Author: Marley Gifford

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Culture Entertainment Featured NYC

“The Great Love Debate”: Downtown Q&A with Host Brian Howie

Historically, dating has never really been easy.

Back in the day, it was “When do I call them back?” “What kind of flowers should I bring?”. Those questions have turned into “Which emoji do I send back?” “Should I swipe left or right?”, and so layers become added onto the already-complicated of being single in today’s world. “The Great Love Debate” explores the trials tribulations and triumphs of the dating scene nowadays, and dissects the “dating disconnect” that plagues each major U.S. city, one show at a time. We chatted with the show’s host and NYC native, Brian Howie, to put our finger on the pulse of today’s dating scene. He tells us that your love life might not be as tricky as you may think, all with the help of the show.

The show will return to New York City for the final time tonight at City Winery NYC. Special guests will include Erin Davis from Bravo’s Camp Getaway, Christina Weber from the new Andy Cohen Peacock show Ex-Rated, Anna Morgenstern from Summer House, and a few more surprises!

Brian Howie at The Great Love Debate show

 

DTM: Can you tell us a little about the history of “The Great Love Debate“, and how it came to fruition?

Brian Howie: In late 2013, I wrote a book called “How To Find Love in 60 Seconds”, which was a semi-satirical look at Hollywood dating, and what I thought the issues were.  My manager suggested that rather than do a traditional bookstore promotional appearance, why not raise some of the questions that the book raised in a Town Hall-style, theater setting, and we decided to do a one-off in Santa Barbara, CA in Jan 2014, and that one-off has turned into more than 400 shows in over 120 cities and 11 countries.

 

DTM: How does the show work? What does it entail?

BH: Every show is different, but the common thread is that we are trying to get to the root of the dating disconnect in that particular city.  So I am out in the crowd, trying to pull complaints, hopes, problems, pressures, anecdotes, dating disasters, etc, and by the end of the night hundreds of people have been heard from…and they discover that their love lives really aren’t that far away from being absolutely fine!  We have an on-stage lineup of celebrities and local personalities who react to and comment on, the proceedings.

It is wild, it is feisty, it is hilarious, and most of all, it is honest.

 

DT: What makes “The Great Love Debate” different from other shows like it?

BH: Most “live dating shows” are fairly scripted, we totally wing it every night, which adds to the excitement, and makes every show a unique experience. Many people come over and over, they always learn something new, and always meet someone interesting!

 

DTM: One of the show’s taglines is “Get your head out of your apps.” We think that’s great. Does the show’s motive draw audiences away from dating apps? What is your personal stance on those apps?

BH: We can’t pretend apps don’t exist, or won’t exist, people just need to know how to use them, and why, and understand that they are a means to an end.  I always get asked, “what’s the best dating site?” And my answer is simple. EARTH. This means there are opportunities and possibilities all around us every single day to find love, you just know how to recognize those opportunities, act on them, and most importantly, don’t reject them. The apps, when used correctly, can increase the opportunities to connect, what you do to build upon those opportunities is the key to using the apps.

 

DTM: Do you think dating will ever revert back to what it used to be before dating apps?

BH: The upside of the lockdowns was that people realized that technology isn’t a satisfying substitute, that people really want and need to connect in person.  So apps will always be around, but people will use them more to get to the actual date. People probably complained that the telephone was ruining dating back, in the 1930s. They got used to it. 🙂

 

DTM: Have you seen or heard of any success stories that have come from “The Great Love Debate”?

BH: 48 couples (that we know of!) are now engaged or married after first meeting at one of our shows. The effect of getting a couple of hundred people in a room, making them think, hearing them laugh, adding a few drinks, brings down so many walls that literally hundreds of dates have come out of the experience, not to mention the positive changes in dating, habits.

 

DTM: You’ve had some pretty great special guests on the show before, like former Bachelorette contestant and former Bachelor, Nick Viall. What’s it like having those great special guests on the show?

BH: We have had dozens of reality stars, award-winning actors, top comedians, best-selling authors, and just about every Bachelor and Bachelorette winner on our stage at least once, and the thing about love is that it’s the one thing that everyone – regardless of fame or background – has experience with, heartbreak to share, hope to build on, and opinions worth listening to.

Special guests of The Great Love Debate include Nick Viall and other greats

 

DTM: What is unique about singles and show contestants in New York City? 

BH: They aren’t afraid to speak their minds – especially the men. We do shows in Seattle or San Jose, and some of the men think, “If I have to speak, I am going to get laughed at tonight.” In NYC, the men think, “If I get to speak I’m going to get laid tonight.” Different energy!

