THE
CityREVIEW NewRochelle May 5, 2017 | Vol. 5, Number 13 | www.cityreviewnr.com
In debate, county executive candidates rally Democrats
LIKE FATHER, LIKE DAUGHTER
By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer
Meral Kathwari, of Mamaroneck, is the owner and director of Kathwari of Kashmir, a textile company she took over from her father after he unexpectedly passed away. For story, see page 6. Photo courtesy Meral Kathwari
Westchester struggles to satisfy HUD settlement By JAMES PERO Staff Writer Eight years after a settlement on Westchester County’s lack of compliance with affordable housing standards, County Executive Rob Astorino’s administration continues to grapple with satisfying the requirements of a lingering 2009 decree being monitored by the federal government. Earlier this month, for the 10th time, federal the Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD, denied the county’s Analysis of Impediments, AI—a document meant to detail the barriers to affordable housing—despite the
federal agency’s new helm, Republican Dr. Ben Carson. Dovetailing HUD’s decision to deny the county’s AI earlier this month, a federal appeals panel also denied the seventh appeal from the county on April 28, ruling that Westchester has engaged in “total obstructionism” regarding its 2009 federal mandate to increase access to affordable housing in more affluent pockets of the county. In addition to denying an appeal of HUD’s rejection to the county’s AI, the panel also found that county officials had failed to ensure the construction of a contested project in the town of New Castle called Chappaqua Station by “all
available means.” The project, which is geared to build 28 affordable housing units near New Castle’s Metro-North Railroad stop, was the subject of staunch opposition from local officials who insisted the development be built in a different location. The project has since moved forward with reluctant permission from the local town board. In a statement last week, Ned McCormack, a spokesman for the Republican Astorino administration, said he is confident that the county will still be able to clear up its remaining requirements from HUD continued on page 7
CROTON-ON-HUDSON—Two Democrats vying for the office of Westchester County executive addressed a church full of potential voters on Sunday, discussing their plans to unseat Republican incumbent Rob Astorino and urging them to participate in November’s election. County Legislator Ken Jenkins, a Yonkers Democrat, and state Sen. George Latimer, a Rye Democrat, took aim at Astorino—who has held the county’s top office since 2010—hoping to invigorate a Democratic Party still reeling from the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. And even though Democrats in Westchester outnumber Republican voters by 2-1, Astorino has already prevailed twice at the polls. His two potential challengers have already begun debating the issues in various communities ahead of a May 10 Democratic nominating convention to pick the party’s candidate. Both Democrats challenged the county executive’s reputation for passing seven consecutive budgets in which taxes have been cut or remained flat, calling his budget practices shortsighted and irresponsible, and often comparing him to President Donald Trump. “Rob Astorino wants to run on taxes, taxes and taxes,” Jenkins, 55, said, adding that social services and long-term budgeting practices suffer as a result of flat tax rates. Jenkins said the only time the county truly cut taxes was when he was chairman of the Board of Legislators, from 2010 to 2013. Latimer added that seven years of no tax increases would likely set Westchester up for future financial hardship.
“What we’re seeing now is an ideological approach that says, ‘We are going to do anything in order to put forth no tax increase,’” the senator said. Both candidates also chastised Astorino for the way his administration has operated the county Human Rights Commission. Latimer, who during his lengthy political career was chairman of the Board of Legislators when the commission was first instituted in the 1990s, said that it was created to allow residents to report instances of discrimination without going through the state system. “The [Republican] party’s moved so far to the right, they can’t even accept anti-discrimination efforts in the Human Rights Commission,” Latimer, 63, said, adding that as county executive he would fire everyone currently on the commission and employ a new team. Meanwhile, Jenkins said he was responsible for saving the commission from being disbanded. Jenkins added that while he has been on the Board of Legislators, the board has overridden 260 of 267 vetoes made by Astorino. One of those overrides stopped the county executive from eliminating the commission altogether. But Jenkins lamented that the commission, now full of Astorino political appointees, is not acting proactively as it was intended to, lacks a full-time executive director and added that he would work to re-establish advocacy offices for minority groups, which, he said, have also been marginalized under the Astorino administration. “We will reimplement the offices of advocacy and make sure that we stand up for the people’s rights in Westchester County,” he said to a
INSIDE Food concoctions at Monroe Story on page 11.
DEBATE continued on page 8
2 • THE CITY REVIEW • May 5, 2017
May 5, 2017 • THE CITY REVIEW • 3
Local publisher launches green-lace initiative With the new EPA director a man who has been critical of the agency in some of his past remarks, and more and more scientists growing increasingly concerned about Earth’s future, one Westchester County resident decided to show her solidary for the cause. More than 600 cities worldwide took to the streets on Earth Day, April 22, in the March for Science. Particularly in the U.S., thousands of scientists and supporters of science—many of them wearing neon green shoelaces created by Mary Ann Liebert—marched on Washington to call attention to President Donald Trump and their frustrations with the misrepresentation and exclusion of scientific knowledge in recent government policy decisions. “I wanted to do something that would last,” said Liebert, who is president and CEO of the eponymous, 37-year-old New Rochelle-based company. “I like the idea of seeing all those marching feet. I wanted the [shoelaces] to stand out.” Mary Ann Leibert Inc. publishes 80 peer-reviewed STEM journals, books and newsmagazines. The journals range in topics such as biomedical research, public health and biotechnology. The idea of the shoelaces
happened to come to Liebert one day recently, and it just felt right. “I’m very visual,” she said. “Once I had the picture of them in my mind, I decided on a name: Go Green for Science.” Liebert added that she hopes the shoelaces will keep the discussion and commitment to science moving forward. “Scientists are my heroes. I want to do everything that I can to support them,” she said, adding that she is very committed to encouraging young people to consider careers in science. Since January, more than 5,000
pairs have been donated to scientists who participated in the march, and those who support science. “What I’m saying is, let’s lace up for science,” she said. “I don’t think people think very much about federal funding for science and how important it is,” Liebert said. “By wearing the shoelaces, people are going to ask, ‘Why are you wearing those?’” She is willing to give out the shoelaces to anyone who is interested. Send an email to gogreen@ liebertpub.com for more information. -Reporting by Sibylla Chipaziwa
Students from the University of Vermont show off their GoGreen Shoelaces for Science, launched by New Rochelle-based Mary Ann Liebert Inc. The shoelaces were worn by thousands who participated in the March for Science on Earth Day, April 22 in Washington, D.C. Photos courtesy Kathryn Ryan
4 • THE CITY REVIEW • May 5, 2017
What’s going on... New Rochelle Public Library
of breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques. The drop-in sessions do not require advanced registration. This program is made possible by the Friends of the New Rochelle Public Library. Donations are gratefully accepted.
