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DOWNTOWN
POST NYC 
 
News and Events
in Lower Manhattan
 
 
Volume 1, No. 136  Oct. 29, 2014
IN THIS ISSUE
Quote of the day:
"No significant damage was sustained in our fleet of ships. For days beforehand, volunteers and staff prepared the ships: set out additional mooring lines, calculating length by anticipated storm surge; and tended to fenders and chafing gear. They planned for wind, waves, and surge. After more than 400 total hours of work, the ships rode out the hurricane in safety."
        - A post on the South Street Seaport Museum's Facebook page, marking the second anniversary of Superstorm Sandy's landfall in the South Street Seaport 

* Remembering Sandy: South Street Seaport Museum reflects
* Getting prepared for the 'next time'
* Bits & Bytes: South St. Seaport businesses post-Sandy; Tribeca restaurant files Sandy lawsuit
* Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4: Proposals on the ballot
* Grand opening for Gibney Dance at 280 Broadway
* Downtown Bulletin Board: South St. Seaport forum; Out to See; BPC Boot Camp
* Getting ready for Halloween: Part 5
* Calendar

For breaking news, go to www.DowntownPostNYC.com

This photo was taken on Oct. 28, 2012 - the 126th anniversary of the opening of the Statue of Liberty to the public. That day, the interior of the pedestal and the crown reopened. The statue stood against a glowering sky, presaging the arrival of Superstorm Sandy the next day
(Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) 


 

REMEMBERING SANDY: SOUTH STREET SEAPORT MUSEUM REFLECTS
The South Street Seaport Museum's ships as they looked on Jan. 6, 2013 - a little more than two months after Superstorm Sandy destroyed much of the South Street Seaport. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
On its Facebook page on Oct. 29, 2014, the South Street Seaport Museum posted a dark photo of the East River, taken on Oct. 29, 2012 from the roof of the museum's buildings on Schermerhorn Row at 2200 hours, the time of high water. Along with the photo was this message:

The surge measured at the battery was 13.88 feet, the highest ever recorded in New York Harbor.

Today is the second anniversary of Hurricane Sandy's landfall in New York. Two years since flood waters inundated our buildings, sent our ships high above the piers on massive tidal surge, and quieted the South Street Seaport historic district.

One of the great successes, though, was that no significant damage was sustained in our fleet of ships. For days beforehand, volunteers and staff prepared the ships: set out additional mooring lines, calculating length by anticipated storm surge; and tended to fenders and chafing gear. They planned for wind, waves, and surge. After more than 400 total hours of work, the ships rode out the hurricane in safety.

On this anniversary we note with resolve in our hearts that not only is the South Street Seaport Museum still here, but that we are alive and kicking!

Our 2014 Season has been a great year for education, public programs, and new visitors to the Museum's street of ships.

It is also the first year in which both Pioneer and Lettie G. Howard have sailed in more than four years! and the first year in many that saw two open ships on Pier 16.

Much more work is to be done. But as with the preparation of our ships for Sandy two years ago, we will do this work ahead of us together. South Street Seaport Museum will rise again!

Please join us in our efforts. Pass the word! Share this post. Renew as a member. Ask your friends, family, and colleagues to join us. Come volunteer!

Thank you for your support and we'll see you soon at South Street.

To become a member of the South Street Seaport Museum, click here.


 

GETTING PREPARED FOR THE 'NEXT TIME'
Col. Trevor Jackson of the New York National Guard holding up a backpack like ones given to each family that attends Citizen Preparedness training.
(Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)

Since February of 2014, representatives of the New York State Citizens Preparedness Corps have been crisscrossing the state, bringing a dire message along with information and hope. "There will be a 'next time,'" they say, when a disaster will strike the state in the form of terrorism, floods, technological failures, pandemics or other emergencies that will affect millions of people. In fact, they say, New York is more at risk than anywhere else in the country.

In the face of an acute emergency, the usual support systems are likely not to be available. People will have to be able to take care of themselves and help their neighbors, when necessary. The purpose of the Citizen Preparedness training is to provide the basic information needed to prepare, respond and recover.

Many people who lived through 9/11 in Lower Manhattan have not been without a "go bag" since then, readily accessible and stocked with supplies for an emergency evacuation.

