City Council members, community organizations and several candidates running in upcoming elections gathered on the steps of City Hall earlier today in support of the Small Business Survival Act. The bill, being considered by the City Council, would give small businesses the option of 10-year leases and the right to mediation if negotiations with landlords reach an impasse. The Bloomberg administration opposes the legislation, saying it would not be practical for the city to track every lease. Among the speakers, District 1 City Council candidate Margaret Chin:
         
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We received a nice submission from Zeva Bellel, "an American journalist born and bred in Brooklyn, who has been living in Paris for the last ten years". She is the founder and editor in chief of Paris By Appointment Only, a Zeva told The Lo-Down she posted a story about a private tour of the Two At the time he was working at a school on the Lower East Side smack in
the middle of the neighborhood where his parents grew up. Around the corner from his school was the apartment where my grandfather lived, several blocks away (from) the Synagogue where he met my grandmother, nearby the cleaners where my aunt and uncle worked, yadda, yadda, yadda…Inspired by his surroundings, he reconstructed the past piece by piece using historic documents, photographs, and a treasure trove of census bureau records he’d found in the trash. The result was a (highly personal) new-media tapestry of early 20th century Lower Manhattan immigrant life. Her father's research led him to create a blog about Knickerbocker Village, which can be found here. You can also email him through his blog for additional tour information.
The restaurant Allen & Delancey's (115 Allen St. at Delancey) newly installed chef Ryan Skeen tells Grubstreet why things didn't work out at Irving Mill and explains that he's happy to be doing things on a smaller level. He says, “It’s a lot of work but it’s comfortable. Everything is organic — it’s all in-house. Plus, it’s got more personality." He also says he's happy to be focusing less on pork and more on pasta. You can see the new menu in a vivid slideshow illustrated for Grubstreet here.
The Daily News political blog headlines: "A Window Into Politics On The Lower East Side." Elizabeth Benjamin adds to her earlier story detailing the United Jewish Council's close relationship with the LES's political power brokers. She says City Council member Alan Gerson's court fight to get back on the ballot offers an "…unusual glimpse of the political clout wielded by Assembly Speaker I noted in my column today that officials from the United Jewish Council of the East Side The blog, Soho Politics (definitely not fond of Alan Gerson), speculates that Gerson will get back on the ballot, even though his troubles with the Board of Elections "underscores a certain inattention to detail at the very least."
The MTA's new five year plan calls for high speed bus lanes and replacing Metro Cards with an "Easy Pass" style computer chip embedded in cell phones or debit cards. Broadway East has a new chef. He's Phil Conlon, the former chef de cuisine at Cafe Cluny, the West Village brasserie serving up Odeon style bistro fare. Outrage: Brooklyn boy David Sax, in his new book "Save the Deli," declares: “Brace yourself New York, because what I am about to write is definitey The Tenement Museum continues to unravel the mystery of Schneider's Saloon.
The Hotel and Motel Trades Council and the UNITE HERE New York State
This month's Featured Artist is Christopher Frederick, who recently started a blog called Urban Love Daily. Christopher posts a photograph each day – an image from around the city representing "love." The result is a surprising array of heartfelt photos, emerging from the grit of New York City. He told The Lo-Down: The heart photos began one day when I was walking around the galleries of Chelsea and saw that someone drew a heart right on the crotch of a man in an underwear add on a bus stop shelter. It made me laugh so hard that I had to take a picture of it with my cell phone. I showed it to a friend who reminded me of a picture I took on the boardwalk of Coney Island years ago of a Popsicle that was melting into the shape of a heart. Suddenly I started seeing hearts everywhere I went. Finally I broke out my good camera and began to hunt them down. To my surprise, the more I looked the more I saw. I can't go more than three blocks anymore without seeing a heart in the city. I knew the heart imagery would be too sentimental for the gallery scene, but thought it could make a nice gift book, book of postcards, or even funny greeting cards. Then I realized how hard and expensive it is to get stuff published or printed, yet I really wanted people to see these images as they really struck a chord with me. A blog was the natural solution. I think what compels me to keep taking the images is that they are not typically saccharine. I search for hearts that feel smart or tough or raw. I am looking for something honest and deep within the common language of a heart and the word love, the confluence of what is personal and universal – or at least urban. It can be tough to find love in this city, despite (or maybe because of) how many awesome people are here. For me, this process is a reminder to keep the grit in balance with idealism. At the very least it's a reminder that love can be found in some of the most unexpected places.