 

DTM: What do you enjoy most about doing the show in NYC?

BH: The energy, the frustration, the stories, and the possibilities. The dating culture is really a microcosm of the city itself – sure it’s hard here sometimes…but it’s worth it!

 

DTM: Where is your favorite spot in NYC to perform or simply visit, particularly in the Downtown area?

BH: We have done shows here more than anywhere else, I am an NYC native and love to come back to the city. We have done theaters, comedy clubs, live music venues, but our experiences at City Winery have always been fantastic – spectacular venue, great crowds…and plenty of wine!

For more on entertainment from Downtown, click here.

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Entertainment Featured Movies Uncategorized

Tango Shalom Wins Best Film for Peace and Tolerance at Cannes – Downtown Q&A: Judi Beecher

Judi on the set of Tango Shalom. Photo by X

Tango Shalom has just won Best Film for Peace and Tolerance at the AFI awards for peace and tolerance at the Cannes Film Festival. Earlier in July, we sat down with a star of a film, Judi Beecher. Here’s what we learned.

We met Judi Beecher at the rally for the Battery Park City Community which won the fight to prevent Governor Cuomo from building a large monument for essential workers on their beloved land. While standing on a common ground for the love of grass and trees, we discovered another common ground. Beecher is not only a lover of Downtown but a lover of the arts. She is a multi-award-winning international actress, singer-songwriter, and filmmaker. Talk about a triple threat.

Her most recent project is with the NYC-based-in “Tango Shalom”, a film about a Rabbi who gets a calling from God to become a tango dancer, but his religion prevents him from touching women he is not married to. To get some sage advice, he confides in several other religions. Beecher plays the role of the Rabbi’s wife and tells us all about it – all the way from Cannes Film Festival.

 

Downtown Q&A: Judi Beecher
Judi Beecher

 

Downtown: How did you get into acting?
Judi Beecher: I studied business and international relations at Cornell University then interned for six months in a French Bank in Paris while modeling on my lunch breaks. I then briefly had a very successful import-export company at 512 7th Avenue in NY, repping upscale French and Italian clothing lines. When my best friend from college asked me where I saw myself in 5 years, I realized I wasn’t completely happy doing what I was doing. So I read the book “What Color is Your Parachute”. I realized that since I was a child I was always performing, everything pointed to acting, singing, and directing, so I closed my business and enrolled in Acting School.

DT: Who did you study under?
JB: I studied with acting masters and founders of the Actors Studio; Uta Hagen, Billy Hickey, Bobby Lewis, and Elaine Stritch at the Stella Adler Conservatory. I also did a two-year Meisner program at Gately Poole and Actors Movement Studio and Playwrights Horizons in NYC. In Los Angeles, I studied with Larry Moss and Gordon Hunt.

DT: Can you name some of your previous works?
JB: I was just on the French TV series, “La Garçonne” the same producers as “Call My Agent”.  I was in “Taken 3” with Liam Neeson, Dany Boon’s, “Family is Family”, “Law and Order,” “The Shield”, “Jag” and much more. 😉 I won Best Actress for the Romantic Comedy, “Only in Paris” which I also produced, and I was the voice and motion capture of the lead character Madison Paige in the acclaimed video game “Heavy Rain” where I was voted 25 best VO performances of all time by the “Complex” magazine.

DT: What roles did you have in the making of Tango Shalom?
JB: I played the role of Raquel Yehuda, the Chassidic Jewish Mother of five and the wife of Rabbi Moishe Yehuda who is told by God that he must enter a televised dance competition to resolve his financial problems. I was also an executive producer on the film.

DT: Where did the inspiration for the film come from?
JB: The inspiration came from Jos Laniado who plays Moishe Yehuda and who also co-wrote the film with his brother Claudio Laniado and Joseph Bologna. Jos is an actor, teacher, and also a Tango Dancer, who went regularly to Chabad where he imagined what would happen if a Rabbi got a calling to dance the Tango, and Tango Shalom was born!

DT: What motivated you about this particular film?
JB: Tango Shalom is about bringing cultures and religions together in a sweet, loving, fun way. It exemplifies the power of family, love, support, and being open to others’ faiths.  In the film, Moishe is forced to ask a Catholic priest, a Muslim imam, and a Sikh holy man for advice. Together, they hash out a plan to help Moshe dance in the Tango contest without sacrificing his sacred beliefs.

