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LO-DOWN T
H
E
www.thelodownny.com
News from the Lower East Side
SEPT.
2013
BUILDING
BATTLE
Soho
Houses
Big Play
BUILDING
BATTLE
Soho
Houses
Big Play
Sorella:
The Cookbook
Sorella:
The Cookbook
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SUMMER SELECTI ONS ON THE MARKET
Neal Young
Lic. R.E. Salesperson
Halstead Property, LLC
t: 212.381.6510
nyoung@halstead.com
Jeremy Bolger
Lic. R.E. Salesperson
Halstead Property, LLC
t: 212.381.6516
jbolger@halstead.com
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LO-DOWN T
H
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Ed Litvak
Editor-in-Chief
Traven Rice
General Manager/Arts Editor
Jennifer Strom
Associate Editor
Kim Sillen
Art Director
Alex M. Smith
Contributing Photographer
Evan Forsch
Cartoonist
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The Lo-Down is a publication of Lo-Down Productions LLC, 2013.
LO-DOWN T
H
E
September 2013
letter from the Editor:
Its among the top questions Im asked: whats
happening with Soho House? Since February,
when the news first broke, everyones been
eager to know whether the exclusive private
members club would prevail in its quest to open
a new location on Ludlow Street. The fierce
battle for a liquor permit has stirred strong
emotions among supporters and opponents.
This month, as a final decision from the State
Liquor Authority looms, our cover story looks at
the Soho House controversy and, more broadly,
the communitys shifting response to prolif-
erating nightlife venues. Also in this issue, we
have a first look at the new cookbook from
Sorella, the five-year-old Italian restaurant on
Allen Street. The book is, of course, chock full of
recipes but also packed with behind-the-scenes
stories from two young culinary stars, Emma
Hearst and Sarah Krathen. And our September
My LES column features Michelle Myles, who
recently relocated her longtime shop, Daredevil
Tattoo, from Ludlow Street to Division Street. We
hope you enjoy the magazine, and remember:
you can stay up to the minute with everything
happening on the Lower East Side every day at
thelodownny.com.
in this issue
Cover Story
The battle for Soho House
New Arrival s
Rizzos Pizza, Pet Island, Vanity Projects
Primary Election 2013
District 1 voters choose a City Council
candidate
Neighborhood News
Rapfogel fired, East Broadway brawl, Kossars
is sold
Calendar/Feat ured Events
Opening Night on Orchard, Kings at the
Nuyorican, DayLife
The Lo-Dine
Sorella Means Sister, a new cookbook from
Emma Hearst and Sarah Krathen
My LES
Michelle Myles of Daredevil Tattoo
Cartoon
Lower East Sideways
6
10
16
12
19
17
14
On the cover: A rendering of the
proposed Ludlow House venue.
Courtesy: Soho House.
*
Ed Litvak
Manny Cantor Center
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S
ix months ago, its safe to say, Nick
Jones did not know much about the
Lower East Side. But since the dead of winter,
when it was revealed that Soho House was
coming to the formerly bohemian Ludlow
Street, the high-f lying founder and CEO of the
global members-only club (which boasts an-
nual revenues of $200 million) has gotten
quite an education. On the streets outside the
old funeral home building the company pur-
chased last year, under the glaring f luores-
cent lights of community board meetings and
even within the connnes of Soho House's
plush Meatpacking District outpost, locals
have given Jones an earful.
Even by LES standards, where neighbor-
hood battles are practically a contact sport,
the nght for u liquor license ut "Iudlow
House, as the new club would be known,
has been bruising. In spite of Jones charm
offensive and several proposed concessions,
many residents and Community Board 3
members balked, forcing Soho House last
month to make its case to the State Liquor
Authority without key local support. But as
all parties wait for one last hearing before
stute regulutors, und nnully u decision on the
liquor permit, its clear that the passions
stirred go well beyond the usuul "quulity of
life concerns about too many bars. For
many people, the arrival of Soho House on a
rapidly gentrifying block is the most obvious
sign yet that the Lower East Sides unique
character is fundamentally changing.
The nightlife wars have been raging on
the LES for years. But during the current con-
troversy, its become more apparent than ever
that solutions to the problems caused by too
muny burs und clubs in u connned ureu ure
elusive. In recent years CB3, along with im-
pacted residents, have beaten back several
high-pronle proposuls from nightlife operu-
tors. But many people contend its not enough
to simply suy "no to new venues, they be-
lieve a coherent strategy is needed to create a
healthy neighborhood with a good balance
of different types of retail, including full-ser-
vice restaurants, grocery stores, tailors and
other businesses offering local services.
Soho House has a reputation for being a
celebrity hangout. In the past few months
alone, the gossip rags have spotted bold-
faced names such as Beyonc, Jay Z, Quentin
Tarantino and Robert Pattinson at the clubs
in Los Angeles and New York. But on the
Lower East Side, Jones has asserted that the
club is really about building a supportive
community for creative people from all
walks of life.
