The New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) will conduct its annual Homeless Outreach Population Estimate (HOPE) on Monday, January 30, 2012. DHS is asking for 3,000 New Yorkers to help canvass parks, subways and other public spaces in order to count the number of people living unsheltered in New York City. The information collected during HOPE is vital for outreach teams in helping homeless individuals leave the streets and receive proper care. The event runs from 10:30pm to 4:00am.

Volunteers must be 18 years or older, and will be provided with all the necessary training needed to conduct the survey, plus a brief online orientation covering the basics of the HOPE project. The agency asks that you give just one night of your time to help countless individuals get back on their feet.

For more information, please call 311 or register online here.

The Jewish Museum and the Film Society of Lincoln Center have collaborated once again to present the 21st Annual New York Jewish Film Festival. The festival, which started on January 11 and runs until January 26, showcases outstanding films that explore the international Jewish experience. The dynamic variety of films includes documentaries, dramas, comedies and shorts, and features several world, U.S. and New York premieres.

Tickets are $13 for adults and $9 for students, seniors, and children, or $8 for Jewish Museum and Film Society members. Be sure to catch these culturally rich, world-class flicks at a great price!

For more information and a comprehensive schedule, please visit The Jewish Museum or the Film Society of Lincoln Center.

Image: Scene from "Welcome to Kutsher's: The Last Catskills Resort" - the festival's closing night film.

From January 17- September 2, 2012, the American Folk Art Museum invites you to view its latest exhibit, "Jubilation|Rumination, Life: real and imagined." This exhibit of early American Folk Art explores the tension between the reality of life and the fantastical imagery displayed in the works. Viewers are given the task of deciding for themselves whether the pieces express a disjuncture with reality, or a frank embracing of life. The American Folk Art Museum notes, "The viewer is urged to enjoy the permeable fluidity between art and imagination, dream and belief."

The American Folk Art Museum is located at 2 Lincoln Square (Columbus Avenue at 66th Street). For more information, including hours, programs and directions, please visit the American Folk Art Museum here, or call 212.595.9533. Admission to the American Folk Art Museum is free.

Image: "Coney Island" by Ralph Fasanella (1914-1997), New York City, 1950-1970, Oil on canvas

On Monday, January 23, The New York Woodwind Quintet will perform the world premiere of Cypriot composer Evis Sammoutis' Breath (2011); Anton Reicha's Quintet in D Minor, Op. 88, No. 4; Carlo Gesualdo's Three Madrigals (arr. William Purvis); Samuel Barber's Summer Music, Op. 31; and Heitor Villa-Lobos' Quintet den forme de ch�ros 1928/1955. The recital begins at 8pm in Juilliard's Paul Hall, and is part of the Daniel Saidenberg Faculty Recital Series.

The world-renowned New York Woodwind Quintet, Juilliard's resident faculty woodwind quintet since 1988, is responsible for some of the woodwind repertoire's best-loved classics. This event is free and open to the public. Tickets are available now at the Janet and Leonard Kramer Box Office, located at 155 West 65th Street. Box Office hours are Monday - Friday, 11:00am to 6:00pm. For more information, please call the Juilliard Box Office at 212.769.7406 or visit Juilliard's website. When: Monday, January 23 at 8pm Where: Juilliard's Paul Hall, 155 West 65th Street, 1st Floor

Image: New York Woodwind Quintet members: Carol Wincenc, flute; Charles Neidich, clarinet; Stephen Taylor, oboe; Marc Goldberg, bassoon; William Purvis, French horn.

Last month, we reported that the MTA would soon begin its FASTRACK program, a new approach to performing system upgrades and maintenance on the New York City subways. This program allows the MTA to inspect, maintain, and update the 468 stations, 700 miles of track and 12,000 train control signals efficiently and cost effectively. In order to accomplish this, FASTRACK includes the partial closure of a subway line on four consecutive weeknights from 10pm to 5am, four times a year. The next FASTRACK closure will be on the Seventh Avenue 1/2/3 line, between 34th Street and Atlantic Avenue from 10pm to 5am from Monday, February 13 until Friday, February 17. The lines will be closed from 10pm to 5am all four nights.