The film industry is a powerful medium, just before meeting Claudio Laniado at the Cannes Film Festival. I had recently had an epiphany that I needed to work on projects that would do something to change the consciousness of the planet, a few years later I auditioned for the lead role! The film is a feel-good film, with a message, fabulous music and dance! I can watch the film over and over again and never tire of it.

DT: Tango Shalom has garnered an 80% rotten tomatoes rating already. That’s quite the high score for rotten tomatoes! How does that make you feel?  
JB: It makes me feel fantastic. The film isn’t out yet and already we have won 7 awards.  I can’t wait for it to open in theatres worldwide so everyone can see it!

DT: For how long have you lived in downtown NYC?
JB: I’ve lived in Battery Park City/Tribeca for 11 years, it is the longest I’ve lived anywhere!

DT: What is your favorite spot in Downtown NYC?
JB: I love Rockefeller Park and Grand Banks when the weather is nice. I love to sit on the sailboat, have dinner and feel like I’m traveling in the Caribbean, in my own backyard.

For more Downtown Q&A, click here.

Categories
Fashion Featured

Susan Alexandra Puts the Fun Back Into Jewelry

Photo courtesy of Susan Alexandra

Meet Your Neighborhood Jewelry Co. That’s Putting the Whimsy Back Into Accessorizing

Gen Z-ers and millennials know the grip that colorful beaded jewelry had on us in our adolescence. Our fashion identities were measured by how many charm bracelets, necklaces, and rings we could stack on.

Furthermore, the more varying colors you had on your plasticky-crystal adornments, the better. Think highlighter oranges, lime greens, bubblegum pinks, and so on. Meet Susan Alexandra: the jewelry and accessory company that is right under your feet here in NYC. It is time we bring this gem out from underground.

The Susan Alexandra success story had humble beginnings, starting out of Susan Korn’s Chinatown Apartment.

It all started with Susan Korn’s Merry bag, named after her mother. It is boxy, crystalline, and evokes a true sense of nostalgia. It was when Gigi Hadid posted a photo with the adorable accessory in the foreground to her X-follower Instagram page that the brand took off.

“I’ll be sitting on the subway and just look down at my purse and I just feel sort of a sense of delight and calm. It’s my personal antidote to such a strange time that we’re living in,” Korn told Glamour in an interview.

Susan Alexandra is bringing that childhood joy back – and taking over the jewelry industry one sparkly bead at a time. High fashion and nostalgia meet at a crossroads in the creator’s studio; a “warm, welcoming and inclusive home for creativity and design”.

 

Customizable Jewelry

Alexandra’s products range from jewelry to bags to accessories to home, and more. More, includes, of course, a Bead Box, which allows SA lovers to curate their own personalized pieces from the assortment of signature beads. The thing is on a page ripped out of the late nineties and early 2000s. Seriously.

You can get as playful as you want with Susan Alexandra’s pieces. Try a lovely beaded bag or a pair of statement earrings that resemble a shrimp cocktail. Customize your own piece on the more sophisticated side with the “*Make Your Own*” “Spells” pieces. Or try the “*Make Your Own*” “Tiny Joys” collection, where you can choose from charms that represent you, like shrimp, dollars, boobs, smileys, fries, rainbows, eyes, watermelons, moons, and more!

 

Ethical Accessorizing

The best part about SA is the message behind the company. Every piece is handmade right here in NYC, offering a plethora of job opportunities to the market. “We believe that pieces made with intention and heart feel better, look better and create a better world,” per their company’s website.

They also make a significant effort to give back. SA uses their platform to promote charities such as ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union), G.L.I.T.S. (Gays and Lesbians Living in a Transgender Society), No Kid Hungry, and Black Girl Smile. “Our community has given us so much and in turn, we want to do the same by giving back to communities that inspire us.” Talk about ethical fashion.

Whimsy and Delicious Nostalgia

Take a gander at some of Susan Alexandra’s signature pieces and let them tickle your fancy!

The Divine Flower Anklet

$108

 

The Bouquet Earring and Divine Flower Necklace

$128

$128

 

The Galaxy Earring and Galaxy Lariat

$118

$130

 

Meow Earrings

$118

Head to susanalexandra.com to snag your very own piece of trendy nostalgia.

For more style from Downtown Magazine, click here.