Homework Help
Visit nrpl.org for information on these and other events and programs.
Library hours Main library hours: Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Wednesdays: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sundays: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Huguenot Children’s Library hours: Mondays and Thursdays: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sundays: Closed.
Lunchtime Express Yoga On Mondays from 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m., and Wednesdays from 1:15 p.m. to 2 p.m. Free sessions of easy yoga to help reduce stress and relieve tension continue to be offered during the lunch hour at the New Rochelle Public Library. Participants do not need to change out of work clothes, and mats will not be needed for these sessions
From Mondays to Thursdays from 3 p.m. until 10 minutes before closing time at the main library. College students and volunteers are on hand to offer homework help to assist elementary school students and middle school students up to grade eight in organizing homework needs, locating appropriate resources, and strengthening reading skills. The free Homework Help service is offered September through May, except during school vacation weeks. This program is s offered in conjunction with the Youth Bureau of the city of New Rochelle, Monroe College, and Westchester Library System.
Friends Book Store On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Friends Book Store in the main library lobby. The Friends of the NRPL Book Store is where you’ll find bargains from popular novels, mysteries and nonfiction in hardcover and paperback, to children’s books, CDs and DVDs. Proceeds from these sales allow the Friends to provide funding for quality children and adult programming, as well as assisting the library by contributing to various
projects and improving service to the community.
New Rochelle Walk of Fame inductee ceremony
Free programs for infants and preschoolers
On Friday, May 12 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Ruby Dee Park at Library Green. The next group of distinguished New Rochelle residents with national fame will join the 50 individuals who were inducted in 2011, 2013 and 2014. The public is invited to join city officials and the inductees’ friends and family members as the next group of illustrated interpretive signs describing their achievements and ties to New Rochelle is unveiled. In the event of rain, the induction ceremony and reception will take place in the main library’s Ossie Davis Theater and Meeting Room.
The New Rochelle Public Library and the Huguenot Children’s Library, HCL, are offering a great array of free programs for infants, toddlers and preschool children this winter-spring season. Participation is dropin, on a first-come, first-served basis. The free programs are made possible by the Friends of the New Rochelle Public Library and the Partnership for the Huguenot Children’s Library. Most do not take place on days the New Rochelle public schools are closed for vacations. Nursery Rhyme Time, for children ages 6 months to 2 years old, is a joyful blend of stories, songs and finger plays. It is held at the main library on Fridays, through May 26, from 9:30 a.m. to 9:50 a.m., and at HCL on Mondays, through May 22, from 10:30 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. Toddler Time, for children aged 2, are lively sessions that engage children and their parent or caregiver in music and games. It is held at the main library on Fridays, through May 26, from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., and at HCL on Wednesdays, through May 24, from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. 3, 4, 5’s - Stories & Crafts, for ages 3 to 5, are sessions of stories, songs, and a takehome craft inspired by seasons and picture book themes. A bilingual (English and Spanish) session takes place at the main library on Mondays, through May 22, from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Another session, in English, takes place on Thursdays, through May 25, from 2 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. Sessions at HCL take place on Tuesdays, through May 23, from 1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m., and on Thursdays, through May 25, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Preschool Fun & Fitness, a program for children ages 2 to 5 and their parent or grandparent, is a fun-filled hour of movement, games and healthy eating and lifestyle tips, conducted by the health and fitness team from Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital’s Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Services. Registration is required. Call Ruben at the WIC office at 637-1677. The sessions will be held in the main library’s Meeting Room and stage on Mondays through June 19.
‘Our Children, Our Artists’ exhibit The 36th annual “Our Children, Our Artists” exhibit will be on view in the Lumen Winter Gallery of the New Rochelle Public Library through May 24. The artwork of students in the city’s seven elementary schools will be on display through May 10; and the work of middle and high school students will be exhibited from May 17 through May 24. The exhibit is curated by Erica Bogin, artist and art teacher. The reception and awards ceremony for the middle and high school students will take place on Wednesday, May 17 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Westchester County news Register for children’s summer camps Registration is open for Westchester County Parks’ popular summer camps for children and young people. Online registration is available at parks.westchestergov. com/activities/childrens-camps. For more information on any of the programs, visit the aforementioned website or call 231-4673, unless stated otherwise. Perfect Pitch and Swing Baseball Camp, for ages 8 to 12, at V.E. Macy Park in Ardsley. Slam Dunk Basketball Camp, for grades 3–9, at Westchester County Center, White Plains. Girls Volleyball Camp, for grades 6–12, at Westchester County Center, White Plains. Challenger Sports Soccer Camp, for grades 1–9, at V.E. Macy Park, Ardsley. For more information, call 714-8601 or visit challengersports.com. Hole-in-One Junior Golf Camp, for ages 10 to 17, at the county courses: Dunwoodie and Sprain Lake, Yonkers; Hudson Hills, Ossining; Maple Moor, White Plains; Mohansic, Yorktown Heights; and Saxon Woods, Scarsdale. Children’s Summer Ecology Program, for grades 1–9, at Cranberry Lake Preserve, North White Plains; Marshlands Conservancy, Rye; and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, Cross River. Conservationists in Training, for grades 7–9, at Cranberry Lake Preserve, North White Plains, and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, Cross River. Muscoot Wranglers, for ages 4 and 5, and Muscoot Young Farmers, for grades 1–8, at Muscoot Farm, Katonah. For more information, call 864-7282. Summer Music Center, for grades 3–12, at Westchester County Center, White Plains. Deadline for our What’s Going On section is every Thursday at noon. Though space is not guaranteed, we will do our best to accommodate your listing. Please send all items to news@hometwn.com.
