Urbanite

Less Christmas cheer at Lincoln Center this year

Thursday September 3, 2009 7:00 PM By Jason Fink

Did Lincoln Center cancel Christmas?

Well, at least the part that involves a big tree.

The Upper West Side performing arts complex said Thursday that it will not have its traditional tree lighting ceremony this year, owing mostly to ongoing construction on the plaza off Columbus Avenue.

The Associated Press reported that cost was a factor in the decision to not have a tree this year, though a spokeswoman for Lincoln Center, Kate Merlino, said the reason was “primarily construction of the plaza.”

Asked whether there are economic concerns, Merlino said: “We don’t discuss what things cost at Lincoln Center.”

The holiday celebration has been an annual tradition in the city for 19 years and is broadcast live on TV.

Merlino said the tree lighting would resume next year.

As for the even more famous tree about 15 blocks south, an official at Rockefeller Center said plans for that annual celebration are still on.

Synagogues feeling the pinch before holy days

Thursday September 3, 2009 7:07 PM By Marlene Naanes

As the Jewish High Holy Days near, the tough economy has congregants in New York City leaning on synagogues more than ever for help.
Some New Yorkers have simply left their synagogues because they couldn’t afford their dues.
Congregants customarily start or renew memberships and pay up outstanding dues before the upcoming holidays, which start on Sept. 18.
In the spring, 60 percent of local synagogues saw an increase in requests for help with dues payments according to a survey of metro area synagogues. While many synagogues are already suffering, they will not know their true membership, or requests for dues relief, until after the High Holy Days. But they are preparing for the worst.
 “For small synagogues in demographically shifting areas where the congregation is in distress already, this can be kind of the straw that breaks the camel’s back, but there are very strong synagogues that are paying very close attention,” said Dru Greenwood, director of SYNERGY: UJA-Federation of New York and Synagogues Together, which conducted the survey. “They may have to cut back staff and programming.”
The amount of dues vary, but some can reach thousands of dollars per family.
Half of area congregations were readying austerity budgets in March and others were increasing fundraising and reconfiguring staff to save money, the survey said.
Some have seen members quietly leave, too proud to ask for help after unemployment squelched their ability to pay dues. One synagogue also had some members hit hard by Bernie Madoff’s scheme.
Rabbis have tried to reassure congregants — with a flurry of newsletters, e-mails and speeches —that they’re welcome despite not being able to keep up with their dues.
“If you don’t want to be here because of philosophy or ideology, that’s one thing, but we’d hate for it to be because of finances,” said Phillip Rothman, executive director of The Brotherhood Synagogue.
Along with offering dues relief, synagogues have also set up job networking events to help congregants. The Stephen Wise Free Synagogue has been creative with outreach, which included shows that not only raised funds but also economy-weary congregants’ spirits.
“It was a really positive expression of we’re really all going to get through this,” said executive director Sandra Divack Moss.
(with AP)
 

Tags: synagogues, economy, dues, high holy days

We're (almost) No. 1!

Thursday September 3, 2009 4:18 PM By Jason Fink

The New York Times has confirmed what we already knew: People like reading amNewYork on the subway.

The Times' City Room blog has been running a survey asking what people are reading on the train and, among newspapers, New York City's favorite free daily so far comes in second after the Times itself (not much of a surprise, since presumably it is Times readers themselves who are responding to the survey).

The paper also found that, among the 1,400 people who have filled out the survey, the most popular book titles include "Infinite Jest," the 1,000-plus page tome by the late David Foster Wallace, and "Anna Karenina" the epic Tolstoy novel that has been the bane of high school English students for years.

Report: Area venture capitalists invest 90 percent of money outside New York City

Wednesday September 2, 2009 8:11 PM By Garett Sloane

The region’s venture capitalists are big spenders, but they’re not spending so big in the city.

Venture capital firms in the tri-state area shower only 10 percent of their money on city startups, according to a new report that tracked the flow of investment dollars from January to July.

The report, released by ChubbyBrain, a startup research company, analyzed the investments of 47 area firms and found they doled out more than $2 billion in the first half of the year, which represented 20 percent of all venture funding. Still, only $200 million went to city startups.

