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COMMUNITY CONCERNS
Before the Bris: How to Protect Your Infant Against Herpes Virus Infection Caused by metzitzah b’peh Health Department has been investigating recent cases of herpes in infants. Attached is an Open Letter to the Community from Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas R. Frieden that updates the Department's investigation, clarifies misinformation that may be circulating, and clearly demonstrates the association between metzitzah b'peh and neonatal herpes. We are printing the letter in its entirety so that our readers and New York communities members have the benefit of the latest and most accurate information to date. Further information and additional updates can be obtained by contacting Sandra Mullin, Director of Communications, New York City Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene, (212) 788-5290. Circumcision has health benefits. Recently, however, the Health Department has documented several cases of herpes infection in newborns after circumcisions that included metzitzah b’peh. Metzitzah b’peh is a religious practice performed by some mohelim (religious circumcisers) in the Jewish community. Some of these infants became seriously ill. One baby died, and another suffered brain damage. Because there is no proven way to reduce the risk of herpes infection posed by metzitzah b’peh, the Health Department recommends that infants being circumcised not undergo metzitzah b’peh. To help you protect your baby, we want to make sure that parents understand the risk of metzitzah b’peh BEFORE the day of the bris, while there is time to explore other options. .
How metzitzah b’peh spreads herpes: In metzitzah b’peh, the mohel places his mouth on the freshly circumcised penis to draw blood away from the cut. If the mohel is infected with oral herpes (as most adults are), metzitzah b’peh can expose the infant to the herpes virus. This creates a risk of infection. Oral herpes spreads easily through saliva, especially when saliva touches a cut or break in the skin, such as during metzitzah b’peh. Most people with oral herpes don’t know they are infected and don’t have symptoms. Even without symptoms, however, people can spread the infection. Because the immune system of newborns is not developed enough to fight serious infection, herpes infections pose grave risks to infants. There is no proven way to reduce the risk of metzitzah b’peh. Although a mohel may use oral rinses or sip wine before metzitzah b’peh, there is no evidence that these actions reduce the spread of herpes. A mohel who takes antiviral medication may reduce the risk of spreading herpes virus during metzitzah b’peh, but there is no evidence that taking medication eliminates this risk.
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MAYOR BLOOMBERG AND HEIDI KLUM ANNOUNCE MEASURES TO SUPPORT CITY'S
GARMENT AND FASHION SECTOR Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Heidi Klum, host and executive producer of Bravo's Emmy-nominated series Project Runway, announced today that dresses designed during the current second season of the Weinstein Company and Miramax Television co-production, will be available for auction at http://projectrunway.auction.shopthescene.com on the day after each episode and 50% of the proceeds will be dedicated to supporting the activities of the Garment Industry Development Corporation (GIDC). GIDC is a non-profit organization that works to improve the strength of the City's textile and apparel industry.
New Grant Programs An additional $5 million in NYC Business Solution Training Grants is available over the next calendar year. Interested companies in one of the nine targeted growth sectors - Aviation, Construction, Film/Media, Healthcare/Bioscience, Hospitality/Tourism, Manufacturing/Industrial, Financial Services, Retail and Technology-can call 311 and ask for NYC Business Solutions Training or download an application from www.nyc.gov/training. More than 10,000 New Yorkers have been placed in jobs as a result of SBS-led hiring and training programs, which it has overhauled to be more responsive to the needs of businesses, especially high-demand occupations.
Mayor Bloomberg cuts the ribbon on a new criminal supreme and family court complex in Downtown Brooklyn, and announces $42 million to upgrade two other Brooklyn court buildings. The state-of-the-art facility is the largest courthouse in New York State. November 21, 2005. Photo Credit: Edward Reed. _____________________________________________________________________ EVENTS The "New" Desmond Tutu on Broadway Moving from the pulpit to the stage, Desmond Tutu is reappearing off-Broadway in a drama blasting the U.S. government's handling of Guantanamo Bay detainees. The retired South African prelate and Nobel laureate appeared Saturday night at a tiny theatre in Lower Manhattan, playing a judge in Guantanamo: Honor Bound to Defend Freedom. The play portrays the plight of British detainees at the U.S. naval base in Cuba. Tutu's engagement is limited to two performances; the second is Sunday afternoon. Standing onstage before a scene resembling holding pens at the detention camp, Tutu said he chose to appear in the play to highlight concerns about the treatment of the prisoners. "I hope this will help to put this particular issue in the public arena unambiguously so (the American) people can say, 'Is this what we want to support?' alain ducasse pastry PARIS. LONDON. MONTE CARLO, NEW YORK
" Tutu told reporters before the play began. Weeks before the U.S. presidential election, Tutu is drawing attention to the treatment of hundreds of suspected terrorists being held by the United States. Last week, a Briton at Guantanamo said he was tortured and held in solitary confinement for almost two years by the American military - a fate also alleged by other detainees. The Pentagon says its policy is to treat all prisoners humanely. Tutu, 73, retired from office as Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town in 1996 and was named archbishop emeritus shortly after. He is viewed as an authority on human rights, having spent decades challenging South Africa's apartheid regime - activism for which he won a Nobel Peace Prize. Tutu compared the Pentagon's treatment of the Guantanamo prisoners to that of blacks under the racist apartheid regime. "They are using the same kind of methods used under apartheid. For me, it's deja vu," he said. Tutu noted that former South African president and fellow Nobel Peace Prize winner Nelson Mandela was considered a terrorist by the ruling Afrikaners. "Human rights are of universal validity or they are nothing," he said. Earlier this year, Tutu signed a petition on behalf of the families of Guantanamo prisoners urging the British government to demand that the United States immediately release four Britons being held. "We are appalled that revered conventions are being blatantly flouted such as the dictum that someone is presumed innocent until proven guilty and that everyone is entitled to legal defence of his choice," he wrote. The play was commissioned by London's Tricycle Theatre after five other British detainees were released. The work also is playing in London's West End.