The MTA notes that system-wide, the NYC Transit's weeknight ridership is around 250,000, and 10-15% of these riders will be affected during these closures. Weeknight riders can expect to add 20 minutes to their trip. The MTA predicts that FASTRACK will save $10-$15 million annually, while also providing employees with a safe and steady work environment. Also during this time, the MTA will be able to repair platform edges, wall tiles and lighting-and many stations will be cleaned, improving the overall quality of your ride. Please note that FASTRACK is not a replacement for weekend work, which consists largely of capital work and major station/line rehabilitation projects. Stay up-to-date with FASTRACK changes in the February edition of LINKs or visit www.mta.info.

Image courtesy of Transit Blogger: MTA workers doing work as a part of the initial FASTRACK

New York City Council Member Gale Brewer will once again be partnering with the Lower East Side Ecology Center and the West Side Y to host an electronic-recycling event. West Siders - and all New Yorkers - can bring their electronics to West 63rd Street to be recycled in an environmentally-conscious and safe manner.

The event will take place outdoors on Sunday, January 22 from 10am to 4pm, at West 63rd Street between Broadway and Central Park West. Recyclable items include:

Working and non-working computers (laptops, desktops, servers, mainframes, monitors); printers, scanners, fax machines and copiers; network devices such as routers, hubs and modems; other computer accessories such as keyboards, mice, cables, etc.; computer components such as hard drives, CD-ROMs, circuit boards, power supplies; TVs, VCRs and DVD players; audio visual equipment; video games; cell phones, pagers, PDAs, and telecommunication items (phones, answering machines, etc.).

Drop off your used and unwanted electronics, and receive a cup of hot cider in return -- as well as the satisfaction of knowing you're recycling in a green-friendly way!

The New York City Council and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene have issued a survey for New York City restaurateurs regarding the city's food safety and inspection process. This survey has been created in response to growing concerns from the city's restaurateurs, many of whom worry that the grading system implemented in July 2010 is inconsistent and unfair. Council Speaker Christine Quinn noted, "With this survey, we hope to learn more about what is and isn't working, including whether the grading system has been implemented fairly. The participation of restaurateurs in this analysis is critical."

The responses to these surveys will be used in next month's oversight hearing on this matter. The Council notes that a poor inspection grade can be correlated to "community stigma and the potential loss of local jobs," and strongly encourages all restaurant owners to share their thoughts in order to ensure the fairness of the sanitary inspection program.

The survey is available here.

For more information, and to read the complete press release, please click here.

Image courtesy of Matthews/AP

2012 has arrived, which means it's time to make (and keep!) New Year's resolutions. Staying healthy and fit is a great way to kick off the new year - and there are plenty of fitness options and health clubs available for you right here in Lincoln Square. For a list of Lincoln Square's fitness and lifestyle resources, please visit our website.

Equinox at Time Warner Center (10 Columbus Circle, 212.823.9530) - New York City's flagship Equinox Club is located right in Time Warner Center, boasting a junior Olympic-sized pool, spa, and other executive-level amenities. With a variety of group fitness classes, a yoga studio, a Pilates studio and tons of cardio and weight equipment, you'll be sure to have plenty of options here. If you'd like some individual attention, Equinox offers personal training and physical therapy. After you workout, be sure to swing by the Shop at Equinox to pick up some sports-related items or visit the Elixir Juice Bar for a healthy bite.

Reebok Sports Club/NY (160 Columbus Avenue, 212.362.6800) - The chosen gym of many local celebrities and big shots, Reebok Sports Club/NY offers luxury amenities for both fitness gurus and those new to working out. With 140,000 square feet filled with high-caliber machines and weight equipment, the club also flaunts two regulation-size basketball courts, a boxing studio, 25-yard swimming pool, outdoor running track, and even a rock-climbing wall. Reebok's Group Exercise program consists of 2 studios, a Cycling studio with 55 cycles, and more than 170 classes weekly. For those looking for more than just a physical workout, exercise your mind with Reebok's Mind Body program, which has studios dedicated solely to yoga, Pilates and Gyrotonic and offers more than 50 classes a week. Club members can also work one-on-one with Reebok's highly experienced fitness professional and personal trainers, as well as nutritional counselors and sports therapists. Once your workout is over, pamper yourself at the Paul Labrecque Salon and Spa.

