New York Local and Regional News

Zanaro’s of White Plains serves great-tasting Italian comfort food; price is right

DARDANEL
Barbounia, Dardanel both specialize in Med cuisine, at different price points

Bascove’s “A Walk In The Park” At Central Park’s Arsenal Gallery
The Arsenal Gallery is pleased to present A Walk in the Park, an exhibition celebrating the vibrant diversity of Central Park’s bridges by New York based artist Bascove. In her bold oil paintings and drawings, Bascove shares her fascination with these structures by capturing their individuality. The exhibit will open on June 18 and will run to August 13.”Parks & Recreation is pleased to welcome the innovative work of Bascove to the Arsenal Gallery,” said Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe. “Inspired by the work of Olmsted and Vaux, her imaginative interpretations of Central Park’s historic bridges highlight the seamless blend of functionality and artistry that can be found throughout the park. A Walk in the Park is sure to compel visitors to revisit these landmark structures this summer.”When Central Park was designed in 1858, it was fitted with an intricate composition of pedestrian paths, bridal trails, and drives. To maintain its integrity as a park, while catering to the various modes of transportation needed in an urban setting, the park’s designers included over 40 unique arched bridges to provide pedestrians with unbroken pathways, most of which remain today.Throughout her career, Bascove has painted many of New York City’s bridges, from the Verrazano Bridge to the Harlem River Bridges, using curved geometrical strokes and vivid colors to render monumental structures. For this exhibition she has concentrated on Central Park and the arched structures that span its waterways, roads, and paths. Although these bridges are smaller in scale than others in New York, Bascove treats each bridge as a grand object allowing the details of its construction and the frenetic park life surrounding it to shine through. For over two decades, her work has been exhibited regularly in New York and Paris. Her work is represented by galleries in New York City, Los Angeles, Paris, and Kent, CT., and found in many private and public collections, including: The Museum of the City of New York, The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, The Norwalk Transit District, Time Warner, the Oresman Collection, and the Mus of Cherbourg.The Gallery wishes to thank Thomas Paul Fine Art, of Los Angeles, for its generous support of this exhibition.The Arsenal Gallery is dedicated to examining themes of nature, urban space, and wildlife, in the context of New York City parks and their history. Works in this exhibition are for sale. A portion of proceeds supports the Arsenal Gallery and Parks’ Public Art Program. The Gallery is located on the third floor of the Park’s headquarters in Central Park, on Fifth Avenue at 64th Street. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Gallery closed on holidays. Admission is free. GO GREEN! ECO TIP OF THE DAYSwitch to paperless bank statements and online bill paying!Sick of all that mail? Log on to your bank’s website and enroll in theirpaperless banking program. If every home in the US viewed and paid billselectronically, the country would save 18.5 million trees and avoid 2.2 billiontons of toxic air pollutants. And if you want to reduce the junk mail youreceive, visit NYCWasteLe$$ to remove your name from mailing lists.Source: http://www.nyc.gov/html/planyc2030/html/greenyc/greenyc.shtml#list QUOTATION FOR THE DAY”Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.”Edgar Degas(1834 – 1917)

Community Celebrates Re-opening Of Washington Square Park
On May 28, Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe joined City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, City Council Member Alan Gerson, Community Board 2 Chair Brad Hoylman, Village Alliance BID Executive Director Honi Klein, Washington Square Association President Anne-Marie Sumner, and community members to celebrate the completion of the first phase of Washington Square Park’s renovation. Entertainment was provided by the Baby Soda Jazz Band and refreshments were served up compliments of Crumbs Bake Shop, Amy’s Bread, Le Pain Quotidien, Fat Witch bakery, and Otto.”Washington Square Park is a historic park, a neighborhood green space, and a great forum for diversity and public expression in the city, and with the completion of the first phase of renovation, it looks better than ever before,” said Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe. “Just in time for summer, visitors to the park can now enjoy a rebuilt fountain, renovated plaza, more trees, and a 20 percent increase in green space. We thank the community members and elected officials who played a role in the park’s first major restoration in almost four decades.”The first phase of the Washington Square Park reconstruction, which cost $13 million and began December 10, 2007, covered the northwest quadrant and the central plaza. The improvements include new and expanded lawns and planting beds, the relocation and conservation of the fountain, conservation of the Alexander Holley Monument, repaved paths, new benches, lighting and more. The fountain was completely rebuilt and restored in its previous dimensions and is now the focal point of a large central plaza, rebuilt on one level to make it accessible. The shifting of the fountain helped make possible an approximately 20 percent increase in unpaved green space in the park. The new lawns abutting the plaza are for passive recreation. The second phase of the reconstruction project will feature restored landscaping, plantings, and flower beds replacing excess asphalt in the remaining NE, SE and SW quadrants. The northeast playground will be upgraded, and a new play area in the southwest section will incorporate the “mounds,” rebuilt slightly below grade to improve sightlines and minimize their impact on the park landscape, and covered with carpet-style synthetic turf for safety. A new performance stage will be built, the dog runs will be relocated and expanded, the Giuseppe Garibaldi Monument will be conserved and relocated, the petanque courts will be reconstructed, the paths will be repaved, and new lighting and fences will be added. The final phase will include a new park house with a new comfort station for the public and space for the Parks maintenance staff. QUOTATION FOR THE DAY”We must be our own before we can be another’s.”Ralph Waldo Emerson(1803 – 1882)