“New York is trying very actively to build up its entrepreneurial sector,” said Maria Gotsch, CEO of the civic-minded New York City Investment Fund. “So it shows we have a lot of work to do.”

The city has traditionally lagged behind Silicon Valley and Boston in startup activity, where the ecosystems are more fully developed. ChubbyBrain’s research is just another example of the disparity, but investors and entrepreneurs here said they detect a shift for the better.

Gotsch points to the creation of the East River Science Park, which should help jumpstart the city’s bio-tech sector. Bio-tech demands heavy investment dollars: “When you start a biotech company you can’t do it at a Starbucks,” she said.

FirstMark Capital is one of the larger investment funds in the city and about half of its deals are done close to home, said Rick Heitzman, a partner at the firm. It’s not the amount of money you give locally, but the amount of deals you foster, he said. For example, a firm could invest $60 million in China to one company and spread a fraction of that money to a handful of companies locally.

Still, the number of local deals that area firms are funding is low. Only 18.5 percent of the deals were in the city, according to ChubbyBrain.

Heitzman said he expects that number to change as the city’s entrepreneurial sector booms with startups breeding more startups.

“I’m seeing a lot of great seed type investments,” he said.

One statistic ChubbyBrain’s report didn’t track was the amount of outside venture capital coming to the city. There are signs that New York City is more attractive than Boston in some areas, said Charlie O’Donnel, founder of the startup Path101.com.

He pointed to First Growth Venture Network: It’s a “bunch of Boston VCs doing a program for NYC,” he said. “Why are they coming down here? It’s because it’s where the opportunity is.”

Tags: venture capital, startups, beyond Wall Street, New York City, entrepreneurs, Silicon Valley, New York City versus Silicon Valley, city fostering startups, ChubbyBrain

Comptroller: MTA report didn't justify axing station agents

Wednesday September 2, 2009 7:12 PM By Heather Haddon

An internal MTA study used to justify the closure of station agent booths across the subway system is “faulty” and “defective,” according to city Comptroller William Thompson.

In a letter sent to the MTA board Wednesday, Thompson blasted the agency’s reasoning in closing 105 booths manned by red-vested station agents later this month, countering many of the MTA’s arguments and the way the survey was conducted.

“The report appears to have been written ... with the goal of demonstrating that the (station agent) program is a failure,” he wrote.

MTA board chair Dale Hemmerdinger and an agency spokesman declined to comment.

Last year, NYC Transit surveyed 110 station agent locations for half-an-hour. Monitors found that the activity level of most of the agents was “low,” and that commuters had few interactions with them, according to the MTA report.

In contrast, Thompson’s office said it found that the station agents were busy, helping passengers a total of 820 times during the observation period. Workers assisted riders every three minutes at more than a third of the stations.

The transit survey also said that agents did not deter crime, with felonies in the system down drastically since 2002. But Thompson argued that the report did not address misdemeanor crimes like theft or harassment, which are more common than felonies.

Transit officials started the station agents program in 2005 at 158 locations in order to provide information, open gates and assist passengers. However, in May, the MTA voted to eliminate the workers through attrition to save $16 million by 2010.

The agents will begin to be phased out on Sept. 20. All of the jobs will eventually be eliminated.

hhaddon@am-ny.com

Tags: MTA, station agents, william thompson

A $25K sandwich

Wednesday September 2, 2009 5:37 PM By Lucy Blatter

A very valuable sandwich: Put your culinary skills to the test and enter the Make That Sandwich contest for a chance to win $25,000 and a trip to Napa Valley for two; runners up will walk away with $1,000 each. Recipes may be submitted in three categories: Cold Sandwich, Hot Sandwich or Vegetarian Sandwich and must use at least two or more of the following products: Mezzetta Brand peppers, olives and gourmet foods, Mezzetta Deli-Sliced specialty peppers, Napa Valley Bistro specialty pasta sauces and olives or Kona Coast teriyaki and BBQ sauces. Recipe entries will be accepted until Sept. 7. To enter visit mezzetta.com.

