Theo, the “mayor” of the Upper West Side, greeting his constituents outside Muffins Cafe. Photo by Ruth Rankin.
September 25, 2017 Weather: Sunny with a high of 86 degrees.
Notices:
Rat Academy, a Philip Roth book event and more local events are on our calendar.
Several firehouses in the city (none in the neighborhood) are accepting donations of specific items for Puerto Rico.
Want to vote in next year’s primaries in New York? You can’t be an Independent! Yes, it’s unfair but it’s the current NY law. So it makes sense to choose a party, even if you don’t have any deep affection for it. You need to register under a party by October 13. Register to vote here.
News:
Workmen’s Circle, a progressive Jewish nonprofit, is teaching people how to discipline their dogs in Yiddish in Central Park. They’re attractiong big crowds! “Steve Zelman, 69, from Sutton Place, Manhattan, was there with Ollie, his longhaired miniature dachshund to ‘meet some nice Jewish dogs,’ he said. Edna Schwartz, also 69, came in from Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, with Puma, her miniature poodle, for the training aspect. “My family would yell at us in Yiddish, so this reminds me of my childhood,’ she said. ‘My dog is here to learn how to behave, listen and respond.'” The next one is October 15.
Neighbors are fed up with a townhouse renovation at 32 West 76th Street that has dragged on for nearly three years. The renovated townhouse will include a wine room, a a gym and a ‘1,500-square-foot roof garden and outdoor entertainment area.’ And there’s political intrigue too: The developer, Dana Lowey Luttway, is the daughter of Congresswoman Nita Lowey. “‘Considering her mother is a Democratic Congressmember, I’m sure she has political connections,’ [neighbor Joe] Bolanos said… ‘It’s not quiet, it’s not peaceful. It just changes your sense of safety and sense of feeling comfortable on the block,’ said Renata Funghini, who’s been living on the block for 50 years.” But Luttway thinks Bolanos is the real problem: ‘If you want this project done, then muzzle Joe Bolanos and get him out of the way.'” Here’s the listing.
Grubstreet made a list of the five “best bars” on the UWS: e’s Bar, Caledonia, Manhattan Cricket Club, The Dead Poet Bar and Blondie’s. Do you agree?
Kelly Ripa did a segment where she chatted with kids from PS 87.
As small businesses disappear in New York City, the governor offers big tax credits…to Amazon!
Madonna’s lawsuit against her building on West 64th Street was dismissed, because it was filed too late. “Madge sued Harperley Hall on W. 64th Street and Central Park West two years after the board changed her original proprietary lease to say that her children and domestic help cannot live in the unit unless she herself is ‘in residence’ at the time.”
And Citi Bikes are starting to come to the area north of 110th, as we wrote a couple of weeks ago:
Citi bike coming to my 'hood! Now being installed on 110th between Amsterdam and Morningside Drive. pic.twitter.com/YsLHhENoY1
— Daniel Marks Cohen (@DMarksCohen) September 22, 2017
Dana Lowey Luttway….Her mother must be proud of her. An eleitist’s eleitist! Her neighbors should just be soooo pleased to be aloud to breath the same air she does. It’s appalling the way in which this type of person treats neighborhood residents.
As to being allowed to do what she plans, the idea of a 1500 square foot roof gardens boggles the mind. The noise that will be generated when the rest of the aristocrats show up for wine and…..will be a source of constant disruption but then again I’m sure she feels that her neighbors should thank her for allowing them to listen to her entertainments.
If anyone wants to know why people are just fed up, all they need to do it look at this scenario and her attitude.
elitist
allowed
breathe
Signed, a spelling elitist
Dear nycityny:
THANK YOU for the spelling corrections.
It is truly a pity that some people:
a) cannot spell; or
b) cannot be bothered to proof-read before posting.
Memo to all hands:
If you cannot be bothered to read what YOU have just written, why should WE ?
Yiddish canines, just in time for the High Holidays. Bark hu es Adonai hamvo-ruff!
lOlease!
Does anyone have recent information as to when the Trader Joe’s on Columbus Ave. & 92ns will actually open?
the answer is: not soon enough
Love Theo! Great photo!
e’s Bar is great. Ended up there a couple weeks ago for brunch and loved it. Good taps, very good bar food and friendly, fast service.
Really great how they changed up Slightly Oliver into this place.
Just watched the Kelly Ripa PS 87 segment. Cute kids- what 5 year olds aren’t? But if this is the post-segregation West Side school redistricting I can’t imagine what it looked like before. Not a non-white face in the kindergarten.
PS87 wasn’t really affected by the rezoning, at least not in a way that changed the racial makeup at all.
WSR – I love ya and generally agree with your political coverage, and thank you for reminding us to register to vote. But I do disagree with your editorial note that “it’s unfair” that only registered party members can vote in a party’s primary. Some of us think it’s only fair that a party’s nominee should be decided by actual members of that party, and that to allow, say, Republicans and Independents to choose the Democratic nominee would in fact be unfair. Keep up the good work, and consider toning back the editorial opinion when informing voters of their voting rights and obligations.
I agree. Only registered voters should be allowed to choose the party nominee. While working at a voting station for the primaries I had to explain a lady that in NY State she cannot vote against de Blasio while being a registered republican.
Agreed!
My 4 year old son and I love Theo – friends in the building next door to his residence threw him a 90-something birthday party a few weeks ago! He always has something positive to say.
Theo is one of the nicest human beings with the brightest outlook on life. He also has more energy than people half his age. Go Theo. World needs more people like you. And a WWII vet to boot.
Its the most fair way to chose a candidate for a particular party. That way members of that particular party chose their candidate.
If you had “same day registration” like NH just imagine what could happen. For example in the Republicans have no primary as they have one candidate in the race for mayor, the Dems have 5, so they have a primary. With same day reg the no dems walk in and become a dem on that day. They mostly vote for an extreme fringe candidate who wins the dem primary. That candidate goes on to lose the general election. This has been done by both parties in different states. Several have moved to changed the laws back to what NYS has.
I prefer the California way. All primaries, except for President of the United States, are nonpartisan. All primary candidates for an office go on a single ballot. Candidates are free to be members of parties but they run against everyone together. The top two vote-getters move on to the general election. Sometimes the top two winners are of the same party, as was the case last November in the US Senate race – both were Democrats, assuring a Democratic win for the seat.
This system vastly diminishes the power of the party “bosses” as well as the fringe elements of all parties. Even in the primaries Democratic and Republican candidates have to appeal to all constituents, not just an overzealous strain within their respective parties.
If you care about the output of New York’s state senate, where the 8-member so-called Independent Democrat Coalition runs as Democrats and then throws control of the legislature to the Republicans, it is SO important to register for party affiliation by the October 13 deadline.
In practice the state legislature blocks or nullifies a lot of issues that would logically be under local control, so if you plan to vote Democratic in the general election – or just take an interest in local issues – in my opinion it’s crucial to register and vote in the primary.
Of course registering for either party doesn’t impact how you vote in November, it just gives you a voice where there are machine politics in play. In reality, the Democratic candidate usually wins the general election.
Housing committee meeting over WSHFSSH takeover of independence house!