2012

DEC-JAN

LO-DOWN
www.thelodownny.com

News from the Lower East Side

THE

AFTER SANDY The Road Ahead on the LES

www.thelodownny.com

halstead.com
New York Hamptons Connecticut New Jersey

WINTER SELECTIONS ON THE MARKET

EAST BROADWAY

Altagracia Salon
hair + make-up

PIZZA
AUTHENTIC NEW YORK PIZZA

Back in the neighborhood with our traditional recipes.

210 EAST BROADWAY 1BR/1BA $429K WEB#3547733 266 EAST BROADWAY 1BR/1BA $359K WEB#1252440 ACCEPTED OFFER 266 EAST BROADWAY STUDIO $349K WEB#1903475 ACCEPTED OFFER

FREE DELIVERY!
SPECIAL
Free 2 Liter Soda With Large Pie $14

181 E. Broadway between Essex & Clinton

Haircuts Color Highlights Extentions Keratin Treatment Relaxers Perms Make-up Application

Blow-dries start at $20

212. 964. 0611 | www.altagraciaunisex.com 245 East Broadway, New York, NY

453 FDR DRIVE 2BR/1BA $579K WEB#171065 IN CONTRACT

455 FDR DRIVE 1BR/1BA $329K WEB#1958124 IN CONTRACT

477 FDR DRIVE 1BR/1BA $379K WEB#3435516 IN CONTRACT

646.756.4448 eastbroadwaypizza.com

453 FDR DRIVE 2BR/1BA/BALCONY $519K WEB#163424 IN CONTRACT

453 FDR DRIVE 2BR/2BA, $839K WEB#2301621 IN CONTRACT

550 GRAND ST 2BR/1BA $535K WEB#3415271 SOLD

575 GRAND ST 3BR/2BA/BLCNY COMBO $888K WEB#3380166

118 SUFFOLK 1BR/1BA $525K WEB#3432012

413 GRAND ST 4 or 5BR/3BA/2BLCNY $1.395M WEB#2310900

Halstead Property, LLC We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin.

Lic. R.E. Salesperson Senior Vice President Halstead Property, LLC t: 212.381.6510 nyoung@halstead.com www.thelodownny.com

Neal Young

Jeremy Bolger

Lic. R.E. Salesperson Senior Vice President Halstead Property, LLC t: 212.381.6516 jbolger@halstead.com

YOUR LOWER EAST SIDE RESIDENT SPECIALISTS

THE

LO-DOWN
Ed Litvak Editor-in-Chief Traven Rice General Manager/Arts Editor Jennifer Strom Associate Editor Tobi Elkin Copy Editor/Contributing Writer Kim Sillen Gledhill Art Director JP Bowersock Contributing Writer Royal Young Contributing Writer Cynthia Lamb Contributing Photographer Evan Forsch Cartoonist Advertising inquiries: ads@thelodownny.com Story tips: tips @ thelodownny.com Contact us: 646-861-1805

LO-DOWN
December 2012 & January 2013

THE

letter from the Editor:

in this issue

Like most everyone on the Lower East Side,

The Lo-Down is a publication of Lo-Down Productions LLC, 2012.

we at The Lo-Down have had to improvise in the past several weeks. In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, with no electricity and limited cell phone service, we covered the neighborhood any way we could. Sometimes this meant bicycling across the Williamsburg Bridge to find internet service. On other occasions, we plugged into street-side charging stations with our neighbors, so we could continue posting stories to Facebook or Twitter, and to the website when the signal was strong enough. You may have noticed our November magazine arrived in mailboxes a couple of weeks late. Such is life when the local post office is out of commission. We rushed to get this months issue out, while continuing to report the latest post-Sandy developments online. Somehow it seems fitting that 2012, the year in which we launched the print magazine, is ending with a frenzy of activity. Juggling the website and the print publication is a challenge, but a rewarding one that were happy to have undertaken. We hope you enjoy this issue, and the upcoming holidays. Happy New Year from The Lo-Down!