During the spring, he hosted an infor-
mal gathering at the Meatpacking District
club for a small group from the neighbor-
hood, including photographer Clayton Pat-
terson, who has spent the past 30 years docu-
menting the counterculture movement on
the LES. A short time later, Soho House col-
laborated with longtime Ludlow Street artist
MM Serra for a screening of some of Taylor
Meud's uvunt gurde nlms. During commu-
nity board hearings, several Soho House
members from the Lower East Side said the
club is, for them, not u pluce to "see und be
seen but a supportive environment for
building their f ledgling careers. Michael
Chernow, co-owner of the Meatball Shop,
said he was f lown to Los Angeles to cook in
the West Hollywood branch of Soho House,
gaining invaluable exposure on the West
Coust. "It mude u huge difference, expluined
Chernow, who has established multiple lo-
cutions ufter opening his nrst restuurunt on
Stanton Street in 2010.
In his own uppeul to CB, 1ones suid, "we
ask the community of the Lower East Side to
welcome us what we offer is a home away
from home, an extension of your living
rooms and kitchens. Each of the 11 existing
locations, including the original club in Lon-
don and satellites in cities such as Berlin, To-
ronto and Miami, are designed to meet the
needs of the local community. On the LES,
"Iudlow House would cuter to po neighbor-
hood residents who are already members,
and build the membership ranks with new
recruits from the East Sides art and media
communities.
If it nnully secures u liquor license, Soho
House will set to work on restoring ip Iud-
low St., a gorgeous building that once served
as the H. Nieberg Funeral Home and most
recently was a manufacturing plant. There
would be a restaurant, bars on three levels, a
small gym and an indoor/outdoor roof deck.
Designers are also planning a basement
"community spuce, which hus been offered
to the Educational Alliance for program-
ming thats yet to be determined.
Almost from the beginning, Soho
Houses biggest nemesis on the Lower East
Side has been a relatively new neighbor-
Fi ght for Soho House Seen as Nei ghborhood Turni ng Poi nt
by Ed Litvak
Images: left: the interior of 139 Ludlow St. in its present state
right: rendering of the proposed Ludlow House interior, courtesy of
Soho House center: composite of Community Board 3 meeting
(Nick Jones, center.)
Nightlife
Nightlife
8 www.thelodownny.com www.thelodownny.com 9
mix in the neighborhood. These overtures
mostly fell on deaf ears. But at least some
people believe Ludlow House could actual-
ly help create a more vibrant community by
bringing more duytime foot trufnc to strug-
gling businesses. Bob Zuckerman, executive
director of the LES Business Improvement
District told CB, "I wunt the kinds of cre-
ative people (who are Soho House members)
to come here I believe it would be a major
asset to the LES.
A nnul heuring is expected soon before
the State Liquor Authority decides on the
Soho House application. Standing in front of
ip Iudlow St. severul months ugo, 1ones
told The Lo-Down he wanted overwhelm-
ing community support before approaching
state regulators. Instead, he was left with a
mixed bagnew allies as well as detrac-
torsin this famously divided neighbor-
hood. While Jones must wait like everyone
else to hear the ultimate fate of Soho House
on Ludlow Street, one lesson has already
been leurned, he now knows |ust how difn-
cult it is to reach a consensus on any topic on
the Lower East Side.
Bourbon Street. "We ure crying und pleuding
for ussistunce, he testined. In lust month's
tribunal at the State Liquor Authoritys Har-
lem ofnce, the |udge evuluuting the cuse
pressed opponents of the application to ar-
ticulate whether they were opposed to Soho
Houses proposal in particular or more bars
in general.
Attorney Donald Bernstein, represent-
ing Soho House, has argued that his clients
venue would be nothing like other boozy
destinations on Ludlow Street because its
privute, there will be no rope line und the
kids partying at places like Libation and Fat
Baby will not be gaining admittance to the
members-only club. Hes also portrayed
Ludlow House as a daytime and evening
cultural center with diverse programming,
including urt shows, reudings und nlm
screeningsnot simply a venue for night-
time imbibing.
The Dwellers are skeptical. Diem Boyd,
the organizations founder, noted that high-
pronle D1s such us Questlove und 1umes
Murphy of LCD Soundsystem have been
featured at other Soho House locations.
"It's u nightlife destinution. Ihe business
model is based on food and drink, Boyd ar-
gued. "Are we reully to believe thut this Soho
House is going to operate differently than all
of the others? But in the end she came back
to a familiar theme: Boyd and her neighbors
have had enough of the late-night crowds,
the noise and the automobile congestion on
neurly every weekend evening. "Soho
House will not help the situation, she said.
"Whut we reully need is u grocery store. How
about a grocery store?
