Letty Cottin Pogrebin advocates telling the truth, which is why I’d like to share my first impression of her new book “How to be a Friend to a Friend Who’s Sick”: What a good idea for a magazine article.  How, I wondered, could even this accomplished author, activist, and speaker—whose pedigree includes serving as founding editor of Ms. magazine and past president of the Author’s Guild—fill an entire book on this subject?

It turns out she not only could, but has, in a way that is informative, revealing, compassionate, and useful.

Prompted by her diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer, Ms. Pogrebin’s book is filled with her insights, as well as stories and advice from friends and fellow patients, on how we can be most helpful to those we care about when illness strikes.

While some of the information in How to Be A Friend initially seems to be “just common sense,” Ms. Pogrebin illuminates the foundations for these suggestions — for example, why certain language is helpful or hurtful. Other passages cover content this reviewer had not considered at all, such as how to respond to friends whose illnesses are related to, and exacerbated by, financial troubles. Clear chapter headings also make the book a useful reference for specific topics such as “Sickness and Shame” and “Dealing with Dementia”

More general tips include allowing the gravity of the friend’s illness to guide the nature of a visit. A person who is in pain may not be able to answer questions but will likely value silent companionship, while a friend who is less debilitated may be eager to recount the details of his or her condition to a receptive listener.  Acceptance of the nature of chronic illness, and sensitivity to the desire of those who are expected to recover to discuss subjects other than their illness are also discussed.

Information is provided on how to be an advocate for your friend in the doctor’s office, on  how long to visit and what to bring, how you can help family members, and what not to say to the ailing person (hint: “Oh my God” and “You look great” are not helpful).  Readers are encouraged to “be sincere in your offer [of help], and ready to take no for an answer” if the patient doesn’t want what’s offered. Perhaps most important of all, Ms. Pogrebin advises, give your sick friend permission to tell the truth about what they need and free them from the need to take care of you.

What’s missing from the book may be what’s missing from our healthcare system—clear direction on how to be an advocate for a sick friend while they are in the hospital if they are receiving inadequate or inappropriate care or treatment. How to help make sure that enough attention is paid. Ms. Pogrebin acknowledges the exceptionally positive nature of her experience with caregivers at Memorial Sloan- Kettering. Many readers may have less uplifting stories of friends and family whose treatment at hospitals of all kinds was far from optimal, but perhaps this is a subject for another project.

Readers who will benefit most from this book may be those of us over 40, whose circle of friends (and relatives) have started developing the maladies that flesh is heir to. But Ms. Pogrebin does not neglect the very difficult job of being friends to young people who are sick and to attending to friends who are the caregivers for critically ill young children. This section includes valuable information on how to help a child be a good friend to a peer who is sick.

“How to be a Friend to A Friend Who’s Sick” ends with a discussion of what Ms. Pogrebin calls collective caring. While acknowledging the role of traditional support groups—and noting both their potential to help, as well as their downside—listening to the concerns and anxieties of those with more serious illness can be depressing and frightening, the author focuses on groups of people who come together with no other bond than a desire to help the friend they have in common.  By planning a coordinated schedule of regular meal deliveries, company on trips to the doctor or for chemotherapy, and regular home visits, these groups demonstrate their friendship in ways that are generous, heartfelt and effective. Models of how to form such a group or network are included, as is an impressive list of print and on-line resources and recommended reading for caregivers.

How to Be a Friend to A Friend Who’s Sick by Letty Cottin Pogrebin is published by PublicAffairs.

Ms. Pogrebin will be interviewed by her daughter, author Abigail Pogrebin, on Wednesday, May 22^nd at 7:30 pm at the JCC in Manhattan. More information is available here: http://www.jccmanhattan.org/what-everyones-talking-about?page=cat-content&progID=26538

Nancy Novick blogs about books, bookstores, and libraries at Stacked-NYC.com.

By Malcolm Carter

It is always abundantly, sometimes pungently, clear who lives in some properties that are on the market.

Is it the owner or a tenant?  You can tell all too easily.

When I opened the closet door of the Upper West Side apartment in the photo above not long ago, for example, I literally gasped.  Like me, you won’t have to tax your brain to know that the owner doesn’t live there any more: The occupant is a tenant.

Maybe it’s ignorance, laziness or animosity toward the owner that causes tenants to leave the premises in such disarray.  Whatever the reason, I’d say it is unforgivable.

Even in a hot market, properties have to compete for buyers’ attention.  All they’ll remember about places like the one above — and the closet is just the bottom of the iceberg, as it were — is how sloppy the unit is, how little they want to contend with imagining themselves in it.

In the photo below, taken on the same day, no one could fail to discern that it is the seller who lives in the apartment.  The thoughtfully customized and organized closet reflects just how pristine is the rest of the condo.