As boating traffic rises, experts call for stricter laws

Wednesday September 2, 2009 5:36 PM By Heather Haddon

Pleasure boats, kayaks and canoes will take to city waterways this Labor Day weekend to soak up summer’s last hurrah. But one boater’s paradise is another’s peril.

As boating has caught on, inexperienced mariners have taken to New York waters, resulting in accidents and near misses with commercial vessels, maritime experts say.

Last year, 24 recreational boaters died in New York State waters, up 60 percent from three years before, according to U.S. Coast Guard statistics. Nearly 100 people were injured, with the accidents causing $1.8 million worth of damage. The Coast Guard could not provide a breakdown for the city alone.

In July, a fisherman drowned when his boat got caught in an underwater depression in the Jamaica Bay. The following week, the Coast Guard rescued eight boaters off the coast of Liberty Island when their vessel ran aground.

Frequent boaters say the dangers of pleasure boating are exaggerated.

“The track record of recreational sailors is very, very good,” said Michael Fortenbaugh, founder of the 750-member Manhattan Sailing Club.

But maritime experts contend that New York City needs to get tougher with its recreational boating requirements. Minors must take boating classes in New York, but adults need no previous training before piloting a vessel.

In addition, recreational boats are not required to report their location to authorities, a growing concern as their numbers grow, said Petty Officer Seth Johnson of the New York Coast Guard, which is tasked with helping commercial boats navigate through the city’s waterways.

“Unfortunately, you can just buy a boat and go out in it,” said Eric Johansson, a professor at SUNY-Maritime College. “It’s like people being able to play on an air strip.”

Nearly 23,000 New Yorkers own boats, according to the most recent state figures. The numbers have fluctuated over the years, but boat ownership peaked in 2002 at 39,000. Recreational boating traffic is up in the city’s waterways, according to a 2008 Coast Guard assessment, and the harbor has become a destination for sailors across the world.

Popular boating locations include the East and Hudson rivers, Jamaica Bay and around the Battery and Liberty Island. The waters near Roosevelt Island and the Battery have strong currents that pose risks for boaters, even experienced ones.

Connecticut and New Jersey require that all adults take boating classes before they can sail. A pending bill in New York would mandate adults the same, with current boaters grandfathered into the rules.

“A boat is not a play toy at all,” said Assemb. Sandy Galef (D-Westchester), the bill’s sponsor.

hhaddon@am-ny.com

Tags: mta, new york harbor, coast guard

Fall's shining stars

Wednesday September 2, 2009 5:26 PM By Pervaiz Shallwani

The summer has not been kind to some city restaurants — RIP Elettaria, Café de
Artistes, La Goulue, just to name a few.

But with the new season come new eateries: a host of hot chefs teaming with hotels, the roll-out of Stumptown coffee café, a new look for Chanterelle, a new 'wichcraft and, yes, even more haute sandwich places.

Of course, the usual suspects are back, with David Chang and his East

Village Momofuku empire expanding — gasp! — to Midtown, Danny Meyer finally doing Italian in the Gramercy Hotel, Zak Pelaccio returning to his Williamsburg roots with Fatty Cue, and the Spotted Pig birthing a Herald Square gastropub in the Breslin at the Ace Hotel (the group has lost its fishy sibling John Dory for the time being).

Here are five new spots that might be worth a try:

A Voce Columbus
Time Warner Center, 10 Columbus Circle, 3rd Fl., 212-823-2523
With Missy Robbins at the helm, the Italian fare at A Voce is refined, seasonal and ingredient-driven. Its second incaration, in the Time Warner Center space formerly housed Café Gray, will continue in the same style.
Expect: An 8,500-wine walland a special menu of salumi, antipasti and Italian cheeses. The main menu will keep the refined seasonal concept, but only five signature dishes from its sister space near Madison Square Park
Tentative opening: September 18

Mermaid Oyster Bar
79 Macdougal St., West Village, 212-260-0100
Mermaid Inn owner Danny Abrams is hoping to recreate the kind of place where “you stop on the side of the road and split some clams oysters” with this new West Village spot.
Expect: A menu filled with small plates of sea creatures, including ceviche and fried clams, as well as a heaping raw bar that boasts 16 styles of oysters, like the fitting Mermaid Straight from Blue Point, Long Island.
Tentative opening: Late September