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JCC Teen Schedule Jan/Feb SUMMER
LUAU IN WINTER (GR. 6 – 8). It’s hula time - enjoy a fun filled evening
with swimming, great food & great company. Bring your bathing suits &
big appetites. Sunday, January 15 at 7:30pm - 9:30pm, Members $10, Non
Members $15. SKI TRIP—CATAMOUNT (GR. 6- 8). Ski, snowboard, & hang out
at Catamount. No experience necessary & experts welcome. Limited spots
available. Monday, January 16 at 8:00am – 7pm. Members $110 (Lift,
lesson& rental) $90 (Lift & lesson). Non Members $ 130 (Lift, lessons&
rental) $110 (lift &lesson). MALL MADNESS – SCAVENGER HUNT (GR.6-8).
Enjoy a trip to the mall like no other. Teams of 5 will race to beat the
clock in taking photos & collecting various objects through out the The
Westchester Mall. Participants will meet at be picked up from the food
court. Monday, February 20 at 1pm – 5pm. Members $ 20. Non Members $25.
NYC LIMO SCAVENGER HUNT (GR.9-12). Your group is divided into teams.
Armed with a Polaroid or digital camera and a custom-designed scavenger
list, each team using a local map, set out to capture themselves on film
with as many items from their list as the three-hour time limit allows.
Saturday, January 14 at 6pm – Midnight $125.
BREAKFAST RUN – TO FEED THE HOMELESS (GR 9-12). EARN COMMUNITY SERVICE
HOURS!!! Make breakfast at the JCC and travel into NYC to feed and
clothe the homeless. All participants are encouraged to bring donations
of warm winter clothing to be distributed on the run. January 29 at
6:30am – 11:00am , February 26. BATTLE OF THE BANDS. This annual event
is known as the “BEST TEEN BATTLE” in the county. The JCC will be
rocking – make sure you get there early before the event sells out!!!
Saturday, February 4 at 7pm- Midnight $12.JCC MACCABI GAMES - (AGES
13-16). OPEN HOUSE. Learn about this annual week – long, international,
multi-sport, athletic, and cultural event that has united Jewish teens
since 1982. This year the JCC of Mid-Westchester delegation will be
traveling to Vancouver, British Columbia in August for the 2006. Summer
Games Wednesday, January 18 at 6:30pm. JCC MACCABI ARTSFEST (AGES 13 -
16). OPEN HOUSE Designed to inspire Jewish teens through a dynamic
combination of workshop, performance, exhibition, competition, community
service, social activites and fun to develop their individuality through
the medium of artistic expression while strengthening their bonds to
their Jewish heritage, community, and Israel. FREE . Wednesday, January
18 at 7:30pm. Contact: Cynthia Blustein, Director, Marketing and
Communications, JCC of Mid-Westchester/Bendheim Performing Arts Center,
999 Wilmot Road, Scarsdale NY, (914) 472-3300 ext. 304,
blusteinc@jcca.org
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STATEMENT FROM MAYOR BLOOMBERG ON
APPELLATE DIVISION'S RULING IN SAME-SEX MARRIAGE CASE Bloomberg: ""I applaud the management of CBGB and the officials of the Bowery Residents Committee for working together to reach a year-long agreement "I applaud the management of CBGB and the officials of the Bowery Residents Committee for working together to reach a year-long agreement that allows CBGB to continue serving audiences. For more than a quarter of a century, CBGB has served as an incubator for cutting edge artists and entertainers. With today's agreement and our efforts, I believe CBGB will continue its prominent role in setting trends in music and culture. "Since the impasse between CBGB and Bowery Residents Committee, our administration has stressed the importance of resolving this dispute while suggesting alternative sites for CBGB to consider. We will continue to work with CBGB so that at the conclusion of the year-long agreement announced today, CBGB might identify a dynamic new venue in this City that is fitting of its rich history. "Along with being the landlord of the site from which CBGB operates from, the Bowery Residents Committee is a partner with our administration in our comprehensive efforts to end chronic homelessness. Last year the Bowery Residents Committee serviced 6,300 needy New Yorkers. This year, they expect to serve 7,000 individuals. Our administration will continue to work with the Bowery Residents Committee so that together, we might meet the needs of our City's most vulnerable residents."
