New York. Photo courtesy of The Cooper Union/Photo by Marget Long. can educate the poor, get them into decent the change in the arc of this country’s his- jobs. Providing shelter for homeless peo- tory that never was. His death marked the ple will help make them more productive end of the country’s last great progressive for historically black institutions of higher related to this eight-year project. citizens. Sometimes this approach works. movement. education, and brought additional aid to Why did you write this book? Then we see the president proposing cuts In his new book, Desk 88, Ohio Sena- servicemen and veterans. I love history. I thought I could teach folks to food stamps, which will only make re- tor Sherrod Brown recalls Kennedy and Brown, 67, is an anachronism from the about the pivotal role of progressive eras. cipients less productive, less healthy, and seven other progressive senators—includ- sixties. He wears his wavy hair longer than They are often short, we lose more than more inclined toward crime to survive. ing Hugo Black, William Proxmire, and most, avoids custom-tailored clothing, and we win, but when we win, we win really Herbert Lehman—who also served from buys suits made in Ohio. He’s casual and big: Collective Bargaining, Social Security, What made Bobby Kennedy unique? the same desk. He wrote this book to put precise, with an engaging smile that makes Clean Air, Civil Rights, Medicare…all the His evolution. He started off on the wrong a fire under progressives and remind them him light and serious at the same time. His things that are now so important to so many. side of many issues. He didn’t understand of what is possible, especially during times lapel is adorned with a pin of a canary to his privilege, worked for McCarthy, wire- of great divide. remind folks of the hardships facing coal Brown begins his book by distinguish- tapped Dr. King. But his empathy was The arc of current history was also radi- miners and all workers. ing between conservatives, who support unleashed when his brother was shot. It cally distorted when Hillary Clinton opted Informed by his Lutheran faith, Brown the status quo; and progressives, who seem forced him to be his own man. He went not to select Brown as her running mate is committed to a myriad of progressive more quixotic. His thoughts recall the fa- out in the world and saw the suffering in in 2016. He was on her short list. Had causes. He has trumpeted fair trade, la- mous quote Bobby Kennedy borrowed Bedford Stuyvesant, Indian reservations, she teamed up with him, I believe Clinton bor rights, US manufacturing, affordable from Shaw: “Some men see things as they Mississippi, and migrant workers across would’ve been president. health care, Wall Street reform, improved are and say, why. I dream things that never the land. “He got his public opinion bath,” The three-term senator from Ohio is race relations, and tax credits for low- and were and say, why not.” So I asked Brown, as Lincoln would’ve put it. a rare democrat from a state that has also middle-income Americans. At the same elected the likes of pro-Trump conserva- time he is remarkably pragmatic. Why don’t conservatives dream? How will someone writing about Desk 88 tives Senator Rob Portman and Represen- His direct, empathetic, no-spin, uniquely I don’t know. All my colleagues want the look back at you forty years on? tative Jim Jordan. In just the first eleven coarse-sounding voice recalls what we lost country to be better. But most conserva- I’ll let history judge that. But I think I will days of December, Brown pushed the at the Ambassador Hotel in California in tives believe in the trickle-down philoso- fit into the book in the same way the others country to recognize the critical role of a June of 1968. Last month he spoke at Coo- phy that the poor and disadvantaged will have. As a Lutheran, part of my faith is that fair and accurate census, helped workers per Union’s Great Hall about his new book. see improvement if the wealthy excel. I the charity you do is even better when no unionize, secured more than $46 million I spoke with him afterwards about matters believe the economy grows from the low- one knows about it. Do We Really Need Newspapers? The Chicago Tribune, for lack of ads, got sold last week, and the Times article cataloged WestView where thousands can read it? other venerable papers cutting staff and being bought by financial dice shooters. The Vil- I feel, after 15 years, we are just warming up to what a community newspaper can be so I lager's new Brooklyn owners indiscriminately display ads for a Bronx Bank don't want you to send us $12 to continue to get the old WestView—I want you to send it in It takes a Trump-like ego to think that WestView News can escape the arithmetic of high the hope you will get a better and better WestView. cost to print and distribute and the difficulty in getting ads when you can go online free. But And then boy, we get a heart operating room—what newspaper has done that? we are going to try. We are going to try—that is—if you think it is worth the effort? We like But wait, this is your newspaper, and you have lived a unique and interesting life and every the paper and as I keep saying it could become much better—more valuable to the West Vil- once in a while what you have learned in your life time makes you stop and think "no, they lage readers if we can better, more fully, report on what is important to us living here (I raised got it wrong" and then write to WestView and straighten us out. a family here over 50 years). As I said, This is not my newspaper—it is your newspaper—but if you want my opinion, I At about this point readers are skipping to another page—we have heard too many hard think we ought to try and keep it. luck stories and, so what if another paper goes out of business—I get my news from TV anyway. And then I get a 96-year-old woman who had her life savings conned away from her ❑ OK let's try and keep it alive! Here is my $12 for one year. over the phone from people who said they were a government office—she calls WestView. ❑ Here is $24 for two years. Politicians sit down for a cup of coffee at my kitchen table when they are running for office ❑ Here is my gift to WestView for a job well done $______and they would rather not read a sarcastic appraisal of their legislative ideas. What is more effective—sending an email to your City Councilman or seeing it printed in Mail to WestView News, 69 Charles St., New York, NY 10014 or online at westviewnews.org www.westviewnews.org February 2020 WestView News 17 Maggie B’s Quick Clicks THOUGHTS IN PASSING as the New Year/Decade arrived:

Did she see this coming? How come some places are favorites?

While, down the block, others fold? Is it because everybody shops online?

PLUS SOME JOLLY SURPRISES Like the full moon over Greenwich Street And the June-in-January picnic

The poster in need of a proofreader The visitor from long ago (est.1941!) SERVING THE VILLAGE FOR OVER 70 YEARS. THANK YOU. The Ottomanelli’s

The caring Dad, ensuring dolly stays warm Not to mention the balloons that got away! and Staff O. OTTOMANELLI NEW YORK’S MEAT MARKET 285 Bleecker Street, New York, NY 10014 Tel. (212) 675-4217 • Fax (212) 620-7286 m m mTop m Quality m m Poultry m m andm mProvisions m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m All photos by Maggie Berkvist. m m m m m m m m m m m m m 18 WestView News February 2020 www.westviewnews.org

