News and events in Lower Manhattan
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Volume 6, No. 48, Oct. 24, 2021 |
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QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"The thing about Apollonia is that it's using the wind. Apollonia is not just a living history project. It's very much about the future and about the present."
— Brad Vogel, crew member of the cargo schooner Apollonia, which in an effort to reduce fossil fuel consumption and air pollution, is using wind power almost exclusively to transport products from upstate New York to downstate markets
Letter from the Editor: Early voting has begun
Schooner Apollonia plies the Hudson River with cargo from upstate New York
Hudson River fall foliage cruises are not to be missed
Bits & Bytes: A sculpture, 'Water's Soul,' dominates Jersey City's waterfront
Bulletin Board: Geranium giveaway; Release of the fishes
Calendar: Pumpkins and puppies
COVID-19 CASES IN NEW YORK CITY: As of Oct. 23, 2021 at 5:51 p.m.
1,091,474 confirmed cases * 34,472 deaths * 6,050,866 vaccinated in NYC
Go to www.DowntownPostNYC.com for breaking news and for updated information on facility closures related to COVID-19
MASTHEAD PHOTO: Fall foliage tours of the Hudson River offer views of the Palisades that were formed by volcanoes in the Jurassic era, 200 million years ago. (Photo: ©Terese Loeb Kreuzer 2007)
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: EARLY VOTING HAS BEGUN |
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If you're planning to vote in person on Election Day, then mark Tuesday, Nov. 2 on your calendar as the date to show up. However, you do have other options. Early voting began Oct. 23 and will continue through Oct. 31.
Your polling place for early voting is likely to be different than your polling place for the November 2 election. You can check on your early voting polling place and the hours it's open by clicking here.
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A woman waiting in line to vote last year, (Oct. 24, 2020) the first day of early voting in New York State. At her polling place — St. Anthony of Padua Church in SoHo — the line stretched around many blocks.
(Photo © Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
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Your third option is to vote by absentee ballot. It's already too late to apply for an absentee ballot online or by mail, but you can still apply for one in person if you go to your local county Board of Elections office. In Manhattan, that would be the office at 200 Varick St. on the 10th floor. (For contact information, click here.)
On this year's ballot, you will be able to vote for New York City mayor, comptroller, public advocate, borough president, city council and the New York District Attorney. For information about the candidates for these offices, click here.
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The names of Justices of the Supreme Court and Judges of the Civil Court are also on the ballot. They are running unopposed.
In addition to all of the above, you will be asked to vote on five amendments to the New York State Constitution. Four of them seem rather straightforward. One of them having to do with redistricting definitely is not although the repercussions for all five will be significant. For more information about these ballot proposals, click here.
If you have questions relating to voting or to the specific candidates and issues on this year's ballot, email editor@downtownpostnyc.com and I will try to get you an answer. This is also the address to which you can send letters to the editor.
Terese Loeb Kreuzer
Editor, Downtown Post NYC
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Last year, a sign at one of the Manhattan polls open for early voting stated that a drop box was available for filled-in absentee ballots so that it would not be necessary to wait in line. Oct. 24, 2020 (Photo: © Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
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Downtown Post NYC's website (www.DowntownPostNYC.com) is updated daily. That's the place to check for urgent messages, breaking news and reminders of interesting events in and around Lower Manhattan. So be sure to look at the website every day, especially if you want to know about breaking news.
HOW TO SUPPORT DOWNTOWN POST NYC: I made Downtown Post NYC free to subscribers so that no one who was interested in reading it would be excluded because of cost. Downtown Post NYC is largely supported by advertising revenue. In addition, some people have made contributions, which are much appreciated. For more information about how to contribute or advertise, email editor@downtownpostnyc.com.
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UNDER WIND POWER, SCHOONER APOLLONIA PLIES THE HUDSON, BRINGING UPSTATE PRODUCTS TO DOWNSTATE MARKETS |
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(Above) The schooner Apollonia on the Hudson River in New York harbor. (Below) Brad Vogel with some of the products that Apollonia brings from upstate New York to New York City. (Below) Nika Carlson of Greenpoint Cidery with some of her cider in the Fulton Stall Market (Photos: © Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
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The schooner Apollonia has come and gone for the season. Yesterday (Oct. 23) was her last scheduled visit of 2021 to the South Street Seaport and to stops in Brooklyn plus other stops along the Hudson River between Lower Manhattan and her home port in Hudson, New York. At each stop, she picked up and delivered cargo, demonstrating that no air-polluting fossil fuels need be expended to do her job.