You couldn’t miss how much care the owner has lavished on the unit, which beckons buyers with all the intensity of a sizzling steak.

If only sight were the only sense battered by rented properties.

Add the odor of unwashed clothes to a messy array of personal possessions on every horizontal surface, dirty dishes in the sink, a tub stained black with dirt, and you have a property that never will sell for its true fair market value.

Although sellers may be tempted to bolster their cash flow by keep tenants in place, they would do well to assess their orderliness and cleanliness before allowing them to remain while their investment is on the market.

The money they’ll lose in rent by retaining a slob is bound to be far less than what they’d gain by getting rid of him or her.  Vacant properties can be harder to sell than occupied ones, but they’re much easier to unload than polluted ones.

Below are some of the other apartments that I have visited and that various other brokers have listed (prices and other details may have changed since I originally saw them):

• A stylish one-bedroom condo at sidewalk level in the low 80s between Amsterdam Avenue and Broadway.  With an awkward L-shaped kitchen squeezed next to a small bath with but a stall shower, lots of marble, a handsome built-in desk and spacious living/dining room, this 850-sf maisonette in a pet-friendly 1911 low-rise that has a doorman and a few other amenities was offered for an unconscionable $895,000 with common charges of $1,100 and real estate taxes of $546 a month.  After a substantial drop, to $799,000 early last month, it went under contract merely two and a half weeks later.
• In the low 100s on a corner of Broadway, an obviously tenanted studio that has a cramped interior kitchen with new stove and aged everything else.  The interior bath is dated, as well, the floors are mostly in good shape and the eastern exposure is into a courtyard.  Yet the co-op received offers even before its first open house, when it was listed for $279,000 with monthly maintenance of $692, and is under contract. 
• A lovely two-bedroom, one-bath co-op with inviting terrace in the mid 70s between Columbus and Amsterdam avenues.  There are in the renovated apartment a high-end eat-in kitchen with marble countertops and a floor that needs attention, six closets and the possibility of adding a half bath.  In a 1922 doorman building that allows pets, it has an asking price of $1.295 million with maintenance per month of $1,609.  The unit should sell for at least $100,000 less, though, having found a buyer in three weeks, perhaps it did better than that.  
• In the high 90s between West End Avenue and Broadway, a gutted 1,066-sf condo that the sponsor will renovate.  With all rooms but the logical master bedroom facing a narrow courtyard, the two-bedroom, one-bath apartment will have new floors, skim-coated walls, and a kitchen that has top-of-the-line appliances, standard cabinetry and granite countertops.  The asking price of $1.25 million (increased by $55,000 in March) with combined monthly costs of $1,467 in a pet-friendly pre-war doorman building is nearly within reason.
• A full-floor condo with a wandering U-shaped layout, small balcony, small terrace, three bedrooms and three modest baths in a Central Park block of the mid 60s.  Among the pluses besides location are spacious rooms — den, dining room and corner living room — in the front of the apartment (with okay northern exposure), sleek (albeit windowless) eat-in kitchen, washer/dryer, fair amount of closet space, free private storage bin and ceilings higher than nine feet.  In a 1995 high-rise with full-time lobby staff and a resident manager, the unit has a listing price of $3.595 million with combined costs per month of $4,610.  The amount of space must be the only explanation that it went to contract less than a month after going on the market, that and buyer desperation these days.

Malcolm Carter is a real estate broker and columnist for the West Side Rag. A version of this post was first published at Service You Can Trust, Malcolm’s blog.

By Michelle Hill

Meet Cecelia Shoemaker, born in Spokane, Washington. Drawn with oil pastel.

When did you move to NYC?

I moved to NYC in 1972, right out of college. I had had a scholarship for singing and acting, so of course I wanted to come to New York.  My first apartment was at 222 West 72^nd St above the Famous Dairy Restaurant.  I would see Isaac Bashevis Singer and Jerry Stiller and Ann Meara there, so of course for a kid from Spokane, Washington that was thrilling!

The neighborhood was very dangerous, a woman did not go out at night alone, and you certainly did not get on a subway by yourself at night.  If you did either you were considered adventurous!

Did you always live on 72^nd St?

Then I moved to West 56^th Street, sharing a studio with another young woman who also had performing aspirations. There was a topless bar across the street where there is now a McDonald’s!  My dates would always say, “ What is a nice girl like you living on the West Side?”  A proper young woman was supposed to live on the East Side!

Because of the crime, NYC seemed confining, so I moved to Boston and lived there for a year and a half before moving to San Francisco for graduate school where I obtained my Masters in Broadcast Communications.  During the time that I lived in Boston and San Francisco, I enjoyed both cities, but I realized that they were not New York.  So in 1980 I returned.