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May 5, 2017 • THE CITY REVIEW • 5
White Plains rally highlights immigrant workers As part of an international day supporting workforces worldwide, the stairs of the Edwin G. Michaelian Office Building in downtown White Plains was the location of one of several thousand May Day marches and rallies to highlight immigrants and workers. Mainly organized by 32BJ SEIU
Hudson Valley, a union of property service workers with more than 163,000 members, the bilingual rally called attention to the possible anti-immigration and anti-labor policies by President Donald Trump’s administration. English and Spanish were spoken at the gathering of a few
hundred people, including community organizations, immigrants and elected officials, including White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach, a Democrat, and Westchester County Legislator Ken Jenkins, a Yonkers Democrat who is running for county executive this year. -Review staff
White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach speaks to supporters of the Westchester Hispanic Coalition before the May Day rally.
A small march ended the bilingual rally, led by the Hudson Valley Community Coalition, one of the rally’s organizers.
One of the signs at the May Day rally in downtown White Plains. Photos/Sibylla Chipaziwa
6 • THE CITY REVIEW • May 5, 2017 THE
CityREVIEW NewRochelle 170 Hamilton Ave., Suite 203 White Plains, N.Y. 10601 Tel: (914) 653-1000 Fax: (914) 653-5000
Publisher | Howard Sturman ext. 21, publisher@hometwn.com Christian Falcone Associate Publisher | Editor-in-Chief ext. 19, chris@hometwn.com Sports Editor | Mike Smith ext. 22, sports@hometwn.com Assistant Editor | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 25, sibylla@hometwn.com General Assignment | Taylor Brown ext. 30, taylor@hometwn.com Graphic Designer | Arthur Gedin Graphic Designer | Jim Grasso Advertising | Lynne Starr ext. 29, lynne@hometwn.com Advertising Coordinator | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 27, ads@hometwn.com Staff Writers James Pero, Corey Stockton, Franco Fino Staff Photographers Andrew Dapolite, Jen Parente Columnist Lenore Skenazy
Young entrepreneur takes over family business
By TAYLOR BROWN General Assignment Reporter After the loss of her father, Meral Kathwari, a junior in college at the time, made the decision to take over her father’s international business, Kathwari of Kashmir. In November 2014, Kathwari, who has lived in Mamaroneck for 10 years, was studying for her B.A. in mass communication and minor in speech communication at Iona College and was serving on two club executive boards when she found out her father, Tariq, had passed away. He was 61 years old when he was caught in a riptide while swimming in Goa, India. He was the owner and founder of Kathwari of Kashmir, a company based in Kashmir, India, that sells luxury textiles including rugs, carpets and clothing in a variety of colors, materials and styles. Kathwari, 22, is an only child, so at the time of her father’s death, she was the only person who would be able to carry on Kathwari of Kashmir. “I just remember thinking to myself,
Meral Kathwari takes a photo with camels in Dubai. Photo courtesy Brunettesecrets.com
‘What am I supposed to do,’” she told the Review. She made the decision to take over the business as its owner and director. When Kathwari, a Kashmiri-American, was younger, she moved away from her father in India—her asthma and the country’s
Letters The community’s opinion matters. If you have a view to express, write a letter to the editor by email to chris@hometwn.com. Please include a phone number and name for verification purposes. Community Events If you have an event you would like to share with the community, send it to news@hometwn.com. Delivery For home delivery or to subsribe, call (914) 653-1000 x27. Classifieds & Legals To post your notices or listings, call (914) 653-1000 x27. Postmaster Send address changes to: The City Review New Rochelle c/o HomeTown Media Group, 170 Hamilton Ave., Suite 203 White Plains, N.Y. 10601 Visit us online www.cityreviewnr.com
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Meral Kathwari poses with one of the many rugs that her business Kathwari of Kashmir sells. Photos courtesy Meral Kathwari
air pollution made it difficult for her to breathe—to Santa Fe, New Mexico, with her mother. From there, she and her mother moved to Rome, Italy, before finally settling in Mamaroneck in 2007. Growing up, although Kathwari didn’t live with her father, he would visit her whenever he had time. Kathwari wasn’t unfamiliar with her father’s business, having spent summers in Kashmir shadowing him throughout his workday, and helping him bring Kathwari of Kashmir into the digital age with social media accounts and a website in 2012. Growing up, she had spent a lot of time with her father in his showroom, saying how one of her favorite memories of him was how he interacted with clients. “That was where he was most passionate,” she said. When Kathwari and her father weren’t working to better the business, they enjoyed traveling together on road trips throughout the U.S. and all over India. In June 2012, she began documenting those trips on her blog Brunettesecrets.com that has since gained more than 1,600 followers. In her posts, she discusses must-see spots, travel tips, and life advice alongside vibrant photos of her destinations. Kathwari says in one blog post that she attributes her “travel bug” to her father. “[My father] says it’s important that I see the world and experience everything it has to offer before I settle down and start a family,” she wrote. “I will do this.” Kathwari turned her blog into a travel series that launched on
Meral Kathwari, owner and director of Kathwari of Kashmir, models one of her company’s embroidered wool coats.