Cover Story Photo Essay

The Lower East Side after the Superstorm

Hurricane Sandy documented Rivington Street raucous, life after Pathmark, Yo! Bus comes to Pike Street A cutting edge Christmas Carol Sufjan Stevens at Bowery Ballroom, American Realness Festival, the 8th Day of Hanukkah Foregoing meat for the holidays Wilson Soo of Two Bridges Neighborhood Council Lower East Sideways

12 Neighborhood News

14 Ar ts Watch

15 Calendar/Feat ured Events

17

J Ps Food Advent ures

18 My LES

20 Car toon

Ed Litvak

Cover photo: 2nd Avenue and 6th Street, looking south. Taken Oct. 31, 2012 by Karna Basu. See more of his photos at karnabasu.com.

photo by Rae Zhang

Sandy Aftershock: Counting Costs, Revamping Storm Plans

By Ed Litvak

n the night after Hurricane Sandy ripped through New York, the darkened streets of the Lower East Side were mostly deserted. But a handful of restaurants, including newcomer Forgtmenot, refused to let the superstorm prevail. The small, candlelit place was packed; the beer taps flowed and appreciative customers devoured platters of grilled steak. Co-owner Paul Sierros, who had rigged up an extension cord powered by a van parked outside, said it was one of the restaurants best nights since opening four months earlier. Unfortunately, that scene on Division Street was just one tiny bright spot in a blacked-out landscape, which prevailed for nearly a week and continues, more than a month later, to overshadow the future for many small and independent businesses in the neighborhood. Already struggling to shake off the effects of a brutal economic downturn, restaurants and shops now face financial hardships brought on by one of the most devastating natural disasters to strike the city in decades. Simultaneously, community leaders are assessing and attempting to address gaps in emergency preparedness, communication and recovery plans that the storm exposed when it roared ashore Oct. 29. Ralph Tramontana, head of the Little
4
www.thelodownny.com

Italy Merchants Association and owner of Sambucas on Mulberry Street, said his losses from spoiled food amounted to around $20,000. Noting that typically, a lot of small neighborhood restaurants barely cover their expenses, he said, its very tough to pay a months worth of bills without a weeks worth of business. Tramontana predicted that up to a third of independent cafes and shops might not survive the winter. In the weeks since the power came back on, government agencies, elected officials and community organizations have stepped in to offer assistance. During an aid workshop at University Settlement, FEMA and city officials urged business owners to apply for emergency loans. But many of them balked, rejecting the idea of assuming more debt. I dont need a loan. Give me a generator, said Sylvester Schneider of Avenue C restaurant and bar Zum Schneider. The Lower East Side Business Improvement District held a fundraiser in support of a grant program for local businesses, raising about $10,000. The newly created Chinatown BID launched a similar program, and other organizations in Chinatown planned a street fair to lure shoppers and diners. Spontaneous demonstrations of local support also sprung up, as neighbors encouraged each

other to visit their favorite independent maybe it was a little better than New Orleans shops and restaurants. [during Katrina] but he did not have a plan. Now is the time to really show your supOne of the big issues, as Mendez noted, port and help our local friends bounce back was the complete breakdown in communicaquickly with a little extra cash and a lot of tion, after phone and data services were sevgoodwill, wrote one of our readers, Kristin ered. But there were many other critical isAnderson, in an essay we published online. sues that arose, as well. The effects of the storm At a recent public meeting, on the Lower East Side were relCity Council member Rosie atively mild compared with the In spite of Mendez acknowledged that devastation that Sandy brought everyones homegrown relief efforts, espeto other communities in places best efforts, like Staten Island, Red Hook and cially during the first hours after Sandy struck, were often the the Rockaways. But it did reveal there was only options for residents and in stark terms the vulnerability no plan for businesses left in the dark. Naof the many large apartment the aftertional Guard troops and other complexes dotting Zone A math. aid workers from outside the along the East River, and set off a city did eventually arrive, but lot of alarm bells for the future. she said, help was slow to come; nonprofit Nowhere was this more apparent than at organizations [operating on the LES] and Knickerbocker Village, the 1,600-unit affordpeople from the neighborhood really pulled able housing complex near the Manhattan together. Bridge, just a block from the river. Floodwaters Sandy was an eye-opener in many re- swamped electrical equipment rooms, despects regarding New Yorks preparedness for stroying boilers, corroding wiring and knockfuture superstorms. Mendez said the ordeal ing out electricity, heat and water service to revealed an unsettling fact: in spite of every- residents in the 12-building development, ones best efforts, there was no plan for the af- many of them elderly. Days after power was termath. Comparing Sandy to the costliest restored throughout most of the rest of the natural disaster in American history, she Lower East Side, Knickerbocker Village resiadded, the mayor said we had a plan and dents told us they felt isolated and ignored.
www.thelodownny.com