The sight of the doughty 64-foot-long Apollonia on the Hudson River recalls the days before paved roads or railroads when the Hudson was the main route for transporting people and goods to and from New York City and upstate New York with its quarries, brick and cement factories and its farms and orchards. Even after steamboats became common, shortening the one-way trip between New York City and Albany from over a week to slightly more than a day, sailing vessels like the Apollonia were used for non-perishable cargo because that was cheaper than other means of transport.
But it wasn't concern about cost that primarily motivated Apollonia's captain, Sam Merrett, 38, to go into the cargo-transport business. It was climate change and the destructive impact of fossil fuels on the environment.
In 2015, Merrett and two business partners bought the 69-year-old Apollonia for $15,000 and then spent the next three years making the boat usable for what they had in mind. Her first trip down the river was in May 2020.
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In 2021, her first full season, Apollonia carried products such as honey from Hudson Valley Bee in Kingston, sheep's wool from Liberty Farms in Ghent, bourbon-aged maple syrup from Spirits Lab in Newburgh, two kinds of maple syrup from Viking Maple in Canaan, Ayurvedic jams and condiments from Atina foods in Catskill, soaps, and moisturizing products from Moisturize Me in Hudson. |
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In addition to goods of this kind that customers can pre-order and have delivered to their designated port, Apollonia carries bulk cargo such as malted barley that comes from Hudson Valley Malt in Germantown, New York. It's delivered to breweries in Poughkeepsie, Beacon, Ossining and Yonkers as Apollonia makes her way down the Hudson River. In New York City, the malt goes to breweries in Long Island City, Queens and in Brooklyn. Previously those breweries were receiving their malt shipments by truck, using fossil fuels.
On her final trip of the year, Apollonia took on 1,500 pounds of locally grown and milled flour from Wild Hive Farm in Clinton Corners, New York for delivery to Plant Baked, a new vegan bakery in Manhattan's East Village.
"The thing about Apollonia is that it's using the wind," said Brad Vogel, described on Apollonia's website as a "Gowanus guy with a penchant for promo, partnerships, logistics, and sunburns for the cause." Apollonia has an auxiliary engine for use in emergencies and for making final movements into a dock, Vogel explained, "but Apollonia uses only a few gallons of fuel a year. For the final part of the delivery, it uses an e-bike that is charged on board using the power of the sun."
Vogel emphasizes that Apollonia is "not just a living history project. It's very much about the future and about the present. The boat uses modern navigational charts. It uses solar panels on deck to charge all of its electrical needs, so yes, it's old school in some ways but in many ways it's very forward looking."
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After Apollonia makes her final delivery of each round-trip run and heads back up the river, some of the goods that she carried are for sale in the Saturday Fulton Stall Market on Fulton Street in the South Street Seaport and subsequently in the Fulton Stall Market store at 91 South St. |
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At the Saturday Fulton Stall Market, Nika Carlson, proprietor of Greenpoint Cidery near Hudson, New York talked about what she does for a living. She said that New York State is "a great apple state and has some of the best cider makers in the country." Carlson, 41, started her business six years ago with a leased one-acre orchard on a 60-acre property that's partially owned by Merrett. She also buys apples from other growers and forages for some of the other ingredients that go into her cider. She makes her cider through slow fermentation followed by allowing the cider to age. The whole process can take a year.
When Carlson started her business, she sold directly to consumers via her website and self-distributed her products to wine shops, bars and restaurants. Apollonia, she said, has helped her to expand her business by putting her "in front of new audiences" and has allowed her "to meet lots of interesting people."
Apollonia's website describes itself as a "mission-driven, for-profit business" with "a transparent and reproducible business model - to provide carbon-neutral transportation for shelf-stable local foods and products. Connecting the traditions of slow food, fair trade, and carbon neutrality," Apollonia hopes to "inspire and train a new generation of Hudson River stewards and create green living-wage jobs in the growing river-based economy."
— Terese Loeb Kreuzer
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Apollonia heading back up the Hudson River after making deliveries to the South Street Seaport. On this particular run, the ship's departure was delayed because of weather conditions, one of the realities of wind-powered shipping. (Photo: © Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
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Downtown Post NYC Travel
FALL CRUISES UP THE HUDSON RIVER ARE NOT TO BE MISSED
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Passengers on Classic Harbor Line's yacht, Manhattan I, contentedly watched the Hudson River scenery in between the courses of their ample brunch. (Photos: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
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On the morning of Oct. 16 around 8:45 a.m., a few dozen people gathered at Chelsea Piers next to the gangway for Classic Harbor Line's yacht Manhattan I. It wasn't exactly like getting ready to embark on a trans-Atlantic cruise but there was something of the same air of festivity, expectation and anxiety about not missing the boat. It was scheduled to depart at 9 a.m. for a two-and-a-half-hour fall foliage brunch cruise on the Hudson River and Classic Harbor Line had made it clear in confirmation emails that it was important to be on time because the boat wouldn't wait.