cific search term leads to visits, which leads continued from page 13 Web Analytics to sales, can result in better ad targeting. Everything You Need to Know Google Analytics, content popularity can The local clothing designer, for example, be determined by knowing the number of might bid on the search term bespoke suits views per article, and engagement can be after finding it on the site referrals list. About Japanese Woodworking measured by average amount of time spent While a political campaign would be in- on each of those articles. These statistics terested in all of the above data, it might also can be broken down into various date rang- want to break these statistics down by visitor es to spot trends over time. location, age group, gender, interests, and Google Analytics also lists referrals. Re- shopping behavior. It could then, for exam- ferrals occur when visitors arrive at a site ple, discover how well it is targeting 25-34 from external sources, such as links from year-old males living in New York City who other sites. They gauge popularity by indi- are interested in news and politics, and glean cating where traffic comes from and which how this slice of users is arriving at its site. pages are being linked to. Sources include Setting up Google Analytics for a spe- search engines, social media networks, cific website is a relatively simple process. other sites, or emails. When a blog’s visi- Once a Google Analytics account is cre- tor clicks a link and arrives at a newspaper ated, and a website has been authenticated article it becomes a referral. for tracking, a snippet of JavaScript code Referrals can be particularly helpful to will be provided by Google. This code will businesses because they are essentially free run on every page that is tracked. Many market research giving insight as to where web content management systems (CMSs) interest originates from. Search engine will have a way to add the code once—to referrals, in particular, can also include have it appear on every page. In WordPress the actual search terms that visitors typed this can be automated, using a plugin such before arriving at a site. A local clothing as MonsterInsights. designer could review these search engine Many more possibilities and use cases referrals to discover search phrases such as can be realized with Google Analytics. It bespoke suits, evening wear dress, or cus- provides the insight needed to know one’s tom tailoring. Each industry will have a audience and its ease of use makes it a DISASSEMBLED PUZZLE DESK, 2003. different set of popular search terms. great way to get familiar with web analyt- Search engines generally sell ad space ics. Google’s commitment to the service, its By Robert Kroll ple, the technique and theory are identi- for specific search terms through a bidding continual improvements, and integration cal. The width of a Japanese chisel often system. When users type phrases into the with its other products, such as advertising You can always tell when you’re in the determines the dimensions of the joinery. search engine they see the top bidders’ ads tools, make it a sensible choice for nearly presence of a Japanese woodworker: They The hammer-and-nail system is more for that search term. Knowing that a spe- anyone’s web analytics needs. usually have ten fingers. They have ten flexible if less elegant and composed. toes. (This woodworker has nine toes, Three main tools make up the Japanese but that’s another story.) But their hands carpenter’s arsenal: the plane, the saw, and feet show the inevitable effects of and the chisel. A Japanese tool company 3,000 Architects & Engineers Ask: their efforts to turn wood into comfort- product developer, Darin Lawrence, tells able furniture: cuts, scrapes, abrasions, us, “A hand plane is a specialized tool de- blisters—painful. The woodworker, not signed to hold a sharpened blade to ac- 14 Key Questions About the wood, should be feeling pain. A complish a specific woodworking task. It 9/11 woodworker heals. Wood does not. is usually pushed or pulled along a surface The key difference between Japanese to cut or smooth a piece of wood.” That’s More than 3,000 architects and engineers are upholding their and Western woodworking is the sharp- it. Now use it, carefully. Alternatively, the respective profession’s code of ethics and questioning the official ness of Asian tools. A Japanese wood- joint can consist of a “hand shake,” as reports of the collapse of World Trade Center Buildings 1, 2 and 7. worker spends as much time sharpen- shown in the accompanying photo. ing the chisel as chipping away with it. A chisel performs delicate surgery and The tools become mayhem makers. No brutal cutting and carving, says Rob- matter. Better than harming wood. You ert Kroll, Jewish-American Japanese don’t want a surgeon with a dull scalpel. woodworker—me. The saw, in Japanese An American woodwright sharpens the joinery, allows one to both shorten and blade three times a year whether it needs elongate wood slabs. If it takes more than it or not. four minutes to elongate your slab, call WTC 7 collapsed symmetrically, completely, into its own footprint at free-fall A Japanese chisel is designed to pro- your doctor. You are bleeding. More on acceleration, in under 7 seconds, after witnesses heard explosions. duce strong joints just as a nail is designed elongating next time. to produce strong joints. The difference attributes the collapse of on a new phenomenon called NIST WTC 7 “thermal is that a nail is mean; it cracks through End of lesson. Next month: Knowing when expansion,” which it blames on “normal office fires.” wood and harms it. Splinters fly when a to pull out. Based on this hypothesis, must we conclude that our understanding of fire science, nail is driven. No splinters are produced building materials, and structural behavior has been deeply flawed all along? by a razor-sharp chisel, just a clean cut. A Japanese joint involves only wood. Q u e s t i o n # 2 If so, then why has the International Two or more pieces are fitted together, female and male, using only friction and Conference of Building Officials (ICBO) steadfastly resisted all a tight fit. A hole, or mortise, is cut and proposed post-9/11 changes to structural building codes? a rectangular wooden object—a tenon or peg—fits into that hole. The tenon, pre- Read the full article here: http://westviewnews.org/911 cisely cut, penetrates the hole under the Support Us! force of a mallet so that it won’t withdraw or split the female piece. A permanent, AE911TRUTH.org often exposed, harmonious union is the ELONGATING JOINERY using a “hand- goal; whether for a stool or a Shinto tem- shake.” www.westviewnews.org February 2020 WestView News 19 Classical Music Concerts in the Village Concerts for Seniors, Students & Everyone By Gordon Gilbert tifully presented with both passion and precision. Afterwards, It was indeed quite an entertaining performance, as the there was wine in the Revelation Gallery and an opportunity to audience showed with their enthusiastic applause after THE STRATHMERE ENSEMBLE mingle with the musicians and St. John’s Rector, Father each of the three pieces played by these fine young musi- St. John’s in the Village Graeme. cians. Afterwards, there was wine and cheese in an adja- Saturday, January 18, 2020 I am already eager to learn of the music planned for cent alcove, and I talked with my friend some more be- February! fore leaving. As a very accomplished musician himself, he was more critical than I of the performance we both had THE ROSAMUNDE QUARTET just heard, but nonetheless, he remains enthusiastic about New School Concerts these concerts, and intends to continue subscribing to the January 26, 2020 full series each year, as he has in the past. For me, a long On a Sunday afternoon in late January, I attended for the time West Village resident, it is always a pleasant surprise first time the monthly Schneider Concert Series, this one to learn of something else that happens in my neighbor- featuring Mendelssohn’s String Quartet No. 6 in F Mi- hood but of which I have been until recently unaware. To nor, Kevin Puts’ Credo and Schubert’s String Quartet in an unnamed friend, my thanks so much for the tickets! A Minor. And kudos to the New School for supporting this series, Looking around before the program began, I noted that and to those who help fund it, for keeping the cost for us most of the audience looked to be the other side of fifty, older folks low enough to be affordable! like myself. Then I saw an old friend come in, and we spoke briefly. My friend has been going regularly to these THE STRATHMERE ENSEMBLE: Top Row: Louise Schul- New School classical concerts for some years. He says it is man, Gerard Reuter, Daire FitzGerald,David Taylor, Alan wonderful entertainment for a very low price! (Later, on Cox, Bill Blount, Mitsuru Tsubota. Bottom row: Jack Kulow- the New School website, I learned that a full price ticket is itsch, Bill Zito, Martin Kuuskman, Gerald Ranck. $18, but for seniors it is only $16. Students, if 30 or under, What a pleasant surprise to learn about the abundance of can get standby tickets for only $5. And if you get a season music being presented each month at St. John’s in the Vil- subscription, it is only $80 for all six concerts, or $56 for lage! four of the six!) This January, there are about two dozen events sched- This concert series is in its 64th season. The Rosamunde uled in the church itself or in their Revelation Gallery, and String Quartet was founded in 2015 so that its members three-fourths of them are music, with many of them free could pursue their passion for the string quartet repertoire. or at a reduced price for seniors and students. Its members include young stars from three of the world’s I recently attended the Strathmere Ensemble’s concert, along greatest orchestras: Noah Bendix-Balgley, 1st concertmas- with a senior friend, and gratefully made a donation, although ter of the Berlin Philharmonic; Shanshan Yao (violin) and THE ROSAMUNDE STRING QUARTET: Noah Bendix- for a senior like myself, it was free. The church has wonderful Nathan Vickery (cello) of the New York Philharmonic; and Balgley (violin); Shanshan Yao (violin); Teng Li (viola); and acoustics, and the Telemann and Vivaldi selections were beau- Teng Li, principal violist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Nathan Vickery (cello). Christina Courtin & The Knights at Joe’s Pub By Hannah Reimann typical live pop sound. Nonetheless, the songs are absolutely accessible to audiences of various genres. This is a demon- Singer-songwriter Christina Courtin and The Knights, an stration of how The Knights wish to eliminate barriers be- adventurous musical ensemble of classically trained instru- tween audiences and music. The audience was thrilled by mentalists, played their Joe’s Pub debut on Mozart’s 264th the music; they listened attentively throughout the show. birthday, January 27, 2020. Four of the Knights fittingly Some of the album’s songs recant complex emotions dedicated the first movement of Mozart’s Flute Quartet in about Courtin’s mother (“You Held Me Up”), her brother D Major, K. 285 to the composer as a prelude to a full set (“Matthew’s Wings”), some were richly arranged for the of songs by Courtin. large group providing lush possibilities for expansion of Founded by violinist and cellist, Colin and Eric Jacobsen, volume and effect in performance (“Coyote Midnight”). The Knights are comprised of about thirty-eight top-class This was not a common run down of love songs by a be- players, from strings to brass, woodwinds, piano and much ginner; they are stories about life, reflections of important more, mostly Juilliard grads living in Brooklyn. They are experiences told with honesty, candor and an open heart “flexible in size and repertory,” have played with Yo-Yo Ma, by a woman who truly cares. premiered new works, toured the US and Europe, seeking out Between two “Situation Station” songs, Courtin sang a new adventures on a regular basis. gorgeous cover of a song by Judee Sill, “The Kiss,” together For this special event, eleven players joined Courtin who with Alex Sopp, flutist in the band, who put her flute down is also a Knight, a violinist who sometimes sings and plays to sing with equal passion. Sill was a songwriter active in simultaneously, to celebrate the release of her new album, the 1970’s. ”Situation Station.” This sophisticated collection of deeply AN ADVENTUROUS MUSICAL ENSEMBLE OF CLASSICAL- The Knights will be performing on Saturday, February 15, personal and heartfelt songs, many having to do with Cour- LY TRAINED INSTRUMENTALISTS, Christina Courtin with 2020, from 2-3pm at BRIC, 647 Fulton Street in Brooklyn, tin’s family, is beautifully enhanced by the instrumental ar- Colin & Eric Jacobsen. Photo credit: Shervin Lainez. a one-hour matinee where audiences of all ages will be intro- rangements. The band’s versatility and command of style duced to classical music in a fun, relaxed and interactive set- allow them to flow from sounds of Americana, folk, country, The Knights recorded the album with her and are clearly ting. Christina Courtin will be at the Irish Arts Center at 553 early Jazz Honky Tonk and Blues that characterize Cour- dedicated to making the songs exceptional. This made for West 51st Street at 7pm on Monday, March 9th. tin’s melodies and harmonies, all the while maintaining a a most enjoyable performance and celebration. There were perfectly in-tune, synchronized wall of sound for her, some- whistling of melodies, piano, string and vocal tunes played https://theknightsnyc.com times spare and reflective, sometimes rich and exuberant. in unison and other entrancing combinations unusual to a https://www.christinacourtin.com Modernism lives in Tribeca.