Media coverage (including multiple stories on The Lo-Down), pressure from local elected officials and nonprofit organizations culminated in a public forum Nov. 13, organized by State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. That evening, James Simmons, an executive with Knickerbocker Village owner AREA Property Partners, admitted that management was not as forthright as residents deserved, but added that it was 100 percent focused on the difficult task at hand. Simmons, referring to climate change, ominously warned, I dont believe its the last time the East River crosses Cherry Street. As city leaders turn their attention to protecting New York from future storms, the newly acknowledged risks on the waterfront weigh heavily on everyone. On the Lower East Side, there are many large public and other low-income housing developments in Zone A. Knickerbocker Village was not the only complex that experienced flooding when Sandy came ashore. In recent years, the city has aggressively promoted new residential development along the waterfront. Here on the LES, a large luxury tower is believed to be in the works on the site of the soon-to-be-shuttered Pathmark store. Some are advocating for a multibillion-dollar levee system to protect Lower Manhattan from flooding. Any meaningful solution would, no doubt, take great political will and would require years of planning and construction. In the short term, large residential build-

ings throughout the LES are coming to the realization that they lack adequate emergency plans. As the blackout dragged on, concern grew for the many elderly and disabled residents who lacked not only heat and electricity but also food, water and medical care. Social service organizations as well as residents acting on their own mobilized to knock on doors, offering assistance. But in many big buildings, some of which have well over a thousand apartments each, it proved to be a daunting task. In recent days, management teams and residents have started talking about not only investing in backup power and emergency provisions but also establishing volunteer teams that would be deployed to look after each buildings most vulnerable tenants. Some good did come from the storm. In trying times, local businesses, residents and nonprofit organizations demonstrated remarkable good humor, resourcefulness and compassion. We wont soon forget those mental images of long food lines at community centers, of people huddled around phone charging stations or of flashlight-toting volunteers trudging up stairwells in 20story buildings to check on their neighbors. As memories of Hurricane Sandy fade, however, it will require an equal amount of determination and ingenuity to protect this densely populated neighborhood from the next big storm and to prepare for the new normal in the big city.

The CPA for Freelancers

www.cpaforfreelancers.com
As featured in: Bloomberg Businessweek, New York Post & Accounting Today
Personal and Business Tax Returns Prior Year Tax Returns Tax Controversies Audit Representation Tax Planning & Entity Structuring Monthly Accounting Services

Jonathan Medows, CPA

S BIKE SHO ANK P FR

Te l : 6 4 6 . 4 1 5 . 8 0 11 info@medowscpa.com
517 Grand St., Fl 1 New York, NY 10002

Wishing you Happy Holidays and a Peaceful New Year.

Come by and see our famous Christmas Windows!
553 Grand Street NYC FranksBikeShop@verizon.net www.franksbikes.com
Tel: 212-533-6332 Fax: 212-475-1584

STRIDE for ages 10-14

AcAdemics sports & Fitness Arts & LeAdership recreAtion

Unique
HairSTYLIST & Nail Salon
Weve moved from 47 Essex Street to:

202 Clinton Street New York, NY 10002 tel: 212.777.0164 646.236.6361 uniquehairstylist.com
M nc r s s a i u i t f r e l f o o m r y r m t eG a dS a h r n p

Monday - Friday 3:30pm - 6:00pm NEW FREE THEATER ARTS PROGRAM!

Contact us today for more info! STRIDE@universitysettlement.org University Settlement at the Houston Street Center 273 Bowery (212) 475-5008

Keratin Straightening & Blowout Waxing Mani/Pedi $25

NOW O E ! P N

photo by Kama Basu

www.thelodownny.com

www.thelodownny.com

SUPERSTORM

Scenes from thE

on the les
2. 3.