The Citizen Preparedness course advises on what that "go bag" should contain and also what each household should have on hand to survive at home for a week to 10 days without the usual access to food or water.

Among other things, each family would need one gallon of bottled water per person, per day, ready-to-eat canned foods, powdered or canned milk, high-energy foods such as peanut butter and nuts, candy, and special foods for the elderly, young children and pets. At least one week's supply of prescription medicine should always be on hand, along with toilet paper, pre-moistened hand wipes and hand sanitizers. A gallon of chlorine bleach is recommended, plus flashlights and battery-powered radios.

Citizen Preparedness Training courses are still being given in and around New York City. In addition, there is an online version. To see it, click here.

- Terese Loeb Kreuzer



 


Bits & Bytes
SOUTH ST. SEAPORT BUSINESSES POST-SANDY; FUNDS FOR 3WTC; TRIBECA RESTAURANT FILES SANDY LAWSUIT; 66 PEARL ST. SOLD
Fulton Street in the South Street Seaport as it looked on Feb. 27, 2013.
 (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)

"South Street Seaport Businesses Pick Up The Pieces After Superstorm Sandy," CBS New York, 10/28/14. "It's been a long road back for some South Street Seaport businesses that were damaged in Superstorm Sandy - and the journey isn't over yet," says CBS New York in a TV segment that features some of the residents and business owners in the South Street Seaport. "As CBS 2's Alice Gainer reported, Marco Pasanella decided to leave the water mark up as a reminder of the historical flooding that ravaged his wine shop. When the East River breached its bank, water quickly poured into Pasanella & Son Vintners." Pasanella recalled that 'Ten thousand bottles were floating the day after Sandy. Luckily, only a couple of them broke.' Around the corner, Amanda Zink, owner of Salty Paw, prominently displays photos of the damage in the store's front window." She had no flood insurance and it took her a year to rebuild. For the complete story and video, click here.

"Silverstein Sells $1.6 Billion in Unrated Debt for 3 WTC," Bloomberg News, 10/28/14. "Developer Larry Silverstein sold $1.6 billion of tax-exempt bonds to finance the construction of 3 World Trade Center, the largest-ever unrated deal in the municipal market," says Bloomberg News. "Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS), which managed today's offer, sold about $1.1 billion of senior bonds maturing in 30 years to yield 5 percent, or about 1.9 percentage points above benchmark debt, data compiled by Bloomberg show. About $280 million of junior bonds due in 2034 and 2040 drew yields of 5.15 percent and 5.38 percent, respectively. The sale also included $231 million of 30-year subordinate debt priced at 7.25 percent. Top-rated 30-year munis yielded 3.08 percent today, after setting a 21-month low of 2.78 percent on Oct. 16." The article cites Daniel Solender, head of munis at Jersey City, New Jersey-based Lord Abbett & Co., as saying, "They paid more yield than anything of its size in the market right now." According to Bloomberg News, "The issue for the 69-floor tower was delayed for more than a year after the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, which owns the 16-acre World Trade Center site, balked at guaranteeing the debt while Silverstein waited for municipal borrowing costs to decline." For the complete article, click here.

"Swanky TriBeCa eatery files Sandy lawsuit," Crain's New York Business, 10/29/14. "Two years after Superstorm Sandy struck, many businesses are still trying to recoup their losses and are turning to the courts for help," says Crain's New York Business. "Thalassa, an upscale Greek seafood restaurant in TriBeCa, is among the hundreds of businesses that were affected by the massive power outage at a Con Edison substation on East 14th Street two years ago. On Oct. 24, the restaurant filed a lawsuit in New York City's Supreme Court against its insurance provider, Phoenix Insurance Co., which had denied its business interruption claim, according to the complaint. The restaurant did not disclose its financial loss, but it was likely tens of thousands of dollars. Thalassa, located at 179 Franklin St., was closed for 11 days because the power outage caused damage to its refrigeration equipment. Its claim included loss of revenue and food spoilage. Phoenix denied its claim on March 2013, according to the complaint." For the complete article, click here.

