Eileen Fisher (Columbus Avenue, 76th-77th) has a large sign on her window: “We’d like our clothes back right now. Thank you very much.” What’s the story?
Fortunately it looks like the mysterious sign outside Eileen Fisher’s storefront window on Columbus and 77th has nothing to do with a break-out of shoplifting thefts. Instead the sign is actually a part of the women’s clothing chain store’s effort to give gently-worn clothes to women’s and girl’s charities like “Dress for Success.” From now on, at the Upper West Side location and any other Eileen Fisher store, women can return any item of gently-used clothing and get back a $5 gift card. So far, $1.3 million has been raised nationwide, and over 90,000 pieces of clothing have been collected.
Store managers Sahai Tsehay and Tammy Sharpe are glad we cleared up this mix-up, because many of their loyal customers were concerned that the store was having problems or closing. Interested in participating? Visit GreenEileen.org for more info about the charity work, or search #thxverymuch on Twitter.
Do you have a question about the neighborhood you’d like us to answer? Email reporter@strausnews.com with the subject line “What’s up with that.”

 By Laura Shanahan

 We welcome feedback!” Ooh, don’t you love it when a store manager talks that way?

Today we’re at the brand-spanking-new Fox’s, at the southeast corner of Broadway and 80th – the long-shuttered site of the late, great Filene’s Basement/SYMS Tailored & Tux, now shuttered no longer. We’re chatting up a manager at this women’s off-price designer label emporium (yes, much like its predecessor), and he’s totally impressing me with his eagerness to serve the neighborhood – he didn’t know I was a reporter disguised as a mild-mannered shopper, so he wasn’t best behavior’ing me.

When I noted the neighborhood – indeed all of Manhattan – is a late-night kind of place, he nodded in agreement, pointing out that this outpost of Fox’s, the first and only one in Manhattan, is open until 9 p.m. (Monday through Saturday, until 7 p.m. on Sunday), contrasted with the much earlier closing time of other branches. (Fox’s is in Brooklyn and Queens in the metro area, plus more outlying areas/states.)

If you like to sparkle plenty, you’ll love this place, with its preponderance of embellished fashions. Find lots of sequins, studs, silver stitch-work, faceted beads and other frills and furbelows glamming up the goods. Like bold in-your-face baubles? As the old Prego commercials (sorta) went, they’re all in there.  Jazzed-up jeans? Check.

But there are also classic tailored pieces, even genteel ones, among the glitz. Consider the soft, like “buttah,” wool-with-a-touch-of-cashmere-and-nylon fitted blazers by Louben in a gentle sky blue, camel or chartreuse. Featuring a neat notched lapel, side slash-pockets and a single button closure, the garment’s body-conscious fit follows the contours of the waist and hips. Perfect for a mild spring day, the silky-lined lightweight jacket is $99.99 (“compare at $348″ invites the tag).

It’s still glove weather, however, and if you can use an extra pair, check out the your-choice-$19 selection by International Leather Industries. I’d say the gloves’ leather is glove soft, but that would be dopey, right? Let’s put it this way: These aren’t the ugly bulky kind you wear on frigid days; they’re more chic and dressy accessories that at least cut the chill. Choices include a clean-lined style with no cluttering detail in mid-gray; a tomato red pair with a bow-centered gathering at the wrist; a glossy black-patent-leather pair with a thin plush lining; and mittens in chocolate or tomato with a thicker plush lining. Yeah, real leather mittens; go figure.

Nicely transitional is the Elie Tahari pearl-gray knit cardigan in a creamy silk-and-cashmere blend with a graduated hemline – long in back, tapering upward in front. A spill of detailed-stitch-work ruffle accents one side of the softly draping shawl collar; $59, please.

Skipping back to the spring stuff – the season kicks off in less than two weeks (wheee!) – there are diaphanous organdy Swiss-dotted sleeveless shirts by Double Zero. The see-through pale aqua fabric is made more demure by chest pockets, but it’s the kind of thing you’ll almost certainly wear over a camisole or tank – please, there are children on the street; $24.