If theres one thing both supporters and
opponents of Ludlow House can agree on,
its that the Lower East Sides small business-
es and arts venues are suffering, and in
many cases disappearing altogether. This
year has been particularly rough on Ludlow
Street, with the demise of beloved neighbor-
hood staples such as Max Fish, Pink Pony,
Motor City and Earthmatters, the locally run
organic market. Many landlords prefer to
rent commercial spaces to nightlife busi-
nesses becausealong with banks and large
national chainsthey can afford to pay top
dollar for retail spaces. During the current
debate, some locals have argued that prop-
erty owners will eventually look toward
other types of businesses if liquor license ap-
plications are repeatedly rejected. Others be-
lieve this kind of thinking is misguided.
They contend that these landlords are with-
in their rights to do as they please with their
buildings and that the community has no
legal means of imposing its will on individ-
uals or corporations doing business in this or
any neighborhood.
In the last couple of years, Community
Board 3 has grappled with strategies to limit
new bars and to attract different types of
businesses. There has been talk about zoning
changes. At one point, the board sent letters
to local landlords in an effort to open a dis-
cussion about encouraging a healthier retail
hood group called the L.E.S. Dwellers. The
orgunizution, creuted to nght unother liquor
license application for a venue on Rivington
Street lust yeur, suys "enough is enough. In
ruling against the Rivington Street proposal
this past spring, State Liquor Authority
Chairman Dennis Rosen acknowledged the
Dwellers' concerns, conceding, "this is one of
the most saturated areas in the city, probably
in the world.
But at other times, Rosen has cautioned
local community boards and neighborhood
groups against overplaying their hands.
State law theoretically bans new liquor li-
censes located within 500 feet of three or
more existing permits, there ure more thun
50 bars and restaurants within 500 feet of
Iudlow House. But there is u "public interest
exception, giving applicants the opportuni-
ty to prove their proposals would provide a
compelling community benent. Severul
years ago, the SLA objected to a Community
Board 3 moratorium on new liquor licenses
in certain designated areas, on the grounds
that the law requires the state to evaluate
each permit on its merits. In response, CB3
creuted u new policy designuting "oversutu-
rated areas and requiring applicants in
these zones to "show (u) public benent or
strong support from residents living in the
immediate area.
At one hearing, Marvin Avilez, a mem-
ber of the L.E.S. Dwellers group, said the area
around the proposed Ludlow House, which
residents have dubbed Hell Square, feels like
photos above: 1. Flyer posted by L.E.S. Dwellers. 2. The
roof of the proposed Ludlow House site. 3. Rooftop pool
of Soho House in the Meatpacking District. (Note: No
pool is planned for Ludlow House.) 4. Map of Hell Square.
The Lo-Down will have the latest developments
regarding the Soho House permit application at
thelodownny.com
www.thelodownny.com 11
Rizzos Fine Pizza Co.
new arrivals
PET ISLAND (363
Grand St.) opened last
month in the former
East Broadway Kosher
Bakery space. The
store, one of two pet-
oriented businesses es-
tablishing new homes
on the Lower East Side
over the summer, sells
pet food and treats as
well as supplies such as
leashes and collars. It
does not sell animals.
Grand Street is the first
Lower East Side loca-
tion for the small family-owned chain, which also opened
a store in Long Island City last winter. The family also
owns the Happy Feet pet stores, which offer day care
and grooming in addition to retail goods.
10 www.thelodownny.com
LUCA & BOSCO (120 Essex
St., lucaandbosco.com) brought
its handcrafted artisan ice cream
to Essex Street Market just in time
for the summers heat wave. You
may have seen Luca & Bosco at
the LES Film Festival or at the New
Amsterdam Market; the new spot
right inside the markets north end
entrance is its first brick-and-mortar
outlet. Catherine Oddenino and
Ruthie Vishlitzky co-founded the
company, which is named after
each of their beloved dogs, and
have been operating out of La
Marquetas production facilities in
East Harlem. Luca & Bosco spe-
cializes in all-natural ice cream in-
cluding many organic ingredients
and interesting flavor combina-
tions such as banana ice cream
with candied bacon and butter-
scotch diablo. Other flavors in-
clude: goat cheese, rosemary ol-
ive oil, lemon cheesecake and
grapefruit and gin sorbet. (Theres
also classic vanilla if youre not the
adventuresome type.)
VANITY PROJECTS (99
Chrystie St., vanityprojectsnyc.
com) is the brainchild of nail
technician and video art
aficionado Rita de Alencar
Pinto, who combined her love
of two fields into a new space
that offers moving images on
the walls and nail services from some of the citys best practitioners.
(Daily Candy called her team arguably the best this side of Katy
Perrys Rolodex.) Basic manicures and pedicures start at $30 and
$40 each. The space is also available for private events.