Then I lived for a while in a sublet on East 74^th. My back windows faced the walls of the Whitney museum, it was very dark.  I remember coming home one day, and some pigeons had built a nest on the windowsill.  I developed a respect for them, they are wonderful parents!  I was depressed to return home one day to find that they and the little ones had moved on.

I have been in my apartment here for about 26 years.  It started out as what I thought was a legal sublet, but it wasn’t.  To make a long story short, the person I was dealing with was a very unsavory man.  At one point he threatened me and my lawyer, then repeated the threats on the phone to me.  I told him, “You have made a very grave mistake, you never threaten a country girl.  I am a dangerous element, because I am not afraid to die.  I come from nothing, I’ve got nothing, and I’ve got nothing to lose!”  I was tired of being pushed around in New York.  I am in this apartment today.

Why did you move to NYC?

I originally came here to be an actress and singer, which I did for a while, but I realized that for me, I needed more stability.  After graduate school, I worked in public relations and then marketing for many years, which involved long, long hours. I felt as though I had no personal life, so I decided to look for an opportunity to be self-employed.  I became an electrologist, which is permanent hair removal.  It has allowed me the freedom to travel and do freelance work.

What do you miss about the old Upper West Side?

I miss the funkiness, it seems so sterile now, with less diversity.  I understand that a survey was done a few years ago and it revealed that most of the residents of the UWS are wealthy and white.  We have paid a very dear price for safety.  There is no longer a community of artists, and I don’t think the city understands that this is what feeds the soul of a city.

More and more young people, from all different fields are leaving the city because they do not know how to raise a family here without making enormous amounts of money.  When are we going to realize that there has to be the creation of more middle income housing?  When you squeeze out the middle and working class, you no longer have a viable, interesting city.

Michelle Hill began her professional artist career at the age of 9 in the small town of Branchville, New Jersey painting the store windows in exchange for milk shakes and jawbreakers. At the age of 19, she moved into a 2 bedroom rent stabilized apartment on the Upper West Side to attend Parson’s School of Design. She now lives in that same apartment building with her husband and 2 kids 25 years later. Her illustration clients include the Village Voice, Scholastic Books, and Highlight Magazine.

By Michelle Hill

Meet Pieter Kramer, born in the Netherlands 78 years ago. Drawn with oil pastel.

When did you move to the Upper West Side?

I moved to New York to become an architect in the early 70′s. Originally lived on the East side but saw a rent stabilized apartment advertised on West 72nd St for $250 per month. Which was an average rent for that time. Took the apartment after I missed out on a Penthouse apartment on 86th St for $200. The 86th Street place had a roof deck and all. Figured I would have been shot up there though. In the 80′s the streets were so unsafe! The 70′s were safer, though there were prostitutes and drugs on every corner. I had to throw huge parties with lots of goods to get people to visit me here.”

Where did you go to college to study architecture?

“I didn’t go to college, I just worked for the best firms. They trained me. Then a head hunter told me there was a city architecture job available so I thought it would be a good idea to take it since it had a pension. I retired about 5 years ago. I loved it, I worked there for 22 years.”

What is your favorite thing to do on the Upper West Side?

“Going home! I love my home, it’s a sturdy building with gypsum walls. I never hear my neighbors.”

What about our mayors? Who was (is) the best mayor since you’ve moved here?

“Our current one! When I take a cab ride, the city looks so beautiful. Even the lower East Side looks good. All areas look good. It didn’t in the past. The subways were full of pickpockets and dirt. It is much cleaner now.”

What do you miss about the old Upper West Side?

“I miss the small Greek diners, the corner stores were you could a carton of milk on your way home. I also miss good affordable restaurants. On Friday nights after work we would decide to go to either The Ritz or The Plaza for drinks. Everyone did that. There weren’t as many rich people back then, we could afford to go out. Now I can’t afford to go out, so I stay home.”

Michelle Hill began her professional artist career at the age of 9 in the small town of Branchville, painting the store windows in exchange for milk shakes and jaw breakers. At the age of 19, after a year of at local community college studying fine art, she got a scholarship to Parson’s School of Design’s Illustration Department. She moved with a friend from New Jersey into a 2 bedroom rent stabilized apartment on the Upper West Side. Twenty-five years later, she still lives in that same apartment building with her husband and 2 kids. Her illustration clients include the Village Voice, Scholastic Books, and Highlight Magazine. Her fine art work is in the collection of Bear Stearns, White Columns and many private homes.

While working at Random House as an art director in the children’s division, she went to Teacher’s College to study Art Education. Upon completing her MA degree in 2001, she transitioned to teaching art and yoga full time. In Michelle’s art studio, which is across the street from her house in the TIP TOP SHOES building, she holds weekly art lessons for elementary school aged children. She has taught at local schools as well, such as PS 199, Goddard Riverside Preschool, and Satellite High School.