5. 1. 4.

6.

Anyone who lived through Hurricane Sandyand lived through a week of darkness in Lower Manhattanwill probably tell you no photo could capture the unique experience. But the images that surfaced in the days after the storm passed were still remarkable. On these pages, you will see some of the pictures sent to us by readers of The Lo-Down and others shot by our own staff. From the flooded East River, to the darkened streets to the surreal march across the Williamsburg Bridge, to the images of the National Guard on the LES, they help tell the story of life in SoPo, South of Power.

7.

8.

www.thelodownny.com

www.thelodownny.com

11.

9.

10.

14.

15.

12. 13.

16. 10
www.thelodownny.com

17.

18. photo credits, page 20

www.thelodownny.com

11

neighborhood news
crime

nightlife

Community Board 3s SLA Committee supported the renewal of The Hotel on Rivingtons liquor license despite controversy over noise complaints. The LES Dwellers group, a new block association that opposes the proliferation of nightlife in the neighborhood, objected to the renewal at the committees recent meeting, just a month after persuading the board to reject another license for a new restaurant at 106 Rivington St., just across the street from the trendy hotel. Members of the group complained about late-night noise emanating from THORs three nightlife establishments (Viktor & Spoils, Co-op Food & Drink and the lobby lounge), crowded sidewalks and street-side windows that are kept open past 10 p.m. (in violation of a previous agreement). Hotel owner Paul Stallings assured CB3 members that he would do a better job of policing his staff and making sure windows are closed at an appropriate hour. He said changes like soundproofing and the creation of a longer hallway/holding area inside the hotels entryway were already being made. The full CB3 board voted to approve the application late last month.
development

Raul Barrera, 35, was sentenced to 25 years to life for the murder of 23-year-old Sarah Coit, who was killed in her Lower East Side apartment on April 10, 2011. Barrera, Coits boyfriend, pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree in September. Coit was stabbed more than 30 times in her head and torso, according to the Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. Noting that far too many domestic violence victims remained trapped in relationships from which they see no escape, Vance reiterated plans to open Manhattans first Family Justice Center next year. The new center will provide services for domestic violence victims in one central location, including civil and criminal legal services, and will tie together services for victims of domestic violence, sex crimes, human trafficking, elder abuse and child abuse.

A consultant has been hired to help find a solution to meet neighborhood shopping needs after the Pathmark closes this month.

shopping

The Cherry Street Pathmark is slated to close in late December. Extell Development Corp. has apparently acquired the stores lease and plans a luxury residential development on the site. The Two Bridges Neighborhood Council, which was instrumental in bringing the store to the neighborhood 30 years ago, has hired a consultant to help facilitate short- and long-term plans around the impact of the stores closure. A community survey began in late November, polling residents to better understand shopping patterns, income levels and overall consumer needs. After Hurricane Sandy and in the run-up to the closing, store shelves, freezers and refrigerators were barren.
transportation

Robert La Fosse

arts
The Hotel on Rivington

The NYC Economic Development Corp. released a brochure touting what it described as an unprecedented opportunity to develop the Seward Park development site. The city will release the request for proposals for the site in January. A community-oriented task force convened to review details of the RFP, which encompasses 1,000 units of housing and a large amount of commercial space on nine parcels adjacent to the Williamsburg Bridge. CB3 advocated for participation from local developers, and the city agreed to encourage Seward Park applicants to team up with affordable housing nonprofits. Members of the task force were required to sign confidentiality agreements. The task force will have an advisory role in deciding which developer or developers are chosen for the 1.65-million-square-foot project. The selection process is expected to begin in the summer of 2013.

Henry Street Settlements Abrons Arts Center named Robert La Fosse Director of Education. La Fosse, a ballet dancer and Tony Awardnominated Broadway actor, will be responsible for the centers training programs in dance, theater, music and the visual arts, along with school-based education and public programs. La Fosse, who danced with the American Ballet Theatre and the New York City Ballet, will lead a program that offers more than 100 classes a year and has an annual enrollment of more than 500 students. Hes also tasked with the direction of the Abrons Dance Ensemble and Urban Youth Theater, as well as the Abrons programs in New York City public schools.