RIZZOS FINE PIZZA COMPANY (17 Clinton St., rizzos-
finepizza.com), which originated on Steinway Street in Queens in
1959, opened an LES outpost last month. The family-owned
restaurant specializes in thin-crust Sicilian-style pies. Pies run from
$11 for a personal size to $23 for a large, with a variety of specialty
pizzas, as well as calzones, strombolis and other Italian dishes.
(Theres also a Nutella-topped pizza for dessert.) Rizzos joins a
growing list of destination dining spots such as Yunnan Kitchen and
Pig & Khao on the stretch between Delancey and Houston streets.
Sushi Ko opened earlier this summer, and two more new places are
on the horizon: Ivan Ramen and a seafood joint from the team
behind Wild Edibles are both expected to open later this year.
Pet Island
LOWER EAST SIDE ANIMAL HOSPITAL
(241 Eldridge St., lowereastsideanimalhospital.com) joined
the neighborhood in late August. An outpost of Heart of
Chelsea Animal Hospital across town, the new veterinarian
practice employs a team of six doctors, including one who
specializes in homeopathy and chiropractic treatments for
furry family members. The website is still under construc-
tion, but offers this summary of the new office: As an
AAHA-accredited, client-
centered practice, we aim to
provide pets and owners in
the neighborhood with a truly
unrivaled standard of care, just
as we have at our sister loca-
tion, Heart of Chelsea Animal
Hospital, for nearly 15 years.
MIMI AND COCO NY (92 Rivington St., mimiandcoco-ny.com)
launched its menu of Japanese comfort food at pop-up events like
DayLife on Orchard Street and Smorgasburg; as of July, its signa-
ture teriyaki balls and other specialties are available at a full-time
brick-and-mortar shop. At the new space, which has a few tables
and offers takeout, the teriyaki balls come with a selection of fillings
such as sausage, shrimp, cheese and organic potato. Also on the
expanded menu: takoyaki, or octopus balls, sides of corn and eda-
mame in a cup with butter and sea salt or lemon and chili pepper,
as well as rice bowls like Yuzu Pepper Chicken Donburi.
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GREENSTAR FOODS
(95 Delancey St.) opened in late June,
joining the growing chain of upscale
small groceries owned by Pratik and
Raj Shah. The Shahs own several large
bodega-type stores throughout the East
Village and Lower East Side, including
Corner Grocer at 140 Orchard St. Now
theyve taken over the former home of
a tailor supply business, Lichtenstein &
Company, which moved to 206 Broad-
way in Williamsburg earlier this year.
Mimi and Coco NY
12 www.thelodownny.com
By Ed Litvak
The mayoral campaign is grabbing all
the glory in the upcoming New York City
primary, but Lower East Side voters will also
be called on to choose a City Council
representative this month. In the Sept. 10
Democratic primary, City Council member
Margaret Chin faces a challenge from Jenifer
Rajkumar, a West Side district leader. Chin,
wrupping up her nrst four-yeur term, serves
District 1, which includes most of Lower
Manhattan below Houston Street, including
the Lower East Side and Chinatown. There
are no Republican candidates, so the
primary winner is assured victory in
Novembers general election.
Chin is touting her handling of several
difncult reul estute negotiutions, including
the Seward Park project and New York Uni-
versitys expansion. She also points to the
establishment of the Chinatown Business
Improvement District, advocacy for low-in-
come tenants throughout the district and
support for constituents dealing with Hurri-
cune Sundy us nrst-term uccomplishments.
Rajkumar, a civil rights attorney and
community activist, says Chin has not done
enough to nght for District i residents. She
advocates 100 percent affordable housing in
the Seward Park plan. Rajkumar argues that
Chin failed to stand with her constituents,
who were vehemently opposed to the NYU
expansion as well as the Chinatown BID
and a proposal to create a business improve-
ment district in Soho.
There are other races worth watching in
Lower Manhattan.
In District 2, which includes the area
above Houston Street, City Council member
Rosie Mendez is being opposed by Pastor
Richard Del Rio.
Theres a local contender in the campaign
for public advocate. State Sen. Daniel Squad-
ron, who represents the Lower East Side
umong other neighborhoods, is one of nve
Democruts running for the citywide ofnce. If
he wins, of course, there will be an election to
nll his seut in the :6th Senute district.
You cun nnd detuiled informution ubout
the candidates, including in-depth inter-
views with Chin and Rajkumar, as well as a
Primary Day guide on our website: thelo-
downny.com/election-info.
Polls ure open from 6 u.m. to p p.m. Sept.
io. You cun nnd your polling locution ut
nyc.pollsitelocator.com.
Downtown Voters Pick
City Council Rep. Sept. 10
Incumbent Margaret Chin, left, is defending her seat
against challenger Jenifer Rajkumar.