"Northwind buys 66 Pearl Street for $30M," The Real Deal, 10/29/14. "Northwind Group, a Midtown East-based boutique real estate investment firm, bought 66 Pearl Street for $30.1 million," according to The Real Deal. "The Financial District property, which is a combination of six buildings that were internally connected, spans roughly 44,000 square feet. The six-story, mixed-use building has 42 residential units and 6,485 square feet of commercial space. Of the apartments in the landmarked building, 34 are free-market, renting at $47 per square foot, and eight are rent-stabilized, renting at $36 per square foot." For the complete article, click here.



 

ELECTION DAY IS TUESDAY, NOV. 4: PROPOSALS ON THE BALLOT



On Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 4, New York City voters will be electing a New York State governor, lieutenant governor, comptroller and attorney general and other candidates for federal, State and City offices. In addition, there will be three proposals on the ballot. Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer notes that proposals can have far-reaching effects, but that they don't get as much attention as the candidates. She has prepared a brochure (pictured above) presenting the pros and cons of each of the three proposals. This is what she says in the brochure:

Proposal 1 revises the state's redistricting process by creating a commission with 10 members, eight selected by leaders of both parties in both houses of the Legislature and an additional two selected by the original eight. It mandates public hearings, legislative comment, funding, bipartisan staff and sets out basic principles by which the new districts are to be created.

Supporters, including Citizens Union and the League of Women Voters, argue that this is at least a step toward removing the rawest politics from the crucial task of creating new district boundaries every 10 years.

Opponents, including Common Cause and NYPIRG [the New York Public Interest Research Group], say that Proposal 1 doesn't do enough to reform redistricting, embeds it in the hard-to-change state constitution, and still leaves the commission's final districting plan up the legislature. The New York Times editorial page argues the proposal would make things worse than the current system.

Proposal 2 intends to bring the state constitution into the 21st century, at least in one respect. It ends a requirement that bills must be physically printed and distributed to state legislators three days before a vote. Instead, Proposal 2 would allow electronic distribution of bills and amendments.

This bill-printing requirement is often circumvented by legislative leaders using a so-called "message of necessity," but supporters argue that enacting this amendment will allow the state to save on printing costs.

I haven't yet heard anyone voice an objection to Proposal 2.

Proposal 3 authorizes up to $2 billion (with a "b") in bonds to be issued for the purposes of financing classroom technology, Internet connectivity, new classroom space for Pre-K programs, replacing existing classroom trailers with permanent buildings, and improving security measures in schools.

Some who oppose the proposition, like the Citizens Budget Commission, argue that the State is approaching its debt cap, capital investment in technology devices is unlikely to yield lasting benefits, and no needs assessment has been done to weigh investment in technology against other pressing, unfunded infrastructure needs.

Supporters, including Gov. Cuomo and the United Federation of Teachers, argue that the funds from this bond will help school systems meet the contemporary needs of students: technology in an iPad era, new classroom space now that Pre-K is funded, and school security needs in the aftermath of the shootings in Newtown.

On Nov. 4, polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. To locate your polling place, go to nyc.pollsitelocator.com or call (212) 886-2100.


GRAND OPENING FOR GIBNEY DANCE AT 280 BROADWAY
Gibney Dance at 890 Broadway. (Photo: Courtesy of Gibney Dance)
























  
On Oct. 30 starting at 6 p.m., Gibney Dance will celebrate the Grand Opening of Gibney Dance 280 Broadway, the organization's completely renovated and transformed Performing Arts Center, training facility, affordable rehearsal and resource center, and social action hub. Festivities include a reception in the new gallery space, the unveiling of the state-of-the-art Performance Lab, tours of the facilities, and opportunities to observe classes and socialize with other members of the public and the New York City dance community. The event is free and open to the public, no RSVP required. (Although the address is 280 Broadway, enter the building at 53A Chambers St.)
 
Gina Gibney addressing Community Board 1.
(Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) 
Highlights of the renovations include: the Performance Lab (official name to be revealed at the celebration), a high-tech ground floor performance space that will house state-of-the-art audio/visual equipment allowing artists to experiment with technology; the gallery, featuring curated exhibitions dedicated to the intersection of visual arts and performance, uniting artists across disciplines; the huge new Studio C, a white box studio theater for both classes and public performances; the Learning & Leadership Studio, where professional development workshops will impart crucial business skills to artists; the sunny and versatile new Studio B for classes and rehearsals; and the Community Action Hub, which will serve as a gathering space for social action workshops and house a library on the use of the performing arts to effect change.
 