A collaboration of design visionaries. KPF. David Rockwell. David Mann. Edmund Hollander. www.westviewnews.org February 2020 WestView News 21

tween looking up to see what might be fly- prominently long tail and has a gener- ing overhead and looking down to be sure ally flappier wing stroke (as well as it often Flyover that Millie isn’t snagging some fast-frozen keeps a few cronies in formation), or a Gull tidbit under the snow, on the upswing, I is lighter in color, has thinner wings, and By Keith Michael catch the banded tail of a Cooper’s Hawk usually flies much higher. Of course, look- A snowball whizzes across the street. That’s traversing Perry Street. ing up on a gray day and seeing a solitary about the time one has to snap an identifica- Inevitably, I’ll be asked, “Now how could flying bird, size and color can be deceiving. tion onto a bird flying high above even the you tell that was a Cooper’s Hawk, in the, A Kestral or a Peregrine Falcon are other modest scale of our West Village buildings. like, less than a second that you saw it?” raptors that are entertaining possibilities. Let me get this out of the way right at the Well, frankly, in the West Village in Janu- Both can be seen during these winter days beginning. Does one need to name a bird by ary, there really aren’t so many choices as though both are sleeker and might be more species to enjoy its presence? I have pondered to what kind of a large bird it might be. easily mistaken for a pigeon, particularly the and argued this question multiple times, and Likelihood is the first clue. Throughout the diminutive parti-colored Kestral. A Peregrine the answer is a definitive, “No!” One can bask winter, I do see a Cooper’s Hawk nearly ev- would be a choice sighting at any time! An- in the form, the color, the speed, the mystery, ery other day if not more often. There are other choice worth considering is the similar the otherness, the happenstance of seeing likely several of them that have taken up Sharp-shinned Hawk. This close relative of it—as many layers as one can personally con- winter quarters, but I’ve only ever seen one the Cooper’s is generally smaller, though the jure—and none of those need a common or at a time. I’m sure that the pigeons in the larger female Sharp-shinned can be the same scientific moniker to season that bouillabaisse neighborhood aren’t too happy about their size as the smaller male Cooper’s. A useful tip A COOPER’S HAWK showing fine flying form of relishing the bird. However, like falling in seasonal presence. Often in the morning on for discerning the difference between the two over Perry Street (thanks to an understudy love, it’s difficult not to find out more and my way to the subway, if I see a flock of pi- in flight is that though both have a charac- from Pelham Bay Park, The Bronx). Photo more in the process, and that might include, geons circling speedier than usual, it’s not a teristic flap-flap-flap-glide style. If those flaps by Keith Michael. “What’s your name?” surprise to find a Cooper’s in pursuit. Look are more of a blur it’s a Sharp-shinned Hawk, Even though this unseasonably late first for the one bird that is “not like the others” and if you can count the flaps individually it’s Hawk on this brief excursion was excellent. snow has already dwindled to slush on the and try to follow it, unless you’re not pre- likely a Cooper’s. Off we go, back inside, to dream of winter sidewalk, I convinced Millie to follow her pared for the likely conclusion to this chase If you do get the chance to look at a eagles and owls. nose into this winter (squishy) wonderland. scene. If you’re a pigeon (which is unlikely perched Cooper’s Hawk on a fire escape I don’t think that it’s only because a corgi’s if you’re reading this) that’s not the way you enjoying the sun, you might notice its Visit keithmichaelnyc.com for books, photo- nose is closer to the sidewalk, but for Mil- want to start (and end) your day. handsome chevroned chest pattern, neatly graphs, and the latest schedule of New York lie, snow does seem to amplify the olfac- Of the other common birds considered horizontally striped tail, and tidy cap. City WILD! urban-adventures-in-nature tory clues buried there (or possibly snow from my mental pull-down list: a Red- Millie suddenly tugs me away from the outings throughout the five boroughs. Visit does obscure the smells so that she has to tailed Hawk is larger and proportionately street. She’s done. Enough with the ice be- his Instagram @newyorkcitywild for photos work harder at it.) While whip-lashing be- broader, a Common Crow doesn’t have a tween her toes already. Seeing a Cooper’s from around NYC.