Meet Marilyn Karpo
A Lower East Side native,
Marilyn is a baby boomer who
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www.thelodownny.com 15
real estate
Kossars Bialys, an institution on the Lower East Side for most of a century, has new own-
ers. Juda Engelmayer and Danny Cohen, who have owned the bagel and bialy bakery at 367 Grand
St. since 1998, sold it to partners Marc Halprin and Evan Giniger. Giniger, an Upper West Side resident
who organized an attempt to save H&H Bagels in that neighborhood in 2011, said the deal was nalized
in mid-August. The Seward Park Co-op, Kossars landlord, also signed o on the ownership change,
with Frank Durant, Seward Parks general manager, noting the board was impressed with Giniger and
Halprins commitment to building up the business for the long term. Giniger is president of a retail ser-
vices company called Dynamic Resources. Halprin has a background in the wholesale bagel business.
We are excited to be taking the reins of this iconic and treasured brand,Halprin told the website More
Travelers. Our goal is to honor the past while making some improvements where needed.
food
There are big changes ahead for three iconic Lower East
Side buildings: the pink building at the corner of Grand and
Orchard streets and the former Salvation Army shelter on
the Bowery were sold to new owners this summer, and the
1930s-era rehouse on Broome Street has been vacated
and returned to the hands of the city, which will eventually
tear it down to make way for the Seward Park redevelop-
ment project. In the rst deal, the historic landmark and four
adjoining buildings spanning 57-63 Orchard St., were sold for $27
million to Waterbridge Capital, which plans high-end boutiques
and apartments. The 1886 building on the corner was once home
to Ridleys, the largest department store in the city. In the second
transaction, the Louzon Hotel Group sold 347-349 Bowery for $19
million, after acquiring it from the Salvation Army a little over two
years ago for $7.6 million. At one time, Louzon, a French company,
had planned a Gene Kaufman-designed boutique hotel there. The shelter buildings new owner is
Glauco Lolli-Ghetti, the principal at Urban Muse, a privately held real estate rm. (Its been a busy sum-
mer in real estate transactions on the Bowery. Aportfolio of 11 mixed-use buildings within a few blocks
of the Salvation Army building were sold in a $62 million deal in June.) And nally, the last chapter is
ending in the history of the rehouse at 185 Broome St., as the citys Seward Park project looms. In July,
the citys Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), which controls the building,
served notice on longtime tenant Angel Aerial that it would assume possession of the premises as of
July 19, and ordered the company to vacate. The property sits squarely in the seven-acre Seward Park
redevelopment area, where plans call for Broome Street to be re-envisioned as a neighborhood-scaled
retail corridor. Angel Aerial moved its primary business location to Long Island City three years ago.
Gouverneur Healthcare
Services, one of the largest
institutions on the Lower
East Side, announced that its
longtime executive director,
Mendel Hagler, will step down eective
Sept. 15. In an August report to the board of
the NYC Health & Hospitals Corporation (HHC),
president and CEO Alvin Aviles noted: We will
begin actively recruiting to ll his position and
will shortly convene a search committee to
assist us in this process, including participation
by the Gouverneur Community Advisory Board.
Mr. Hagler has been a member of the HHC sta
since 1983. Please join me in thanking him for
his many years of service and in wishing him
well in his future endeavors. Aspokesperson
declined comment on the reasons for Haglers
departure. Gouverneur is in the midst of a
massive multi-million dollar modernization
project, which Hagler spearheaded during
his nine-year tenure as
executive director. A
lifelong resident of Grand
Street, Hagler has worked
at the facility in a variety of
capacities for almost 30
years.
14 www.thelodownny.com
neighborhood news
A large ght ended in the stabbing of a
17-year-old boy on East Broadway the night
of Aug. 13. Another teenager was arrested
and charged with assault, according to police,
who were still investigating the incident at
press time. Witnesses said 30 to 40 men were
involved in the brawl. One local resident who
called 911 said he saw one young man swinging
what looked to be a rake. At the scene, blood
was visible on the street in front of the Wing
Shoon restaurant and debris was scattered on
the ground. Ocers interviewed a number of
witnesses and checked camera phone videos
and photos taken by onlookers. The victim was
hospitalized in stable condition at Bellevue and
was expected to survive his injuries.