Now this screams better-days-are-coming: the P. Luca Milano skinny stretch jeans in sunshine yellow splashed with posies predominantly in pinky peach, brown, gold and white; $29. They’ll really see you walking down Broadway in these – so practice your strut and your smile.

As several of us stood waiting to pay for our breakfasts, bundled like overstuffed penguins in our winter down coats, colorful hats, and woolen gloves, huddled together in the little area where the unflappable cashier holds court, I stopped to appreciate the comfort of this morning ritual. All of us laughing and commiserating about the cold, the bitterness of the wind from the river, the inconvenience of winter, looking more like a kindergarten class getting ready for recess than a bunch of middle aged neighbors getting ready to head into our respective days.

We remain snuggled up in our coats during our breakfasts, none of us willing to brave the frigid wind that rushes through the little diner on Broadway, Café 82, every time someone opens the door, which is about every two minutes. That doesn’t stop us from coming for our breakfasts every morning. I imagine that if our diner was, for some reason, full of snow, we would simply wipe it off our seats and tables and wait to be fed.

One time, during a major freeze, the pipes broke and the diner was closed. A bunch of us stood forlornly in front of the locked door, squinting into the darkened interior. We bumbled around and then walked, dejectedly, to the coffee counter at Zabars, our day already off kilter.

We humans, at heart, are creatures of habit. There’s something wonderfully warm, lovingly maternal, and reassuringly familiar, in having someone cook our breakfasts for us and to partake of that morning meal surrounded by familiar and kindly faces. Not that we know the names of those faces, though we see them every morning, greet them with a warm hello, laugh at the incumbent weather together, and get into heated, fun discussions about the latest political brouhaha. If a tourist innocently stumbles in, and, God forbid, pulls out a map, we are all over the poor creature, each of us offering the best route, the must-go-to restaurant, the don’t –you-dare-miss show. What must they think of such overly enthusiastic, noisy, opinionated, New Yorkers?

We, a potpourri of people; couples, singles, families of all variations, getting ready to head to an office, picking up coffee for the others guys on patrol, dressed sharply, dressed for the gym, New York Times splayed over table, laptops tapping, iPods and Kindles precariously balanced on coffee cups. All orchestrated by our busboy who holds all the power in the diner. He’s the one who controls the seating: He likes you, you get to sit away from the blasting wind door; you piss him off, you freeze. Extra rolls, butter, iced coffee, bread sticks? Be nice.

Only really friendly, sweet waiters last. We all know their families, their stories, their immigration status, their hopes and dreams.  They tolerate our attempts at Spanish; they put up with, and know the names of, our screaming grandchildren and growing children.

And, of course, like any social gathering place, there are dramas and intrigues, romances and infighting and the inevitable cliques. We’ve seen young couples with their growing families come in each morning only to find out they’ve broken up, and we feel their loss. We’ve seen normally quiet and reserved divorced men come alive during the weekends when accompanied by their sons and daughters; tired single moms taking their brood out for a weekly Sunday morning pancake breakfast; a break for them, a treat for their kids; families taking up way too much space in the pint-sized diner, but filling that space with laughter and life. Lots of sticky, little fingers and faces, lots of pancake aroma drifting on the air. The aisles become a gauntlet of baby chairs and strollers. A river of humanity flowing through this little urban oasis.

Fast-forward to today, and you can see how MTA public transportation is still one of the best bargains in town.
—Larry Penner

DEFYING COMMON SENSE
To the Editor:
It defies common sense that any municipality would place a transfer station of this scope in a densely populated residential neighborhood. The number of garbage trucks alone will overwhelm the narrow streets. No other facility of this kind is anywhere near a New York City neighborhood, especially one with so many children and schools. This area of Yorkville is a beautiful, quiet corner of the city with Carl Schurz Park and Gracie Mansion only a few blocks away. Has the mayor or Christine Quinn ever really spent any time here? The existing facility has been closed for years because of its negative impact on the community. No amount of modernization can deflect its impact. I feel that the community is actually being victimized because there are no powerful development interests here. Can you imagine the mayor trying to place this facility in the “hot” Tribeca area or near the new West Side developments? In addition, trying to paint this neighborhood as part of the elite Upper East Side is disingenuous. This is a working-class Manhattan neighborhood. Not that it matters. This does not belong near anyone’s home or school. Everyone needs to continue to remind our mayor that this facility is unacceptable, and to remind Quinn that we vote.
—Sharon Wolf Horowitz