I used to think of tacos as those dry and tasteless corn shells that broke into a million pieces during your first bite and were filled with generically flavored low fat ground beef that was almost unidentifiable because it was soaking in sour cream, canned salsa, and shredded cheddar and lettuce.

My take on tacos has changed a bit. Although we do not live in the Southwest or Mexico, the taco scene in New York is slowly changing. In fact, just a few moths ago, two Mexican inspired-restaurants opened up a few blocks away on the Upper West Side.

Now I’m not claiming to be a taco expert like some of my California-based friends, but I am slowly realizing those tacos I ate as a kid were an entirely different entity.

As my desire to learn more about tacos increased, I decided to visit the two newcomers to the neighborhood: Oaxaca Taqueria and Cocina Economica.

Oaxaca, 80th and Amsterdam

Oaxaca Taqueria is inspired by the Mexican city of Oaxaca. The restaurant toots authentic tacos with homemade ingredients sourced from local and sustainable farms whenever possible. The restaurant is small (think take out taco joint) with bright walls decorated with textured panels of colorful wallpaper. The space is narrow with communal tables each equipped with a bevy of hot sauces.

The menu is broken down by tacos, enchiladas, tortas (sandwiches), quesadillas, sides, and ensaladas. Most tacos are $3.25 each and during the daytime, Oaxaca offers a lunch special for under $7.

I sampled the special Korean BBQ, fish, and carnitas tacos, and also tried the steak quesadilla and elote (grilled corn).

Each taco arrived nestled in between two soft shells. My favorite taco hands down was the Korean BBQ; a taco filled with Bulgogi beef, mango slaw, kimchee, and BBQ sauce. The taco was sweet and spicy—a wonderful “daily special” taco I hope becomes a regular on the menu.

As for the fish taco, I was happy to see the fish was served ceviche-style rather than fried. The fish was bright and fresh and served with lime avocado salsa, cilantro, and pickled onions. I loved the kick of the subtle spice factor paired with the slightly acidic salsa.

The carnitas taco was simple; braised pork with cilantro and pickled onions. Although the pork was slightly greasy, a little squeeze of lime with a dash of hot sauce did the trick.

The steak quesadilla was a hefty portion of grilled, charred steak, melted cheese, pickled onion, and crema served with homemade salsa. Every bite was decadent and delicious. I could eat this any day of the week.

The elote was OK. It’s not corn season so I’d like to try this side during summer. I liked the smoky flavor but wished the corn was slightly more charred.

I left Oaxaca excited to return.

Cocina Economica, 81st and Amsterdam

Inspired by Land Thai Sous Chef Pedro Hernandez Perez’s home-inspired Mexican meals for the chef team at Land Thai, Chef David Banks opened up Cocina Economica, a warm and cozy Mexican restaurant, which features Chef Perez’s flair for authentic Mexican cuisine.

The menu is definitely more varied than Oaxaca and offers a variety of ensaladas, tortas , platillos (entrees),  antojitos (street snacks), and postres (desserts). Prices for platillos are about $15 for a dinner size portion and tacos are $4. The space is dark and sexy. Votive candles dot each table and bar, and the walls are filled with Mexican-inspired artwork.

I sampled the octopus, chorizo, lamb, and pork tacos and couldn’t resist the grilled calamari salad and skirt steak quesadillas. Each taco arrived filled to the brim and was ensconced in two tortillas. My favorites were the octopus; delicate, tender chunks of lightly chewy goodness, and the pork, which almost melted in your mouth.  The chorizo and lamb tacos were dry. In fact, almost all the tacos, with the exception of the octopus, could use a little more “au jus” or salsa. The double layer tortilla only added to the dryness factor.

The calamari salad was a rainbow of colors: bright yellow mangos, ripe avocado, roasted pumpkin seeds, and charred calamari. The first few bites were divine and full of flavor. The only hitch was jalapeno seeds that caught me rather off guard and radically changed the flavor of the dish.

The skirt steak quesadilla (at left) was my favorite. A homemade crispy tortilla arrived stuffed with Oaxaca cheese, plump pieces of succulent steak, and jalapenos (without the seeds).

After sampling the two spots, I would recommend sticking with Oaxaca for your everyday taco cravings, but exploring some of the other authentic entrees or platillos at Cocina.

Oaxaca Taqueria
424 Amsterdam Avenue

Cocina Economica
452 Amsterdam Avenue

Marisa Olsen is the creator of Les Foodités, a blog for people who love food. Les Foodités explores recipes, culinary news, and restaurants reviews in New York City. Lesfoodités.net.