Please visit our photo gallery for more about Christopher and to view some of our favorites.
Editor's note: Mitch Weinstein of Tasty Travails Back in the day (oh, say 1970), NYC's Chinatown was a fairly easily When Now of course, Chinatown For
Continue reading A Fuzhou Supermarket on the Lower East Side
The other day we mentioned that Streit's Matzo, a Lower East Side fixture since 1925, has decided to stay in the neighborhood for now. This morning, we spoke with Alan Adler, director of operations for Sreit's matzo. He said that after putting the Rivington Street manufacturing plant on the market several months ago, they received what he called "a good offer." But some members of the board wanted more – so Streit's decided to stay put for the time being. Adler, great grandson of company founder Aron Streit, explained some of the limitations of the LES plant. Packed into four converted tenament buildings, there's not enough space for the large matzo-making equipment they need to stay competitive. The buildings are only about 100 feet deep. Right now, the warehouse is in New Jersey. If they had chosen to move, all of Streit's operations would have been consolidated. Adler acknowledged that, given the company's deep roots on the LES, moving away would have been an emotional decision. While they're not ruling out the possibility in the future, Adler said the company is focusing on making the current baking facility work as well as possible. Earlier: Mitch Weinstein's tour of the Streit's baking facility.
This is the week we'll most likely find out if City Council member Alan Gerson gets back on the ballot. A State Supreme Court judge is expected to rule on Wednesday. Meantime, the Daily News looks at the United Jewish Council's role in several races, including the Gerson campaign. Ray Dowd, attorney for Gerson challenger Pete Gleason, first floated this angle in The Lo-Down on Friday. The UJC's role was revealed in court testimony by Renee Abramowitz, a UJC employee who collected signatures for several candidates. In today's News, Elizabeth Benjamin writes: Officials at a lower East Side nonprofit did political work for
powerful elected Dems – the same pols who fill the charity's coffers with millions of dollars of publicly funded pork… The campaign work for Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, city Controller William Thompson and City Councilman Alan Gerson is a no-no that endangers the organization's tax-exempt status and raises questions about whether the nonprofit broke the law… Gerson has funneled $16,000 in Council discretionary funds to UJC - $8,000 this year and $8,000 last year. UJC also got nearly $150,000 in Council grants for seniors and $8,000 directed by Councilwoman Rosie Mendez. A spokesman for the Metropolitan New York Coordinating Council on Jewish Poverty – with which the UJC is affiliated – said it will work "to ensure a mistake of this kind does not happen again." Silver, who is running to be a delegate to next month's Democratic judicial nominating convention to select state Supreme Court justice candidates, was also on the petition. Silver – who represents the lower East Side and has directed more than $2.3 million in member items to UJC since 2006 – said he had "never heard" of (Howard) Fried (Abramowitz's boss) and doesn't know Abramowitz. She and Silver both live on the 500 block of Grand St. The Post says City Council members "showered their staffs with tens of thousands of dollars in bonuses at the end of the last fiscal year." The world's largest matzo ball, 267 pounds, was unveiled last week at "Noah's Ark Deli." It was a publicity stunt for an upcoming charity basketball game. Pieces of the matzo ball were then donated to the senior center at the Henry Street Settlement. (Left) Norm Sokolow and (Right) Anthony Sylvestri of Noah's Ark Deli
Photo by Mitch Weinstein It appears that “Bonnie’s New York,” a fixture on Orchard Street for nearly 30 years, selling hats and jewelry, is shutting down (at least at its current location). Lo-Down contributor Mitch Weinstein and his wife, Alison, snapped this picture of the storefront, at 117 Orchard (near Delancey) today. A check of Bonnie’s phone number seems to suggest she’s moved to Brooklyn – we hope to have more details Monday. On her web site, Bonnie Weinstein (no relation to Mitch) describes her roots in the neighborhood:
I started selling jewelry on Orchard Street 27 years ago with one counter in a friend’s bra and girdle store. Since then, my business has evolved and flourished into what it is today. I have always wanted my store to be my personal expression of what I believe to be beautiful, glamorous, feminine and interesting. My goal is to make each customer who walks through my door feel
welcome, special, and excited about what she sees. Recently, we told you about a new study conducted by the Two Bridges Neighborhood Council that examined the struggling businesses on the LES. The report pointed to Orchard Street, the historic heart of our retail district, as particularly endangered. The study’s authors urged stronger community involvement to save the merchants who were here long before gentrification swept through the neighborhood. Bonnie, on the shop’s web page, acknowledged the LES’s past and present:
Rich in history, Orchard, Ludlow, Norfolk and Eldridge Street personified New York City’s “Lower East Side.” They were once the home More later.
As promised, a followup on the escalating war of words between City Council candidates PJ Kim and Margaret Chin. This morning both campaigns were in court on Chin's lawsuit seeking to force Kim off the ballot for alleged voter fraud. Following the hearing, Kim accused Chin of targeting him legally because she's threatened by another Asian in the race. He then said that while he wants to represent the entire First District, she is seeking to be the "mayor of Chinatown." Chin's campaign has now released the following statement:
…Kim just moved into the district, so it’s excusable that he is unaware of Margaret Chin’s almost four decades of dedication to Lower Manhattan families. What is inexcusable is Kim’s use of racially-charged language whose only aim is to divide and distract voters. “Attacking me takes attention away from the important issues facing working families from TriBeCa to the Lower East Side,” Margaret said today. “Our district needs a councilmember who is committed to working together to build a stronger community. It is clear from his language and his actions that P.J. Kim fails to meet that standard.”
Kim also accused Margaret’s campaign of harassment and intimidation. Margaret, who barely breaks five feet in heels, shook off those comments while reminding voters that she has fought for the people of this district for almost my entire life. “He should be intimidated,” she said. "When you take on unscrupulous landlords, or push City agencies to better serve the community, you learn to stand up and fight for your community. I may be small but I have a big voice and I know how to use it to get results for our district, and I will continue to fight for our communities in the City Council.” Margaret Chin has dedicated her life to public service for over 30 years. A former teacher, she has been working with community groups in lower Manhattan on affordable housing, education, and equity issues for most of her life. She left her position as Deputy Executive Director of the non-profit group Asian Americans for Equality, where she worked to protect and build affordable housing, in September 2008, to focus on her campaign. Ms. Chin was also a member of Community Boards 1 and 3. Another candidate in the race, Pete Gleason, is also jumping into the fray this afternoon. His campaign emailed this a short time ago:
This kind of divisive racial politics is exactly what we are trying to move beyond in this campaign. I am convinced that I am the strongest candidate in this race, and the one best suited to work for all our neighborhoods. But PJ Kim’s attempt to racially divide our district by attacking Margaret Chin is unnacceptable. I call on Mr. Kim to apologize to Ms. Chin and all the residents of our diverse community for his insensitive remarks.
In his remarks today, Kim criticized Chin for "dragging me into court for frivolous matters." He called the legal activity related to the campaign a "waste of everyone's time" and a waste of donations made to both campaigns. A spokesman for Chin's campaign said Chin does not relish going to court but she believes it's important to uphold the principle of honesty in political campaigns.