With this grand opening, artists and community members now have access to the full range of technical and administrative resources available at both Gibney Dance 280 Broadway and the Gibney Dance Choreographic Center at 890 Broadway - the only one of its kind in New York City. Interactions between the organization's initiatives for performance, dance training, professional development, rehearsal space, creative residencies and artistic process are designed to holistically support artists' entire journey from studio to stage.
 
On Nov. 5, Gibney Dance launches its inaugural presenting season at 280 Broadway with "DoublePlus," a six-week series of performances by emerging artists curated by artist/mentors Miguel Gutierrez, Jon Kinzel, Bebe Miller, Annie-B Parson, RoseAnne Spradlin and Donna Uchizono. For information and tickets, click here.  

The mission of Gibney Dance is to bring the possibility of movement to where it otherwise would not exist. Through three interrelated fields of action-Center, Company and Community Action-Gibney Dance is "Making Space for Dance," whether in the studio, on stage or in underserved shelters and schools.
 
In 1991, Gibney Dance began leasing a studio in the historic 890 Broadway building to house Company rehearsals. By 2011 the organization had eight studios at that location.  Today, with the addition of 280 Broadway, the organization directs a performing arts complex with two facilities: the Choreographic Center at 890 Broadway and Performing Arts Center at 280 Broadway.
 
The combined 51,000 square foot Centers house three theaters for performing arts presentations; 16 studios for classes and rehearsals; two "labs" for work with technological and production elements; a visual arts gallery; a Digital Technology Workroom for work with video, audio, and online media; a Learning & Leadership Studio for professional development programming; and a Community Action Hub for social action workshops and a library on the use of the performing arts to effect social change. The intent is to meet the needs of the dance field by fostering the creative process, encouraging dialogue, and providing professional development opportunities.
 
The Gibney Dance Company is the Centers' resident dance ensemble, led by choreographer Gina Gibney. Since its founding in 1991, the Company has developed a repertory of over 30 works that have been performed throughout the United States and abroad. 
 
Gibney Dance Community Action provides New York City domestic violence shelters with over 500 free movement workshops each year. At these workshops Company members share activities that draw from artistic practices to address issues of choice and self-expression. Community Action was initiated in 2000 in collaboration with Sanctuary for Families and Safe Horizon, two of the country's most prominent domestic violence organizations.




 

Downtown bulletin board
SOUTH ST. SEAPORT FORUM; OUT TO SEE RETURNS TO THE SEAPORT;
BPC BOOT CAMP; NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION GRANTS
Some of the historic Fulton Fish Market buildings on South Street, as they looked in December 2011. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)

























South Street Seaport public forum:
Save Our Seaport (SOS), the City Club of New York and the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliances are co-sponsoring a South Street Seaport Public Forum on Nov. 10 with the latest news about the Seaport. New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and City Councilmember Margaret Chin will be among the speakers. There will also be updates about the South Street Seaport Museum, the waterfront, the Historic South Street Seaport District and bringing back a public market. The audience will be able to question the panelists and give input about next steps for the Seaport. Place: The Spruce Street School, 12 Spruce St. Time: 6 p.m. Seating is limited. To RSVP, click here.

Boot Camp in Battery Park City: On Nov. 3, the Battery Park City Parks Conservancy is launching an adult fitness program, Boot Camp, with instructor Alan Courtenay. The classes are for all fitness levels. Courtenay tries to keep all workouts interactive, fun and exciting. The equipment used in the class includes bands, rope, kettle-bells and more. Alan Courtenay is the CEO/Founder of NYC Boot Camps and recipient of the High Impact Trainer of the Year award. His professional career in fitness training and management spans more than eight years during which he has trained adults of all ages and physical conditions. He taught physical education to children with the New York Department of Education for the prior five years. To pre-register, call (212) 267-9700, ext. 363, or email [email protected]. Dates: Nov. 3 to Dec. 17, 2014. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Time: 6:15 a.m. to 7:15 a.m. Place: 6 River Terrace. Cost: $264/package of 12 classes; $396/package of 18 classes. To pre-register, call (212) 267-9700, ext. 363, or email [email protected]. Pre-registration is required. Click here for more information.