New York Sports Club (61 West 62nd Street, 212.265.0995) - With 106 locations in the tri-state area, New York Sports Club is one of the most visible fitness chains in New York City. The Lincoln Square club, located right next to the David Rubenstein Atrium on West 62nd Street, offers a convenient and affordable gym experience. This three-level club includes dozens of exercise machines, an extensive weight room, a sauna, two workout studios, and three squash courts. Personal training and group fitness classes are both available, and babysitting services are provided on-site.

YogaWorks (37 West 65 Street between Central Park West and Columbus Ave, 212.769.9642) - For a more holistic approach to fitness, take a class at YogaWorks in Lincoln Square. A familiar face at the Lincoln Square BID's Summer Concert Series- leading chair yoga during intermissions- YogaWorks is home to one of the country's best teacher training programs. With three large yoga rooms, a full Pilates Center, yoga boutique and tea area, this airy and sunny studio offers a respite from the hustle and bustle of the city streets. YogaWorks attracts a diverse group of yogis, ranging from business professionals to dancers, and offers beginner to advanced-level classes.

West Side YMCA (5 West 63rd Street between Central Park West and Broadway, 212.787.4400) - The YMCA of Greater New York combines community values and healthy living programs to provide all individuals with the chance to be active participants in their neighborhood. The emphasis on kids and teens helps to foster the YMCA's core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility, and the West Side Y's expansive curriculum offers a dynamic choice of exercise and enrichment programs. With two pools, exercise and weight machines, and dozens of classes and programs, the YMCA does its best to ensure that all individuals can join, even those who cannot afford the full price. Like YMCAs across New York City, the West Side Y is indicative of the residents of the area, reflecting the diversity and values of the Lincoln Square Community.

As NYC & Company celebrates the 20th year of New York City's Restaurant Week (January 16- February 10), the Lincoln Square BID team is hard at work planning "Fashion Plate Prix Fixe." Once again, Lincoln Square's top restaurants are stepping up to the plate to offer special prix fixe meals, coinciding with the return of Mercedes- Benz Fashion Week to the district. Take advantage of "Fashion Plate Prix Fixe" to extend your restaurant explorations through February 16th exclusively in Lincoln Square!

Participating restaurants include: A Voce, Atlantic Grill, Bar Boulud, Bouchon Bakery, Boulud Sud, Caf� Fiorello, Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola and Great Performances, Ed's Chowder House, Gabriel's Bar & Restaurant, Gastroarte, Il Violino, Jalape�o, La Bo�te en Bois, Lansky's, The Leopard at des Artistes, Lincoln Ristorante, Luce Restaurant & Enoteca, Nanoosh, Nick & Toni's Caf�, Nougatine at Jean Georges, Porter House New York, Rosa Mexicano, Sapphire Indian Cuisine, Shun Lee West, and Telepan.

"Fashion Plate Prix Fixe" runs from Thursday, February 9 through Thursday, February 16. Some menus may not be available on Tuesday, February 14. Watch your inbox for more information and details on menus and participants. Don't miss this opportunity to sample some of Lincoln Square's best eateries.

Once again, Lincoln Square residents and visitors demonstrated their generosity this past holiday season, donating over 1,000 coats to our Winter's Eve charitable partner, the New York Cares Coat Drive. These coats will help to keep thousands of New York City children, women and men warm this winter. The Lincoln Square BID is thrilled with this turnout, and thanks the American Bible Society, the West Side YMCA, YogaWorks, Trump International Hotel & Tower, Tisch WNET Studios at Lincoln Center, Citibank and the New York Public Library - Riverside Branch for opening their doors to serve as Coat Drop locations throughout the months of November and December. Congratulations to New York Cares for another successful Coat Drive!