This Weekend In Parks
Father’s Day in Parks Enjoy the great outdoors with dad this Father’s Day! With events ranging from canoeing to singing to fishing to running, we’ve got something sure to please every father figure.Make Music New York Happily, you won’t be able to get very far on Sunday without bumping into a live music performance. That’s thanks to Make Music New York, a festival of free concerts in public spaces being celebrated in New York City for the third year. See what’s playing in your local park, or use Make Music New York your inspiration to discover new music and new parks while participating in a global celebration of music-making.Saturday, June 20Yoga in the Park 9:00 a.m.Little Bay Park, QueensChess Tournament 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.Shorefront Parkway & Beach 105th Street, QueensThe New Village Music Festival 11:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.Tompkins Square Park, ManhattanWaterfall Hike 12:00 p.m.Prospect Park, BrooklynThe Chubby Hubby Fun Run 12:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m.Clove Lakes Park, Staten IslandSunday, June 21Bronx Week Parade 8:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.Van Cortlandt Park, BronxFirst Annual Herb Festival 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.Hattie Carthan Garden, BrooklynKayaking in Hallets Cove 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.Socrates Sculpture Park, QueensHow Green Are You? 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.11BC Garden, ManhattanSummer Solstice Saunter 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.High Rock Park, Staten Island QUOTATION FOR THE DAY”Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope.”Bill Cosby(1937- )

May Showers And June Flowers At Brooklyn Borough Hall
What do Broadway, Herald Square and Brooklyn Borough Hall have in common? Of course, they’re all major destination points and transportation hubs. But according to Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, Borough Hall is also a major “crosswalk where people can visit the farmer’s market, meet friends, have lunch and enjoy the beauty of the gardens.” On June 9, Borough President Markowitz honored the work of the horticulture and district crews responsible for the lawns and grounds at Columbus Park in the Rotunda of Borough Hall. Among those saluted were Gardener John Vei who is assisted by the gardening mobile crew of Assistant Gardener Raphael Perez and City Park Workers Carlos Romero and Jesus Meija. Park Supervisor Philip Lorenz, Park & Recreation Manager Lena Neglia and Borough Commissioner Julius Spiegel were also acknowledged for their support, direction and leadership. Each spring, the seasonal beds are filled with ‘Pink Impression’ and ‘Purple Negrita’ tulips, followed by summer ‘Victoria Blue’ salvias and purple verbenas. Edging the beds are blue-grey leaved ‘Hidcote’ lavenders and ‘Apple Blossom’ carpet roses. The sheared English yew topiaries and boxwood hedges in a fleur-de-lys pattern provide year-round interest. Mr. Vei, a 22-year veteran of horticulture said, “It’s always nice to be told we do a good job. But we know it when people look and ask us questions while we’re working. I always smile because it means they stopped and saw the flowers.” In addition to maintaining Borough Hall, Mr. Vei and the mobile crew also garden at the Brooklyn War Memorial, Heights Promenade, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Cuyler Gore and the South Oxford Park in downtown Brooklyn. Congratulations to all for receiving this honor! By Thomas ChingDeputy Chief of Brooklyn Operations GROW AT PARKSMore opportunities to grow at Parks are now posted on the Parks Intranet….* Telephone Service Technician (Telephone Service Technician)/5-Boro – 005279 You can apply via email to grow@parks.nyc.gov. Remember to include the vacancy number in the subject of your email, on your resume and cover letter. Job Opportunities for Parks employees can be accessed by phone. Dial 1-888-292-5653 to hear current vacancies, application deadlines and how to apply. The Job Hotline is updated weekly. To see what these jobs entail and for other opportunities to grow at parks, please visit the Parks Intranet (http://home.intranet.parks/Home/main.aspx). You can access the postings three ways: 1) from the top of the screen click on Jobs or 2) go to Divisions to Personnel to Job Postings or 3) scroll down on the left side to Job Postings tab. QUOTATION FOR THE DAY”My father considered a walk among the mountains as the equivalent of churchgoing.”Aldous Huxley(1894 – 1963)

BOKA
Boka serves ‘drinking food’ on hopping St. Marks Place; service can be slipshod.

AT VERMILION
New midtown duplex offers creative fusion cooking with flair; has kinks to iron out

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