The congressman, whose district encompasses the Upper West Side, said in a statement that too many unstable people have accessed firearms in the country to commit terrible acts.
“If now is not the time to have a serious discussion about gun control and the epidemic of gun violence plaguing our society, I don’t know when is,” he continued. “How many more Columbines and Newtowns must we live through? I am challenging President Obama, the Congress, and the American public to act on our outrage and, finally, do something about this.”

26 people were killed in the elementary school, including 20 children. The shooter, 20-year-old Adam Lanza, also shot his mother in his nearby home before the mass murder, and took his own life in the school.

BROADWAY MALL ASSOCIATION SEEKS DONATIONS
The Broadway Mall Association (BMA), the organization that oversees landscape design and maintenance for the malls along Broadway from West 70th to 168th streets, is seeking private funding for capital improvements.

BMA has secured over $10 million in state and city funds in the past three decades, but now wants to expand its preservation efforts to maintain newly renovated malls at an annual cost of $10,000 per mall.

According to BMA, “If the new malls are to grow in successfully and thrive over time, the BMA will need to advocate as successfully with the private sector as it has with the public.” For more information and to donate, visit BMA’s website at www.broadwaymall.org.

CITY’S CREATIVE ECONOMY GROWING, BUT MINORITIES BEING LEFT BEHIND
Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer’s office released a report last week on the city’s entrepreneurial economy. Titled “Start-Up City: Growing New York’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem for All,” the report summarized recent growths in “entrepreneurial” industries like finance, fashion, marketing and technology, but also addressed these fields’ limited accessibility, citing census data that showed only 29 percent of employed Blacks and 20 percent of employed Latinos work in these “creative economies.”

“Too many working-class New Yorkers lack the resources and skills to share in this growth,” Stringer said in a statement, noting that annual salaries for jobs in this new tech economy often start at $65,000, well above the city’s median family income. “We need to turn this engine into a pipeline to the middle class for thousands of New Yorkers.”

To achieve this end, the report recommends increasing office and housing affordability, expanding computer science training in public schools and improving transportation to growing business districts, among other initiatives.

CONGRESS MEMBERS REQUEST POST-SANDY FOOD STAMP RELIEF
Members of Congress including Carolyn Maloney and Jerrold Nadler demanded easier access to federal food stamps for New Yorkers still suffering from Hurricane Sandy last week. The members wrote a letter to Mayor Michael Bloomberg requesting looser eligibility requirements and expanded eligibility zones for the U.S. Department of Agriculture-administered Disaster Supplemental Food Stamp (D-SNAP) program, which provides relief funding to help feed those who were hit hard by the October storm.

“Making it as easy as possible for those affected by Hurricane Sandy to have access to the resources they need to recover will also help our city rebuild,” the congress members wrote. “Allowing survivors better access to relief programs like D-SNAP will mean more people will be able to sign up, which will also translate into more profits for local small businesses such as grocery stores.”
The members noted that many New Yorkers whose homes were damaged by the storm’s extensive flooding were elderly or handicapped, so they would particularly benefit from easier access to the federal benefits.

ST. THOMAS CHURCH
1 W. 53rd St.
Visit St. Thomas Church on Dec. 16 at 1 p.m. to see the annual Christmas pageant, put on by the Youth Group and Sunday School. The play is A New York Carol by Lucky Gold; admission is free and everyone is welcome.

TEMPLE EMANU-EL
1 E. 65th St.
A tradition at Temple Emanu-El is attending the lighting of candles during Chanukah. Starting on the night of Dec. 8 and going through Dec. 15, you can attend the lighting of the last candle at 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 15.