Fatty 'Cue
91 S. Sixth Street, Williamsburg
In his first return to Williamsburg since the closing of proving ground
Chickenbone Café, Zak Pelaccio is expanding on the Malaysian flavors that have defined him at Fatty Crab and embracing New York’s growing love affair with barbecue. In doing so, he has teamed up with champion pit master Robbie Richter who brought Texas-style 'cue to New York at Hill Country.
Expect: Smoked meats and fish and the Billyburg Bridge as a backdrop for the three-level space designed with floorboards walls and a bar made out of bricks from Pelaccio's family farm.
Tentative opening: October

No. 7 Sub
The Ace Hotel, 20 W. 29th St., 212-679-2222
With the lobby bar already open and a Stumptown Coffee Café and the aforementioned Breslin on the way, the folks behind the Ace Hotel are rounding out the dining experience by turning to the fellas behind No. 7 in Fort Greene for some sandwiches.
Expect: Homemade everything — from the bread to mayo to slow-cooked roast beef and turkey, along with bolder daily specials like, say, a fried chicken and kimchi sub.
Tentative opening: Late Fall

Pulino's Bar and Pizzeria
282 Bowery St.
Fresh off being named the 2009 James Beard Rising Star Chef in May, San Francisco chef Nate Appleman has teamed up with tastemaker Keith McNally and the two are in the process of opening this 110-seat pizzeria and Italian spot, which will feature a seasonal outdoor café with an additional 30 seats.
Expect: If the concept holds true, this would be his first pizzeria that keeps with the McNally breakfast-to-the-wee-hours-of-the-night model. It will be a large open space that feels casual and reflects the once-gritty Bowery neighborhood. They’re considering two wood-fire ovens, one for meat, another for pizza; as well as Appleman’s signature on-site butchering.
Tentative opening: Mid-December

For foodies: Cupcakes for a Cause, free lunch and Bon Appetit Supper Club and Cafe

Wednesday September 2, 2009 5:04 PM By Lucy Blatter

CancerCare’s Cupcakes for a Cause: The sixth annual Cupcakes for a Cause campaign will take place Sept. 21-27. Cupcakes decorated with the CancerCare for Kids smiley-face icon will be available at several city bakeries. A portion of proceeds will be donated to CancerCare for Kids, a program that provides free support services for children affected by cancer. Participating bakeries include Amy’s Bread, Whole Foods and William Greenberg Jr. Desserts. You can help raise awareness and money by decorating and sending a virtual e-cupcake at cupcakesforacause.org. 

Brasserie celebrates its 50th anniversary with deals: Brasserie’s 50th birthday celebration will kick off on Sept. 17, with A (Free) Taste of Brasserie. A free lunch  will be offered to all guests of the who reserve a seat between 11:30 a.m.  and 2:30 p.m. Other deals include a “$19.59 After 9” offer, in which a three-course prix fixe will cost $19.59 from 9 p.m. to closing, through the end of 2009. For more deals and special events go to patinagroup.com/brasserie50th. 100 E. 53rd St., 212-751-4840

Free Taco Bell Thursday: Thursday, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Taco Bell Truck will park in front of the AOL offices on Eighth Street, between Lafayette Street and Broadway, and offer free food. The food is being sponsored by AOL’s asylum.com

Bon Appétit Supper Club and Café returns with star chefs: The Bon Appétit Supper Club and Café is returning to midtown. The Daytime Café, relocated to 101 W. 57th Street and Sixth Avenue, will be open to the public from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sept. 21-25. Cooking demos and book signings will take place every day, featuring chefs such as Nate Appleman, Daniel Boulud, Cat Cora and Emeril Lagasse. For more, go to basupperclubandcafe.com. 

 

Tags: Bob Appetit, Brasserie, Taco Bell, CancerCare

ESPN, MLB atones, moves Yankees game out of Yom Kippur

Tuesday September 1, 2009 6:31 PM By Marlene Naanes

ESPN and Major League Baseball  yesterday changed back the start time of the Sept. 27 Red Sox-Yankees game after getting backlash for moving it to the middle of Yom Kippur.