respectability as Eisenhower’s Vice Presi- that even a false statement about a public sorting out truth from lies? Why not follow Notes From Away dent. The stigma of his early campaign tac- figure was defensible if not made with a Facebook’s example and leave it to the market? tics faded, but his willingness to play dirty to “reckless disregard” for the truth. Where did Facebook’s business model doesn’t work if Truth Teller win elections was again made evident by the that leave tricksters who use social media to it is legally responsible in money damages for Watergate scandal that enveloped his 1972 knowingly and recklessly misinform? Un- false statements in its ads and posts. If Face- By Tom Lamia presidential campaign and led to his resig- protected and underground. book is a publisher of that content it does In last month’s column, I spoke of political nation as President in 1974. Muskie was Today’s dirty trick is less likely to be a have legal responsibility and would, there- dirty tricks. Typically a “dirty trick” in po- the leading candidate among Democrats for false report in the mainstream press than fore, have to prove the truth or the absence litical campaign combat involves secretive their party’s nomination in 1972 before be- a thinly sourced tabloid story or a troll of reckless disregard for the truth of what skullduggery designed to be untraceable to coming a victim of the dirty tricks practiced posting on social media. The no reckless is in that content. Accordingly, perhaps, the candidate or his or her campaign. No by the Nixon presidential machine. disregard defense applies to tweeters and Facebook has advised the public that it is a credit for the trick is claimed and deniabil- Dirty tricks have not gone away. Today’s retweeters of loathsome stuff that has un- “platform,” not a publisher. As a platform, ity is built into the planning. It was such a tricksters are to be found more often in so- dergone no verification review at all, but it says, it simply puts up what its members dirty trick that brought low Ed Muskie of cial media than in newspaper or telephone these information pirates can hide behind and advertisers propose, without censor- Maine of whom I spoke last month. scams. Twitter trolls and bogus digital ads anonymity or can find refuge in bankrupt- ship or qualification for truth. Hundreds of Richard Nixon was a master, if not the operating behind complex computer fire- cy. The big fish, like the supermarket tab- years ago, in England’s market courts, this originator, of the dirty trick. “Tricky Dick” walls have enabled the spread of “alterna- loids, are prepared to defend themselves in was known as caveat emptor (let the buyer worked hard at leaving no fingerprints on tive facts”--lies that through repetition over court. No issue goes to press without first beware) and released the seller from liability his tricks, which generally involved un- social media become accepted as true and being vetted by lawyers whose pedigrees for defects in goods. Facebook appears to sourced claims that his opponents had remain so in the eyes of those who would and hourly rates are more impressive than be using a similar denial of responsibility to Communist Party sympathies. When like to believe they are true. Still, a reputa- the journalistic standards of their clients. absolve itself from defects in its content. Nixon first ran for the Senate, he referred tion damaging false statement is libelous, So, in this setting, how can the public be So, I am wondering, is my notion of a to his Democratic opponent, Representa- even if its source believes it to be true. A lie responsibly informed? truth teller any more fanciful than Face- tive Helen Gahagan Douglas, as the “Pink made in an anonymous chat room is legally A possible remedy, however impractica- book’s belief that it does not publish what Lady.” His campaign workers made tele- no different from one made in open debate. ble, would be an independent “truth teller” it circulates? Consider that Facebook uses phone calls to voters, asking, “Did you All publishers are legally responsible for charged with separating fact from fiction in the Internet (a government creation) with- know that Douglas is a Communist. “ the content of what they publish. A false the political atmosphere. out charge for its worldwide community In at least one case, Nixon’s accusations statement about a public figure, if made In government, business, religion, char- electronic bulletin board. How reasonable of Communist party activity were proved with reckless disregard for its veracity, is a ity, military and sports, there are truth tell- is its claim that it should have no respon- to be accurate, but his long history of cry- libel compensable in money damages. Rep- ers—well-informed neutrals responsible sibility for what is on its pages? For salt in ing wolf made him a doubtful accuser of utations of public figures can be enormously for finding objective truth where necessary. the wound, consider also that Facebook uses Alger Hiss, a brilliant lawyer and high- valuable, great enough to ruin even the larg- These are the inspectors general, ombuds- the voluminous data that it mines from its ranking State Department official who was est newspapers, broadcasters or magazines. men, research scientists, mediators and content in refining and extending its prod- convicted of perjury for lying to a grand Consequently, the mainstream media are other professionals who by nature or train- ucts, and also sells that data to third parties. jury about his contacts with communists very careful about what they publish. To- ing are relied upon to protect institutions If Facebook is not legally responsible for its and served a long prison term. day, all media have some protection against from villainous misdirection. content and turns a blind eye to the identity McCarthyism soon followed, buoyed by libel lawsuits brought by public figures. A Why would it make any sense to add yet of users and advertisers, who or what is to the Hiss conviction. Nixon went on to gain 1964 U.S. Supreme Court case established another layer of complexity and expense to protect the public from cyber thugs? 22 WestView News February 2020 www.westviewnews.org Then&Now: Palazzo Chupi at 360 West 11th Street tains, despite claims from neighbors to the contrary, “We played by the rules and didn’t seek any favors.” Completed at the start of the 2008 economic meltdown, the five residential units and two commercial spaces re- mained half empty for a while, inhabited mostly by family members and friends. Mr. Schnabel occupies the lower floors of warehouse and studio, his garage, an exhibition space, and a pool. One unit was reserved for Schnabel’s wife, “Chupi” (his nickname for his second (ex-)wife), the actress Olatz López Garmendia, and their twin teenage sons, Olmo and Cy (both became actors). Of his other children with his first wife Jacqueline, including Stella and Lola (both became ac- tors), Vito is an art curator and dealer, who curated his first art show in 2003 when he was 16, and also lives at Chupi. William Brady, a managing director of Credit Suisse, bought one unit for $15.5 million, and actor Richard Gere bought another for $12 million, both well below the initial asking price. By the end of 2010 however, the last unit on the market had sold, grossing Schnabel about $45 million in total sales. In 2012, the fading pink paint on this “piece of art” got a refresher coating. To put this construction in context, two 15-story towers stand on the north and south corners of Perry and West THEN. Photo: NYC Municipal Archives. NOW. Photo: Wikipedia. Streets; the 173 & 176 Perry Street Condominiums were added in 1999-2002 to the West Village skyline. As the first By Brian J. Pape, AIA, LEED-AP foreground of the photo is part of the NY Central Railroad new construction in Manhattan to be designed by Richard viaduct (“High Line”) built ca. 1927. Both the townhouse at THEN: In the 19th century, Greenwich village became an Meier, who started his career repurposing the Bell Labs for Lot 64 and the house lots beyond 360 West 11th Street are established ‘suburb’ of the growing Manhattan metropolis, the Westbeth Artists’ Coop, these were striking transparent destined for new residential buildings; Lot 64 will eventually and a ca. 1852 map shows West 11th Street (then Ham- minimalist forms, shocking to many. Then in 2003-2006, he be part of the West Village Houses, promoted by Jane Jacobs. mond Street) built up with many buildings on small lots, added the sister 16-story condo at 165 Charles Street. In 1961 Jane Jacobs, an editor of Architectural Forum maga- although it also shows a group of buildings labeled “Iron Mr. Schnabel, who likes pajamas for lounging and working, zine who lived nearby, rallied neighborhood residents to op- Works” at what would become 360 W 11th Street. pointed out that artists are always misunderstood. He said pose Mayor Robert Wagner’s plan to have this twelve-block 354 West 11th Street, adjacent to it, is a three-story Greek he’d always liked the work of Addison Mizner, the architect area west of Hudson Street declared an urban renewal site, Revival row house on a 22’ lot, dating from ca.1841-42 (it who created the resort of Boca Raton, Florida in the 1920s, thereby saving the area from complete demolition. That same serves as a well-preserved individual landmark example of and he wanted to merge that style with some elements of his year, Jane Jacobs authored the influentialThe Death and Life the fine homes built during those prosperous times). own Stanford White-designed house in Montauk. of Great American Cities. When the Landmarks Preservation At the turn of the century, as the Hudson River surpassed Andrew Berman, executive director of Village Preserva- Commission was formed in 1963, she recommended the en- the East River as the primary artery for maritime commerce, tion, described Schnabel’s building as a monument to this tire West Village be included in an Historic District; unfortu- and the Gansevoort and Chelsea Piers (1894-1910) were guy’s ego. So true, but another local critic considers the Pala- nately, only a smaller part further east was designated in 1969. constructed, West Street north of Christopher Street became zzo to be much more in the tradition of the West Village than the busiest section of New York’s commercial waterfront. The NOW: From almost the day the 12-story, 170 feet tall, condo all those glass towers. The beauty and peaceful environment streets near the busy docks and Hudson River Railroad on building was completed in 2008, re-christened as “Palazzo in the Village still attracts an interesting variety of people who West Street were filled with working-class dwellings and Chupi” by the artist/owner Julian Schnabel, it has been con- thrive on the excitement of Manhattan, yet long for their own warehouses. Large storage warehouses, as well as transpor- sidered a landmark for the neighborhood, having garnered special place to call home. Cinematic and romantic, this al- tation-related commerce, were in high demand, so in 1900 tons of publicity in newspapers, magazines, and other media, ways made the West Village unique and attractive. (some records say 1915), a stables building of four floors as well as a Wikipedia page. Julian Schnabel is a successful There is a part of the populace that cherishes both the old and five carriage bays off the narrow street at 360 West 11th American artist and filmmaker, born in Brooklyn in October and new West Village. Wouldn’t it be a shame if all the joy Street was built, its 66’ front consolidating lots 60, 61, and 62. 1951. He bought this property in 1997 and designed his neo- and surprise were squelched for future work? In the 1940 Tax Photo, the white-painted 354 West 11th Venetian villa, to be built on top of the former horse stable, Street abuts the dark brown brick with light stone details of before the area was about to be rezoned in 2005; he raced to Brian J. Pape, AIA, LEED-AP, is an architectural consul- 360 West 11th Street; note the elevator bulkhead and fas- start the foundation work before the rezoning would void his tant in private practice, serves on Community Board 2 in cia above the center of 360 West 11th Street, that will be in- designs. Brian Kelly is a musician and long-time friend who Manhattan, and is co-chair of the American Institute of corporated into the later alterations. The construction in the managed the construction project for the artist, who main- Architects NY Design for Aging Committee. www.westviewnews.org February 2020 WestView News 23 Dollars and Sense in NYC By Brian J Pape, AIA many other others. There are sluggish sales in its residen- tial buildings as well. But before you start feeling sorry Back in 2014, Jonathan Miller started to observe a U.S. for Stephen Ross, founder and chairman of The Related housing market pattern of wildly overpriced luxury hous- Companies, remember that these large developers have ing listings that rarely sold; he dubbed it “aspirational pric- a long-term contingency plan, to absorb and fund short- ing.” Much has been publicized about the rush to develop falls. Loans can be partially paid off as sales come in, re- high-end apartments in the heady days after the Great Re- ducing the carrying cost. And other, more productive proj- cession broke, producing the tallest residential buildings in ects can off-set some losses. our hemisphere, and a new neighborhood district called Mr. Miller, the president of Miller Samuel Real Es- “Billionaires’ Row” south of Central Park. The super-tall tate Appraisers & Consultants, reported that many areas One57 tower there, marketed since 2011 and completed of Manhattan, like Soho and Tribeca, have 30+% of new in 2014, remains about 20 percent unsold, and 27 of 132 units unsold. There are also thousands more units being ZAHA HADID DESIGNED THIS BRONZE-CLAD FUTURISTIC apartments still held by the developer. constructed now that have not begun closings but suffer LUXURY CONDO for the Related Companies, but even the A spectacular high-end condo building along the High from the same market dynamics. star-power of the late architect hasn’t been enough to sell Line Park was designed by the late architect Zaha Hadid, The listing website StreetEasy analyzed more all the apartments. Could it be because of the thousands of but sales have slowed dramatically at the star architect’s than 16,200 condo units across 682 new buildings com- tourists gaping into the expansive picture windows from the project. According to property records for 520 W. 28th pleted in New York City since 2013, and as of a few High Line Park, just a few feet away in this rendering? Credit: St., only 16 of the building’s 39 units had sold by last year, months ago, one in four remain unsold, or roughly 4,100 Related Companies. a roughly 40% portion, at the average sale price of $8.3 apartments—most of them in luxury buildings. million. Fourteen of the 16 apartments were sold in 2017, Miller Samuel tried to put it in perspective, reporting January 2013 and August 2019 have appeared on StreetEasy with only two units selling in 2018. The Related Compa- that only 4.4% of all sales in 4Q19 were sold at/above $5 as rentals. nies, the developer, had been asking nearly $60 million for million and therefore sales below $5 million accounted for Closer to home, 150 Charles opened its 91-unit, 15-sto- a combined double penthouse unit. For the deals closed, 95.6% of the Manhattan market. Sales above the $5 mil- ry condo in 2015. Designed by COOKFOX Architects they amount to roughly $132 million in sales, not enough lion threshold fell 37.6% Year-Over-Year and sales below for Witkoff Development, the desirable location and in- to pay off the $162 million mortgage that city records $5 million rose 1.6%. Yet, the top 4.4% of sales accounted timate, heavily landscape outdoor spaces, right up to the indicate Related has on the property. Just one more sale for 30% of the total dollar market volume of $4.4 billion penthouses, compliment the red-brick walls and industri- could possibly put the Hadid building in the red, despite this 4Q19 quarter. al-type windows, and create a celebrity magnet for those the delays. Marketing tactics can be used to counteract the slowdown, with the means. It sold out before the first person moved Hadid’s condo building is just south of Related’s Hud- such as, selling unsold units in bulk to investors, converting in, but as we’ve seen above, many initial sales were to in- son Yards, where there’s a million square feet of shopping condos to rentals suddenly, and “rent-to-own” options for un- vestors for their resale potential. mall, several restaurants, hotel and residential towers, and sold apartments; and condos recently sold can be re-listed as Prices have definitely come down in recent months, but acres of public space. Related developed the Time War- rentals by investors who are reluctant to put them back on the a few million to a billionaire paying $10-30 million may ner Center at Columbus Circle a few years back, among market. As a case in point, 38 percent of condos sold between not be enough of a bargain—who knows?