New Terminal Will Create 3,700
Jobs and Preserve Historic TWA Flight Center
JetBlue Airways President Dave Barger said, "The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey made this project possible. We share a vision for the future that includes making air travel affordable for more people, and making the experience of travel pleasant again. On behalf of JetBlue's 9,500-plus crewmembers, I extend my personal thanks to our partners at the Port Authority for their dedication to this project." JetBlue operates 127 flights daily out of JFK; the new terminal is designed to handle 250 flights daily or up to 20 million passengers annually. Plans include a 635,000-square-foot terminal building, parking facilities, roadways and a connection bridge to the AirTrain station. JetBlue has already begun construction to build a temporary seven gate terminal on the Terminal 5 premises to accommodate JetBlue's growth at Terminal 6. A key element of the new JetBlue terminal is its sensitive design connection with the adjacent TWA terminal, designed by the renowned architect Eero Saarinen, with JetBlue customers being able to connect between the two through the historic building's famous flight wing tubes. Built in 1962, the TWA terminal is an architectural icon and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. "As part of our ten-year strategic plan, we will focus our energy and investments on projects that enable us to expand capacity and stimulate new economic growth," said Port Authority Chairman Coscia. "The new passenger terminal at JFK is just one of several airport initiatives we are undertaking to enhance our customers' travel experience, along with the modernization of Terminal B at Newark Liberty International and studies to modernize Terminal A at Newark and the Central Terminal Building at LaGuardia. And the ten-year plan doesn't stop there, proposing enhancements and efficiencies that will create more capable facilities across all our businesses - airports, seaports, bridges, tunnels, bus terminals, PATH, the World Trade Center and other regional transportation infrastructure." The building team is lead by Arup (planners and design managers) supported by Gensler (terminal architects), DMJM Harris (airside/landside civil engineers), Rockwell Group (interior architects) and Turner Construction (construction management). The Port Authority Master Plan was developed by William Bodouva & Associates. In May 2005, Mayor Bloomberg joined JetBlue to open the airline's new $45 million maintenance hangar and technical support center at JFK Airport. The 100,000-square-foot complex encompasses a maintenance hangar, capable of accommodating three A320 aircraft, and a two-story office facility that accommodates more than 250 employees of the airline's technical support operations. In addition to facilitating improvements at JFK Airport, the City is working to support and revitalize the surrounding area. The City is developing a new zoning strategy in Jamaica to take advantage of the AirTrain station and create a mixed-use central business district that will include millions of square feet of commercial space, residential units and retail amenities. The City is also making strategic infrastructure improvements in Jamaica to enhance the quality of life for residents, businesses and visitors. _________________________________________________
RESTAURANTS REVIEW
YAFFA RESTAURANT: BEST MIDDLE/NEAR EASTERN FOOD IN TRIBECA, MANHATTAN A funky, friendly and cozy restaurant owned and managed by Yaffa Seror Faro, quite an unusual woman, a.k.a. The Gypsy Queen of Tribeca. If you are fond of authentic Middle/Near Eastern delights and specialties, then head right away toward Yaffa restaurant. And if you enjoy reading Kafka, Proust, Francoise Sagan, Lord Byron, Omar Khayam and Jean-Paul Sartre, dash into that restaurant and ask for Yafa, the proprietor and the existentialist story-teller. The food is superb and Yaffa herself is better. The menu is one of Yafa Faro’s controversial and most colorful delightful madness and creations, for every single dish on the list is named after a motion pictures star, a Hollywood legend and all those dashy-washy characters you can or would squeeze between. Omar Sharif dish is in demand here. If you are French, call it Boeuf Bourguignon. If you are a tourist lost between New York and New Jersey, then, call it Rudy Giuliani beef stew. And if you are not sure where you are or who you are, ask for Queen Yaffa some directions in life. There is a particular dish I liked very much. Shame on me, I forgot what Yaffa called it or named it! It had the name of a superstar or deity, Queen Yaffa made up the name. But that’s fine, if you are like me who intentionally or unintentionally forgets names, then seize the golden opportunity to inquire about by introducing yourself to the most amicable and gorgeous waitresses working at that delightful spot. Anyway, that wonderful dish was a combination of Middle/Near Eastern specialties consisting of Baba Ghanouj, Hommos, grape leaves, among other stuff. The smoked salmon is another favorite at Yaffa. And the Truffles French dessert is almost perfect. The food rating is: 4 stars. Service: Almost perfect: 5 stars. Yaffa’s hospitality: We got to change the rating system and scale. Queen Yaffa deserves a couple more stars. The restaurant is not a flashy-dashy spot, nor the rendezvous of the Who’s Who in town. However, the clientele is generally highly educated, bright, cultured, some very classy, while others are intellectually bohemian, and if they are not, don’t worry, Yaffa will “bohemianize” them or “intellectualize” the hell out of them. Yaffa restaurant is so much fun. You will love that place. Recently, I came across a piece of literature (A Website print out) about the magic, fantasies and wisdom of Yaffa Seror Faro. Judge for yourself. The Gypsy Queen of Tribeca wrote about the only movie house (owned and operated by her father) in the sleepy tiny village, where she saw the light, where she grew up, and where she began to challenge everybody. She also wrote about hundreds of immigrants from Iran, North Africa, India and more than twenty countries who lived in the neighborhood where she grew up, about their different spices, smells, dresses, clothes and all the colors of their fabrics, styles and attires. A real human Caravan Serail. And in a warm, candid and heart-felt style, Yaffa described toys she never had and toys she created…About store windows which never existed in her small village, except in her eyes and imagination, so she had to create her own fashion and make her own dresses at the age of eight. Quite a woman is this Yaffa Seror Faro. In Aramaic, ancient Hebrew and Phoenician, her name means “The Lion” or “The Happy Lion”. So watch out! This was Maximillien de Lafayette and his pen. See you at Yaffa’s.