By Nancy Novick

Unless you’ve been living in a media-free zone, stories of celebrities spinning out of control have become part of our daily conversation—a phenomenon that may lead to a serious case of compassion fatigue. But imagine a scenario in which a star’s glamorous life is derailed not by a descent into drug and alcohol addiction, but by a constellation of neurological disorders with a mysterious origin.

In Upper West Sider Arthur Wooten’s new novel, Dizzy: A Fictional Memoir, Broadway actress Angie Styles finds herself on top of the world one day and tabloid fodder the next. In relatable language, Mr. Wooten takes us along on Angie’s wild ride that begins with some benign symptoms that might just be case of TMJ or a stopped-up ear. Soon, however, Angie is unable to focus on stationary objects, has a roaring case of tinnitus, and must fight to keep from falling over when she walks across the room.

As her condition rapidly worsens, everything Angie has thrived on—celebrity, bright lights, music, flings with handsome chorus boys—is swept out from under her feet. To make matters worse, Angie’s erratic behavior and difficulty walking have the public convinced that she is one more casualty of the celebrity lifestyle.

After a frustrating round of doctors visits, Angie’s condition is accurately diagnosed as bilateral vestibulopathy and oscillopsia, disorders that may be easier to understand than to pronounce—they affect the inner ear and balance. While there are no cures for these ailments, with the help of her compassionate physician and a good-looking physical therapist, Angie begins to develop techniques to cope with her symptoms.

Angie’s way back to a new normal involves a series of challenges including confrontations with a difficult parent, fickle fans, revelations of secrets from the past, and a reevaluation of how she will live her life going forward. Based on Mr. Wooten’s own experience with these conditions, Dizzy is a fast read that combines the guilty pleasures of celebrity lit with a sympathetic treatment of a mysterious and frightening ailment. Dizzy: A Fictional Memoir is available on Amazon.

For more information about vestibular disorders and Mr. Wooten, visit www.arthurwooten.com.

Nancy Novick blogs about books, bookstores, and libraries at www.Stacked-NYC.com.

By Marjorie Cohen

The members of a local history group think that the name of the area from 96th street to 110th, from the river to the park, should be known as Bloomingdale. They want to differentiate this piece of the island from the rest of the Upper West Side, to give the area its own name to evoke its unique past.

The first step in the group’s name change “campaign” was to officially change their own name from The Park West Village Neighborhood History Group to the Bloomingdale Neighborhood History Group. We wanted to know why.

About the History Group
First, a bit of background on the group: It all began in 2000 when Win Armstrong, who has lived in Park West Village (PWV) since 1967, noticed a small item in her building’s newsletter. It asked if anyone had any information on the history of the development, a sprawling urban renewal project of high rises and open space that covers a 20-acre, six block site.

Intrigued by the prospect of knowing more of the back story of her neighborhood, Win organized an informal get-together of like-minded neighbors and the Park West Neighborhood History Group was born. The group’s first program was a panel discussion with people from “the old community”– the people who lived in the vibrant neighborhood that had been torn down to build the PWV development. As Win explains “From that first meeting we realized that something valuable had been lost, that history matters.”

Now the group schedules regular public programs — 150 people recently came out to hear about the history of the Ninth Avenue El (pictured below in a photo looking North up Central Park West from 110th street).  In conjunction with the Columbus-Amsterdam BID, they offer neighborhood walking tours of “Old Bloomingdale: Lenape Indians to Obama,” led by history group member Jim Mackin (www.weekdaywalks.com). They also maintain a collection of research and materials relevant to the history of the area at the Bloomingdale Branch of the New York Public Library at 150 West 100th Street.

Why the name change?

For the answer to this question, we went to Jim Mackin:

Q: Why the name Bloomingdale?
A: In the 1600’s, the Dutch named a larger area of the Upper West Side Bloemendaal after a town of the same name in the tulip growing region of Holland. The name means “vale or valley of flowers”. Over time, the name became anglicized to Bloomingdale.

Q: Was the name Bloomingdale always used to represent the area?
A: It’s been used extensively throughout its 300-year history. Bloomingdale was on maps to indicate the community that centered around 99th and 100th Streets along the Bloomingdale Road, near what is now Broadway. In 1821, the Bloomingdale Asylum for the Insane was established in the area and other still extant institutions use the name: the Bloomingdale School of Music, the Bloomingdale branch of the library and the local Bloomingdale public school (PS 145).