crime
business
The Met Council on Jewish Poverty an-
nounced Aug. 12 that it had red longtime
CEO and president William Rapfogel, who
is under investigation for alleged nancial
misconduct. The influential social services orga-
nization, with strong ties to the Lower East Side,
released a statement that read, in part: The board
of directors of Met Council recently became aware
of specic information regarding nancial irregular-
ities and apparent misconduct in connection with
the organizations insurance policies The board
retained outside counsel to conduct a full investiga-
tion. Based on that investigation, which is ongoing,
the board has terminated Mr. Rapfogel.The state
Attorney General is investigating the case. Asource
with knowledge of the situation told the Daily
News that Rapfogel is believed to have purchased
insurance policies using council money and then
received kickbacks from the insurance agents who
sold them.Rapfogel has run the Met Council since
1992. In a statement, he said: I deeply regret the
mistakes I have made that have led to my depar-
ture from the organization I apologize to our
dedicated ocers and board, our incredible sta,
and those who depend on Met Council. I let them
all down I pray that my family and friends and
all who care about Met Council can nd it in their
heart to forgive me for my actions. Rapfogels wife,
Judy, is State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silvers
chief of sta. Responding to the news, Silver said
he was stunned and deeply saddened.The Met-
ropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty has given tens
of thousands of New Yorkers of all faiths and back-
grounds lifesaving help over the past four decades,
Silver added.Met Council also played a critical role
helping our communities recover from Superstorm
Sandy, and its work should in no way be diminished
by these developments.
nonprots
New owners have bought Kossars Bialys.
www.thelodownny.com 17 16 www.thelodownny.com
calendar
Eclipsis Flamenco: Encounter of Two
Worlds at Dixon Place: Mexican Fla-
menco star Maria Elena Anaya teams
up with Nora Jacobs for this piece doc-
umenting the historical merging of the
Pre-Colombian and Spanish cultures that
birthed the mestizaje, (mixed cultures) that define
Mexican life today. The companys dancers, singers
and musicians present a vision of life full of pride, pas-
sion, honor, love and sor-
row. Weekends through
September, 161A Chrys-
tie St., 7:30 p.m., $16 in
advance/$20 at the door,
dixonplace.org.
Visit our CALENDAR online at
www.thelodownny.com/calendar
for more details and to add your own events.
what to do in SEPTEMBER
Chocolate Meltdown at the
Museum at Eldridge Street:
Summer is ending, school
is starting, the Museum at
Eldridge suggests we eat
chocolate! Bring the family
for a Rosh Hashanah treat and
enjoy chocolate-making, art proj-
ects and a scavenger hunt. 12 Eldridge St.,
11 a.m., $15 per family, eldridgestreet.org.
Opening Night: Art + Fashion on
Orchard: For the second year in a
row, the Lower East Side BID coordi-
nates this special preview in support
of the more than 40 galleries who are
hosting fall receptions. There is a block
party on Orchard Street (just above Grand
Street) from 4 to 8 p.m. and a fashion show at
6:30 p.m., free, lowereastsideny.com.
Sukkah Hop: Join the LES Jewish
Conservancy for an insiders view of
the holiday of Succot on the Lower
East Side. Visit three different Suc-
coth (ritual booths), both intimate and
elaborate, and chat with community
members who build and adorn these
sacred spaces every year. The tour will
end with snacks in a local sukkah. Meet
at the LESJC Kling & Niman Family
Visitor Center, 400 Grand St., 10:45
a.m., $20 in advance/$22 at the door,
nycjewishtours.org.
Sun.
22
Sun.
15
DayLife: The LES Business Improvement District brings
its street festival back to Orchard Street for a day of
festivities with food vendors and local shops. Dont
miss free DJ lessons from Scratch DJ Academy, two
full stages of DJs, plus live acts from The Living Room,
Tammany Hall and Lost Weekend NYCnot to mention
badminton, urban croquet and face-painting. Orchard
Street between Delancey and Houston streets, noon-5
p.m.,free, lowereastsideny.com.
Sun.
15
Bear Hands at Mercury Lounge:
The upbeat Brooklyn boys bring their
witty post-punk indie band to Manhat-
tan. Hopefully theyll play some tunes from
Songs From Utopia Volume 1, their self-described col-
lection of quasi-political thought pieces that serve as
a manifestation of overwhelming white guilt and a pinko
elitist liberal arts education. 217 E. Houston St., doors at
9:30 p.m., $15, mercuryloungenyc.com.
KINGS at The
Nuyorican:
Anna
Governalis
play is a
tribute to
graffiti artists
in New York. The story fol-
lows Israel Izzy Flores as
he sets out to become
KING, the highest title a
graffiti artist can receive, by
tagging up every inch of
the five boroughs in search
of his long-lost mother. 236
E. Third St., 6:30 p.m.,
$25/$18 students, nuyori-
can.org.
The Annual Stylist Tent Event at Hester Street
Fair: For one day only, the citys brightest stylists of-
fer a Fashion Week finale sample sale, transforming
the fair into a tented fashion-friendly destination for
shoppers to scour racks of clothing and accessories
straight from runways, editorial closets and photo
shoots. Hester and Essex streets, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.,
hesterstreetfair.com.
Sun.
8
Fri.
13
Sat.
28
Tues.
24
Sat.
14
Behind every great restaurant on the Lower
East Side, theres a great story. Sitting in cozy can-
dlelight, sipping a cocktail and sampling what a
chef has to offer, you may not ever hear it, but the
backstory of each place gives every dish context
and color.