_________________________________________________ GOSSIPS Conan O'Brien popularity is increasing Conan O'Brien said he was looking forward to "being on at a time when people can see me" when he replaces Jay Leno as host of the Tonight show in five years. NBC announced last week that O'Brien, whose show airs at 12:35 a.m. Eastern, will move up an hour earlier when he takes over for Leno in 2009. The move by NBC - and endorsed by Leno - was to keep O'Brien from jumping to another network when his contract expired. "My parents have no idea what I do for a living," O'Brien joked Saturday night about his late, late gig. "They think I'm still in law school." O'Brien, who spoke at the New Yorker Festival, said he would likely leave New York, where his Late Night show is based, to Los Angeles, home of Tonight. "We have time to figure it out," he said. O'Brien, 41, was twice the editor of the Harvard Lampoon, worked as a writer on Saturday Night Live for three and a half years and was the supervising producer of The Simpsons. He debuted on Late Night in September 1993 after David Letterman moved to CBS for an earlier time slot when he was passed up for the Tonight show job. After some initial struggling, O'Brien's show attained success and came to dominate his time slot. Among its well-known features are Triumph the Comic Dog and In the Year 2000. It reaches 2.5 million viewers a night. O'Brien will become the fifth host of the 50-year-old Tonight show, following Leno, Johnny Carson, Jack Paar and Steve Allen. Leno has been the show's host since 1992. ___________________________________________ HOW YOUNG, HOW RICH, AND HOW OLD IS MISS AMERICA, TODAY!? "I remember definitely dressing up," said Hanson, 62, who now lives in Pratt, Kan. "I'd have a towel sash pinned to my shoulder and there was my crown, probably made from a colander or a strainer."
Photos from L to R: #1.Margaret Gorman, District of Columbia, first Miss America, 1921. Upon her return to Atlantic City the following year, Margaret was expected to defend her positions. However, with the Washington Herald having selected a new "Miss Washington, D.C.1922," Atlantic City Pageant officials didn't know what new title to award Margaret. Since both titles she won in 1921 were a little awkward ("Inter-City Beauty, Amateur" and "The Most Beautiful Bathing Girl in America"), it was decided to call her "Miss America". She is the only Miss America to receive a crown at the conclusion of her year. Margaret did compete in succeeding years unsuccessfully, but she always remained a favorite of Atlantic City crowds. In the mid-twenties, she married Victor Cahill, who was a real estate man. She enjoyed a happy marriage until his passing in 1957. She remained a life-long resident of Washington D.C. but enjoyed traveling as a favorite hobby. Near the end of her life, she said, "I've lived a charmed life. I've been very lucky. God has been very kind to me." Leaving behind several nieces and nephews who have fond and loving memories of Margaret, she passed away in early October 1995 at age 90. #2. Mary Katherine Campbell
Columbus, Ohio, Miss America 1922. At the time of her selection as Miss
America 1922, Mary Katherine listed her birth date as May 1906. However,
Mary later admitted to being only fifteen at the time. She became "Miss
Columbus" over a field of 170 other women, and proceeded to Atlantic
City where the Inter-City competition had grown to include a staggering
number of 57 women from around the country. The selection of Miss
America had truly become a national event. It would be the last time in
Miss America history where "professional" (model, Dorothy Knapp) and
"amateur" (West Philadelphia's Gladys Grenemeyer) winners would be
judged as finalists against the "Inter-City" champion (Mary Katherine
Campbell) and place as runners-up to the Miss America title. Mary
Katherine was the first high school graduate to win the title, having
received her diploma from East High School in February 1922, and entered
Ohio State University as an Art Major immediately after her selection as
Miss America. She would also attended Ohio Wesleyan. She may be Miss America, but for 50 years she's been married to television. The tube was the contest's link from its Atlantic City, N.J., home to millions of heartland living rooms, and it turned the winners into stars. But lately, the relationship has gotten bumpy as ratings dipped and TV executives took more control. "If Miss America ever finds itself unable to be on television, I think it will probably go out of existence," said Leonard Horn, a former Miss America Organization CEO. "I don't think it can survive without television." As the pageant celebrates its golden anniversary on the small screen Saturday at 9 p.m. EDT on ABC, the show is getting its biggest makeover ever in hopes of reclaiming relevance in a world of multiplying entertainment options. The master of ceremonies will be Chris Harrison, normally seen hosting The Bachelor and its sister show, The Bachelorette.