Greyhounds Yo! Bus service finally has permission to operate from the Lower East Side. In late November, Community Board 3 approved a bus stop on the west side of Pike Street between East Broadway and Division Street. In September, community activists, with support from local elected officials, beat back a proposal for a bus stop on Essex Street in front of Seward Park. Yo! Bus will run 14 daily round trips between New York and Philadelphia when service begins Dec. 18. A resolution approved by CB3 asks the Department of Transportation to require the bus company to have a staff member on site to control crowds, to refrain from selling tickets on the street, to pick up trash left by waiting customers and to load and unload buses within 10 minutes. Greyhound will sell tickets from an office at 98 E. Broadway. Asian Americans for Equality, whose office is directly across the street from the new stop, unsuccessfully requested that CB3 delay the decision due to concerns about congestion and crowd control. Greyhounds permit will be for nine months, with review by the community board and the DOT six months from now to ensure the company is abiding by the agreed-upon restrictions.
www.thelodownny.com

12

www.thelodownny.com

13

arts watch
A Post-Modern
By Royal Young
his own Scrooge, but many others are projected over the characters faces on sliding screens and slates throughout the trippy performance. From the Muppets to Bill Murray, multiple versions and enactments of the classic story are illuminated over the live actors, creating both a feeling of vertigo and consumption. Farringtons production also underlines the timelessness of this holiday tale. By portraying Scrooge and his ghosts throughout the ages, Farrington creates his own unique vision while also layering the characters. The cast and crew make the timing of all visual effects seem effortless, perfectly in sync and deliciously exaggerated. The production captures the frantic energy and cheer of holiday time. Multimedia works especially well when Scrooge is visited by the ghosts of Christmasthey are terrifying and larger than life, leaving Quinton quaking in Scrooges shoes and making his transformation from cruel miser to benevolent cheer-giver convincing and purposeful. Also interesting in Scrooges character is his corporate contempt, his fascination with money and earning which leaves him lonely. In an age when prep for the holiday season starts in July and spending is emphasized and encouraged, its heartwarming to see Christmas celebrated for bringing people together rather than opening wallets. A Christmas Carol is also very much about mortality, and though the creepiness of the opening scene lingers throughout the play, there is bold camaraderie and buoyant acting that leave me feeling glowy and warm, despite the cold and the fact that my family lights a Hanukkah menorah and not a pine tree.

at Abrons

calendar
DEC.

what DECEMBER to do in & JANUARY

Visit our CALENDAR online at www.thelodownny.com/calendar for more details and to add your own events.

14 16 21 22
Sat. Fri. Sun.

Fri.

Your Day is My Night at The Performance Project: A group of Chinese immigrants presents a dynamic live film performance that offers an inside look at the hidden world of New Yorks shift-bed residents. Initially postponed by Hurricane Sandy, the show returns to University Settlement as part of its Performance Project series. 7:30 p.m., 184 Eldridge St., $15, $10 students/seniors/artists, universitysettlement. org. (Also Saturday, Dec. 15, 7:30 p.m.) The 8th Day of Hanukkah With LABA Kids and One Ring Zero at 14th Street Y: Join a Hanukkah celebration and concert performance by One Ring Zero. Activities include a dreidelspinning competition, cookie decorating and free-form interpretative dancing for the whole family. 11 a.m., 344 E. 14th St., $30 per family ticket, 14streety. interticket.com. Dick Whittington: A New York Panto at Dixon Place: The OPTimistiks bring a medley of cross-dressing musical comedy adventure and audience interaction to complete the feast of Panto, a British tradition dating back to the early days of the West End. 7 p.m., 161A Chrystie St., through Saturday, Dec. 29, dixonplace. org.

26

Wed.

Hot Cider Walking Tour at Museum at Eldridge Street: Eat (and drink) your way through Lower East Side history on this tasty walking tour. Visit synagogues, Yiddish newspaper buildings, socialist hot spots and sample treats from local vendors. Also Thursday, Dec. 27, $25 adults; $18 students/seniors, 2 p.m., 12 Eldridge St. eldridgestreet.org.