Larchmont-Mamaroneck Community Television, LMCTV, a local community public access television station. “Since I’ve been traveling, I wanted to write [and] blog about my experiences and produce travels shows too,” she told the Review. As of now, one episode of the series has been released, “Brunette Secrets: Seville,” where Kathwari visits Seville, Spain. The series follows her around, while she brings viewers to three different locations in Seville: Plaza de Espana, Casa de Pilatos and the Seville Cathedral. During the first video, which is available on LMCTV.org and YouTube, she discusses local artwork, food, culture and architecture. Kathwari revealed that future episodes include trips to Barcelona, Madrid and Dubai. “My dream job would be [to be] like Anthony Bourdain or Christiane Armanpour, traveling and reporting on things and places people should know about that aren’t usually covered in the mainstream media,” she said. She said she also plans to go to Fordham University’s one-year public media program in the fall. Accomplishing more than your average 20-something, Kathwari has done this while also owning and running a business. But the work hasn’t come without sacrifices throughout her college career. “I wish I could’ve had more time to put towards everything individually,” she said. “[But] if you have people supporting you, and people around you that love you, you’re capable of doing anything you put your mind to.” CONTACT: taylor@hometwn.com
May 5, 2017 • THE CITY REVIEW • 7 HUD from page 1
the settlement, despite the latest denial. “The monitor-approved consultant, VHB, has found no evidence of exclusionary zoning based on race,” he said. “We are confident the remaining requirements can be met, and the settlement concluded in a timely manner.” But county Legislator Ken Jenkins, a Yonkers Democrat who is seeking the Democratic nomination for county executive, believes that the consultant provided the Astorino administration with the proper framework for successfully completing the AI. “I believe Rob Astornio took that document and cut it out, and then submitted that
Democrat who is also running for county executive, said, if elected in November, he would travel down to Washington, D.C., and walk straight into HUD’s offices and say, “Guys, we are here to settle this.” “I guarantee as County Executive George Latimer,” he said, “within a month we will have turned the corner on this issue.” Latimer also criticized Astorino for using ideology in the 2009 county executive campaign to rally his base against the Obama administration. “It led him to play George Wallace in the schoolhouse door and that’s exactly what he did,” he said referencing the former segregationist Alabama governor. “He stood in the schoolhouse door and said, ‘No housing in my county.’”
It led him to play George Wallace in the “ schoolhouse door... He stood in the schoolhouse door and said, ‘No housing in my county.’” – STATE SEN. GEORGE LATIMER, on Rob Astorino’s opposition to the affordable housing settlement without the thing the [HUD] consultant said to do,” he said. Astorino’s administration has yet to detail a specific plan on how it will rectify problems with its latest submission. State Sen. George Latimer, a Rye
The denial of the county’s AI comes despite its success in clearing a hurdle of developing more than the 750 units of affordable housing required in its HUD settlement by the end of 2016. While Astorino has touted the
After eight years, Westchester County continues to struggle with satisfying the terms of its 2009 settlement with HUD mandating the development of affordable housing. File photo
development of 790 units of affordable housing—50 more than the required amount—the county’s Democratic lawmakers have drawn skepticism to the county executive’s claim, arguing instead that some of the units slated for construction are still too prospective to be counted. “There are 790 that have been approved, but whether or not they
are being developed at the present time is a different story,” said Alfreda Williams, a Greenburgh Democrat. “They’re in the pipeline but there are no shovels in the ground.” According to Williams, the latest denial of the county’s AI will come with its own set of consequences. As a result, she said, the county will now continue to be in-
eligible for federal funding in the form of community block grants, an area in which it has lost more than $20 million since 2010. “The county executive seems to think he’s punishing HUD, but actually he’s punishing the people of Westchester County,” Williams said. -with reporting by Christian Falcone
CONTACT: james@hometwn.com
8 • THE CITY REVIEW • May 5, 2017
ASID launches spring spruce up
DEBATE from page 1
packed house. Although the two candidates agreed on most issues, pitting themselves against the Republican incumbent, the biggest difference in philosophy between the two centered on the results of the party’s nominating convention at the County Center. Latimer, now serving in his third term as senator, renewed his intention to honor the results of the nominating convention, saying that if he does not receive the nomination, he will throw his support behind the nominee. “If Ken is the nominee, I’m going to put the same energy into retail on his behalf as I would on my own behalf,” he said. The senator added that he thought it would be harmful to the party’s unity and fundraising to force a September primary, and suggested that the Republican Party could manipulate the primary process to damage the Democrats. “The cause is more important than the career,” Latimer said. Conversely, Jenkins, who bowed out of the 2013 race for county executive after losing the nomination to New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson—who was soundly defeated by Astorino in the general election—said that he will petition for a primary if the party does not back him this time around. He added that he wants his nomination to come from the people he would represent as the county executive, not necessarily the district leaders
County Legislator Ken Jenkins called incumbent County Executive Rob Astorino, “Trump-light,” a message echoed by Bruce Campbell, moderator and member of the Up & Up Action Initiative, one of eight grassroots community activist groups which put together the forum.