As it turned out anxiety about this and other matters such as whether or not it would rain and whether or not the fall foliage would be an explosion of color or just a tinge of red and yellow was misplaced. It didn't rain but if it had, it wouldn't have mattered. At the rear of Manhattan I is a spacious, many-windowed salon with tables and cushioned benches, well protected, if necessary, from the elements. It was there that brunch would be served. As for fall foliage, it can vary in timing and intensity from one year to another depending on weather conditions. This year has been particularly problematic because of climate change. Droughts, heat waves and hurricanes aren't good for trees.
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Each party was called to board the boat separately, each one assigned a table separated from the next one by a ceiling-high plastic barrier. Masks were required in the salon except when eating and drinking. All of the crew was masked and whereas formerly on Classic Harbor Line's brunch cruises, the food had been placed on a central table and people stood in line around it to help themselves, this time servers brought the food to each table. |
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At 9 a.m. sharp, the boat pulled away from the pier into the river and turned north. It was, as always, exhilarating to be on the magnificent Hudson River, embarking on an adventure. The familiar landmarks of Lower Manhattan began to recede and were replaced, if anyone was paying attention, by glimpses of Riverside Church, Grant's Tomb and the water towers of Manhattan's Upper West Side. However, it seemed that few people were actually taking note of the scenery. They were eating. |
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Classic Harbor Line puts on a fine spread, and this brunch was no exception. The food had begun to arrive. After filling drink orders, servers brought out baskets of pastries accompanied by two kinds of butter along with cream cheese for the bagels that were about to be served separately. Restraint was not an option. The pastries quickly disappeared. They were followed by smoked salmon with capers, pickled red onion, cucumbers, tomato and dill. |
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There were intervals between courses but not so long as to keep anyone starving. Since fall foliage was the draw for this cruise, the intervals (and the absence of rain) encouraged passengers to go out on the open front deck of the boat and look around. To the west were the Palisades. They were formed by volcanic action when molten basalt forced its way upward through softer sandstone and hardened into vertical cliffs. They are 200 million years old.
There was some fall foliage to be seen in the luxuriant vegetation cloaking the Palisades but the colors were muted. No matter. The Palisades, with or without fall exuberance are stunning. Dinosaurs were alive when they were formed during the Jurassic period. Most astonishingly, parts of the Palisades are just across the river from New York City.
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A milestone of any Hudson River cruise is the view of the George Washington Bridge which connects northern Manhattan with Fort Lee, New Jersey. On the Manhattan side of the river, the bridge passes over a small red lighthouse and a point of land known since the late 18th century as Jeffrey's Hook. Just beyond the bridge, the Hudson River begins to widen out into a dramatic expanse of cliffs. The bridge is a portal to the Hudson Valley that lies just beyond.
Around six miles north of the bridge, the Manhattan I turned around and headed downriver toward Manhattan.
In former years, the Classic Harbor Line frequently offered day-long fall foliage cruises to Bear Mountain, which is around 50 miles north of Manhattan. That didn't happen this year, but what was offered was splendid and not to be missed.
— Terese Loeb Kreuzer
Through Nov. 14 several of Classic Harbor Lines' yachts and schooners are heading up the Hudson River for fall foliage cruises. All the cruises start at Chelsea Piers on West 22nd Street. Most of the yacht cruises are 2.5 hours long and travel up the river to within sight of the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge. The schooners take 3.5 hours to make the trip. Here are some details:
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Fall Foliage Brunch Cruise aboard either the yacht Manhattan or Manhattan II: Both yachts are equipped with a heated and enclosed observatory in addition to outdoor viewing. The fare includes a three-course prix fixe brunch and a complimentary bloody mary, mimosa, beer, wine or champagne. Cost: $124 - $142 Adult; $72 Child. For more information and to book tickets, click here.
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Afternoon Fall Foliage Lunch aboard Manhattan II: The fare includes a fall-themed, prix-fixe menu served at your private table. Cost: $96 - $132 Adults; $72 Child. For more information and to book tickets, click here.
Grand Palisades Fall Foliage Cruise aboard one of the Manhattan yachts: Fare includes one complimentary beer, wine, Champagne or soft drink. Food is not included. Due to Covid-19, bring a simple, light snack. Cost: $88 - $106. For more information and to book tickets, click here.