Q: Why does the area need a name now?
A: There’s a growing sense that the Bloomingdale neighborhood has its own special identity. It’s a rich mosaic of cultures, people and buildings and its street-level charm distinguishes Bloomingdale from its surrounding neighborhoods. Morningside Heights on the north is renowned for its world-class institutions — Columbia University, Union Theological Seminary, Jewish Theological Seminary, Manhattan School of Music as well as St. Luke’s Hospital, Cathedral of St. John the Divine and Riverside Church. The Upper West Side legacy includes Lincoln Center, the Museum of Natural History, the New-York Historical Society and many luxury apartment buildings, specialty food shops and more. The area we are calling Bloomingdale is a proud part of the Upper West Side but with a more “local” feel.

This is also an area distinguished by having been home to many well-known historical figures. To name just a few: Norman Rockwell, John Coltrane, Theodore Dreiser, Alma Gluck, Alfred A. Knopf, Oscar Hammerstein, John Philip Sousa, Jr., Spencer Tracy, Herman Wouk, Emery Roth, and of course, President Obama.

Q: What about Manhattan Valley?
A: Manhattan Valley is a charming piece of Bloomingdale that centers along Manhattan Avenue from 104th to 110th Streets. Much of Manhattan Valley is distinguished as a Landmarked Historic District.

Weighing in on the new name

We asked some real estate folks what they think of giving the area a new name with historical roots. June Phillips, senior VP at Halstead thinks, “It is a unique area. We never know what to call this neighborhood. Sounds interesting.”

Sharon McIntosh, president of the The McIntosh Company, who once worked for an antiquarian map dealer, likes the idea a lot — “it sounds like good news.”

Peter Arndsten, Manager of the Columbus-Amsterdam Business Improvement District and a member of the History Group, anticipates some push back from “long time residents of Manhattan Valley who have worked to improve that area over the years.” His own opinion is that “the need for a stronger identity for the larger area north of 96th Street makes the historical name both attractive and appropriate.”  But, Janet Rosen, an East Sider who is about to move to the West Side, thinks the name is misleading.  “When I hear Bloomingdale, I think of the area around the department store. Isn’t that what most people think of?”

For more information on the BNHG

For an up-to-date calendar of the Bloomingdale Neighborhood History Group’s walking tours and presentations, visit www.upperwestsidehistory.weebly.com. (The name of the website has yet to catch up with the name change, but stay tuned.)

For Marjorie Cohen’s ongoing History Beat series in the West Side Rag, click here.

All photos courtesy of New-York Historical Society.

By Meg D’Incecco

Have you ever walked past the corner of Amsterdam and 77th Street and noticed sweaty people streaming out the door of Soul Cycle and wondered, ‘what the heck is that place?’ At its most basic, Soul Cycle is a gym filled with stationary bikes. But as one of those sweaty folks you see there (even during a hurricane or snow storm), to me it’s a lot more. Personally, I love the music, the teachers, the energy of the pack—all sixty people biking in time to the same beat— and the feeling of accomplishment I get after a class.

New York magazine recently described it as “an ‘obsession,’ a ‘cult,’ and—by those who clamor to pay $32 (plus extra for shoe rental and water) for classes that sell out within seconds—an ‘addiction.’ Strong words to describe a 45-minute group exercise class, but the SoulCycle experience is meant to truly be an “experience”: part dance party, part therapy, part communal high.”

As Upper West Side resident and co-founder Julie Rice tells us, the little gym that started on West 72 Street has grown to include locations across the country. We asked her some questions about Soul Cycle and the neighborhood.

West Side Rag: For the uninitiated, what is Soul Cycle?

Julie Rice: SoulCycle is the country’s premiere indoor cycling studio. SoulCycle is an inspiring, fun, effective cardio workout. Each and every class delivers a 45-minute full-body workout in a candlelit serene studio with a customized rocking playlist – SoulCycle is a cardio party on the bike!

WSR: Soul Cycle started on West 72 Street, can you tell our readers about how you chose that location and how things got started? Was there a lack of indoor cycling options on the Upper West Side that compelled you to start your business there?

JR: After moving to New York City, Elizabeth and I began searching for some type of cardio exercise we could fall in love with. We realized, after failing to find anything we wanted to make into a routine, that we would have to create it. We met for lunch and truly believed we could make indoor cycling not only inspirational, but a fun, full body workout, and the rest is history! Our biggest challenge came right off the bat when we opened our first studio on W. 72nd St (which we found on craigslist!). It was in the back of the building and we had no exterior signage. We knew we had to hit the streets, so we began handing out schedule cards and free class passes to get the word out. Slowly the riders began to come and we thought if we could get 75 people a day to ride, it would be unbelievable; now there are thousands of people each day, East and West Coast.

WSR: Do you live on the Upper West Side? What is your connection to the neighborhood?

JR: When I moved back to New York, my husband Spencer and I lived on 72nd street across from our first studio. We then moved to 76th and West End Avenue where we lived for almost six years. We had a brief stint in the West Village but after a year, we realized we had to move back to the Upper West Side. It is our home! Now we live on 75th Street and West End Avenue.