Photos from L to R: #1.Vannessa Williams Miss America 1984. #2. Suzette Charles, Miss America 1984. July 23: Vanessa Williams resigned the 1984 title before questionable photos of her appeared in print. She was replaced by New Jersey's Suzette Charles (the first runner up) who became the second African-American woman to wear the crown. Sharlene Wells, Miss Utah, won the 1985 title in September. Born in Paraguay, she was the first Miss America not born on American soil. Local, state, and national scholarship funds reached the $4 million dollar mark. The District of Columbia sent a representative for the first time since 1963.
The swimsuits will be provided by Speedo - and skimpier than ever. The program has been trimmed from three hours to two, but "off-the-cuff" backstage scenes have been added. And instead of seeing the talent performances of all five finalists, viewers will see only the final two. Acting Miss America CEO Art McMaster disputes the notion that ABC has forced the competition to change, but says that the television show is the essence of Miss America. "We've never shied away from the fact that television is the catalyst that promotes the whole Miss America system," McMaster said. "It shows America what we're all about." Alas, Miss America is no longer what it once was. In the 1950s and early 60s - before cable, satellite dishes and DVDs - the televised pageant was the Super Bowl of its day. Television's money enabled Miss America, first held in 1921, to withstand the feminist backlash of the 1960s. Horn said that's because the pageant's scholarships kept women competing, sometimes despite their political objections.
Photo: Deidre Downs from Birmingham, Alabama, is crowned by Miss America 2004 Ericka Dunlap. BACKGROUND & ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Rhodes Scholar Finalist; Magna cum laude graduate; University of Virginia Echols Scholar and Intermediate Honors. Marie Hanson can testify to the power of those early broadcasts. A former longtime chaperone for Miss Kansas, Hanson met Miss America through TV, while growing up on her family's farm near a little town called Medicine Lodge. "I remember definitely dressing up," said Hanson, 62, who now lives in Pratt, Kan. "I'd have a towel sash pinned to my shoulder and there was my crown, probably made from a colander or a strainer." One of the most famous Miss Americas was the first to be crowned on television: Lee Meriwether, who in 1956 became one of the first women on NBC's Today show and played Catwoman in the 1966 Batman movie. Would she have gotten those breaks without her pageant being on television? "Probably not," she said, "because what it offered was more recognition." Today, the program is not reaching as many young girls - or anyone else - as it once did. Some 27 million viewers saw the first televised Miss America coronation, making it one of the highest-rated moments in the history of television to that date. By 1960, the viewing audience had grown to 85 million. But last year, 10.3 million viewers saw a scholarship competition won by Miss Florida, Ericka Dunlap. Pageant officials and TV experts say the general shrinkage of the network television audience is partly responsible for Miss America's long ratings slide. But the event isn't doing well compared with other programming. For example, prime-time coverage of the summer Olympics on NBC attracted at least 18 million viewers each night - and sometimes more than 30 million. Episodes of CSI competing with the Olympics drew bigger audiences than last year's Miss America. Robert Thompson, a professor of pop culture at Syracuse University, said it's remarkable that the show has lasted as long as it has. He said he watches because it's part of his job, not because he enjoys it. "What Miss America used to do, there were not a lot of opportunities to see that kind of thing that Miss America afforded: women parading across the stage in bathing suits and evening gowns," Thompson said.
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Photo:
New York's Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas R. Frieden. He is doing a
great job!
New
Courthouse in Downtown Brooklyn
Then
came 1970s shows such as Charlie's Angles and Fantasy Island, full of
scantily clad women, followed by plenty of cable programs that left even
less to the imagination. On the other hand, Miss America has all the
elements of some of today's most-watched reality television shows, from
American Idol to Survivor, Thompson said: "It's a contest that
eliminates people and features beautiful young women. Those are hardly
the kinds of things that are the kiss of death of a television show."
The competition has been trying mightily to tap that reality appeal. The
organization has tried giving viewers a vote, but has now nixed the
idea. A pop quiz was added in 2002 to dispel the myth that the beauties
lack brains. Last year, the contestants for the first time competed in a
casual-wear competition along with swimsuits and evening gowns, and
there was live commentary from The Bachelorette couple Trista Rehn and
Ryan Sutter as they watched on TV. While Miss America may be losing
traction among the population as a whole, it's still the big time for
the small universe of people who host major television events. "For me,"
said Harrison, the host, "it's a chance to play in Yankee Stadium, so to
speak." - Geff
Mulvihill
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Photos: Yafa Saror, a.k.a. "The Girl from Sinai", "The Gypsy Queen of Tribeca". Photos credits: Renate Aller.
Yaffa
is making waves in New York City. She calls herself the "Girl from Sinai".