The game will now start at its original time of 1 p.m. instead of 8 p.m.

“I am pleased we were able to resolve this sensitive issue that impacted many baseball fans and are able to move the game at Yankee Stadium to 1:00 p.m.,” Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig said in a statement.

The game will be shown exclusively on ESPN.

Starting at the later time would have left observant fans holding useless tickets or unable to even watch the game on television. Yom Kippur, considered the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, begins at sundown on Sept. 27.

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Brooklyn and Queens), who wrote a letter to ESPN and the Commissioner of Baseball yesterday asking for the switch, said they did the right thing.

Meanwhile, the Yankees announced that the majority of postseason ticket prices will be less than what was charged in the 2007 postseason. Regular season ticket prices, excluding suites, will be charged for the American League Division Series.

(With AP)
 

Tags: yankees, espn, yom kippur

Five lesser-known farmers markets

Tuesday September 1, 2009 6:31 PM By Craig Raphael

Mother Nature’s horn of plenty is on full display at your local farmer’s market, as summer corn and tomatoes make way for winter squash and Brussels sprouts.

There’s no need to jostle with the crowds at Union Square to check out these locally grown delights; the five markets below sell the same great produce, meat and fish in more friendly local settings.

Abingdon Square Greenmarket
Eigth Avenue & 12th St., Saturday 8-2
Laid-back and full of neighborhood charm, this market also showcases some of the region’s most savory meats and cheeses: Hoosic River Poultry sells handsome pork chops, duck breasts and even pre-marinated fowl; Valley Shepherd Creamery is known for its golden Manchego, smooth Pecorino and delicate Crème de Bleu. After you’ve stocked up, enjoy a freshly baked scone or miniature pie from Meredith’s Bread in quaint Abingdon Square Park.

Fort Greene Greenmarket
A great alternative to crowded Grand Army Plaza, this tree-canopied market alongside Fort Greene Park boasts ample samples and a wide variety of produce. At the Wilklow Orchards stand, bulbous, tie-dyed heirloom tomatoes share the spotlight with their plump, beefsteak brethren; down the block, D+J Organic Farm sells punchy Kimchee cabbage, beets, tofu and radishes.
Southeast corner of Fort Greene Park, Saturday 8-5

Harvest Home Union Settlement Market
104th St., btwn Second and Third aves., Thursday 8-4. For more info or to volunteer, go to harvesthomefm.org Upper East Siders are wise to head north to this long-standing market in East Harlem, one of several operated by Harvest Home, an organization whose mission is to increase access to fresh food in low-income communities (a Sunday market takes place at 106th St. & Third Avenue). Start with the luscious bunches of mustard greens, Swiss chard and basil at Migliorelli Farm. Then head to the expansive spread at RG Produce for white-violet eggplants, towering bunches of scallions and a rainbow of lettuces. On your way out, pick up some mini watermelons or purple plums at Troncillito Farms.

Inwood Greenmarket
Isham and Cooper St., Saturday 8-3
This lovely market at the base of scenic Inwood Hill Park offers a full cornucopia of earthly delights, including heaps of corn and bright yellow zucchini from Glebocki Farms; petite, juicy New York strawberries from Samascott Orchards; and delicious vegan carrot raisin cookies from Breezy Hill Orchard.

Jackson Heights Greenmarket
34th Avenue & 77th St., Sunday 8-3
Along the perimeter of family-friendly Travers Park lies this recently expanded market, home to nearly 15 vendors selling produce, honey and even exotic mushrooms. Check out American Seafood Inc. for impossibly fresh, affordably priced cuts of swordfish, cod and more. Nolasco Farm is the place for sweet and spicy peppers. .

MTA to ramp up station inspections after ceiling collapse

Tuesday September 1, 2009 6:25 PM By Heather Haddon

The MTA will conduct tougher station inspections in the wake of last month’s ceiling collapse at the 181st Street stop on the No. 1 train, transit officials said Tuesday.