ALL SOULS UNITARIAN CHURCH
1157 Lexington Ave.
Enjoy unique Christmas music when All Souls Unitarian Church hosts the concert “Creator of the Stars: Christmas Music from the Old World,” on Dec. 18 at 7:30 p.m. The music will be joyful hymns and chants that can transport listeners to the Renaissance. Tickets are on sale and can be purchased on their website at www.allsoulsnyc.org

CHURCH OF ST. JEAN BAPTISTE
184 E. 76th St.
After the weekly 10:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. masses on Sunday, Dec. 16, the Church of Saint Jean Baptiste will be hosting a Christmas Brunch for everyone who attended.

CHURCH OF ST. AGNES
143 E. 43rd St.
Get ready to sing on Dec. 19 at 6 p.m., when the Church of St. Agnes hosts its annual hourlong sing-along, which will feature Advent and Christmas songs and hymns with Schola Cantorum and the Parish Choir.

ST. PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL
460 Madison Ave.
Another Christmas tradition is the annual “A City Singing at Christmas” on Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. Listen or sing along to classic and modern Christmas songs and hymns with the St. Patrick’s Cathedral Choir, the Young People’s Chorus of New York City, New York Master Chorale and New York Symphonic Brass. General seating is free and open to the public.

ST. BART’S
325 Park Ave.
Head over to St. Bart’s Church for a night of singing Christmas songs outside and drinking hot cider, on Dec. 17 starting at 5:30 p.m. Another special event that St. Bart’s is holding is the Adoration of the Magi, which takes place Dec. 21 at 7:30 p.m. in the chapel.

LINCOLN SQUARE SYNAGOGUE
200 Amsterdam Ave.
The Lincoln Square Synagogue is holding a Chanukah Dinner on Dec. 14 and people can enjoy great food and desserts and listen to guest speaker Dr. Yoram Hazony. Then on Dec. 15 there will be a Chanukah Party for the youths of the community. Starting at 4:15 p.m., children can enjoy music, cookie decorating, applesauce making, latkes, dreidel making and menorah lighting.

ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA
411 E. 68th St.
Be a part of some joyous singing on Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. when you visit St. Catherine of Siena. The annual candlelight and sing-along service is always a tradition in the community.

ST. IGNATIUS LOYOLA PARISH
980 Park Ave.
Visit St. Ignatius on Dec. 16, and see their annual Christmas concert, “Gloria!” People can enjoy some Christmas classics, such as “O Holy Night” and “Bambino.” The main presentation is John Rutter’s “Gloria,” which includes a brassy and extroverted masterwork.

HOLY CROSS CHURCH
329 W. 42nd St.
On Dec. 16 at 7 p.m., Holy Cross will be hosting its annual Christmas concert, and the proceeds raised will go to benefit the victims of Hurricane Sandy. This year the concert features renowned American soprano Aprile Millo. Tickets can be purchased at www.holycrossnyc.com
MADISON AVENUE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
921 Madison Ave.
In the weeks leading up to Christmas, numerous events are being held at Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church. Carol singing takes place Dec. 16 at 4 p.m., and features the New York City Chorus. Rev. Dr. Fred Anderson will give a special sermon Dec. 23 at 11:15 a.m.

ST. FRANCIS DE SALES
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
135 E. 96th St.
Celebrate the season with their hourlong Christmas concert that includes sounds of the season on Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. Right after the concert, there will be a reception and a “surprise” visit by St. Nick.

CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION
221 W. 107th St.
After every mass on Dec. 16, downstairs in the church there will be breakfast with Santa. Children will have a fun-filled morning when they meet with Santa and take pictures with him.

CHURCH OF THE TRANSFIGURATION
1 E. 29th St.
Celebrate a baroque Christmas at the Church of the Transfiguration on Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m. With a selection of Christmas hymns and carols sung and performed by the Choir of Men and Boys, Girls, Camerata and Early Instrument Chamber Ensemble. Tickets are $25 for adults; $15 for students and seniors.

IMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH
122 E. 88th St.
Ever wonder what Christmas is like in different countries? Immanuel Lutheran Church will be hosting a concert Dec. 16 at 11 a.m., featuring the children’s choir performing Christmas songs from numerous countries. After the performance there will be an international buffet, and people are encouraged to bring their own cultural dishes.