She wants you to remember what she told everybody: "I am Jewish, but not
Israeli. I am from Sinai." But, the neighbors and residents in Tribeca call
her something else. Something like "The Gypsy Queen of Tribeca." This woman
is unquestionably one of the most fascinating women in New York City. She
owns and manage her own restaurant, which of course is named after her "YAFFA
RESTAURANT". And at that restaurant-cafe trottoir--bar everything goes;
politics, buzzes, gossips, breaking news, adventures and unbelievable
stories you hear from the patrons. Count 7 of Yaffa's clients and 8 of them
are foreigners. And each one of them has at least 8 different story versions
of their life. Now, mix all this delightful mambo-jumbo stuff with the
succulent dessert, the magnificent hospitality service, the Ali Baba
unbelievable adventures and tales of Queen Yaffa, and you get the most
delicious controversies menu and synchronized Babel of Tower mounted on
Middle Eastern dishes dashed by Queen Yaffa. The Queen has become the buzzy
buz of New York.
Yaffa does not like it! But, she keeps asking when, where and how many times people are buzzing about her. I was one of those who have been questioned by the Queen. She forgot, I was the first to write a piece on her. I am fascinated by this delightful, bright, and magnificently mad woman. Do you want to add some "intellectual spices" to your life, and have fun? Wear your jeans full of holes, dress it up with a Versace jacket and rush to Yaffa Restaurant. And if you are lucky, you might be introduced to the Queen herself, the new toast and talk of the town. Other projects she is working on are the creation of an art gallery for the half sane and a flashy-dashy fashion show like the one you see above.
"We
don't do anything by design," said Robb
The guys of Hoobastank are discussing fashion, specifically who has the greatest collection of shoes. It's a strange conversation for the southern California rockers known more for their song stylings than their fashion sense of T-shirts, baggy pants and over-the-top haircuts. But this is Fashion Week in New York, a twice-yearly event where the biggest designers marry the latest in music and fashion on the runways. And Hoobastank is in town to participate in Fashion Rocks, a television special airing Sept. 26 on Fox that highlights the influence of music on fashion. So the conversation makes sense. Well, at least to Hoobastank. "I have probably more shoes than anybody I ever met," said drummer Chris Hesse. Well, maybe not as many as lead singer Doug Robb, he says. Or as many as guitarist Dan Estrin. Maybe as many as bassist Markku Lappalainen. Boxes and boxes of footwear -- all handed out freely by manufacturers who want to see their kicks on the band members. That's apparently what comes with being the band with the multiplatinum album The Reason, plus a single by the same name that has become THE rock ballad of the year. "I can clothe my friends and family in shoes for the rest of my life," Estrin, 28, said during a recent interview at an upscale Manhattan eatery. "It's crazy."
It's
been a crazy year for the band that has seen The Reason, their sophomore
album released in December 2003 on Island Records, eclipse their
multiplatinum debut album. The first single, Out of Control, rocketed up the
modern rock charts. But it was The Reason, a soulful, lyrical ballad, that
launched the album into the rock 'n' roll stratosphere. Their third single,
Same Direction, released last month, is also climbing the charts. "We don't
do anything by design," said Robb, 29. There is little designed or
engineered about the band, which had its beginnings in the early 1990s with
Robb and Estrin, who went to high school together in the suburban Los
Angeles community of Agoura Hills. The two joined musical forces, so to
speak, after splitting with their respective bands at the time. Initially,
the two played for fun, writing humorous songs about questionable,
unprintable topics. They got serious about music in 1994, after taking out
an ad in a Los Angeles-area music magazine and were joined by Hesse, 30, and
Lappalainen, 31. They spent five years toiling in the Los Angeles music
scene, building a following and being "passed on by every label out there."
They eventually caught Island's attention. But it wasn't until they hit the
road as the opening act for Incubus that the band gained national attention.
Estrin, who grew up with a couple of Incubus' members, credits the tour for
helping put the band in the spotlight. Since then, they have been making
their way on their own -- on their own terms. -Chelsey Carter.
PARIS HILTON TO THROW BIG PARTY IN NEW YORK
Photos:
Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton is ready to throw a lavish party for all the peers who are jealous of her. She did not decide yet how and where to do it. Hilton said: " And this is a great occasion to celebrate my victory..." Lord! What victory?
"I'm thrilled by this unexpected honour," Blume said
Judy Blume, whose candid children's books have attracted millions of readers and a wave of censors, has been named this year's winner of an honorary National Book Award for contributions to American letters. "I'm thrilled by this unexpected honour," Blume said in a statement Wednesday, when the award was announced. "We don't write hoping to win awards. We write because we have to - because of a burning need to share our characters and stories." The National Book Foundation, a non-profit organization that sponsors the awards, said it was the first time they had recognized a genre for young readers. "We're very pleased to have Judy Blume receive the prize, because it is the first time we have given it to a young people's author," said board chairwoman Deborah Wiley. "She is also someone who gives back a great deal to the community." The author's many books include Deenie; Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret and Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. In 1986, she sorted through her considerable fan mail and published Letters to Judy: What Your Kids Wish They Could Tell You. While past winners of the honorary award include Arthur Miller, Philip Roth and Eudora Welty, in recent years the medal has gone just as often to writers of genres once disregarded by the literary establishment. Ray Bradbury, the science fiction master, won in 2000. Stephen King, known for his bestselling horror tales, received the prize last year. "Having raised two daughters I can tell you how important the work of Judy Blume is," said Jessica Hagedorn, a foundation board member and author of Dogeaters and several other books. "For young people, she is as literary a writer as you can ask for." Like King, the 66-year-old Blume has enjoyed enormous commercial success. Her books have sold more than 75 million copies and have been translated into more than 20 languages. She also founded the Kids Fund, a charitable and educational foundation, and has served on numerous boards, including the Author's Guild and the National Coalition Against Censorship. However, not all grown-ups have found her work fit for children. Blume is known for dealing explicitly with sex, religion and divorce and her books often have been placed in restricted sections of libraries or pulled altogether from shelves. She responded by editing the compilation Places I Never Meant to Be, Original Stories by Censored Writers, published in 1999. According to the American Library Association, Blume's Forever, the story of a teenage girl's feelings about sex and love, ranked No. 8 on the list of most "challenged" books of the 1990s. The ALA, which on Sept. 25 will mark its annual "Banned Books Week," defines a "challenge" as a formal, written complaint filed (usually by a parent) with a library or school. "Judy Blume has been a champion for intellectual freedom for many, many years," Carol Brey-Casiano, president of the ALA, said. "We think her books are of very high quality and that she raises some important issues."