Photo courtesy of Abrons Arts Center

Reid Farringtons A Christmas Carol starts off spooky. The Abrons Arts Center stage is lit by glowing candles, further hushed by red velvet drapes. A coffin stands facing the audience, with a shadowy head at its tip. Even before the production begins, I get the feeling that eyes from the head are looking at me. The audience is being watched. The show starts with a moan, as the deathly face bursts to life, revealing actor John Forkner, the narrator of our tale. With perfect pomp and a dash of sardonic wit, he opens a large book to read this legendary Christmas tale of Scrooge. Holding the pages open toward the audience so we can see vivid projections of moving images, Forkner recites. The story comes to life as Everett Quinton hobbles onstage as the miserly Scrooge, a character who is the antithesis of holiday cheer. Quinton is brilliant and unique, wearing a constant scowl that seems set in the very fibers of his face. He is 14
www.thelodownny.com

Pier 36 New Years Eve Party with DJ Armin van Buuren: A jubilant electronic dance music marathon with DJ Magazines No. 1 DJ, plus a premium open bar from 9 p.m. -midnight. 8 p.m., 299 South St., $175 and up, joonbug. com. (Visit us online at thelodownny.com for more New Years Eve events on the Lower East Side.)

31

Mon.

A Christmas Carol runs through Dec. 23 at Abrons Arts Center, 466 Grand St. Tickets: $25 adults, $15 seniors and students.

Sufjan Stevens Christmas Sing-A-Long Seasonal Affective Disorder Yuletide Disaster Pageant On Ice at Bowery Ballroom: Stevens concert extravaganza includes songs from his epic compilation set Silver & Gold, which spans his work from 2006-10, with some additional tune-ups from the last couple of years. 8 p.m., 6 Delancey St., $20. Tickets sales start Wed., Dec. 19, at noon. BoweryBallroom.com. (Also Friday, Dec. 21, 8 p.m.)
(January Calendar is continued on next page)

www.thelodownny.com

15

calendar (continued)
JAN.
Thurs.

jps food adventures

Meatless Holiday Meals
by JP Bowersock thousand years of trial and error with meatless cooking is bound to yield some dishes tasty enough to satisfy anyone. Here are some places Id hit with vegan dining companions this holiday season: The menu at Yunnan Kitchen (79 Clinton St.) may be small, but it has great choices for carnivores and vegans alike. Even an ardent meat-eater would be hard-pressed to dispute the tastiness of the tofu ribbon salad. Those curious to try state-of-the-art Asian vegetarian cooking can head over to Wild Ginger (380 Broome St.) in Nolita. The place is tiny, but managed to accommodate a walk-in group of seven one recent evening. I can vouch for their fishermans vegetable protein and smoked seitan platters ($14). And they make a pretty mean pumpkin soup. Those feeling more traditional can visit Chinatowns Vegetarian Dim Sum House (24 Pell St.) or House of Vegetarian (68 Mott St.). Both of these establishments offer classic Chinese dishes made with mock meat. These soy and wheat gluten creations were developed by Buddhist monks hundreds of years ago. Is mock meat as tasty as real meat? No. But the dishes still work. If your vegan dining companion is very particular (or annoyingly fussy) take them to Tiengarden (170 Allen St.). This neighborhood hole in the wall prides itself on taking custom orders, and they have a raw food specialist. Just need a quick vegan friendly bite on Grand Street? Banh Mi Saigon (198 Grand St.) offers a remarkably good Buddhist sandwich ($5) that substitutes marinated tofu and mushrooms for cold cuts and pate. Tradition is wonderful, but trying something new can be great, too. Instead of offering a veggie burger at the holiday table, why not go out with vegetarian loved ones for something special? You might be surprised at how well they eat. The days of hippie mush are long gone.
JP Bowersock is a professional musician and music producer who has toured the world, eating at top restaurants and hole-in-the-wall joints. He is also a wine consultant and a serious home cook who scours the Lower East Side for frugal food finds in his free time.

10

American Realness Festival at Abrons Arts Center: Producer and curator Ben Pryor returns to Abrons for the fourth edition of this burgeoning contemporary dance festival. Through Jan. 20. Full schedule at abronsartscenter.org.