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WEST VILLAGE MODEL KAREN REMPEL ON BLEECKER STREET in electric red and violet dress by Engineered Karen’s Quirky by Andrea T. Photograph by Norberto Bana.

loved it. I tried on shoes in every style and color you Style can think of, and walked out much happier, if a bit poorer, with three gorgeous pairs of Choo-Choos in assorted styles, textures, and colors. Oh happy day! By Karen Rempel | Fashion Editor For more stories, style notes, and fun photos, see ka- rensquirkystyle.com and connect @karensquirkystyle. With spring still a distant wisp of hope, bright colors can help us bridge the gap in the dead of winter. What a For more stories, style notes, and fun photos, see karens- great opportunity to wear this delicious electric-toned quirkystyle.com and connect @karensquirkystyle. dress by Andrea Thurlow of Engineered by Andrea T. Notched cap sleeves and slim pencil skirt bring a hint of Forties elegance to Andrea’s modern classic. ELECTRIC RED WOOL SILK DRESS with violet color accents in 100% silk faille, lined in silk charmeuse. I love Andrea’s designs and the exquisite fabrics and Engineered by Andrea T, 147 West 35th Street tailoring that she combines in her unique and fabulous (by appointment only). way; a little bit edgy, a little bit quirky, and always stunning. But to make this outfit truly quirky, I added JIMMY CHOO ZEBRA-PATTERNED 5-INCH PLATFORM these very unusual zebra-patterned Jimmy Choo plat- PEEP-TOE SHOES in red patent leather with red form shoes. I get compliments on these every time I suede straps. Jimmy Choo sample sale, 123 W. 18th wear them, in part because they make me tower over Street, invitation only. the crowd! Which I love to do… The day I found these babies was a very special AMETHYST, LEATHER, AND SILVER BEAD BRACELET. New York first for me—my first designer shoe sam- UNOde50, The Oculus at World Trade Center, ple sale. Some women I worked with at Grasshopper 185 Greenwich Street. Bank shared their secret invitation to the Jimmy Choo RED CRYSTAL AND BEAD BRACELET BY THE sample sale with me, and every Sex and the City fan’s AUTHOR. For how to, see Complete Beading for fantasy ensued. We each got a large shopping bag at Beginners by Karen Rempel. the door, and headed straight for our size to scoop up the bargains before anyone else. I have never seen PEARL BEAD BRACELET AND PURPLE STONE DROP so many gorgeous shoes and shoe-hungry women in EARRINGS from Mademoiselle Mirabelle, one room before. It was a bit of a madhouse, and I 330 Bleecker St. Style on the Street: Love at First Sight It would be hard not to fall in love with any of these dapper gentlemen. All photos by Dusty Berke.

❸ www.westviewnews.org February 2020 WestView News 25 Westbeth Resident's New Award-Winning Film to Screen at The National WWII Museum WWII Museum screening is the 75th an- niversary of the crash. Produced by Field’s niece, Diane Fre- del-Weis, the film has been garnering ac- colades around the world including receiv- ing top honors at Chicago, New York and Los Angeles film festivals. “Collaborating with my uncle and mak- ing this film with him and then receiving such a great response to it has been incred- ibly rewarding.” says Fredel-Weis. Field is no stranger to the film world. He is a writer of the 1966 Academy Award- winning short documentary, To Be Alive. EDWARD FIELD. Photo by Bill Maynes. He is also well-known as a significant voice in LGBT literature and the literary On February 3, 2020, the National WWll world at large, and has won the Lambda Museum in New Orleans, will present a and Lamont Awards. He was recently in- screening of the short film, Minor Ac- ducted into the NY Veterans Hall of Fame cident of War, written and narrated by after being nominated by New York Sena- 95-year-old WWll veteran Edward Field tor Brad Hoylman and honored by SAGE, and based on his wartime experience as a the country’s largest and oldest advocacy navigator. organization for LGBT elders. Field, who lives in Westbeth, was a First “My uncle is as remarkable today at 95 as A Frencb Language and Contemporary Art School lieutenant in the 8th Air Force. On his 3rd he was fighting for freedom at 21,” says Fre- of 27 missions in 1945, after being shot up del-Weis. “I couldn’t be more proud of him.” Starting at 2 years old over Berlin, his plane crashed in the North Greenwich Village 7 West 10th Street | Upper West Side 159 West 82nd Street Sea. Of the ten crewmen, three lost their For more information on the museum Join a tour call or email 646 504 9694 | [email protected] lives. The short animated film is about his screening, please visit www.nationalww- struggle to survive. And the date of the 2museum.org and www.ww2shortfilm.com

VIEWS BY SUZE Suzanne McAndrews 50 + years in Greenwich Village See Views by Suze at Bonsignour Café Jane Street and Eighth Avenue 646-689-3475 [email protected]

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26 WestView News February 2020 www.westviewnews.org Writing Through Icons: Franz Kafka & Jean Seberg Authors Rosalind Palermo Stevenson and Stephanie Dickinson converse about writing through the personas of Franz Kafka and Jean Seberg in their books Kafka At Rudolf Steiner’s and Heat: An Interview with Jean Seberg