RALPH LAUREN
Once Sheryl Bailey told the media "Man. Woman. Black. White. Jazz. Rock. These words only define forms, not experience. Playing jazz is an incredible human event. Art is about communicating the divine through human activity. We all possess the divine and the ability to express it and share it. "And this caught my attention and allowed me to better understand the noble spirit of this American genius and delightful human being! I am glad, Sheryl Bailey was courteous enough to send me a copy of her most recent releases "BULL'S EYE", for I enjoyed it tremendously. This superb jazz guitarist does not need additional praises and accolades. She has already made her mark on the the world of jazz as a teacher, a composer and guitarist. To many critics, musicologists, students and fans, including myself, Sheryl Bailey is acknowledged as one of America's greatest guitarists. Perhaps, the world's best female jazz guitar player.
THE
SHERYL BAILEY'S STORY: ONE OF AMERICA'S GREATEST GUITAR PLAYERS.
Music plays a major role in her life. At a very early age, she began to study piano. Around 13, Sheryl was already a performing musician at her high school where she joined the school's band and played the trumpet. But her first love was the guitar. She wanted to become a rock star, for she loved hard rock guitar and bands like Humble Pie and Deep Purple. A kid in Sheryl's neighborhood showed me how to play a few barre chords and the guitar never left her hands, since... Her mother was a professional musician. She played here and there to pay the bills. No, she was not a hard-rock guitarist, but a classically trained pianist.
Photo: Encore with Jack Wilkins at the Shepard's Town Concert.
The
little Sheryl did not like much going to school. She loved to skip school
and stay at home and learn rock solos from records. Her favorites were Eric
Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. Yep! Heavy stuff. And she kept listening to their
records day and night, and night and day. This little girl just adored the
guitar. And her life changed for ever, when John Maione, a music teacher
opened her eyes on the records of Wes and Jimmy Raney. On the hands of her
new teacher, the young Sheryl Bailey began to work on pieces by George Van
Eps, Joe Pass, Charlie Christian and Carl Kress. Those giants were her first
and major influence in her musical life and key to understanding the guitar.
One day, the little Sheryl Bailey will reach her childhood dream and create
a small music band, a sort of trio. And her dreams came true. She created a
formidable trio, and this is how she did it "I met drummer Ian Froman
through the great tenor saxophonist, George Garzone. We did a series of trio
gigs (no bass) at The Cornelia Street Cafe in NYC. Ian is amazing. He is
really a master modern drummer. He has the deepest understanding of the
style of Elvin Jones that I’ve ever heard, and the most unbelievable linear
concept. I knew then that I wanted to do a project with him, but was missing
the third person.
Months later, I kept hearing about this great Hammond player, Gary Versace. I’ve worked a lot in the organ trio format and have always wanted to explore it from a freer 60’s perspective ala the Grant Green/Larry Young/Elvin Jones band. I’m particularly fond of the writing and improvising styles from the late 50’s to mid-70’s. Gary really knows the tradition of the Hammond B-3, but also is very fluent in modern harmony and time feels. After playing with him I knew I had the missing piece of the puzzle. I was supposed to leave on a 6-week tour on September 12, 2001. Well, that didn’t happen, so to fill the space and to try to find some sanity and healing from music, I called Gary and Ian for a session. It was pure magic and great fun. Everything has since fallen into place—tunes, gigs, recording and a special friendship.
SHERYL BAILEY: NEW YORK'S GRANDE DIVA OF AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY JAZZ
A great example of creating something life-affirming out of death and destruction. " The trio became successful and Sheryl produced high quality recordings. Although, she was heavily influenced by those guitar geniuses who fed her childhood dream, Sheryl had to develop her own style. And she did. And she excelled. When asked by Mark Stefani "I’ve enjoyed listening to your latest CD. How would you compare it to your earlier releases?", Maestra Bailey replied: "The newest disc is really personal, because it’s straight-up guitar playing; no effects, just pick against the strings through an amp, live and intimate. My first disc, “Little Misunderstood,” was a funk/fusion blowout. I spent a lot of time producing it to fit into that soundscape. At the time, I was living in Baltimore, and playing in a power trio with bassist Gary Grainger and drummer Larry Brite, so the material evolved from that scene. I was pretty fresh out of Berklee then, so my influences were more along Abercrombie, Stem, and Scofield. After moving to NYC in 1996, I really refocused on the jazz guitar sound and style, listening to players like Pete Bernstein, and playing with all of the incredibly swinging drummers here."