Out to See: During the first four weekends in November, Out to See will transform South Street Seaport into a cultural festival and holiday market celebrating New York City makers, designers, artisans, artists, food entrepreneurs and musicians. New Yorkers will be able to shop, attend workshops, get 3D scans and prints and explore cutting-edge retail.

Out to See will feature more than 60 local brands and businesses such as Red Hook's Tribe Bicycle Co.; Wool & Prince, the men's brand and $300,000 Kickstarter sensation who's been featured in Fast Company and HuffPo; women's brand One Crown in Glory (Henri Bendel, Town & Country, Today Show); The Makery pop-up with 3D scans and prints; New Museum's Airy Light; the ravioli rolling pin from Repast Supply; sustainable fashion from Modavanti; work from artist Albert Chao; Beltology belts; curated goods from By Brooklyn; Lululosophy's chocolates with Asian flair, Etsy New York Team's handmade crafts and many more. The Out to See festival was initiated by the community and is being presented by the Old Seaport Alliance, The Howard Hughes Corporation, the South Street Seaport Museum, the Little Arts Group, Arup and 100M Records. It is being curated by miLES (Made in the Lower East Side) and Imagination in Space.

Place: Melville Gallery at 213 Water St.; Little Water Street; Front Street; Cannon's Walk and more nearby locations. Time: Weekends in November from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information on Out to See, click here.

Historic Districts Council: The Historic Districts Council runs a program that provides strategic resources to neighborhood groups at a critical moment so that they can reach their preservation goals. The program helps community activists learn to use tools such as documentation, research, zoning, landmarking, publicity, and public outreach to advance local preservation campaigns. The selected groups receive HDC's hands-on help strategizing and implementing all aspects of their efforts over the course of the 2015 calendar year, as well as HDC's continued support in the years to come.

Since beginning this program in 2011, HDC has been able to help Six to Celebrate groups create two new National Register districts (the Bowery and Far Rockaway Bungalows) and two New York City historic districts (Bedford Stuyvesant and the East Village) with many others still in the works in all five boroughs (Bedford, Gowanus, Harrison Street, Port Morris, and Van Cortland Village).  HDC has also assisted in leveraging more than $40,000 in private and public grants for these community-driven projects. Neighborhoods selected also get professionally designed websites and illustrated walking tour brochures.

Dec.  1, 2014 is the deadline to apply. The Six to Celebrate awardees will be announced in early 2015.

Mail the application along with all requested supplemental materials to Six to Celebrate, Historic Districts Council, 232 E. 11th St., New York, NY 10003.

For more information, call (212) 614-9107 or e-mail Barbara Zay  at [email protected]. For application forms, click here.




GETTING READY FOR HALLOWEEN: Part 5
The Halloween festivities in the Winter Garden at Brookfield Place this past Sunday,
Oct. 26. (Photos: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)


























Make your plans now for Halloween. Here are some Downtown options:

Haunted Hall at Manhattan Youth: Stop by the Haunted Hall at the Downtown Community Center on Oct. 31. Families with younger children can go to "Silly Spooks," a short stroll featuring a Friendly Ghost peek-a-booing in a graveyard, a Scared-Cat Scarecrow in a balloon pumpkin patch, and a Wiggly Witch with a super-size bubble cauldron brewing up potions. Families with older children can brave the Tunnel of Terror, an interactive walk through a Haunted Graveyard, a Vampire Castle, Zombie Alley, the Mad Science Lab, an Insane Asylum, and the Black Widow's Web. Each installation will be staffed by professional actors and Manhattan Youth child-care professionals. The Manhattan Youth players of the after-school program at IS 289 will also perform in the Haunted Hall from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., doubling the size of the cast for that hour. At the end of both paths, children can Trick-or-Treat for candy from Manhattan Youth staff and take turns in the Phantom Photo Booth, a green-screen photo attraction where kids can pose in their costumes in front of awesome images that will be emailed to parents for a great memento of Halloween Night. Place: 120 Warren St. Time: 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Free.