WSR: As your business grew, why did you move to West 77th Street? Why not keep both locations open?

JR: As much as we love our original studio on West 72nd, and it will always have a special place in our hearts, we outgrew it. With Equinox, Pure Yoga and Creative Juice as our neighbors, our block is a one-stop shop for the Upper West Side’s health and fitness community.

WSR: Any plans to open up more studios on the Upper West Side?

JR: Not immediate but you never know!

WSR: Where are your other locations?

JR: We have 11 studios in NYC and the surrounding area, three in LA and we’re opening two studios in San Francisco this spring.

WSR: Does the Upper West Side studio have a unique personality? How would you describe it?

JR: For me, it is home. My daughter goes to school here, she grew up here, we built SoulCycle here. The Upper West Side has everything I need and more, great restaurants, the best grocery stores (although I still use Fresh Direct) and the most amazing activities for my two daughters. I wouldn’t live anywhere else.

WSR: People may hear a lot about celebrities working out with you but who is your usual customer? Is it mainly women or are you finding there is a mix?

JR: We like to think we don’t have a typical rider; the SoulCycle workout was created for all ages, personalities and fitness types. The beauty of SoulCycle is that we have teens, moms, athletes and grandfathers – all riding together as a pack.

WSR: Do you have any UWS favorite spots to eat healthy? Or not so healthy?

JR: I am a total sugar junkie! I love sweets and my absolute favorite indulgence is 16 Handles. I also love Red Rooster in Harlem. I often bring home from Chirpin Chicken – we order in a lot.

WSR: Other UWS retailers you love?

JR: Of course I love Jonathan Adler on 74th & Columbus. I’m also a huge theater fan, so I’ve really been enjoying being so close to Broadway. I saw Bring It On three times before it closed. Other favorites include Barney’s Co-Op and Rag & Bone.

WSR: What is next for Soul Cycle? Anything else you’d like to add?

JR: SoulCycle is poised to continue growing in 2013. We have new locations set to open in in NY, NJ, LA and SF, and then we’re opening our first International studio in London in 2014. We also launched the SoulBike, which is now available for home purchase, and plan to continue expanding our lifestyle brand, including collaborations with Tenoverten and Jonathan Adler.

By Nancy Novick

So you’ve just finished watching Puppy Bowl IX on Animal Planet and you’re looking for something else to do on the UWS while everyone you know is watching the Super Bowl.  Forget finding a place to have a quiet drink; that kind of bar has gone the way of the Iguanodon.  But you don’t have to hole up in your apartment all night with Netflix and a bowl of ice cream.

Here are five alternatives:

Catch a foreign film at The Film Society at Lincoln Center. Sunday night’s program includes Soundbreaker: The work of Kimmo Phjonen, about the musician described as Finland’s “enfant terrible” of the accordion. Shown with three additional short films as part of the Film Society’s Dance on Camera 2013 series.

Details at www.Filmlinc.com

Step up to the Open Mic for singers at Cleopatra’s Needle, a Mediterranean restaurant and jazz venue.    Open Mic runs from 4-8, followed by the Michika Fukumori trio at 9 pm.

Learn more at cleopatrasneedleny.com

Enjoy a drink while listening to “Vienna to Weimar” a cabaret show at Stage 72 (formerly the Triad), featuring KT Sullivan and Karen Kohler, described as “two award-winning interpreters of the Great American and European songbooks”. Check the website for details.

www.stage72.com

Find out why British actor/writer Stephen Fry loves Wagner (even though he’s Jewish) at the movie Wagner & Me showing at Symphony Space at 8 pm.  You can also have a drink at the Symphony Space’s Bar Thalia, but fair warning, they may have a television.

www.symphonyspace.org

Take in a show at Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola at the Time Warner Center. The Rene Marie Quartet will perform at 7:30 and 9:30.

http://jalc.org/dizzys

Nancy Novick blogs about books, bookstores, and libraries at www.Stacked-NYC.com. She will be watching the second half of the Super Bowl.

Photo by Mary Makes Dinner.

By Marisa Olsen

Legend Bar & Restaurant in Chelsea, a cult favorite Sichuan restaurant, now has a new sister spot on the Upper West Side. Legend Upper West, located at 109 Street and Broadway, which opened its doors in early December.  The word has definitely spread—on a recent Monday night at 6pm, the Upper West Side outpost was packed.

The menu is organized by sections: Chef’s Special Entrees, like Braised Fish in Red Soup; New Style Sichuan, featuring Chengu Braised Duck; Traditional Sichuan, such as the popular Sichuan Spicy Ma Po Tofu; and then of course the Americanized section (think Lo Mein and General Tso’s Chicken).