State Sen. George Latimer said in his 30-year political career he has never seen so many people come out in April to show interest for a November election. The pews at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation Church were filled on April 23, as potential voters watched the two Democratic candidates. Photos/Andrew Dapolite
responsible for choosing a nominee. “If I am not the winner of that primary that came from the people—from the voters—we will be locked hand in hand,” he said, referencing his support for Latimer in such a scenario. Whichever candidate ultimately takes on Astorino in the general election will be shorthanded in a financial race against the county executive, who reported a $2.5 million campaign fund balance in January. Latimer, who estimated that his Republican opponent could raise as much as $4 million by November, said he has had experience winning against financially superior campaigns. In 2012, in his first race for Senate, Latimer ran against Bob Cohen, of New Rochelle, who spent approximately $4 million during the campaign. The organizers had originally planned to also host state Assemblyman Thomas Abananti, a Greenburgh Democrat who had considered running. According to Bruce Campbell, the debate moderator, Abananti pulled out of the event after withdrawing from the race. David Spano, the son of former County Executive Andy Spano, has also announced plans to seek the Democratic nomination. Spano, however, was not invited to participate. CONTACT: corey@hometwn.com
Educated, versatile, creative interior designers in the New York metro area want to come to the rescue of homeowners, apartment dwellers and anyone else whose living (or working) space could use refreshing, renewing or revamping. That’s part of the reason why the New York Metro Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers, ASID, has launched Spring Spruce Up 2017. The other is that it has a long tradition of giving back. In this spirit, it has partnered with Ronald McDonald House New York and Ronald McDonald House of Long Island to give 100 percent of the proceeds to these two nonprofits, which provide a home away from home for families with children undergoing medical treatment. Consumer sign-up for Spruce Up 2017 will continue until all the slots are filled. The New York Metro Chapter of ASID matches participating consumers to one of its experienced interior designers based on the appropriate expertise, needs and location for a particular project. Design consultations are in person and can take place in-home, in-office or other locale of the client’s choosing. They will be conducted through June 20. “We are excited to help residents of the New York metro area solve their design dilemmas, however great or small, while also giving back to children and families in need,” said Bonnie J. Steves, ASID associate and founding principal of BJS-Assoc. Interior Design, who is spearheading the program for the New York Metro Chapter of ASID. “I would also like to thank our
exclusive paint sponsor, Farrow & Ball, renowned worldwide for its paints and wallpapers.” “Whether it’s a home or a home away from home, we know and appreciate the power of design. This is a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness of the important work that Ronald McDonald Houses are doing as well as of ASID,” said Matt Campo, president of Ronald McDonald House Long Island. “We are grateful for the partnership with the New York Metro Chapter of ASID on Spring Spruce Up 2017,” stated Dr. Ruth C. Browne, president and CEO of Ronald McDonald House New York. “We are so proud to be working alongside the dedicated New York Metro Chapter of ASID on Spring Spruce Up. It is a wonderful opportunity to connect with talented designers and homeowners in our greater New York City community while making their homes more orderly and beautiful. Our team at Farrow & Ball is thrilled to support the Ronald McDonald Houses of New York and Long Island in such a meaningful way,” concluded Christine Haney, Farrow & Ball designer marketing manager North America. Consultations are available in one- or two-hour time blocks (two-hour maximum) at the special rate of $100 per hour, with 100 percent of proceeds benefitting the Ronald McDonald houses. Interested consumers can sign up by visiting asidnymetro.org or by calling 212-641-0018 with questions. (Submitted)
WBT to hold ‘Annie’ auditions Westchester Broadway Theater, WBT, in Elmsford will be holding non-union children’s auditions for their upcoming production of “Annie.” Auditions will be held Saturday, May 20 at Westchester Broadway Theatre. WBT will be scheduling appointments in one-hour blocks. Please email AnnieKidsWBT@gmail. com to schedule an appointment. You will be contacted within 72 hours with appointment time and materials required for this audition. Eligibility requirements: • All girls must be 4’11” or less. • All girls must be at least 6 years old at the time of the first rehearsal. • Children auditioning will be considered for all roles. If your child has a preference, please notate on audition card. • Non-union children. • Must be willing/able to interact with a professional dog. WBT will be measuring everyone when they sign in for audition. Anyone over the height requirement or under the age requirement will not be seen. Please be sure your child meets these requirements. Seeking the roles of: • Annie: to play 11-year-old. Spunky, big voice, excellent and accurate singing range, comedic timing and good mover. Caucasian. • Peppe: to play 11-year-old. Tough cookie of group of orphans, excellent and accurate singing range, comedic timing and good mover. All ethnicities. • Kate: to play 7-year-old. Second youngest
orphan, excellent and accurate singing range, great comedic timing, and be a good mover. All ethnicities. • Molly: to play 6-year-old. The littlest orphan. Must have excellent singing and dancing skills. All ethnicities. • Tessie: to play 10-year-old. A crybaby. Must have excellent singing and dancing skills. All ethnicities. • July: to play 12-year-old. The quietest of the orphans. Must have excellent singing & dancing skills. All ethnicities. • Duffy: to play 12-year-old. The biggest and eldest orphan. Must have excellent singing & dancing skills. All ethnicities. • Orphans age range in the show is 6 to 12. Actual age is not as important as height and ability to act younger. Callbacks will be Wednesday, May 24. Rehearsals will be held the week of June 12. The show will open on June 29, and closes on Sept. 10. (Submitted)
May 5, 2017 • THE CITY REVIEW • 9
When Jessica Shapiro thinks about her great-uncle Bobby, she doesn’t focus on his primary progressive aphasia (PPA), which robbed him of his ability to communicate. She thinks about his boat. “He loved his boat. He would take me out on the water and would teach me how to drive the boat. One piece of advice I remember he gave to me is to be patient when turning a boat. It takes a while to turn the boat if you don’t want to overturn it,” Shapiro said. Like a carefully turned boat, she is now slowly changing the way the world thinks
Jessica Shapiro. Photo courtesy aphasia.org
about PPA and aphasia by organizing an awareness walk for her bat mitzvah project in honor of her great-uncle, her grandmother’s brother, Robert J. Plumer. While Shapiro’s favorite memories center on the boat, her grandmother, Joy, remembers her brother’s brilliant brain. Plumer was a pioneer in the space program, developing and implementing simulation systems for the first astronauts back in the 1960s. Later, he developed simulations for tanks used in the Iraq War and in Israel. He knew how to talk to everyone and teach them in simple terms that anyone could understand. Everyone on his team adored him. Unfortunately, when he turned 70 years old, something happened to his brain. Being the genius he was, Plumer was able to hide it for several years. As time went on, Shapiro’s grandmother knew something was not right because he couldn’t express his words. They came out all jumbled. People didn’t understand him, but Joy knew what he was trying to say because she knew him so well. It took many doctors before he was diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia. Unfortunately, he didn’t get the proper evaluation earlier to help him. He died in 2015, a few months before he would have turned 79 years old. Shapiro’s walk is to raise awareness for PPA. “This disease is not well known, and there is no cure. I want to raise money so a cure can be developed and not as many people will die from this disease. I’m getting people to join my walk by sending out emails to my friends and family. Also, I am
asking my friends if they can come. I created flyers, and I handed them out. I hung up the flyers in my school,” she said. The patience and hard work she learned on the boat, spending time with her uncle Bobby, is carrying forward into this project, guiding her as she tries to shift the way society thinks about this disease. She says, “I feel good knowing that I am making a difference for primary progressive aphasia. I know that not a lot of people know about this disease and it is a difficult disease to have. It is hard to communicate with other people when you have this disease. By rais-
ing awareness and money, a cure might be found and people with the disease can have an easier time communicating with people. They won’t have to live with the disease anymore.” If you are in the New Rochelle area on Sunday, May 7, please come to the Robert J. Palmer 5K Walk at 1:30 p.m., taking place at 167 Highridge Road; visit bit. ly/2nG4Zt0 for more information. Even if you’re not in the area, you can participate from afar by making a donation to support her project by visiting bit.ly/2ojzIdJ. (Submitted)
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10 • THE CITY REVIEW • May 5, 2017
May 5, 2017 • THE CITY REVIEW • 11
The Dining Lab enters fourth year
One starter from last season: steamed littleneck claims in a spicy broth served with broccoli raab. Photos/Sibylla Chipaziwa
The Dining Lab at Monroe College is a five-hour class where culinary and hospitality students run the restaurant. Here, waitstaff and chefs-in-training work together to get food out to diners, gaining valuable real-world experience.