Engineers are beefing up NYC Transit’s protocol for station inspections to include new technology that can “spot potentially serious latent defects,” transit spokesman Charles Seaton said. Officials yesterday did not further elaborate.

Currently, inspectors primarily eyeball a station to determine its soundness. After the ceiling collapse on Aug. 16, relying on visual inspections is “obviously inadequate,” NYC Transit President Howard Roberts stated in internal communication Friday.

The collapsed had shuttered the 181st Street station until Monday, and transit officials also had closed the 168th Street station for two consecutive weekends to deal with structural problems in the ceiling. Crews will continue working to replace the bricks at both stations in the coming weeks, and scaffolding will limit the space on platforms. Weekend service is not expected to be disrupted again, a transit spokeswoman said.

Transit advocates are hoping the MTA will start using devices that can detect water damage through sound waves. Water seepage is believed to have played some role in the ceiling collapse, which knocked out service for two weeks.

A 2008 survey of 50 stations by the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA found that more than half had water leaks.

hhaddon@am-ny.com

Tags: MTA, ceiling collapse, 181st street

MTA Bus Company lines lack schedules, fueling rider complaints

Tuesday September 1, 2009 5:51 PM By Heather Haddon

City buses are notoriously late, but many New Yorkers can’t even find out when they’re supposed to arrive.

None of the MTA Bus Company local lines have timetables posted on polls at stops and the Guide-A-Ride listings won't be coming soon. The MTA just doesn’t have the money to put up schedules along the 46 routes serving the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens, NYC Transit spokesman Charles Seaton said.

“You never known when they're coming, and you just end up standing here forever,” said Eleanor Dezam, a rider waiting for the Q65 to College Point recently.

Moreover, the new glass shelters added along some of the MTA Bus Company routes haven’t solved the problem as none of them have paper timetables.

The MTA has two separate bus lines: NYC Transit and MTA Bus Company. The buses on the latter were privately run before the MTA took them over in 2005.

Most of the shelters are located next to polls serving NYC Transit lines, which usually have paper schedules (and some have digital ones), city Department of Transportation spokesman Montgomery Dean said. A DOT contractor maintains the shelters while the MTA is in charge of the timetables.

Riders who use express buses, though, have it easier. Transit put up timetables for the MTA Bus Company express routes running from Brooklyn and the Bronx in the last two years, Seaton said. Timetables will go up along the 17 Queens routes in the next few weeks, he said.

But most of the MTA Bus Company's 376,000 riders use the local buses, not the express lines. Local community board members say they repeatedly receive complaints about the missing information.

“It's ludicrous,” said Andrea Crawford, chair of Community Board 9 in Richmond Hill. “You know the bus schedules aren't always that correct, but it gives you some knowledge of when the bus may come.”
 

Tags: mta, bus

New pizza blogger's goal: To try every plain slice in NYC

Tuesday September 1, 2009 5:45 PM By Lucy Blatter

There’s a new pizza blog out there, SliceHarvester.blogspot.com. This one has an original goal: to try a plain slice in every pizza place in the five boroughs. We spoke to Slice Harvester’s Colin, 26, of Brooklyn for the scoop.

What made you want to do this?
I was out tramping around the country, just kinda bumming around and visiting friends. And I went to Colorado Springs to visit my cousin. He took me to the New York Pizza Delicatessen. We ordered pizza and a waiter asked me to talk about it. The guy was taking notes about what I said. I’ve been talking about and eating pizza my whole life.

Do you have food writing experience?
No, hell no.

What have you discovered so far?
I’ve gone to 30 places so far in Manhattan. I’m doing it geographically, starting uptown.There’s not a single good slice of pizza in Inwood above 207th. Pizza Palace or Palace Pizza — everyone in the neighborhood calls it Johnny’s — on Dyckman is great. On 187th and Fort Washington, Fivo’s had a totally phenomenal slice, and Rap Pizza at 181st and St.Nicholas.

How long will the project take?
It’s going to take a good six years. I go one day a week and have about 7-9 slices.

What’s the criteria for a good slice?
The dough should be about half the size of the crust, and it should fold well. Sauce shouldn’t be too sweet and it shouldn’t be cheap cheese. It should smell good.