29
Author David von Drehle on Abraham Lincoln and Americas Most Perilous Year at Tenement Talks: The esteemed journalist, editor and political writer discusses his most recent book, which focuses on Lincolns unparalleled leadership throughout the year 1862. 6:30 p.m., free, 103 Orchard St., tenement.org.

Tues.

Fri.

18

Judith Bernstein and Paul McCarthy in Conversation at the New Museum: As part of her first solo museum exhibition, Judith Bernstein joins artist Paul McCarthy to discuss themes of violence and sexuality in both of their work. Margot Norton, curatorial associate and curator of Judith Bernstein: HARD, moderates the discussion. 7 p.m., $8, 235 Bowery, newmuseum.org.

Photo: Cynthia Lamb

Please show the L.E.S. your love... Shop & eat LOCAL for the holidays!
Find gifts for everyone and all your festive needs right here on the Lower East Side!

With the holidays approaching, groups of family and friends will be gathering in celebration. For many this means some kind of accommodation for vegetarians and vegans. A party situation is easysome hummus or guacamole and chips is usually enough to assure they wont get wobbly after a third glass of wine. But what about dining out? Thats tougher. Chefs dedicate themselves to making delicious food, and animal fat makes things more delicious. Food lacking it is less tasty by comparison. I can vouch for this, as Ive done the vegan thing. At first, every meal tastes like cardboard. When youre used to the unctuousness animal fat provides, food without it can fall flat. It takes about three weeks for a new vegans taste to adjust to such a diet. Given all that, what incentive does a chef have to sidestep using ingredients like butter, cream, cheese, pork fat and duck fat, or to substitute vegetable protein for more luscious meat? Given the percentage of vegetarians and vegans in the general population theres not much incentive, unless that chef is committed to the cause. A menu might include a token concession dish to avoid complaints on Yelp. Or it might not. So whats left, falafel? There is plenty of ground between falafel and pricey upscale modern vegan. Much of it is occupied by places doing riffs on Asian cuisines. This shouldnt be a surprise. Traditions of vegetarian and vegan cooking grew up around Buddhismover a

16

www.thelodownny.com

www.thelodownny.com

17

Soo

Wilson

Where do you take your visitors when theyre here? If its their first time here, I would have to say dim sum in Chinatown, shopping in SoHo, sightseeing throughout the city, food and drinks along St. Marks and if its a really late night, any of the eateries still open on the Bowery and Bayard Street. I also take them to places like Economy Candy where you can find almost any type of candy imaginable and, of course, The Pickle Guys for gourmet pickled delicacies. Favorite dive/locals bar in the neighborhood? A place that my friends and I have frequented is Phebes on Bowery and East 4th Street. Its a great place to go to catch any of the games that are playing and have some good bar food. What sort of changes have you seen in the neighborhood in the last few years? I think the Lower East Side has become one of the more sought-after neighborhoods to live in. The neighborhood has become more chic and nightlifeoriented. Once mom and pop shops are now boutiques and bars. Old tenement buildings have given

way to condominiums and hotels. Favorite LES memory? My favorite LES memory dates back to my early childhood. My entire family pretty much lived in the same building that I still live in. Sundays were the best days because we always had family dinner together. My grandfather, aunts and mom would spend much of the afternoon preparing dinner while my cousins and I played in Seward Park. We would all return home to open doors where we would go from apartment to apartment, eating and hanging out.
Read the latest installments of My LES online each week.

Sign up for our daily email!

THE

LO-DOWN
thelodownny.com

Dr. Shu Ping Rong, D.D.S. P.C.