One of my favorite dishes was the Dan Dan Noodles Cheng Du Style, which was a bowl of spicy noodles with little bits of crispy ground pork.  Typically I order Spicy Sichuan Noodles, but our waiter insisted that this noodle dish is more traditional. I loved the saltiness of the pork with the noodles and the subtle spice that hits your throat at the end of each bite. The Shrimp Wontons in Red Sesame Oil was also delicious. These wontons were simple with a subtle sweet flavor of shrimp and a light touch of spice in the sesame oil.

The Sichuan Spicy Ma Po Tofu entrée was an ace and apparently one of the most popular dishes. We were warned about the heat, but didn’t find the spice level out of the ordinary. This dish was filled with silken tofu cubes ensconced in a spicy red chili sauce. Each bite subtly burst in your mouth and left a hint of spice on the lips.

Another win was the Sliced Pork Sautéed with Garlic Stems. Although the garlic stems seemed more like leeks, this dish was surprising. The pork reminded me of a less-crunchy, smoky bacon—a little chewy and fatty, but it went along excellently with the al dente leeks/garlic stems.

Legend Upper West does not yet have their liquor license but do not let that stop you from checking it out. This place is a gem and very affordable. Appetizers are $5-$10 and entrees range from $11-$27. The service was quick and helpful, our waiter was always willing to explain dishes and make recommendations (good ones to boot). One warning to the faint of heart: most dishes are salty and spicy. But the flavors and preparations are top-notch.

After experiencing the brilliance of Legend, I was anxious to find other Sichuan restaurants in the neighborhood. I stumbled upon an outpost of Grand Sichuan on Amsterdam and 74^th Street. Grand Sichuan has a few establishments throughout the city, including Chelsea, Murray Hill, and even Jersey City. I decided to give my local neighborhood branch a chance. On a recent Thursday night, there was a steady stream of customers, but nothing compared to the jam-packed Legend on a Monday night.

The menu at Grand Sichuan was not sectioned off by cuisine styles; rather all dishes were organized by Appetizers, Seafood, Meat, Vegetable, and Tofu, with a back page dedicated to Chef Special-New Dishes and a wine and beer list.  The menu also boasted a three-page photo spread of popular dishes. This cheat sheet came in handy, but didn’t help sell the restaurant as an “authentic” Sichuan restaurant. A small standing menu sat on each table and listed the Top 10 Appetizers and Top 15 Main Courses (again, helpful, but didn’t quite create that authentic experience).

I started off with their well-known Pork Soup Dumplings and Dan Dan Noodles. The Pork Soup Dumplings were little juicy balls of heaven. Once the dumpling was safely on my spoon, I dug my chopstick into the dough to create a small hole to slurp up the pork-essence broth. Eventually, the dumpling was deflated enough to take small bites of the meat and a harmony of broth and salted garlicky pork filled my mouth with joy.  As the Dan Dan noodles arrived, my waiter asked if he could stir the noodles properly, insisting that many people did not tackle Dan Dan noodles properly. He gracefully spooned the vegetables and minced pork from the bottom of the dish until the noodles were evenly coated. The noodles reminded me more of a Cold Sesame Noodle dish. The noodles weren’t as white and delicate as Legend’s and I found the sauce to be too soupy and salty. Legend’s Dan Dan Noodles were more restrained with a less-is-more sort of attitude.

For entrees I had the Crispy Shrimp with Sichuan Sauce and the Braised Beef with Chili Sauce. The Crispy Shrimp was plated with water chestnuts, a spongy mushroom, and blanched broccoli. The shrimp was deep fried and tossed with a ginger style sauce. The shrimp were good, but the thick fried coating took away from the experience. The sauce reminded me of General Tso’s so I was a bit disappointed. The braised beef was almost like a soup. The beef was thinly sliced and served in a bowl filled with the signature red chili sauce, cabbage, and bok choy. I was warned about the spice level of this dish, which was appreciated. The beef was a bit chewy and the sauce a tad spicy for my liking. The words “mouth numbing” come to mind. But I was warned so I can’t complain.

In conclusion, I found the service to be more friendly in Grand Sichuan. The waiters were very eager to talk you through the dishes, assist with any questions, and warn eaters about the spice level. Despite the friendly service, bigger portions, and Pork Soup Dumpling wisdom, I must say I preferred the newcomer to the neighborhood. The flavors I experienced in Legend were more refined, delicate, and sophisticated. I am eagerly looking forward to my next trip to Legend.

(Click photos below to enlarge.)

Marisa Olsen is the creator of Les Foodités, a blog for people who love food. Les Foodités explores recipes, culinary news, and restaurants reviews in New York City. Lesfoodités.net. All photos courtesy of Les Foodites.