I’m not going to find the best slice of pizza in New York, cause there’s no one best place. And it’s not the same place for everyone. Pizza is such a subjective thing.

Why plain slices only?
If a place doesn’t have a good plain slice, it’s f—d. Pizza is food you eat on the street and get grease all over the place.

How do you take your pizza?
With red pepper flakes, oregano and black pepper. That’s how I’ve been eating it since I was a kid.

NYers' anxiety fueled by economy, summer's end

Tuesday September 1, 2009 5:40 PM By Marlene Naanes

Sure, a little anxiety is an inevitable byproduct of life in the city, but some therapists say New Yorkers haven’t been this jittery in years.  

High anxiety has been fueled by rampant job losses and a collapsing economy. And cases of the nerves may only get worse now that summer is over and the eighth anniversary of 9/11 is around the corner.  

“This is a period of time that traditionally brings anticipation with back-to-school as a baseline,” said Dr. Alan Manevitz, a psychiatrist at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. “There’s a sense of the summer’s over and we’re going to see what’s going to happen. While there’s hope that things are going to be better, there’s a great deal of uncertainty.”

New Yorkers have been struggling to cope with growing stress. Gabriel Gonzalez, 31, a Manhattan resident, began suffering from migraines because of increased anxiety.

“Work and social life and living here in the city have been hectic. It has been to the point where I was thinking I want to start somewhere fresh, somewhere new,” Gonzalez said.

Evidence of over-the-top stress can be found at local pharmacies and therapists’ offices where some psychologists have seen the highest level of anxiety since the aftermath of 9/11. Two Zitomer Pharmacy locations saw about a ten percent increase of anti-anxiety prescriptions in the past nine months and between a five and 10 percent boost in antidepressants, which are sometimes used to treat anxiety disorders.
 
People who did not have a problem before the recession have been talking to doctors about anxiety issues and others who weren’t coping well before are also suffering, said Peter Kanaris, a psychologist and coordinator for public education for the New York State Psychological Association.

“The loss of jobs, the fear of loss of the home, this has ratcheted up the level of stress where people are responding to that with health problems--both mental and physical,” he said.

Some doctors believe that anxiety levels aren’t necessarily up, it’s people’s acceptance of taking psychiatric medication that has risen. A recent study showed that most people felt the drugs are helpful.

“There was a greater stigma in taking them,” said Dr. Lena Verkhovsky, a Manhattan psychiatrist. “Now there is a much greater social acceptance of both psychiatric illness and treatment.”

Physicians are also more comfortable prescribing medications that have been tested in the general population for a long time. Advertising has also played a role in people’s acceptance, which Verkhovsky believes is an overall good thing, but she’s also had to counsel patients who come in asking for a medication she might not feel is the best choice.

While the economic future remains unclear, some New Yorkers who suffered from anxiety are starting to cope in constructive ways. Jason Ewing’s mother was laid off in May, and volunteering at church and taking classes have helped her wade out of anxiety issues.

“She’s bouncing back,” said Ewing, 23, of Queens. “She’s feeling more confident because she’s learning more skills.”
 

Tags: anxiety, nyc, economy

7 tips for Labor Day weekend grilling

Tuesday September 1, 2009 4:18 PM By Lucy Blatter

If grilling steak is on your to-do list this weekend, take heed to these tips from John Schenk, executive chef of Strip House restaurants.

Make it marbled:
Flecks of fat give the meat moisture and flavor. But marbled meat can be too expensive for home cooks. “Rib-eyes and cowboy steaks [ie. bone-in rib-eyes], have a lot of fat in them, so with those, you get the effects of marbeling,” Schenk said.

Oil it:
Schenk recommended using canola oil or a canola-olive oil blend to coat the steak before seasoning it. “You don’t want to waste expensive oil in this process,” he said. The oil serves two purposes: it adheres seasoning to the meat and also helps the surface temperature get hot quicker, so the meat sears more quickly.

Season simply:
“When you’re doing filet, strip or any kind of rib-eye, you’re buying it for the flavor of the meat,” he said. Just add kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. “You don’t want to coat it, but you probably will use more than you think. Maybe 2 teaspoons per side of pepper. And about a teaspoon per side of kosher salt.”