CHURCH OF THE EPIPHANY
1393 York Ave.
Enjoy a morning of lessons and carols on Dec. 16 at 11 a.m., with the Church of the Epiphany. Throughout the morning, attendees will be doing readings, prayers and listening to seasonal music sung by the Cherub Choir and Epiphany Choir.

APPLE SEEDS HOLDS WINTER CONCERT
Apple Seeds, an indoor children’s playground and development center, is hosting a winter concert on Sunday, Dec. 16, at Stage 72. According to the company, the show—which it says will be “highly interactive” with dance- and sing-alongs—will feature original music by Mr. Ray, popular kids’ songs, top 40 hits and Christmas classics. The event promotes Apple Seeds’ “Songs for Seeds” program, a group music class for children up to 5 years old that introduces them to music basics by focusing on different international music cultures. The show begins at 11 a.m. at 158 West 72nd St., and tickets can be purchased online at www.stage72.com.

LAPPIN PROPOSES GRADES FOR CITY BUSES
City Council Member Jessica Lappin introduced a resolution to the Council on Monday that calls for a letter-grading system for buses. Like restaurant grading, Lappin’s measure would rate individual bus lines from A (excellent) to F (terrible) based on criteria like cleanliness, timeliness and seat availability. The idea for bus ratings was inspired by Susan Giles, an Upper East Side resident who suggested it to Lappin over the summer.

“Grading buses is an easy way to let commuters know what they’re getting, and let the MTA know where they need to improve,” Lappin said in a statement. “For the past two years, I’ve issued a report card on Select Bus Service, and it’s been a great transparency tool. Why not extend it to all bus lines?”

Earlier this year, Lappin issued a report card that gave Select Bus Service (SBS) a “B” for its quality of service. MTA itself conducts customer satisfaction surveys for its overall service on buses, but does not rate individual bus lines.

STRINGER SEEKS NEW BOARD MEMBERS
Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer is selecting next year’s class of Community Board members. Manhattan is divided geographically into 12 communities, each of which has its own board of up to 50 unpaid local members appointed by Stringer. The boards have no administrative rights, but present requests to the city’s administration that address neighborhood quality of life, business and residential issues. Stringer is holding information sessions about the application process on Thursday, Dec. 13, and Tuesday, Jan. 8, in the Municipal Building at 1 Centre St., and on the Upper West Side on Tuesday, Dec. 18, at 163 W. 125th St. All sessions are from 6:30 to 8 p.m. RSVP to cbinfo@manhattanbp.org.

“Yoselyn Ortega is charged with taking the lives of two innocent children who were incapable of defending themselves,” said Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance. “This crime shocked and horrified parents around the city, many of whom entrust their children to the care of others both by necessity and by choice. My heart goes out to the family of those beautiful young children, and I hope that, with time, this family will heal.”

Ortega pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder in the first degree and two counts of murder in the second degree. Her exact motive for the stabbing has yet to be determined. She is currently undergoing psychiatric examinations and will return to court on Jan. 16.

BRAZILIAN SCULPTURES ON BROADWAY
Sculptures by Brazilian artist Saint Clair Cemin are now on display on Broadway between West 57th and 157th Streets. The public art exhibit, organized by the Broadway Mall Association, features seven surreal pieces at various intersections along the avenue, such as “Portrait of the Word ‘Why’ ” on West 73rd Street and “Aphrodite” on West 117th Street. The exhibit continues through January and includes a dial-in audio tour in English (212.901.3310) and Spanish (212.901.3311).

FIRE DAMAGES APTS. IN MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS
An early-morning blaze in a Morningside Heights building displaced tenants of five apartments on Thursday, Nov. 29. The fire broke out around 5:30 a.m. on the fifth floor of 200 W. 109th St., a 40-unit apartment building, when a machine that pushes steam out windows ignited in a young tenant’s bathroom. The flames spread and severely damaged five apartments, as well as caused water damage to more apartments below. No tenants were injured.