That chef seems awfully young, who is she?
The staff seems to have a lot of inside jokes, whats
that about? And while were at it, whats in that
sauce dribbled over the broccoli and why oh why
are these breadsticks so addictive?
Learning the answers to these questions is the
reason we love it when our local restaurateurs pub-
lish cookbooks.
Next month, fans of Sorella, the Italian spot at
95 Allen St. founded by best friends Sarah Krathen
and Emma Hearst, will get to peek behind the
kitchen door at the five-year-old restaurant, its
owners and its Northern Italian cuisine.
Sorella Means Sister: A Little Something From
Our New York Restaurant hits bookstores Oct. 29.
We sat down with Krathen over a few flavors of
gelato to talk stories, recipes and running the front
of the house, which has been her main job in the
partnership with Hearst, though both are gradu-
ates of the Culinary Institute of America.
Sorellas story begins there, where the pair
met nearly a decade ago. They both moved to
Manhattan after graduating. Krathen worked
briefly at Zoe in Soho; Hearst did a short stint as
an intern at Union Square Cafe as part of her CIA
training. Though their careers were just begin-
ning, they both quickly burned out on working at
other peoples restaurants, and started to ques-
tion their futures in the citys restaurant industry.
So they launched a small catering business out of
their fifth-floor walkup apartment in Union Square,
whose success convinced them they could do their
own restaurant. The only question was, if not NYC,
where? Their mentors and friends insisted they
were too young and too inexperienced to launch
in Manhattan.
For Hearsts 21st birthday, the partners set out
on a cross-country road trip with an eye toward
choosing a new home in which to open their own
(continued on next page)
by Jennifer Strom
Emma Hearst and Sarah Krathen like to mess around, but their food is very serious indeed.
Photo by Anais + Dax, from Sorella Means Sister: A Little Something from our New York Restaurant. Reprinted with permission.
Sorella's
Sarah
Krathen
On Her New
Cookbook
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18 www.thelodownny.com www.thelodownny.com 19
Tell us about your apartment the good,
the bad and the ugly.
I live in a tenement apartment next to the old
Daredevil location. Its pretty small but my hus-
band and I have made it pretty cozy. I have no
complaints. We face the back of the building, so
its plenty quiet and all of my neighbors on our
floor have been in the building for years, so we
kind of stick together. I love the history on the
Lower East Side, and when I think of how many
people might have been squeezed into these
spaces back in the day I feel like we have it pretty
good. The worst part of the apartment is outside
on the street. Ludlow has become overrun with the
bar crowds. This block has lost most all of its neigh-
borhood feel.
Favorite spot?
Right now my favorite spot on the Lower East Side
is the new location for our shop. I love it down on
Division. Theres still all sorts of quirky storefronts
and its a little grittyit reminds me of Ludlow 15
years ago.
What do you do?
I am a tattoo artist and I own Daredevil Tattoo.
How long have you lived on the Lower
East Side?
I moved to Clinton Street in 1991 and then to
Ludlow Street in 1993.
Why did you move here?
I moved to the Lower East Side because it was af-
fordable. My first apartment on Ludlow was $500.
Everyone told me Ludlow Street was bad news be-
cause of all the drug dealers back then, so when I
moved to the block, I tattooed all of them and
never had problems. They actually looked out for
me; I never had to worry.
Michelle
Myles
For our regular feature spotlighting the
people who live and work on the Lower
East Side, we talked with Michelle Myles,
owner of Daredevil Tattoo, which recently
moved to 141 Division St. after almost 20
years on Ludlow Street.
.
photo: Alex M. Smith
place, says Krathen, now 28. Chicago, Seattle,
San Francisco and New Orleans all failed the
audition (though they did love New Orleans,
especially).
We decided there was no other place like
New York, says the Key West, Fla. native.
With financial backing from her partners family
(yes, those Hearsts), the pair opened Sorella in late
2008, when Hearst was 22 and Krathen 23.
We tried hard to hide our ages for a long
time, Krathen says. How young we were made
it hard to get employees who took us seriously.
So we just hired other young people and we all
learned together.
About six months in, New York magazines crit-
ics boosted the restaurant into a citywide spot-
light, awarding it four stars, noting its conspicu-
ous elegance and culinary refinement and sending
Krathen into a frenzy of drafting industry friends
into hosting and bartending to keep up with the
resulting crowds.
We both got basically all of our restaurant ex-
perience running this place, Krathen says, laugh-
ing. We certainly had our oh, shit moments, as
in, oh, shitsales tax!
The staffs easy compatibility is palpable in
the restaurant on an average night, and shows
throughout the book, which references carefully
placed inside jokes sprinkled throughout the res-
taurant.
I was really intent on trying to have a sense
of humor in the book, says Krathen, who did the
bulk of the writing after refining the recipes with
Hearst.