By Amy Geduldig legendary actress written in the form of a writers in bringing the sensibility of these ABOUT THE AUTHORS fictional interview. In both these books we individuals into a fictional landscape; and To engage in conversa- have written people who are real but at the the endurance of these two icons in time Rosalind Palermo Stevenson is the author tion and explore some same time fictitious by combining what is and the way they continue to speak to the of the novel The Absent, the novella Insect aspect of the vast world known with an imagined unknown.With 21st century. We will invite you, the audi- Dreams, and the chapbook Kafka At Rudolf of literature brings the historic and beautiful Jefferson Market ence to join in this conversation by asking Steiner’s. Insect Dreams has also been pub- readers together in the branch of the New York Public Library as questions and sharing your thoughts and lished in the anthologies Poe’s Children (Peter spirit of community, our setting, we will talk about what drew impressions. Straub, ed.) and Trampoline (Kelly Link, and transforms what is us to these two iconic figures and what it We love this quote by Sara Holdren, ed.). Her work appears in numerous literary generally the private ex- was like to write in a kind of embodiment which we find resonant with our inten- journals. She is currently working on a book perience of reading into of their personas. Subjects we will delve tion for our conversation to be a tribute of lyric prose exploring speculative autobiog- one that is shared. It is in this spirit, and into are: the challenge of stepping outside to Kafka and Seberg. “There’s a word raphy and the female Adam. with audience participation in the form of the known into the unknown in recasting in Russian: obraz. Translated simply it questions and answers, that we will converse the real into fiction; ways in which each means image, but more accurately it re- Stephanie Dickinson is the author of the about those two cultural giants, Franz Kafka of these icons were victims of the life they fers to an icon… More than a symbol, an novels Half Girl and Love Highway. Some and Jean Seberg, and discuss what it was like were given to live; Kafka’s bleakly self- obraz is an instant that contains an en- of her other books include Heat: An Interview to write through their voices and personas. reflective vision of his life and the fore- tire cosmos.” We believe that with Franz with Jean Seberg, The Emily Fables, and Girl Kafka At Rudolf Steiner’s imagines shadowing in his work of the coming evil Kafka and Jean Seberg there is inherent Behind the Door. Her work appears in nu- Kafka’s 1911 visit to the spiritual scientist that could not be held back; Jean Seberg’s in them the idea that their lives were an merous literary journals and anthologies and Rudolf Steiner and juxtaposes it with his life lived as a woman ahead of her time instant that contained an entire cosmos. has been reprinted in Best American Nonre- idealized ten-day love affair with a young and being censured for acts that would in Please come join us in the welcoming at- quired Reading, New Stories from the South, girl while at a sanatorium in Riva in 1913. the next generation be commonplace— mosphere of the Jefferson Market Library and New Stories from the Midwest. She is the Heat: An Interview with Jean Seberg, is her life being a bridge between then and on February 29th on a winter afternoon at publisher of Rain Mountain Press. an intimate and revealing rendering of the now; the particular challenges we had as 3 p.m. and explore these subjects with us. Exciting Upcoming Community Events from the West 13th Street Alliance By the West 13th Street Alliance with you, sharing an Introduc- Whitney, sent Jano Cortijo to great program (too early to even tease you Thank you, neighborhood residents and tion to Zumba with Tess Ghil- share a beautiful visual presenta- about!) in June for kids. WestView readers, from the board of direc- aga, a Chair Yoga class with tion and lecture about the Whit- One more unique contribution by the tors of the West 13th Street Alliance. Your Chandra from Integral Yoga, ney Biennial 2019. Free Family West 13th Street Alliance which we are frequent attendance and lively participa- and making holiday cards with Passes to the Whitney Museum proud of, is we are partnering with NYPD’s tion in the Alliance’s Community Events the Ink Spot. We learned to- were given out to all attendees. 6th Precinct to identify areas in need of in 2019 humbles and pleases us that we are gether about Eating Well on a What can we look forward to graffiti removal, supplying the task force serving you and inspires us to plan even Budget with Healthful Foods in the months ahead? A Commu- with paint, tools and community support. more! from nutrition expert Karen Ranzi. nity Wine-Tasting event with MCF Rare Stay tuned for our article in WestView But first, we have great news. Thanks to Large groups of area residents and visi- Wine owner, Matt Franco, will be at the next month where we will have a date for Assemblymember Deborah Glick for re- tors attended illuminating lectures that Church of the Village, from 6:30 to 8:30 our April West 13th Street Alliance Com- sponding to our request to bring historic included Underwater Life of the Hudson p.m. on Thursday, February 27 and we are munity Meeting with a variety of special street lighting to West 13th Street between River and Beyond by local resident, John excited to present another program with guest speakers and an exciting announce- 7th and Greenwich Avenues. Bishop Delaney, Director of Communications, the Whitney Museum in 2020, Making ment about the next steps for our three- Crook streetlamps will be installed in 2020 New York Aquarium; Exploring the Orig- Knowing: Craft in Art, 1950-2019 which and-a-half-year-old organization. and you will be invited to a ceremony for inal West Village with Alfred Pommer; will take place at Lenox Health GV on April is also the month for one of the the community honoring this addition to Robert Moses, Jane Jacobs and the Battle March 10, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Alliance’s most beloved offerings, our our block. Thanks also to Speaker Corey for New York City with Jason Haber; and All of these events will provide free tulips in bloom, so enjoy the rainbow of Johnson and his staff for their help in mak- The Bowery Then and Now with Alice healthy snacks and refreshments. flowers on West 13th between 7th and ing this happen. Alexiou. And our magnificent neighbor- In the planning stages are a Commu- Greenwich Avenues. It is an honor to In 2019, we enjoyed playing Bird Bingo hood and world-renowned museum, The nity Painting Class in May and another serve all of you. Culinary Arts and Community Service at Manhattan School For Career Development (751M) By the 751M PTA following individualized education plans dle school in the new 75 Morton Street (IEPs), it might seem hard to build a sense Manhattan School for Career Develop- school building. MSCD also supports of community among students, as well as ment (751M), or MSCD, is a multi-site inclusion programs at Harvey Milk High between students, their teachers, staff, and District 75 school that serves over 200 School, High School of Fashion Indus- families. Yet, with the support and enthu- students throughout Manhattan. Its tries, and Hudson High School, as well as siasm of MSCD’s principal, Ewa Asterita, main site is its high school, or “Academy” transition programs and off-sites at NYU, the school regularly creates opportunities program, located in the East Village. Its Baruch, Teachers College, Bellevue, and for parents, teachers, staff, and students BRINGING EVERYONE IN THE SCHOOL “Prep,” or middle school, which opened Mt. Sinai, among other locations. to come together to celebrate community TOGETHER: Parents, students and staff in September 2018 in the West Village, is With students ranging in ages from 11 (through holiday events, workshops, par- prepare "Holiday Go-Bags." Photo courtesy co-located with MS 297, a District 2 mid- to 21 years old, and with all of the students continued on page 27 of MSCD-751M. www.westviewnews.org February 2020 WestView News 27

751M continued from page 26 ent participation in curriculum develop- cific needs of any particular student. Thus, ment, and regular meetings and activities the Holiday Go-Bags were a way to bring like “Coffee with the Principal” or “Paint- everyone in the school together, to not dis- ing with the Principal”). With a recently tinguish among students but rather to teach formed PTA the school has placed a prior- that community is built through caring and ity on building new and expanded oppor- cooperation. From start to finish, students tunities for parent engagement, which is were involved in every step of the process: especially important for students attending shopping for groceries, bringing the food District 75 schools like MSCD as students back to the school sites, distributing the food often come from different neighborhoods for the go-bags, and celebrating the distri- and districts to attend. bution of the go-bags at the holiday parties For many students at MSCD, school is before winter break. Although the process where they find their community, where reinforced skills like counting, sorting, and they build their friendships, and where they organizing, the celebration at which the find the support they need to thrive person- bags were distributed was all about friend- ally and academically. Recently, the school’s ship and community. One student reported, core belief in the power of community and “The Holiday To-Go bags were awesome. friendship as a foundation for learning was It helped to make my mom feel better. It put into action when the Culinary Arts Pro- made me really feel the care and kindness in gram’s teachers Victoria Love and Jeremy our school.” Another student added, “The Kaplan, with the support of the PTA and Holiday To-Go bags at our holiday celebra- the principal, introduced the idea of “Holi- tion made me really happy. I love our school day Go-Bags.” The idea behind the go-bags because of all my friends and everything the was to create an opportunity for parents, school does for us.” students, and staff to join together in serv- One of the school’s lead teachers, in- ing the school community while build- structional coach Kaitlyn Stillwagon, sum- ing key skills that relate to the curriculum: marized the importance of projects like nutrition, shopping, budgets, teamwork, this in building and showing community and transportation, as well as providing op- as something that may start in school but portunities to have discussions about food extends far beyond it—for each and every insecurity, volunteerism, and community one of the students. She said, “This proj- service. Like all New York City’s public ect, driven by our principal, Ewa Asterita, schools, at MSCD there are students who was inspired by our school’s belief that our experience food insecurity; and the holidays, school community does not just exist in in particular, can be stressful without the our school buildings during school hours, routines and provisions that school affords. but in each of the five boroughs where our At the same time, knowing what it means to students and families live 24/7. It was our work together, share, and provide for friends school’s way of spending the holidays to- and families is a lesson that exceeds the spe- gether in spirit while we were on break.” NEED A JOB? Sure, you had a pretty busy work career and can be proud of some of the things you have done in your life—but it is quiet now. All those skills and all of those work smarts are right now sitting pretty much unused. Why not use them ? WestView needs the following skills, but nobody who is competent at getting things done is excluded—we need general purpose doers. AD MANAGER to record and manage ad sales and maybe even close a sale or two (advertising is the only way to keep a newspaper alive so this is the most important job right now). ONLINE EDITION EDITOR with computer skills to run the online edition—to develop it, seek advertisers and in general make it more and more imaginatively versatile. PROOFREADERS, EDITORS to clean up submitted copy and make it sing. ADVERTISING SALES to offer a free ad and a discount to new businesses featured in the In and Out column (you get a 10% commission). This is an easy one for a relaxed and command- ing personality. REPORTERS to attend meetings, record and extract salient information, and interview key people. FUNDRAISERS. The West Village has a little more than its share of affluent who are willing to share surplus income with tax-exempt donations to WestView. A GOOD NICE HONEST LAWYER who can help WestView steer a path between the legal shoals and rocks, gifting his fees. BUSINESS WISDOM. A successful business mind that has learned by doing. CAREER WRITERS. After a successful and unique career, your story. GROUP DYNAMICS ADVISOR to sort out ego struggles amongst the staff. I could go on but you know you have skills that WestView could really use and it is fun to join a group that is really doing something. CALL GEORGE CAPSIS 212.924.5718 or email [email protected] 28 WestView News February 2020 www.westviewnews.org