By SIBYLLA CHIPAZIWA Assistant Editor
a nighttime feel,” Luna said, which led to the restaurant being open to the general public. It is common for culinary schools to have a space where students can practice what they’re learning in class. The new restaurant opened to the public in 2013, and soon won positive reviews from The New York Times and Westchester Magazine, which gave the restaurant its slogan. Chef Michael Vignapiano is another professor at the culinary school, and supervises The Dining Lab’s kitchen. He and the CINY dean, Chef Frank Costantino, plan out the menus, coming up with two every trimester. Vignapiano said he, and other professors at the school, felt the restaurant would be a good entity for Monroe and
Known as “Westchester’s best kept secret,” The Dining Lab at Monroe College offers fine dining at $25 right in downtown New Rochelle. Part of the college’s Culinary Institute of New York, CINY, program, The Dining Lab allows students to gain real-world experience running a restaurant, from hosting to working the line, while earning academic credits. Launched in the fall of 2013, the restaurant offers a three-course meal, including dessert from The Pastry Kiosk, CINY’s student-run café. Professor Yocary Luna is the lab’s services coordinator, who specifically deals with the waitstaff and dining room; also known as the front of house. Luna took over the class last fall, and is a Monroe alumA dessert from The Pastry na. She said that when Kiosk being offered in she was a student, The the next season: lemon Dining Lab was the colmousse entremet with a raspberry glaze, served lege’s old cafeteria, and with chocolate sauce, was first transformed cassis sorbet and a into The Pastry Kiosk in honey tuile. 2012, as a lunch operation. Soon, The Dining Lab was born, teased as a free lunch service for students and faculty. “The hospitality school decided to take the operation and give it more of
the city of New Rochelle. “We typically use the same proteins; we always have chicken, salmon and pork,” he said, adding that there hasn’t been a repeat dish since the restaurant opened. What dictates the menu is how many students are available per trimester. In the kitchen, students
rotate stations and are guided with the restaurant’s first menu. When the second menu begins, all they’re given are the ingredients, cooking demonstrations and the time the first round of diners are due, leaving students to their own devices to run the kitchen—under a chef’s supervision, of course. For the students involved, running The Dining Lab counts as a five-hour class. After the meal, patrons are asked to fill out a short survey on their dining experience. A sneak peak of the new menu offers risotto with sweet peas, wild arugula and Parmigiano-Reggiano as a starter; and grilled rabbit saucisson and rabbit confit farrotto, served with black olives, braised celery and pickled baby carrots. Tara Lawrence, a student who works the dining area, is an international student from Jamaica, where tourism and hospitality is one of the dominant industries. Lawrence wanted to be a teacher, but since that dream didn’t work out, she wanted to go back to college. “[Hospitality] is a really good field, it teaches you a lot,” she said. “You grow so much professionally.”
CINY came in at No. 19 on CollegeRank.net’s best culinary programs nationwide, and has been named one of the top 10 culinary programs in the Northeast. U.S. News and World Report has also called Monroe College the most affordable private college in the state. The next season of The Dining Lab begins May 23. The restaurant only accepts reservations, and is open on select days from 6:30 p.m. For more information, visit thedininglab.com. CONTACT: sibylla@hometwn.com
The Dining Lab opened to the public in the fall of 2013, and offers a $25 three-course meal.