CASTING CALL FOR BAKERS; SOUTINE BAKERY CLOSES
An upcoming competitive baking show on CBS is seeking skilled amateur bakers, and its casting producers are holding an “open call” audition on Saturday, Dec. 15, on the Upper West Side. All non-professional bakers are welcome, so aspiring television stars should bring their best baked good to Flatotel at 135 W. 52nd St. between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. “Whether you’re an athlete, teacher, truck driver or retiree,” the casting call’s promotional flyer says, “as long as you have a zest for baking, we want to hear from you!” More details can be found at cbsbakingshow.com.

In other UWS baking news, Soutine Bakery, the tiny shop at 104 W. 70th St., just closed on Friday after 30 years of business. The shop faced a rent increase, so it sold its lease to Muffins Cafe, according to the West Side Rag. Perhaps local amateur bakers can look here for work if they don’t make the cut for CBS?

SCHOOL HOLDS HOLIDAY FAIR
PS 199 is hosting a Holiday Boutique Fair on Saturday, Dec. 1. Over 30 vendors will sell clothing, toys, jewelry, crafts and other small gifts to benefit the school and victims of Hurricane Sandy. The fair will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the school’s cafeteria at 270 W. 70th St.

CITY ENDS GAS RATIONING
Mayor Michael Bloomberg lifted the city’s emergency regulation of gas purchases on Saturday, over three weeks after Hurricane Sandy crippled the city’s fuel supply.

The rationing, which went into effect on Nov. 10, restricted the sale of gasoline to cars with even-numbered license plates on even days of the month and odd-numbered plates on odd days (excluding taxis, buses and emergency vehicles).

Bloomberg and other elected officials initially thought that supplies would return to normal a few days after the storm, but damage to fuel refineries and shipping networks, in addition to the nor’easter that struck the city shortly after the hurricane, dramatically slowed repairs. At some stations, drivers had to wait for over six hours in police-monitored lines for fuel.

Critics of gas rationing were unsure it would make a difference, but according to Bloomberg, the plan was a success. “The odd-even license plate system not only significantly reduced extreme lines, but also eased anxiety and disruptions for drivers at gas stations across the five boroughs,” he said in a statement.

At the time of the announcement, about 85 percent of the city’s gas stations were operational, up from around 25 percent when the rationing was put into effect.

AUTHOR HOLDS BOOK DRIVE FOR SANDY VICTIMS
Combining her love for books and helping people, author and philanthropist Carol Hollenbeck organized Rebuilding Our Bookshelves, which aims to provide books to libraries, homes and schools damaged by Hurricane Sandy.

Blake Harvey, founder and president of Lawrence Blake Group Intl. and promoter of Rebuilding Our Bookshelves, explained that the book drive will continue through Dec. 16. People interested in donating books can drop them off at the Renaissance Diner, 776 Ninth Ave. at West 51st Street any time of the day. In addition, people can also make a donation to the American Red Cross.
“People can drop off any types of books, because they can be donated to day-care centers that suffered damage and senior citizen homes,” Harvey said. He noted that once all the books are collected, Hollenbeck will reach out to local organizations where the books will go to victims of Hurricane Sandy.

Hollenbeck actively donates her time to many causes on the West Side, and has also worked with victims of domestic violence. With her newly released book True Blondes, she has pledged to donate 25 percent of sales to advocacy groups that help these victims.

SENIOR CENTER REOPENS ON 42ND ST.
Project FIND, a nonprofit that provides housing and services to the city’s low-income seniors, held an open house last week at its new Coffeehouse Senior Center at the Holy Cross Church on West 42nd Street.

The center is a relocated version of the original Coffeehouse Senior Center, a project that began in 1971 for seniors congregating in the Port Authority Bus Terminal and grew into a full-time food program that provides seniors with breakfast, lunch and social activities. The $1.2 million relocation allowed Project FIND to create a space that is fully handicapped-accessible and includes a commercial-grade kitchen. According to the nonprofit, the additional room will allow them to serve 15 percent more elderly residents.

“While the community’s economic demographics are changing and upscale development is happening in areas once unthinkable, the needs of this community’s older adults remain the same,” said Project FIND Executive Director David Gilchrist. “This cohort will increase in lockstep with the aging of the Baby Boom generation.”