It’s all about heat:
You want to get a very hot grill.  “Some flame is good,” Schenk said. He suggested moving the meat away from the flame though so it doesn’t burn the meat. But flames can help with the charring.

Don’t flip out:
Schenk recommends flipping your meat no more than two times.
He said you’re probably looking at a total cooking time around 4-6 minutes per side, depending on thickness of the meat.

Rest and relax:
Once you’ve achieved the desired temperature, remove the steak from heat and allow it to rest for at least five minutes before cutting it. “You want the muscle to relax; once the juices relax, they’ll flow back through the steak.”

Sizzle and use sea salt:
After the steak has rested, and just before slicing, return it to the hot part of the grill for about 30 seconds per side, to get the surface sizzling.
After you’ve sliced it, just sprinkle a little bit of sea salt over the top. “It’s a super mild salt, but it has a little bit of the umami thing going on. It really does perk the palate,” he said.
 

Wanna get away? New travel deals

Tuesday September 1, 2009 10:55 AM By Lucy Blatter

AAA members stay in Vegas for less: The four-star Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas is offering rates starting at $69 for AAA members, through Dec. 30. The deal includes a free room upgrade and $25 food and beverage credit. Go to hardrockhotel.com.

Mexican cruises from $39 a night: Expedia is offering weekend or longer-duration cruises to Mexico, with prices starting at $39. Some deals come with an additional $500 onboard credit. Book online at expedia.com or call  877-815-5446

City's latest ads target soda, juice

Monday August 31, 2009 10:56 PM By Jason Fink

The city’s latest gross-out ad campaign, which targets sugary drinks from soda to bottled iced teas, seems to condemn some of the same beverages once sold in schools and city buildings as part of an exclusive contract with Snapple.

The new subway ads, which went up Monday, feature a graphic image of a hand pouring human fat – yellow and viscous with red veins, blood vessels and all – into a glass accompanied by the words: “Are you pouring on the pounds?”

Under a controversial deal with the beverage maker Snapple that expired this year after lackluster sales, the city put vending machines in schools and municipal buildings that sold water and fruit juice.

The Health Department, while noting that juice is more nutritious than soda, said it “is just as rich in calories” and encouraged people to stick with water, seltzer or low-fat milk. Even sports and energy drinks like vitamin water should be avoided, health officials said.

City Councilman Eric Gioia (D-Sunnyside), who supports the new ad campaign, said it is ironic that the city was promoting the Snapple drinks until this year.

“It was out of step from Day 1 with nutrition experts,” he said of the contract. Even though the contract is over, there’s still a Snapple machine in the basement of City Hall that sells mostly water with the exception of one fruit drink. The Education Department said in the spring it planned to put healthier drinks in schools starting this fall.

A spokesman for Mayor Michael Bloomberg declined to comment and the health department did not address that issue.

Health officials did say the images used in the $277,000 ad campaign are meant to cause a jolt.

“It has a very strong effect and it calls attention to the issue that we want,” said Cathy Nonas, director of physical activity and nutrition at the health department. “We focus grouped this.”

The campaign, which includes 1,500 subway posters and will run for three months, is part of a trend in shock advertising by the health department, which has also run graphic anti-smoking spots.

“Oh, that’s disgusting,” said Sarah Sweeney, 26, of Manhattan, when shown a copy of the ad. “I don’t’ know if this is the most effective way of doing things.”

The health department said its surveys found more than 2 million adult New Yorkers drink at least one sweetened drink a day, adding as much as 250 calories to their diet from the beverages. The highest rates were in the Bronx, the lowest in Manhattan.

The ads, officials say, are to remind people that what you drink can be as fattening as what you eat.

A spokesman for the American Beverage Association called the ads “sensationalism.” “They’re bypassing an opportunity to have a more substantive discussion,” said the spokesman, Kevin Keane.

But Florajn Shotha, 23, of the Bronx, said she thought the ads did the trick. “It’s a good idea,” she said. “So many people die a year from sugar and diabetes.”

Marlene Naanes contributed to this story