lection of postcards. Jim loved to put away tumblers of bourbon as he puffed away on James Fitzgerald (1948-2019) cigarettes, one after the other; in 1983 he West Village Resident and Top him with our illustrated feature article in authored a book, The Joys of Smoking Cig- New York Editor the New York Daily News Sunday Magazine arettes. In the end he succumbed to lung called ‘Way Out West in New Jersey’ which cancer. Earlier he had suffered a stroke By Robert Heide and John Gilman completely convinced him that he should that left him wheelchair-bound, and after publish our guidebook ultimately entitled a period of time he heeded the call of the We first met Jim Fitzgerald in the lobby O’New Jersey—Daytripping, Backroads, Eat- Wild West, caravanning out to Taos where of the Algonquin Hotel in 1983 through eries, and Funky Adventures (1992). That he bought an adobe ranchero. There Jim our book agent Lois de LaHaba. Previous book was a regional smash-hit and we de- lived out his days in the land that he loved, to this, the first book we had written was livered ‘updated with additional new mate- only recently taking the Santa Fe Trail to entitled Dime-Store Dream Parade—Popu- rial’ editions in 1998 and 2006, each given a that New Mexico city where he died on lar Culture 1925-1955, an illustrated cof- newly-designed cover and new promotional December 28, 2019. As well as ourselves, fee table book. Following this thrust into pushes from our editor, Jim, who by that many others close to him are sadly left Americana, we went on to write a book en- time was our regular companion on endless JIM FITZGERALD, editor and agent extraor- behind including two long-time devoted titled Cowboy Collectibles (1982) which was trips to Jersey hotspots like Atlantic City, dinaire. Photo courtesy Farrar Fitzgerald girlfriends, Louisa McCune, the editor- a guide to collecting the toys, comics, sou- the Great Swamp, and many of the clas- Lannon. in-chief of ArtDesk Magazine in Okla- venir giveaways, and movie memorabilia of sic diners we found ‘way out West in New homa City and Kristina Cordero, as well America’s great Western heroes. We think it Jersey.’ Also importantly for all three of us, themed books. as Jim’s sister Suzanne and brother-in-law was this book that hooked Jim, a handsome, Jim published our guidebook and memoir After leaving St. Martin’s Press, Jim Michael Wallis out in Tulsa, his brother dashing Westerner who hailed from El Paso, of Greenwich Village, simply titled Green- founded the James Fitzgerald Agency Scott, his sister-in-law Jan, his daughters into giving us a wonderful two-book deal at wich Village (including the East Village and where he connected writers of biographies and son’s-in-law William and Zoe Cauley Doubleday where he was a senior editor. Soho) a Primo Guide to Eating, Shopping and of rock stars like David Bowie and Mick and Thomas and Farrar Lannon and his At Doubleday Jim introduced us to his Making Merry in True Bohemia which came Jagger to the best publishers. His favorite son James—now a Shanghai financier— colleague (with whom he often shared a out in 1995. This book featured a photo of cowboy singers were Merle Haggard and his nephews Kyle and Eric and his favorite, Checker cab) Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis all three of Jim’s kids, Zoe, Farrar, and James Hank Williams, and he was an avid collec- granddaughter Eulalea Cauley. Memorial who was then working as an editor there. Jr. posing on Christopher Street with two tor of Bob Dylan’s music, and also attended services will be held in April in Santa Fe She invited us guys to a big party for one of seven-foot-tall drag queens. many of Bob’s concerts, amassing Dylan and in Greenwich Village, a rousing party the books she had edited, which was at the Jim taught us everything about book pro- posters and T-shirts. Jim was a world trav- with margaritas aplenty, served with Texas Egyptian consulate where the hors d’oeuvres motion. One of the most successful of the eler but he mostly loved taking adventur- style Tacos and Burritos, will be held to were hummingbird’s tongues and the cham- fiction books he published wasGeneration ous train trips in antique trains on small celebrate Jim’s life at his old friend Sherry pagne was French. We felt Jacque was the X by Douglas Copeland, which coined the railroads out West. Being his authors and De Lamarter’s place on Hudson Street, the epitome of well-dressed glamour and charm term for a generation of young people. An- friends, and almost as members of his fam- Cowgirl Bar and Restaurant. Stay tuned with smarts galore. After that we created other of his successful nonfiction books was ily, we would join him in his Hoboken stu- for time and date. two books for Abbeville Press. When we Elevator Music by Joseph Lanza, and a slew dio (in a converted leather factory) where caught up with Jim again, he was a senior of books by Michael Wallis who lived in we spent countless hours listening to his All of Robert Heide and John Gilman’s books editor at St. Martin’s Press with a big of- Tulsa. Jim was the agent for Wallis’s hugely well told stories while he ran his miniature and plenty of Jim Fitzgerald’s edited or fice in the Flatiron Building. We presented successful Route 66 and other Western- train set-up or cataloged his immense col- agented books can be found on Amazon.

Evanston, Illinois to study theater. Later I est musical of the last century or any other continued my theater studies back in New for that matter. It opened in 1964 with the Jerry Herman (1931-2019) York with Stella Adler. incomparable Carol Channing in the starring During my early days in the Village I was role of Dolly Gallagher Levi with dances cho- only a block from Lenny’s Hideaway; and it reographed by Gower Champion and ran for became the place in which I began to hang seven years with a line-up of other Dollys like out on a regular basis. It was there I first met Ginger Rogers, Martha Raye, Betty Grable, Edward Albee with his then partner of 13 Phylis Diller and Ethel Merman. When Pearl years, William Flanagan, who were there Bailey took over with an all black cast, which most nights wearing leather jackets and included Cab Calloway, it won ten Tony’s. drinking bottled beer. Others I met there The movie starring Barbra Streisand in 1969 included the outrageous H. M. Koutoukas, was nominated for seven Oscars. A popular who lived just across the street from me. hit record by Louis Armstrong of the tune Lenny’s regulars also included the composer Hello Dolly! was on the top of the charts for Ned Rorem and a handsome young com- weeks. Recent revivals of Hello Dolly! starred poser named Jerry Herman. Eventually, Ed- Bette Midler, who won a Tony for her perfor- A HANDSOME JERRY HERMAN with two of his most frequent, famous Hello Dolly! stars, ward Albee became a prominent dramatist mance. And in 2018 when Midler was called Pearl Bailey (left) and Carol Channing (right). Photo courtesy of Jerry Herman Estate. beginning with The Zoo Story produced at back to Hollywood, it was an equally fantastic By Robert Heide drinking and carrying on often until 4 AM. the Provincetown Theater on MacDougal Dolly that took over—Bernadette Peters. Others who showed up for the night time Street on a double bill with Samuel Becket’s Jerry Herman certainly was ‘the tops’ but In the mid-1950’s I was attending prep revels included iconoclastic, bohemian, ar- Krapp’s Last Tape. when someone once called him a genius, he school—the Carteret School for Boys in tistic clientele like Talullah Bankhead, so- Jerry Herman was hired by the great im- demurred, “No, I’m just a tune-smith. I try West Orange, New Jersey—which was set cialite Peggy Hopkins Joyce, my Irvington, presario David Merrick to write the book and to be direct, simple, and cheerful.” on a hilltop with a spectacular view of Man- New Jersey hometown girlfriend Norma lyrics for Hello Dolly!—based on Thornton A sure to be theatrical memorial service hattan. A student chum of mine named Dick Edgar—who astonishingly later moved to Wilder’s play The Matchmaker—Herman’s is scheduled at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre Byrnes had a chartreuse four-door Cadillac Greenwich Village just around the corner greatest smash-hit success, which was fol- (where two past revivals of Dolly! were staged) sedan and on weekends a group of us would from me on Grove Street and whom I am lowed by the top Broadway musical Mame on February 3, produced by Michael Feinstein head into Manhattan to a Greenwich Village still in contact with to this day—and Ian and the wonderful gay-pride power musical with Bernadette Peters, Kristin Chenoweth, cellar-dive bar at 183 West 10th Street called Orlando Macbeth who was related to Cecil La Cage Aux Folles which had a book written Betty Buckley and many more performing. Lenny’s Hideaway which was run by a man Beaton, always appearing there in Shake- by Harvey Fierstein. Who can forget the lyr- named Lenny, an on-the-spot host who was spearean garb, speaking in iambic pentam- ics, eventually to become a sort of gay anthem, For more on the 2018 revival of Hello open and friendly to his mostly gay clientele. eter and often sporting a live, squawking when the two middle-aged male lovers screech Dolly! with Bette Midler and Bernadette Today it is a popular jazz club named Smalls. parrot on his shoulder. All of this ended out louder than loud, “I am what I am…”? Peters read Robert Heide’s February 2018 We all had a blast at Lenny’s, laughing, when I went to Northwestern University in To my mind Hello Dolly! may be the great- and July 2018 Westview columns. www.westviewnews.org February 2020 WestView News 29