Halloween on the Hudson: Board the yacht Zephyr at Pier 16 in the South Street Seaport for
Zephyr.
Halloween festivities. The Zephyr will be transformed into a haunted house with a bar and a DJ. Celebrate Halloween while taking in spectacular views of New York harbor. Bottle service is available by reservation. Must be 21 years of age or older with valid ID. ID must be presented to board vessel. Schedule: Oct. 31: Halloween Pre-Party Cruise. Boards at 7 p.m. Sails from 7:30 p.m to 10 p.m. Tickets: $30. Cash bar. DJ - Treblemaker. Oct. 31: Halloween Cruise. Boards at 11 p.m. Sails from 11:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tickets: $75 with open bar included. DJ - Chris Bachmann. Nov. 1: Halloween Cruise. Boards at 9:30 p.m. Sails from 9:45 p.m. to midnight. Dockside: Midnight to 12:30 a.m. Tickets: $30. Cash bar. For more information and to buy tickets, click here.

Hornblower Halloween: Hornblower is offering several cruise options on Halloween, all leaving from Pier 15 in the South Street Seaport. Costumes are encouraged! All cruises feature food and bar options, as well as DJ entertainment and a tour of New York Harbor. The VIP Package is the top-shelf selection, with an open bar and unlimited light bites. Oct. 31: Boards at 5:30 p.m. Cruises from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 31: Boards at 9:15 p.m. Cruises from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tickets: $25 (cruise only); $40 (cruise plus food); $65 (cruise, food, beer, wine and soda); $85 (food and open bar). On-board music ranges from appearances by local acts to live radio station broadcasts and DJ entertainment. Call for senior, military and child rates.  Phone: (212) 206-7522. Email: [email protected]. For more information or buy tickets, click here.

Halloween at Peck Slip: The South Street Seaport is hosting its 25th annual Halloween celebration on Oct. 31 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the neighborhood's new Peck Slip Park. Neighborhood merchants will be offering candy to kids and a free glass of wine to parents.

Haunted Poets House: A Halloween Reading and Celebration: Poets House celebrates Halloween on Oct. 31 by inviting people to "Come in costume and hear monstrous, spooky verse from poets such as Robert Louis Stevenson, Karla Kushkin, Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky, read by Poets House Children's Room Director Mike Romanos, who will also lead us in casting our own poetic spells to celebrate the day." Place: 10 River Terrace. Time: 5 p.m. Suggested donation, $5 per child. For more information, click here

Asphalt Screams: Asphalt Green Battery Park City's annual Halloween event, Asphalt Screams, on Oct. 31 features games like Zombie Freeze Tag, Spooktacular Soccer Shootout, and more. Wear your best costume and bring the whole family. The first 400 kids to arrive will receive a goody bag. While this event is free and open to the public, a suggested donation of $20 per family is welcome. All proceeds from the event will go toward the "Fit Kids Fit City" campaign, bringing free sports and fitness programs to more than 30,000 New Yorkers. Place: 212 North End Ave. Time: 4 p.m.-6 p.m. RSVP by clicking here.

Ghost Ships: The South Street Seaport Museum gets into the Halloween spirit on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 with ghost stories about New York harbor told aboard the museum's 103-year-old barque, Peking. Spirits and ghouls of all ages should like these spooky tales. Place: Pier 16. Time: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets: $12; $8 (students and seniors); $5 (children 2 to 11); free (museum members and children under 2). For more information and tickets, click here.

Ghouls After School: Visit historic Bowne & Co. Stationers after school every day through Oct. 31 and make a ghoulish collage with the help of Robert Warner, master printer. Bowne is part of the South Street Seaport Museum. Place: 211 Water St. Time: 3 p.m.-6 p.m. Free. For more information, click here.

Trinity Church: On Friday, Oct. 31, Trinity Wall Street is hosting its annual Hometown Halloween event. From 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., families with children are invited to trick-or-treat in the Trinity Churchyard, one of the oldest in Manhattan, as kids interact with historical characters from New York City's past. There will be hot apple cider and a photo booth - plus a drawing to win an iPod shuffle and iBoo speakers. From 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Trinity will screen the silent film "The Phantom of the Opera" (1925) while master improviser Justin Bischof creates a creepy musical backdrop live on the organ. Enter to win a year's supply of movie tickets! *Note the time change; event was previously scheduled for 5 p.m. Place: Trinity Church at Broadway and Wall Street. Free.