Grand Palisades Fall Foliage Schooner Sail aboard the Adirondack or the America 2.0.: Food is not included. Bring a picnic and dress warmly. Cost: $88 - $106 Adults; $64 Child | 3.5 hrs! For more information and to book tickets, click here.
Fall Foliage Cruise aboard the yacht Kingston: Seating is available in a covered and heated salon with large windows. The fare includes a complimentary beer, wine, Champagne or soft drink. Additional beverages are available for purchase. Cost: $88 - $106 Adults; $64 child. For more information and to buy tickets, click here.
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ASSISTANCE WITH
Disaster Loans & Grants
Unemployment Assistance - available for W2 and Schedule C clients
Mandated additional sick pay and associated tax credit
Paycheck Protection Program; Extended tax loss carry-backs
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Bits & Bytes
'WATER'S SOUL' DOMINATES JERSEY CITY'S HUDSON RIVER WATERFRONT
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An 80-foot-tall waterfront sculpture by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa has just been erected on a pier in Newport, a mixed use development in Jersey City, New Jersey. Called "Water's Soul," it was dedicated on Oct. 21, 2021. It is connected to a landscaped walkway designed by Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects that is open for year-round public access. The walkway connects to Newport's existing mile-long Hudson River Waterfront Walkway. (Photo: © Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
"'Water's Soul': Massive white sculpture makes a statement in New York harbor," Reuters, 10/19/2021. "A towering statue of a woman's head with her index finger pressing on her lips now faces lower Manhattan along the Hudson River, inviting the chaotic metropolis to stop and listen," Reuters reports. "'The water, when it moves, makes a special sound, very special,' Barcelona-based artist Jaume Plensa said. The message of his 80-foot (24-meter) 'Water's Soul' - Plensa's biggest work to date - is 'to keep silent, ... to listen to the profound noise of the water talking to us,' he said in an interview. The snow-white head commands a sweeping view of the river in front of a forest of high-rise buildings in Jersey City's rapidly developing Newport waterfront. It stands directly across from Greenwich Village and about four miles (six km) upstream from the Statue of Liberty, a more familiar sentinel of the harbor." For the complete article, click here. |
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Té Company celebrates its 6th anniversary
The tea room is open Friday to Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.
163 West 10th St.
Té Company turned six years old on Oct. 23, 2021. To celebrate, Té Company has added two golden tickets to two different orders placed between Friday, Oct. 22 and Sunday, Oct. 24, selected at random. Anyone who ends up with one of the lucky tickets will receive six months of pineapple linzers or six months of tea.
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Bulletin Board
GERANIUM GIVEAWAY; GET VACCINATED; RELEASE OF THE FISHES
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In 2014, Ryan Calby of Phillips Florists in Hicksville, L.I., helped give away more than 4,000 geraniums at Bowling Green Park — an annual ritual at the end of the summer season, arranged by the Alliance for Downtown New York, which maintains the park. This year's "adopt-a-plant" event will take place on Oct. 27 from 10 a.m. to noon in Bowling Green park. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
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Get vaccinated: All New Yorkers 12+ are eligible to receive a Covid-19 vaccine. At the present time, only the Pfizer vaccine is authorized for 12-17-year-olds. All minors who are 12 to 15 years old must be accompanied to the vaccination site by a parent or guardian or another adult caregiver designated by the parent/guardian. Proof of age will be required. In-home vaccination is now available for all New Yorkers 12 and older. Go to nyc.gov/homevaccine or call 877-829-4692 to request an in-home appointment. Free transportation to and from a vaccination site is available to City residents who are 65 and older. To schedule free transportation by either ambulette or taxi (including wheelchair accessible vehicles) call 877-829-4692. Those younger than 18 must have their parent or guardian call to book the trip on their behalf. Immunocompromised New Yorkers who got the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine can now get a third dose as part of their initial vaccination series at most vaccine sites (City-run sites, doctor’s offices, community health centers, hospitals, pharmacies). Immunocompromised people vaccinated with Johnson & Johnson can’t yet get a second shot. People with disabilities can get help making a vaccination appointment at an accessible site, traveling to and from their appointment and getting their shot. To make these arrangements, call 855-491-2667 or do it through the City's online appointment scheduler. Recognized disabilities may include seeing or hearing; thinking or concentrating; speaking; use of arms; taking care of daily chores; coping with feelings of sadness or anxiety; getting around; and climbing stairs. Email hubaccess@health.nyc.gov for more information.