Photo:
Beth Marles and SB at the
2004 World Guitar Congress, Baltimore
My first disc, “Little Misunderstood,” was a funk/fusion blowout. I spent a lot of time producing it to fit into that soundscape. At the time, I was living in Baltimore, and playing in a power trio with bassist Gary Grainger and drummer Larry Brite, so the material evolved from that scene. I was pretty fresh out of Berklee then, so my influences were more along Abercrombie, Stem, and Scofield. After moving to NYC in 1996, I really refocused on the jazz guitar sound and style, listening to players like Pete Bernstein, and playing with all of the incredibly swinging drummers here."
Her second record was “Reunion of Souls”. It was a live, jazz guitar date, and a collaboration of sorts with guitarist Chris Bergson, bassist Ashley Turner, and drummer Sunny Jam, Sheryl explains. She adds: " I’ve always loved playing guitar duo and quartet, and all of us had been playing together at different points since we moved to the city, so it was really a celebration of all that creativity. I think it’s a different kind of jazz guitar recording, because it’s about the group interplay and compositions more than two guitarists trying to outdo each other. Chris and I are both unique and different, and I think our styles complement each other and search out the music, not just the chops. Frank Forte wrote a really accurate and beautiful review of the disc for JJG. " But the best of her recordings is the most recent one "BULL'S EYE", a jazz masterpiece, a musical virtuosity which enriches the world of contemporary American music. In addition to composing, performing and recording, Professor Bailey teaches at Berklee school of music. In 1992, she began teaching jazz at Townson University in Baltimore, Maryland. Then, Berklee snitched her. Her alliance with Garzone did help her get the job. At Berklee, Sheryl the "professor" commenced to develop her own curriculum. And that’s how “Chord Rules” evolved. Sheryl could identify herself with "the student’s academic head-space, but being a working/traveling artist, I try to cut through the non-practical swirl and get down to the fundamentals—what it’s REALLY like to play jazz professionally. We focus on the basics of the instrument and of jazz improvisation. " as she told the media.
MAESTRA BAILEY: A NATIONAL MUSICAL GEM
Photo:
Live from Down Under! Drummer, Andrew Dickeson, Sher and V in Sydney at
the Side On Cafe after a gig.
From a little dreamer at the age of 13, to a band trumpeter in her high school band, and from recording artist to a jazz teacher at college, Sheryl Bailey had to walk an extra mile, maybe two, three or more. She had to put in print the vast knowledge, experience and virtuosity she developed in the form of training manuals. She had to write some books. The overwhelmingly productive guitar diva came to the rescue. She wrote a magnificent book "“The Chord Rules.” And Sheryl shed some light on the book, "The “Chord Rules” deals with navigating LI-V-I’s, drop—2 voicings, applications for the Jazz Melodic Minor Scale, and other assorted pet topics of mine. The underlying theme of everything is that playing jazz is about creating melodies from harmony. To be able to play changes means melodically interpreting arpeggios. That’s why Charlie Christian changed the jazz line; he created melodies from harmonic shapes. No one really played vertically before him. " This American genius lives and breath jazz.
And
it is so evident in the way she composes, performs, teaches and talks
about jazz. For Bailey, a person needs to know his or her history, and
nothing in life comes from nothing. Sheryl explains that when we
understand how jazz was created, developed and has evolved
sentimentally, socially, melodically, rhythmically, musically,
harmonically, politically and spiritually, we began to feel and sense
the immense beauty and wealth of this great American musical heritage.
And those guitarists who love jazz, their playing will take on a new
musical wealth, richness and inner beauty. If you want to excel, to
become one with jazz and to master jazz guitar, you got to learn from
this genius diva. Get her books. Read them. And to add an extra
dimension to your learning, buy her CDs too. You will have the complete
picture. "BULL'S EYES" is a gem. A masterpiece. A monumental musical
creativity. No jazz library, discotheque or collection is complete
without it. Buy it. You will treasure it for years to come. And if you
believe in immortality, this CD will be your music companion for
centuries.
Photo:
Richard Bona Band: Richard Bona, Gilmar Gomes and Sheryl Bailey 2004.
JANN
ARDEN
Love Is The
Only Soldier (Universal)
Jann Arden's seventh
album, self-produced and recorded in her basement, is an attractive
showcase of the best the Calgary-bred singer has to offer. The songs,
mining variations on a light-pop vein, are solidly crafted and
tastefully arranged. And a handful of them, including "Four Feet Deep"
and the title track, are not only commercially viable enough to merit
radio consideration but are better than most of the middlebrow fodder
that makes it on to the airwaves. Most consistently impressive is
Arden's versatile singing. Whether whispery ("When You Left Me") or
fraught with yearning ("Ruby Red"), her voice always carries the ring of
conviction.-Vit Wagner