Charity photo shoot at Vince Smith Hair Experience: For the second year, Vince Smith Hair Experience at 300 Rector Place is throwing a Halloween party and photo shoot to benefit Save the Children. On Oct. 31, stop by the salon to get a professional portrait of yourself, your kids and your pets in costume for a $25 donation.

Last year, Vince Smith raised more than $1,000 to benefit three communities aided by Save the Children. "They do amazing work," he said. "They give children a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. When disaster strikes they put children's needs first. They advocate for and achieve large-scale change for children. They save children's lives."
  
Come in costume and have your photo taken, or just stop by for some refreshments and make a donation. Place: 300 Rector Place. Time: 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, call (212) 945-1590.

Halloween dinner special at Morton's: Morton's The Steakhouse at 136 Washington St. is offering a  Halloween four-course meal on Oct. 31 with a choice of soup or salad, a choice of entrees (filet mignon, glazed salmon or chicken bianco), one side dish and dessert. The cost is $35 per person plus beverages, tax and tip. For reservations, click here.
 


CALENDAR: Week of Oct. 27
Ali Osborn teaching a block-printing workshop at Bowne Printers in the South Street Seaport. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
























 
 

Oct. 30: A nighttime walking tour will be the opening event of "The Seaport Stories," the second phase of Catch-&-Release, a project of the AIGA [American Institute of Graphic Arts that collected stories from Seaport residents and businesses about their experiences during and after Superstorm Sandy. The tour will serve as a teaser for "The Seaport Stories," a self-guided tour composed of a larger collection of personal stories revealing what is not visible at the Seaport today. This event will provide visitors and residents with an opportunity to listen to the vivid tales on site, experiencing the Seaport by bringing back to life what made the Seaport extraordinary. The stories are told by a painter, a photographer, a fishmonger, a composer, and others utilizing audio, video and imagery. A temporary installation of site-specific posters will help to unveil the stories as well as serving as markers for the tour. Starting time: 6 p.m. at the South Street Seaport Museum, 12 Fulton St. The tour ends at 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. with drinks at the Paris Cafe. A website with a downloadable podcast of the tour will be launched on Oct. 30. To RSVP for the nighttime walking tour, click here. For more information about "The Seaport Stories," click here.

Nov. 2: At a "Block Party," Ali Osborn, resident printer at Bowne Printers (part of the South Street Seaport Museum), teaches how to cut an image on a linoleum block and print it by hand. Then he gangs up everyone's images and prints them on Bowne's vintage Vandercook press. Students go home with their own blocks, individual prints, and one limited edition poster of everyone's prints together. All materials supplied. Registration required. Suitable for apprentices 12 and up. Place: 211 Water St. Time: 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Call (646)-628-2707 for more information or email [email protected]. Fee: $50; $40 (museum members). To buy tickets, click here.  
 
Through Oct. 31: Artist and photographer Elisa Decker has an exhibit of photographs entitled "Hudson River Park from My Perch" in the office of Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer. Decker took the photographs from her Westbeth apartment, recording the transformation of the landscape through weather and seasonal changes. Place: 1 Centre St., 19th floor (bring photo ID to enter the building). Time: Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free. For more information,  
Wednesdays through Nov. 20: Every Wednesday through Nov. 20, food vendors from Hudson Eats at 200 Vesey St. in Brookfield Place will offer free food and wine pairings in collaboration with Vintry Fine Wines, a store in Battery Park City's Goldman Sachs Alley. The kick-off on Oct. 23 featured wine and cheese, with the food coming from Skinny Pizza and Black Seed Bagels. Subsequent events will offer charcuterie and wine (from Mighty Quinn's and Umami Burger on Oct. 30), chocolate and wine (from Olive's and Sprinkles Cupcakes on Nov. 6), seafood and wine (from Dig Inn, Tartinery and Blue Ribbon Sushi on Nov. 13) and spice and wine (from Dos Toros, Chopt and Num Pang on Nov. 20). Registration is required. To register, click here. Time: 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Free.