12 • THE CITY REVIEW • May 5, 2017
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May 5, 2017 • THE CITY REVIEW • 13
Beyond the headdress RHYMES WITH CRAZY Lenore Skenazy
When you think about Native Americans and fashion, your first thought might be (or at least mine was): Beads. Wait, no. Feathers! No; buckskin with fringe. What’s more Native American than buckskin pants worn by some high-cheeked hunter about to shoot a deer? Well... how about a Louis Vuitton arrow quiver? That’s just one of the beautiful and unsettling items on display at “Native Fashion Now,” an exhibit at the National Museum of the American Indian in Manhattan, just opposite the Bowling Green subway stop. Admission, by the way, is free—the museum is part of the Smithsonian. Step into the exhibit and you are surrounded by the kind of beauty and boundary-pushing you’d expect at a fashion show, not a pow-wow—and that’s the whole idea. While most non-indigenous Americans may think of native fashion as whatever the “bad guys” wore in some cowboys and Indians movie, Native Americans themselves have been designing chic clothing since at least the 1950s. That’s when Lloyd “Kiva” New burst onto the scene. Trained at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Cherokee designer went on to open a boutique in Scottsdale, Arizona, that was so popular, you could buy his dresses in New York and Beverly Hills. Neiman Marcus carried his clothes. He hobnobbed with the Kennedys. When New came out with a line of leather handbags inspired by Navajo medicine pouches, they were the Birkin bags of their day: Everyone wanted one. His genius was to straddle both cultures. He used beads, yes, and native symbols and colors, but his dresses on display at the show were classic ‘50s and ‘60s silhouettes. Think of the first cocktail dresses Barbie wore. She’d look great in New’s. Frankie Welch, New’s friend and sometime collaborator also of Cherokee extraction, incorporated native designs and even basketry patterns into her work, too. From the ‘60s through the ‘80s, her styles were so popular, she designed clothes for five first ladies and seven presidents. Her most celebrated creation was the Cherokee Alphabet scarf, an accessory she designed in 1966 when Virginia Rusk, the secretary of state’s wife, asked her to come up with an “all-American design.” What could be more all-American than Cherokee? While Welch continued designing, New pivoted in the early ‘60s and opened the In-
stitute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which to this day serves as an incubator for Native American fashion. Karen Kramer, curator of the “Native Fashion Now” exhibit, goes to the annual Indian Market there, which has grown to a gathering of 1,000 artists. While the market had always held a “traditional clothing” contest, Kramer said, “I started noticing more and more contemporary native fashion making its way on to the scene.” That was the inspiration for this show, which debuted at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, where Kramer works. “There are a lot of things in this show that might not look quote-unquote ‘Native American,’” she said. “But why is that? Everything in the show IS Native American, so it should look native whether there are symbols and patterns you recognize or not.” Most of the clothes are, simply, strikingly gorgeous. For instance, there’s an Oscars-worthy gown of orange and black swirls accompanied by a spiky headdress made of, as it turns out, porcupine quills. The ensemble is worn with a short cape of shiny black feathers as sexy as it is stunning, fastened with a sparkly beaded choker. Then there’s the “Old Time Floral Elk Tooth” dress by Bethany Yellowtail, of Apsaalooke (also known as the Crow) and Northern Cheyenne heritage. A sheer black sheath covers a tight ivory-colored minidress. The sheath is decorated with elks’ teeth, which Kramer says were the epitome of wealth and style among the Apsaalooke people. That’s because only two teeth per elk are ivory, and considered suitable for adornment. On the dress, they form an outline that is sleek and slightly scary. But not all the items on display are meant for the red carpet. In a section of the exhibit titled “Activators,” Kramer highlights designer-activists. “Native Americans Discovered Columbus,” says a T-shirt that manages to flip history on its head. Jared Yazzie, of Dine (a.k.a. Navajo) heritage designed that shirt to protest Columbus Day. “I’m rockin’ the tee today because I am the 500-year resistance,” he wrote on his social media account. “I have been persecuted, stereotyped, hated and killed. I stand strong with my people. I wear the tee to continue the fight and share the truth.” As with all the clothes in “Native Fashion Now,” the shirt is a startling reminder of the fact that, like America itself, American style has been around for thousands of years, and it just keeps evolving. CONTACT: lskenazy@yahoo.com
Why we celebrate nurses May 6 through May 12 is National Nurses Week, a time set aside to recognize the men and women who have dedicated their lives to the field of nursing. Homecare nurses from the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, VNSNY, are familiar faces across all five New York City boroughs and Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester counties. Here are a few unexpected ways these nurses make life better for New Yorkers every day: Just being there VNSNY’s goal is to maximize physical, cognitive and behavioral well-being so that patients have the highest possible level of independence at home and in the community. “We dress wounds and help manage pain and other symptoms, but sometimes I think what’s most healing is simply that we show up, listen, and show we care,” said RN Lynn Taylor. Removing “little gray offenders” When visiting a first-time, soon-to-bemother, Bronx RN Michele Belton arrived to find her patient visibly upset and on the verge of tears. Pointing to the other side of the bed, the patient revealed a wriggling mouse, partially attached to a glue trap that was slowly “marching” across the floor. The nurse bravely covered the rodent with a broom and then swept up “the little gray offender” and discarded him in the trash outside the apartment building. After washing her hands, she did her regular Nurse Family Partnership home visit, which included a discussion of environmental concerns and calling 311 to report the problem. Walk, ride or skate a mile in our shoes Some nurses clock an average of 5 to 7 miles a day on foot between visits to patients. Others, like Conrad Parker, use bikes, scooters, skates or skate boards to get from home to home. “I have a backpack that’s super heavy,” Parker said. “I try to keep it as light as possible, but honestly carrying my backpack cycling is a lot easier on my back. When I walk with my backpack, I feel it a lot more.” Reading, writing and sleuthing Aging people with multiple chronic illnesses can sometimes take as many as 19 medications or more. It can be a challenge to keep up with them and to stay aware of side effects and other symptoms when medications change. One patient was so averse to taking meds that she often skipped important blood pressure meds that had been prescribed after a stroke. “We see resistance to lifestyle changes like suddenly having to take medications. It’s not easy to accept that the best that you are going to feel is not as good as you remember feeling when you were younger, but we work to build trust and to educate our patients,” said RN Alicia Schwartz, with VNSNY CHOICE Health Plans. “For my patient, we worked out a plan so that she could take meds in the morning, after meals, and at night. The plan worked just right.” Let’s crawl on the floor “One of the best ways to connect with an infant is to get down on all fours yourself and see the world from your little one’s perspective,” said Adelmis Granoderoro, who helps first-time moms plan for and navigate their child’s first year of life. “This empathetic response helps connect a young mom to a child’s early developmental processes, especially visual development. Even physically, when you’re on the floor yourself, it is much