Release of the fishes: The River Project's flow-through aquarium on Pier 40 in Hudson River Park houses dozens of species of fish and invertebrates caught within the Park as part of an ongoing ecological survey. The Wetlab is a rotating live exhibit of animals that are released throughout the season to ensure that their behaviors are minimally impacted. On Oct. 26 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. celebrate the end of the Wetlab season online and in-person with the River Project team and say farewell to the wildlife that served as marine ambassadors all summer long.
During "Release of the Fishes" the public is invited to help the River Project staff return fish to the Hudson River as the Wetlab prepares to close for the season. For those who can't make it to the event, the River Project will be streaming special behind-the-scenes footage on Instagram Live and Facebook Live @hudsonriverpark.
To ensure the safety of all patrons of Hudson River Park during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hudson River Park Trust asks that anyone who is not vaccinated wear a mask or face covering at Hudson River Park events when not able to maintain a six-foot distance from others.
Governors Island ferry access: Access to Governors Island is by ferry, with timed ticket reservations required. Governors Island's Brooklyn ferries serve two locations on weekends: Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Atlantic Basin in Red Hook. (Enter near the corner of Pioneer and Conover Streets and enjoy PortSide NY's Pandemic Pop-Up Park near the landing.) Ferries run daily from Lower Manhattan. The ferries are always free for kids 12 and under, for seniors 65 and up, for residents of NYCHA housing, for military servicemembers, Governors Island members, and for everyone on weekends before noon. Learn more about Governors Island ferries and book tickets by clicking here.
Lower Manhattan Greenmarkets: There are Lower Manhattan Greenmarkets in Tribeca (at Chambers and Greenwich Streets) and at Bowling Green, City Hall, the Oculus and the Staten Island ferry. GrowNYC asks that shoppers wear a face covering inside the market space and maintain a six-foot distance between themselves, Greenmarket staff, farm stand employees and other customers. Dogs and bicycles should be left at home.
Click here for a list of the fruits and vegetables now in season.
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Many of the Downtown Post NYC bulletin board listings are now on the Downtown Post NYC website. To see the bulletin board listings, click here.
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To see the events and activities on the Battery Park City Authority's fall calendar, click here. Most events are free. For some, reservations are required. |
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CALENDAR
Spotlight: Pumpkins and puppies
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Pumpkins on Governors Island. (Photo: © Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
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Pumpkins on Governors Island: During the last two weekends of October there will be thousands of pumpkins in Nolan Park on Governors Island. Visitors can stroll through the pumpkin patch and pick out a pumpkin to take home in exchange for a small suggested donation. Programming will include free, Halloween and autumn-inspired arts and crafts, activities and more. A selection of Governors Island vendors — including Little Eva’s, Threes Brewing and Joe Coffee — will offer seasonally-inspired food and beverages on-site, including autumn brews. When: Oct. 24, 30 and 31. Time: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Click here to book ferry tickets.
In accordance with the Key to NYC Executive Order, indoor public programs and galleries on Governors Island require proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Proof of vaccination includes a photo or hard copy of a CDC vaccination card, the NYC COVID Safe app, the Excelsior Pass or another official vaccine record for approved vaccines. Children not currently eligible for vaccination must be accompanied by a vaccinated person. Face coverings continue to be required in all indoor spaces on Governors Island.
Pumpkins on Pier 16: The South Street Seaport Museum invites "kids of all ages" to drop by Pier 16 where they can paint a pumpkin brought to South Street by the schooner Apollonia, join a black cat scavenger hunt and more. When: Oct. 30 and 31. Time: Noon to 4 p.m. Free.
Puppies in Battery Park City: The 19th annual Battery Park City Puppy Parade will take place on Oct. 30 starting at noon on the BPC esplanade. All dog owners and their dogs (in costume) should meet promptly at 11:50 a.m. on the Esplanade at the South Cove Arbor. The parade will proceed north from there, ending at Esplanade Plaza next to North Cove Marina. Prizes will be awarded for Best Costume, Large Breed; Best Costume, Small Breed; Best Owner & Dog Combo; Best Dog Team Costume. A Tail-Wagging Contest for Small and Large Dogs will be held again this year. In addition, there will be a raffle. The rain date is Oct. 31. Check www.bpcdogs.org if the weather looks bad Saturday morning or call Le Pet Spa at 212-786-9070 for up-to-the-minute weather updates.
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During the 13th Battery Park City Puppy Parade in 2014, an English bulldog named Dilley and a 14-month-old baby named Maddy won a prize dressed up as Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion from "The Wizard of Oz." (Photo: © Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
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Downtown Post NYC is emailed to subscribers once a week.
Editor: Terese Loeb Kreuzer
All articles and photographs in Downtown Post NYC are copyrighted and
may not be reprinted or republished without written permission.
© 2021
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