Jane Lowry (1937–2019) atre of St. Louis; and summer stock at the Bucks County Jane Lowry, an actress whose 30-year career began at New Playhouse in New Hope, Pennsylvania, in 1974 York City’s legendary Caffe Cino and went on to include In 1970, Jane appeared in the first two productions of Broadway, film, television, and repertory theater, died No- the brand-new Circle Repertory Company, which had vember 15 after a brief illness. She was 82 years old. been co-founded by her former Northwestern classmate Although Ms. Lowry made her Broadway debut early Marshall Mason. The premiere was David Starkweather’s on, the bulk of her career and her most interesting roles A Practical Ritual to Exorcise Frustration After Five Days wound up being on smaller stages—both in New York of Rain; Jane later admitted that the actors “didn’t really and in regional theaters around the country. As a young believe in this play. We had no idea what it was, although actress, she had lamented not fitting the mold for tradi- we liked David.” The second production was Chekhov’s tional ingénue roles, but her versatility and range allowed Three Sisters—directed by Mason, eleven years after he her to excel at character parts that became her signature and Jane appeared onstage together in Chekhov’s The as a performer. Cherry Orchard at Northwestern. Jane Moyer Lowry was born on February 11, 1937, Photo courtesy of Christopher Zelno. In 1973, Jane scored a personal success in Lanford Wil- the daughter of Goodrich and Louise (Moyer) Lowry. son’s Hot l Baltimore, another Circle Repertory Company Her father was a banking executive from a prominent apple green, sensually, elegantly toc toc toc’ing her way (in production. As the prostitute Suzy, Jane was a replace- Minneapolis family: Jane’s great-grandfather Thomas three inch heels).” ment in the New York cast and then originated the role in Lowry founded the Twin City Rapid Transit Company, Jane was featured in two more Doric Wilson plays that the Baltimore production later that year. “Suzy is played and Goodrich Lowry went on to write the book Streetcar year: Babel, Babel, Little Tower and Now She Dances! Re- by Jane Lowry and she is the best thing in the show,” Man, about his grandfather’s role in the growth of Min- calling their collaboration, the author referred fondly to declared Richard Lebherz in the Frederick (Maryland) neapolis and St. Paul. The Lowry Hill neighborhood, “Lady Jane” and “one of Joe Cino’s most beloved actresses News-Post. “There is a sincerity in her performance that Thomas Lowry Park, and the Lowry Nature Center were (and my Gertrude Lawrence).” The two would remain comes through. As a hooker she probably is a flop because all named in recognition of the family’s contributions to friends until Wilson’s death in 2011. she is hunting for love instead of security and for a hooker the Twin Cities. Jane’s next role was arguably her biggest stretch so far— that is bad news.” Growing up in Wayzata, an affluent lakefront commu- playing a woman twice her age in This Side of Paradise, The Baltimore Sun’s R.H. Gardner wrote that “the two nity, Jane attended Northrop Collegiate School in Minne- based on a 1920 F. Scott Fitzgerald novel and directed by performances that most won my heart were those turned apolis (where she was voted “Best All-Around” in the 8th- acclaimed acting coach Herbert Berghof. She was cast as in by Eunice Anderson, as Millie, and Jane Lowry, as grade class poll) and grades 9-12 at Miss Hall’s School, the mother of the main character, even though actor Paul Suzy…their appeal is compounded by the on-the-nose a girls’ boarding school in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. She Roebling was actually just three years older than Jane in performances of the Misses Anderson and Lowry, the enjoyed writing and acting: her short stories and poems real life. latter of whom at one point is obliged to appear stark were published in yearbooks at both schools, and at Miss Wary of being typecast, Jane resisted additional offers naked—a first for Center Stage.” Hall’s she appeared in productions of A Midsummer Night’s to play older characters. “If you get just one older part in Over the years, critics commented on Jane’s resemblance Dream and I Remember Mama. a season, that’s fine, and that’s fair,” she explained. “But a to another, more famous actress. In reviewing the 1976 off- Jane remained in the Midwest for college, matriculating whole season of parts 60 to 70 years of age and over would Broadway play Cracks, Emory Lewis in the New Jersey Re- at Northwestern University—renowned for its School of not be fair to me. They are nice exercises, but you have to cord observed that Jane—at age 39—looked “startlingly like Speech—in Fall of 1955. She served on the annual North- think of the future.” a young Eve Arden.” Eight years later, Lawrence DeVine western Drama Festival’s costume crew the summer fol- 1964 was a milestone year: Jane made her Broadway debut in the Detroit Free Press observed that “Miss Lowry is lowing her freshman year, and landed her first acting role as in Poor Bitos by the French playwright Jean Anouilh. A bit- probably weary of hearing how much she reminds one of a sophomore—as part of the “Chorus of Argive Women” ter political allegory comparing the turmoil of post-WW2 Eve Arden, but she does and that’s a compliment.” in Sophocles’ Electra. France to the French Revolution, the show had dicey com- From 1980 on, Jane performed almost exclusively on Jane graduated from Northwestern in June 1959 and mercial prospects, but producer Harold Prince had admired regional stages—and mostly at Meadow Brook Theatre, a was named “Best Actress of the Year” by the drama fac- the London production and imported it to the U.S. Detroit-area venue where Jane appeared in at least eleven ulty. Her only plan at that point was a second season with Disappointingly, the critical response was lukewarm— productions between 1980 and 1991. Neil Simon’s Chap- the Eagles Mere company; she left for Pennsylvania the although the Associated Press complimented the “uni- ter Two, Arthur Miller’s All My Sons, Lillian Hellman’s week after graduation, along with fellow students Rich- formly excellent” ensemble that included “two White Toys in the Attic, and Noël Coward’s Present Laughter and ard Benjamin and Paula Ragusa (later Paula Prentiss), Way newcomers, Jane Lowry and Nancy Reardon.” Even Hay Fever were among the plays that featured Jane at and had roles in such plays as Inherit the Wind and the so, Poor Bitos closed after just 17 official performances. Meadow Brook. Most of the productions were directed Leonard Bernstein musical Wonderful Town. Jane returned to Broadway as understudy to Marian Sel- by Terry Kilburn, Meadow Brook’s erstwhile Artistic Di- Jane arrived in New York in Fall of 1959. Six months des (who was famous for never missing a performance) in rector and Jane’s longtime friend. later, she got her first acting job—as a replacement in the Edward Albee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning A Delicate Balance Jane’s last role was in A.R. Gurney’s What I Did Last off-Broadway production of Tennessee Williams’ Orpheus in 1966-67. A year later, Jane had the opportunity to play Summer, performed at Meadow Brook in January 1991. Descending, which only had two weeks left in the run. the same part in the Pittsburgh Playhouse’s 1968 produc- After retiring from acting in her early 50s, Jane found In 1961 she found an unofficial residency in the un- tion; a local critic noted that “Jane Lowry as the daughter another creative outlet in writing. She was a longtime likely setting of a Greenwich Village coffeehouse. Lo- displays waspish conceit in an accomplished way.” member of the Advanced Poetry Workshop at the New cated at 31 Cornelia Street, the Caffe Cino was founded Meanwhile, she continued to work in summer stock School, under the tutelage of Elaine Equi and Patricia by Joe Ctoldino, a former dancer who initially envisioned and repertory theater throughout the 1960s and into the Carlin; and in 2015, she published a collection of poems a traditional bohemian venue with poetry readings and 1970s. At the Clinton (Connecticut) Playhouse in Sum- titled Who Are We?, where she shared observations about art exhibitions. However, its reputation wound up be- mer 1964, a local critic hailed her portrayal of Hannah nature and memories of people and places from her early ing built on the presentation of plays—a bold and uncon- Jelkes in Night of the Iguana as “one of the best perfor- life in Minnesota. ventional move for a coffeehouse, and one that is widely mances of the young season.” Two years later, with the She also enjoyed traveling, and just weeks before her credited with inaugurating the off-off-Broadway theater Barter Resident Acting Company in Abingdon, Virginia, death had visited friends in Palm Springs, California. movement. Jane’s turn as Elizabeth Proctor in The Crucible inspired a While Jane never forgot her midwestern roots, she Doric Wilson was one of the earliest playwrights to reviewer to remark that she “brought to the role a perfect considered herself a New Yorker and she loved New York have his work presented at the Caffe Cino. The first was combination of tenderness and quiet strength.” Jane was City—her home for 60 years. She was especially fond of called And He Made a Her, a one-act satire about Adam also part of the inaugural company of the Wayside The- Greenwich Village, and from 1978 until the end of her and Eve that opened in March 1961. Wilson later ad- atre in Middletown, Virginia in Summer 1963; the 1967 life she lived on West 10th Street —just minutes away mitted to recalling little about opening night: “Mostly I winter season of the Loretto-Hilton Center Repertory from Cornelia Street and the site of the long-gone Caffe remember Lowry’s entrance as Eve—a vision sheathed in Theatre near St. Louis, Missouri; the Repertory The- Cino, where her career had begun so many years before.

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