easier to imagine the strength that is needed for an infant to hold his head up, turn over, or begin to crawl and pull up.” A time to encourage laughter For Savi Isinkaunan, a hospice nurse who visits patients in their homes, laughter really is the best medicine. “I’ve been working in Chinatown for many years, and a lot of people and families know me,” Isinkaunan said. “The trust we’ve built is so important, it can help us communicate about fearful or uncomfortable things. Once, when I needed to check to see if a bed-bound patient was getting sores on his bottom, his modesty made it difficult for him. His wife and I teamed up to gently persuade him. ‘In all these years,’ he laughed to his wife as he turned over, ‘you never asked to look at my butt!’” Finding the strength to quit Life had suddenly turned dark for one of nurse Huda Scheidelman’s patients who divorced shortly before his 60th birthday. Once a man who loved to get out and explore the city, his health had declined as a result of unmanaged diabetes and a-pack-a-day smoking. After manifesting symptoms of severe depression, he wasn’t following the new meal plan from his dietitian; his blood sugars were out of control, and he’d left his job because diabetes made walking painful. Mixing compassion with facts and a bit of “tough love,” Scheidelman helped him understand how smoking and not taking his insulin was a way of cheating himself, and slowly but surely he got back on course with his insulin, started following his diet and kicked the smoking habit. Hit me with your best shot When Jane Sadowsky-Emmerth, RN, a clinical case manager with the licensed home care agency Partners in Care, arrived to teach her patient with ulcerated colitis how to give herself blood thinner injections, the 30-yearold business executive’s face lost all its color. Without her prescribed four daily injections, Sadowsky-Emmerth’s patient would need regular blood transfusions—not something she could reasonably fit into her busy work schedule. As a temporary measure, the nurse tag-teamed with her patient’s husband to administer the shots until the daily ritual became less daunting and her patient was able to handle the task herself. One from the heart Before the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Neely Bagley put most of her creativity into performing as a cabaret singer and fine-tuning her skills as an artist and illustrator. After that day, she decided she needed to do more to help others who were suffering, so she went back to school and became a frontline nurse with the Visiting Nurse Service of New York. “I use my drawing to help people understand,” Bagley explains. “One of my first heart failure patients had been suffering from the disease for years without realizing it. ‘No one ever told me,’ he complained. So I just started to draw it all out for him until he really got it.” As often happens, with understanding came gratitude, and the patient—like so many who have benefited from the diverse skills, creativity, care and compassion that nurses like these demonstrate every day— was able to heal and embrace a healthier new normal with wisdom, independence and grace. (Submitted)
14 • THE CITY REVIEW • May 5, 2017
SPORTS
May 5, 2017 • THE CITY REVIEW • 15
Fanning the flames LIVE MIKE Mike Smith
Sometimes, things happen that make me want to throw my hands up and turn in my sports fan card. On Monday night, Orioles’ centerfielder Adam Jones, one of the brightest—and most outspoken— stars in the baseball world, took Red Sox supporters to task after a heated contest between Boston and Baltimore, accusing Fenway fans of hurling packs of peanuts—and racist comments—at him. It’s the kind of thing that makes me ashamed on so many levels; as both a member of the human race and of “Red Sox Nation.” But it doesn’t mean I’m surprised. There is no shortage of sports stories, both here and abroad, about sports fans behaving badly. These stories range from the amusing— just about anything that happens at a Buffalo Bills tailgate—to the scary, like the 2011 assault of San Francisco Giants’ fan Bryan Stow in a Dodger Stadium parking lot that left him brain-damaged.
But few are as troubling to me as the racist tendencies on display when a bleacher full of knuckleheads get a few $10 beers in them. Racism in pro stadiums, sadly, is nothing new. Not in Europe, not in America, and certainly not in Boston, which has had well-publicized trouble in the past attracting black free agents because of the despicable behavior of the Fenway Faithful. I’m not even going to attempt to justify or explain the behavior of these epithet-spewing lowlifes. They should be barred from Fenway—or wherever they spout their hate—for life, no questions asked. But I do wonder how they reconcile this sort of behavior internally. Let’s just take the Red Sox here. What sort of mental gymnastics allows one of these dirt bags to harass a guy like Adam Jones, and then turn around and root for Red Sox like Mookie Betts or Jackie Bradley Jr. when those guys step up to the plate? What sort of disconnect is going on here? I’d imagine that the types of people who do this sort of thing don’t leave a lot of time in the day
for self-examination, but I’d sure love to watch them squirm if they had to undergo some sort of spiritual audit. The other question I have involves some bit of generalization; although, given that it’s focused on the fans, it feels well-deserved. If I had to guess, these fans on Monday night most likely belonged to a subset of sports fans who like to call into sports talk radio and grouse about pro athletes—who are invariably black or of Latino descent—who set a “bad example” for our youth with their “flashy” on field antics like bat flips or touchdown dances. These complaints—which are always rooted in some form of racism—posit that guys like Yasiel Puig are destroying the moral fiber of our nation’s youth because they stood at home plate for a few seconds to admire a majestic moonshot. “What about the kids?” they mewl. “Children repeat the actions that they see!” Exactly, you chumps. And those are the same kids sitting in the stands right next to you. So next time, don’t buy a ticket.
On May 1, fans at Fenway Park in Boston hurled racist epithets at Baltimore Orioles’ centerfielder Adam Jones. Sports Editor Mike Smith doesn’t understand how racist sports enthusiasts reconcile their hate with their fandom. Photo courtesy Wikipedia.org
Go to a bar, watch at home, I don’t care. Just keep your backwards viewpoints to yourself. Maybe if you stay away from our stadiums—and our kids—we won’t
have to have this same discussion in 10 years.
Follow Mike Smith on Twitter @ LiveMike_Sports
TO COVER LOCAL SPORTS, YOU NEED A
LIVE MIKE! Follow Mike Smith @LiveMike_Sports stats • recaps • commentary Follow @mamaroneckview for Mike’s live, in-game action updates
16 • THE CITY REVIEW • May 5, 2017