The trouble for Gerson began when the printer got his home address wrong on some petitions. Even though the campaign ordered corrected petitions, somehow (it's unclear how) the Truman Democratic Club didn't get the corrected version. The club collected signatures on behalf of Gerson and other candidates it decided to support. Dowd believes yesterday's testimony by one of the volunteers, Renee Abramowitz, is critical. On the stand, she acknowledged that someone had corrected the address and then written in her initials. Dowd says it's a clear case of forgery and, therefore, fraud. Dowd also pointed to the testimony of Jessica Loeser, president of the Truman Democratic Club. Loeser said that – after volunteers had collected signatures – she told them to change Gerson's address. During cross-examination, Loeser said signature collectors were instructed to inform voters that they were being asked to sign a petition in support of placing Alan Gerson on the ballot. Councilman Gerson's attorney, Lawrence Mandelker, said there can be no fraud unless it's proven that voters were deliberately misled. Dowd called this argument "ridiculous." "Falsifying petitions is fraudulent behavior," he said. Dowd said that yesterday's testimony contradicted what Gerson himself has said — that the problems were caused by a printer's error. Dowd believes he proved it was the "fraudulent acts" of campaign surrogates that are to blame for Gerson's predicament. Dowd told me he is troubled by the circumstances under which Abramowitz said she collected signatures A nurse for the United Jewish Council, she testified the petitions were left on her desk. When the petitions were completed, she handed them in to her boss at the UJC. Dowd says he questions why an employee, working for a non-profit organization receiving millions of dollars in government funding, was collecting signatures for a political campaign. Dowd acknowledged that this aspect of Abramowitz's testimony is not relevant to the allegations of election fraud. But he thinks it might be a campaign finance issue. The referee, Leslie Lowenstein, is now preparing a report that will be forwarded to the State Supreme Court Judge who will decide the case next week.
City Council candidate Margret Chin's alleged voter fraud lawsuit against rival PJ Kim was back in court this morning. Following the hearing, Josh Ehrlich, Chin's attorney, conceded he probably did not present enough evidence to prove the fraud allegations. Only about a third of the subpoenaed witnesses showed up, seriously hampering Ehrlich's case (more on that in a moment). The most striking development this morning occurred outside the courtroom, after the proceedings had been adjourned. Talking with reporters, PJ Kim said the lawsuit is evidence that Chin can't accept that there's another Asian candidate in the race. Kim (who's Korean) said he wanted to represent the First District on the City Council – he asserted that Chin (who is Chinese) wants to be "the mayor of Chinatown." It's fair to say these comments are not sitting well with the Chin campaign. They will be releasing a statement shortly – we'll have more on the Kim/Chin war of words later this afternoon. Now back to the proceedings before Leslie Lowenstein, the court appointed referee, this morning. About 10 witnesses were called to testify, all signature collectors for the Kim campaign. While there were some irregularities, Ehrlich was not able to establish a pattern of illegally altered petitions. He noted that 18 witnesses were "no shows." A spokesman for the Chin campaign has suggested that the Kim campaign encouraged witnesses to ignore the subpoenas. Lowenstein will prepare a report early next week for State Supreme Court Judge Edward Lehner, who has scheduled a hearing on election matters Wednesday afternoon.
Mitch, who's been a LES resident for a few years, runs a teriffic blog called Tasty Travails. Unlike a lot of the other food blogs out there obsessing over New York's restaurant scene, Mitch is focused on, well, food. He helps his readers navigate the wonderful but sometimes bewildering ethnic food markets in the neighborhood. Just as important, he actually explains what to do with all of those treasures once you get them home. Mitch is a native New Yorker who spent 18 years in California before returning to the city to attend cooking school. He's cooked in restaurants, done some catering and worked as a personal chef. These days he's mostly cooking for friends and family. He's also a volunteer host of the food web site eGullet. We're thrilled that Mitch has agreed to share some of his food aventures with us. We begin with a post he wrote earlier this year on what really goes on inside the Streit's Factory. You can read it after the jump. Continue reading Streit’s Story: A New Friend Rediscovers the Joy of Fresh Baked Matzo
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