Weekends through Nov. 2: Art in the Park at Tompkinsville Park on Staten Island is a free ferry ride across New York harbor from Lower Manhattan, and a short walk from the ferry. Food, music and local artists. Nov. 1 and Nov. 2. Time: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information about Tompkinsville Park, click here. 

 

Ongoing: The Skyscraper Museum presents "Times Square, 1984: The Postmodern Movement," on view through Jan. 18, 2015. Times Square today is bright and crowded - a tourist mecca, entertainment district, retail powerhouse and pedestrianized precinct that matches in vitality, both economic and populist, any decade of its storied past. But 30 years ago, the future of Times Square was in limbo - caught between a series of false starts at clean-slate urban renewal by New York City and New York State and an emerging philosophy of urbanism that favored history, preservationist values, electric signs and semiotics, and delirious diversity. Place: 39 Battery Place. Open, Wednesday to Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. Admission: $5; $2.50 (students and seniors). For more information, click here.  
  
Ongoing: "A Town Known as Auschwitz" is an exhibit of photographs at the Museum of Jewish Heritage tracing the history of a town called "Oswiecim" in what is now Poland, where Jews and non-Jews lived side by side for centuries. When German forces occupied the town in September 1939, they renamed it "Auschwitz" and established a concentration and death camp there. More than 1 million people died at Auschwitz, including 90 percent of the town's Jews. The museum is at 36 Battery Place. For information the exhibit, click here. For information on the museum's hours and admission fees, click here.
 
Ongoing: Poets House in Battery Park City presents "A Painter and His Poets," the first major retrospective show of George Schneeman's collaborative paintings, collages, prints, and books, with portraits of his poet friends, spanning 40 years. "A sort of utopia in the visual field filled with pleasure, quickness and wit" is how Schneeman himself described his collaborative work with poets. Exhibition on view through Saturday, Nov. 15, during regular Poets House hours. Place: 10 River Terrace. Free. For information about Poets House, click here.

Ongoing: The South Street Seaport Museum's lightship Ambrose and its barque Peking welcome visitors Wednesdays to Sundays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Pier 16 (on the East River at Fulton Street). The Ambrose, launched in 1908,  once guided large ships through the Ambrose Channel into New York harbor. Peking was launched in Hamburg, Germany in 1911, one of the last commercial sailing ships ever built. She was used to carry goods from Europe to South America and to return to Europe with nitrate. The museum's Visitors Services associates explain all of the fascinating details of the ships and their relevance to the history of New York as a port city. Cost: $12 (adults); $8 (students, 12-24 and seniors); $5 (children 2-11); under 2, free. To buy tickets, click here.

Ongoing: "Defining Lines: Maps from the 1700s and early 1800s" at the Fraunces Tavern
Museum. Twenty-seven maps provide a perspective on the evolving nation's place in history. A map from 1804, never before exhibited, shows the U.S. postal routes. Place: 54 Pearl St. Time: Noon to 5 p.m., daily. Admission fees: $7; $4 (seniors, students with ID, children, 6 to 8 years old. Children, 5 and under, free. Active military with ID, free. For more information, click here.
  
Ongoing: The National Museum of the American Indian is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with free admission. It offers free films, docent-led tours of its exhibitions and tours of its premises, the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, designed by Cass Gilbert. The building, which was completed in 1907, is a National Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One Bowling Green. Phone: (212) 514-3700. For the museum's calendar, click here.

Ongoing: "Give Me Liberty," a solo exhibition of new works by Brooklyn-based artist Sylvanus Shaw, is at the Fraunces Tavern Museum. In this site-specific exhibition, Shaw utilizes images from the Museum's permanent collection, invoking imagery of early American statehood in media ranging from oil on panel to collaged holograms, security envelopes, and other mediums.
Through March 16, 2015. Place: Fraunces Tavern Museum, 54 Pearl St. Museum hours: Mon.-Sat., noon to 5 p.m. Admission: $7; $4 (seniors, students, children 6-8); free (children under 5 and active duty military). For more information, click here



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Editor: Terese Loeb Kreuzer

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