1 2 8 M o t t S t . , S u i t e 5 0 7 , N e w Yo r k , N Y 1 0 0 1 3
For our regular feature spotlighting the people who live and work on the Lower East Side, we talked recently with community organizer Wilson Soo. What do you do? I am the program manager at Two Bridges Neighborhood Council, Inc. Two Bridges (twobridges. org) is a nonprofit organization that serves the community through the creation of affordable housing and by advocating for quality of life improvements for residents. We provide access to social services and engage residents in public, political and planning processes that impact the community in which they live and/or work. I am also one of the co-chairs of the Chinatown Working Group, a community planning initiative for Chinatown and surrounding areas. How long have you lived on the LES? I have lived and worked on the Lower East Side all 18
www.thelodownny.com

of my life. I actually still live in the building that I was raised in. Favorite block in the neighborhood? My favorite block in the neighborhood would have to be Essex Street. There are far too many memories on that street for me to say otherwise. Favorite date spot in the hood? The Smith Restaurant [in the East Village]. Theres good food and a nice atmosphere. Favorite coffee in the hood? Does my offices Keurig coffee count? Seriously though, I usually pick up my morning coffee from any Chinese bakery in the neighborhood. In the afternoon, you can usually find me getting my caffeine fix in Little Italy at spots like S.P.Q.R. Restaurant, Da Nicos Restaurant or Sambucas Cafe. Favorite slice in the neighborhood? Pulinos on Bowery. Its a long wait, but worth it for the prosciutto and arugula pie.

Te l : 2 1 2 . 2 2 6 . 6 3 6 8 www. d r r o n g d d s . c o m drrongdent al @gm ai l . com 10:00 am - 6:30 pm

Monday - Sunday:

Cosmetics, Soft Tissue Surgeries, Crowns/Bridges, Root Canal, Dentures, Childrens Dentistry, Wisdom Teeth Extractions, Veneers, Emergencies, Appliance Therapy, Full Mouth Reconstruction, Invisalign www.thelodownny.com

Implants, Braces (Metal/Invisible), Gum Disease, Laser Surgery & Whitening

19

Photo credits, pages 8-11

1. Destruction along the East River; photo by Rich Caplan. 2. A darkened LES in foreground, illuminated skyline uptown; photo by Jennifer Strom. 3. South Street as flood waters spilled over the East River; photo by Veronica Jones. 4. National Guard troops unload supplies on Grand Street; photo by The Lo-Down. 5. A van on Division Street provides power to a bodega; photo by Jennifer Strom. 6. Residents navigate fallen trees near Stuy Town; photo by Dan Ucko. 7. Shoppers wait outside Fine Fair on Clinton Street; photo by Veronica Jones. 8. The Blue Building looms in darkness; photo by Karna Basu. 9. Flood waters destroyed numerous cars in the parking lot beneath the Pathmark store on Cherry Street; photo by anonymous. 10. Debris scattered near the Water Club restaurant on the East River; photo by Veronica Jones. 11. Pedestrians walk across the Williamsburg Bridge into Manhattan; photo by The Lo-Down. 12. National Guard troops on the job at the Seward Park Coop; photo by Veronica Jones. 13. An SUV struggles to pass through a flooded South Street; photo by Veronica Jones. 14. Destruction at the Corlears Park dog run; photo by Andrea DiFiore. 15. A Con Ed crew works on restoring steam service; photo

by Dan Ecko. 16. A fallen tree at Corlears Hook Park; photo by The Lo-Down. 17. Building supplies scattered near the Manhattan Bridge; photo by The Lo-Down. 18. Dining and drinking by candlelight at Forgetmenot on Division Street; photo by Jennifer Strom.

Send us your story tips, ideas and photos from the neighborhood:

tips@thelodownny.com We want to hear from you!

Contact us at: 646-861-1805

sign up for our newsletter

thelodownny.com
Find out whats happening on the L.E.S. every day

as its happening!

LO-DOWN

THE

ZIPCARD10002
AMAZING DEALS & REWARDS FOR BUYING LOCAL & STAYING LOCAL
Sign up TODAY!
Sit Down-town Daily Meditation in the heart of Manhattan
VILLAGE ZENDO
VillageZendo.org
www.thelodownny.com

www.zipcarded.com
20
www.thelodownny.com

21

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit #1512 New Brunswick, NJ

*******************ECRWSS****

Residential Customer New York, NY 10002

Welcome Robert La Fosse! Open House Sunday, January 27 2-4 pm

Come and meet Robert La Fosse, Abrons new Director of Education. Free performances, classes, prizes, refreshments & more. New classes begin January 29.

ABRONSARTSCENTER
HENRYSTREETSETTLEMENT

466 Grand Street at Pitt abronsartscenter.org 212.598.0400