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn attended the open house and praised the center’s service to the community. “The Coffeehouse Senior Center is a valuable resource that serves thousands of seniors in my district,” she said. “The new facilities will bring together more people than ever.”

Combining art with history, students gain an understanding of history while improving their visual art skills. During the program, students have open discussions about how the artifacts reflect that time, and the techniques and elements of the art. In addition, they create projects in relation to what they have learned. For instance, they made three-dimensional sculptures after observing different art pieces that the Native Americans used.

St. Gregory the Great Elementary School on the Upper West Side is joining the program, said Principal Donna Gabella, who added that many students, teachers and parents involved at her school are very enthusiastic. “They loved learning about the Lenape Native Americans and have just finished creating their own village,” she said.

“I don’t think we had anything like this when I was in elementary school,” said Nathalie Casthely, parent of a fourth grader and member of the Parent Association. “I love that our kids are having this kind of experience. You can see in their eyes how engaged and interested they are. This is exactly the kind of enrichment program for which our Parent Association works so hard at fundraising.”
The New York Historical Society started the Art of History pilot program during the 2011-12 school year. Gabella announced that the school will offer it again next year and will expand to other grade levels.

“We live in NYC, which is such a vital, dynamic place, and we are fortunate to have so many diverse cultural and educational resources close by and we want to share these opportunities with our students,” she said.

TIBET HOUSE ART EXHIBIT
Tibet House U.S. is opening the free multimedia art exhibit Sacred Vision, Separate Views: Contemporary Perspectives in Buddhist Art on Dec. 6. Be sure to find your way to the Tibet House, located at 22 W. 15th St., to capture firsthand the “installations, live performance art, video, sculpture, paintings and drawings from six NYC-based contemporary emerging artists.”

The artists, James Walton Fox, Valley Burke Fox, Shigeru Oyatani, E. Elizabeth Peters, Wesley Simon and Jayoung Yoon, promise a spiritual journey through Buddhist tradition with modern interpretations. The opening ceremony, which will be held Dec. 6 from 6-8 p.m., features a special performance called “Clearing the Mind,” a Zen-like artistic meditation involving art and thought. On Dec. 7 from 4-9 p.m., Wesley Simon and Valley Burke Fox will present “A Line in Space,” which is billed as a contemporary interpretation of traditional Tibetan sand drawing aiming to demonstrate the fine “sand made” line between creation and destruction.

SYMPHONY SPACE CO-FOUNDER SHEFFER DIES AT 76
Symphony Space co-founder Isaiah Sheffer died Nov. 9 after a celebrated theatrical career. The 76-year-old Bronx native was best known for masterminding “Selected Shorts,” a nationally syndicated radio program in which actors read short stories at the Broadway and West 96th Street performance space, and “Bloomsday on Broadway,” an annual reading of Ulysses by James Joyce.

When Sheffer first booked Symphony Space in 1978 to stage a marathon Bach concert with conductor Allan Miller, it was a derelict movie theater. He and Miller spent the next decade raising money and fighting for ownership to transform it into a multi-theater performance venue.

“He took a crummy building in a crummy neighborhood and turned it into a vibrant center for the arts,” Symphony Space President and CEO Cynthia Elliott, whom Sheffer called “a partner in crime,” told West Side Spirit. “He welcomed not only the community, but audiences far and wide.”

Sheffer recruited a great variety of performers throughout his 32 years as artistic director, an eclecticism that Elliott said demonstrated his broad interests and passion for sharing them. “Isaiah was a huge intellectual without being stuffy or condescending or academic,” she explained. “Symphony Space reflects that real depth of intelligence, but also warmth and a welcoming atmosphere.”

Elliott noted that Sheffer also had a killer wit. In one bit, during a routine pitch for donations in the intermission between the theater’s selected shorts, he promised the audience, “For the right amount of money, we’d be happy to rename a staff member for you.”

“He was very funny, very mischievous,” Elliott said. “Symphony Space has always had a bit of an offbeat edge to it because of him.”

Sheffer died of complications of a stroke, his wife told the New York Times. A memorial service at Symphony Space will be held for him on Dec. 17 from 5-7 p.m., with tickets available to the public on Dec. 10.