The food itself, though, is very serious.
Most of Sorellas dishes originate from Krathen
and Hearsts travels through Italys Piedmont
region, a trip the pair undertook about a year
before opening the restaurant.
Butter, cheese, pasta in many forms, rich pork
and beef dishes and decadent desserts abound;
one food writer once accused Hearst of treating
bacon as a seasoning, and meant it as a compli-
ment.
Krathen credits Hearst with all the kitchen
wizardry, confiding that her partner started
cooking at 5 years old.
Emmas amazing talent is that she can eat
something once and then recreate it, Krathen
says.
In just one example, the pair tasted a pasta
known as agnolotti dal plin on their travels, and
LO-DINE T
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(continued from page 17)
it immediately rose to a spot near the top of their
must-have list for Sorella. The name of the dish
translates to pinched pillows, and the tiny puffs
of filled semolina dough are a house favorite.
When choosing recipes for the book, Krathen
says, they included personal favorites as well as
staples of the oft-changing menu.
One of the restaurants most popular items
is the broccoli fritto, which sprung from Hearsts
kitchen during what her partner calls a weird
Asian phase. The broccoli is lightly fried to an all-
over crisp that leaves its natural crunch in place,
and dressed with a pickled hot pepper aioli that
leaves you smacking your lips together. It origi-
nally appeared on the menu as broccoli tempura;
no one ordered it, Krathen says. She renamed it;
customers went crazy for it.
The book will be published as Sorella reaches
its fifth anniversary, and one year after a new chap-
ter began in Krathen and Hearsts partnership.
Last November, after the death of her grandfather,
Hearst stepped out of the kitchen shed built and
took some time off to mourn and regroup. Shes
been living in Hawaii, where she is studying yoga
and eating vegetarian, a twist that makes Krathen
laugh, because when Sorella opened, Hearst re-
fused to put so much as a salad on the menu as a
nod to non-meat-eaters. (When a friend and critic
insisted they add a salad, the story goes, Hearst
adorned fresh escarole with nuts, cheese and a
brown-butter dressing.)
Former sous chef Molly Nickerson, who had
left to work at Marea, came back to take over the
kitchen. Though Hearst is no longer there every
day, she and Krathen talk daily, and have spent
a large part of the last year collaborating on the
cookbook.
The broccoli fritto recipe isnt that difficult, Kra-
then promises, and the restaurants fans can now
learn how to make it and 74 other Sorella favorites,
including the decadent duck-fat and chicken-liver-
mousse English muffin known as pate di fegato,
as well as some of the signature cocktails that
Krathen developed for the bar. One of Sorellas
highest-demand dishes, the crunchy, salty, addic-
tive, Italian-style skinny stalks of bread known as
grissini, however, youll still have to go to Allen
Street to enjoy: that recipe, Krathen purposefully
omitted.
The grissini, well, the grissini is our secret,
she says.
(continued on next page)
Get the LES News Every Day at
thelodownny.com
www.thelodownny.com 21 20 www.thelodownny.com
(continued from page 19)
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Favorite cheap eats?
My favorite cheap eats right now is Mings Cafe on
Canal and Essex. Were over there almost every day
since we moved onto Division. Huge portions, al-
ways delicious and on the money, plus theyll whip
up anything you think of.
Favorite place for a special night?
For a special night out, we hit Stanton Social. Ev-
erything is over-the-top delicious, and its my favor-
ite brunch spot, too.
What do you miss from the old LES?
The loss of Max Fish is heartbreaking. Its not the
old Lower East Side any more, thats for sure.
Is there a new arrival you love? Why?
I love the Hester Street Fair on the weekends. There
are always different vendors and its something to
look forward to every week in the summer. I love
having a variety of different snacks at least one day
a week. Its so easy to get tired of your stack of
menus.
What drives you crazy about the neigh-
borhood?
The thing that drives me crazy are the people that
show up in the neighborhood and have no respect
for the fact that people live here. They dont know
how to act, come down here get wasted and treat it
like its their toilet.
Whats the strangest thing youve ever
seen on the LES?
There was a woman who lived above the old Dare-
devil who would drink and not take her medicine
sometimes. We called the cops on her once when
she was getting out of hand and she bit the cop on
the finger.
Do you have a favorite neighborhood
character?
Sal at Rosarios on Orchard is my favorite neigh-
borhood character. Hes so nice and works so
hard. When I first moved to Ludlow, his place was
on Houston. He always makes you feel like family.
Tell us your best LES memory.
My best LES memory was coming down to Ludlow
looking for a place to tattoo out of. I didnt know if I
was doing the right thing, people were telling me
how dangerous it was down here. The first place I
looked at, the landlord said his ex-wife was a tattooer
and he had a perfect place for a tattoo shop. He sold
me an autoclave and I was in business. The LES was
the best move I ever made.
T
H
E
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