Categories
Dining Featured NYC Restaurants

Downtown Highlights: Venchi – A Taste of Italian Authenticity

Photo by Samantha Doria

Downtown Highlights

Welcome to Downtown Highlights, the series in which we take the opportunity to “highlight” businesses in NYC, like delicious chocolate and or gelato from Venchi. After the tumultuous and crazy year we’ve had, brick and mortar locations have taken a hit, and so it is important for us at Downtown to make sure that we’re serving the places that are serving us.

Venchi

This week, we have been transported to Italy via our New York, Venchi, an Italian gourmet chocolate shop. This place evokes a sensory experience, from homemade chocolate to refreshing authentic gelato. The sights, smells, tastes, sounds, and feel of their shop are unlike any other. The best part? You don’t need a passport to enter this little slice of Italy.

We sat down with store manager Michele Sbarigia to get the scoop on Venchi’s story.

Venchi started in 1878 in Torrine, Italy. Their claim to fame is their nougatine, a decadent treat of caramelized hazelnut coated in 56% dark chocolate. Twenty years ago, Venchi incorporated gelato into their decadent repertoire.

One of the most stunning features at Venchi is that its ingredients are as authentic as it gets. They use all-natural ingredients, importing their specialized ingredients directly and exclusively from Italy. Hazelnuts come from Piedmont Italy. Pistachios come from Bronte, a small village in Sicily. Lemons come from Sorrento, a small village under Naples, and so on.

By staying true to the pillars of rich tradition and quality ingredients, Venchi remains as authentic as it gets in NYC.

For more Downtown Highlights, click here.

Categories
Culture Entertainment Featured Music NYC Theater

Jenna Chrisphonte Joins The Ronald O. Perelman Performing Arts Center

Jenna Chrisphonte Joins The Ronald O. Perelman Performing Arts Center
PAC

Welcoming Jenna Chrisphonte as Director of Civic Alliances

As of July 6, The Ronald O. Perelman Performing Arts Center welcomed its new Director of Civic Alliances, Jenna Chrisphonte. She will work under the leadership of the theater’s Artistic Director Bill Rauch and President Leslie Koch. Chrisphonte will serve as the liaison between the PAC and “community-based organizations, NYCHA residents, community boards, immigrant groups, marginalized populations, cultural institutions, and elected officials”, according to a press release.

Support from Artistic Director Bill Rauch

“I am so thrilled to welcome Jenna to our team, given the vast experience, passion, and energy that she brings to this new role,” said Rauch. “The work of the Director of Civic Alliances is core to our mission of making connections between artists and communities from across all five boroughs of New York City.”

Chrisphonte’s new leadership is not the only change being made at the PAC. The theater, located at the World Trade Center, is under renovation. The improved establishment “will celebrate life and humanity, redefining Lower Manhattan as a cultural destination and serving as a living testament to the power of the arts to inspire and unite,” according to the statement.

President Leslie Koch Cheers Her On

“The PAC aspires to be a shared space for neighborhood residents and workers in Lower Manhattan, New Yorkers from throughout the city, and visitors from around the world,” said President Leslie Koch. “Jenna will be building relationships well before we open, introducing our new center to the city and world.”

Much like Chrisphonte, the PAC will match the energy in versatility and will create and present performance in many forms. It will be a sanctuary for dance, music, and chamber opera.

Chrisphonte was born in Haiti and got her education in New York City’s public schools. Her impressive background is multifaceted. It begins with her B.A. and J.D from the University at Buffalo, and branches into her experience as director of community engagement at the Dramatists Guild of America. She also served as the Assistant District Manager at Manhattan Community Board 4 and worked at the Consulate General of Canada in New York City. She now resides in Douglaston, Queens.

 

Jenna Chrisphonte Joins The Ronald O. Perelman Performing Arts Center
Jenna Chrisphonte Director of Civic Alliances

 

“It is an honor to join the PAC, said Jenna Chrisphonte. “Helping New York foster new relationships and opportunities to come together in peace and art is a privilege that I am excited to share with everyone.”

For additional information, visit theperelman.org.

For more from Downtown on happenings about town, click here.

Categories
Dining Featured Nutrition Uncategorized

French Onion Soup, Downtown Style – and Gluten Free

Photo by sheri silver on Unsplash

French Onion Soup, Gluten-Free and Downtown Style

Fall is right around the corner, I say reluctantly, with marginally less of a tan than I had at this time last year. As much as I wish not to wish summer away, I am a sucker for fall. I am a cozy sweater fiend, a pumpkin patch regular, and a lover of fall comfort food. That’s why I took it upon myself to prepare the masses for the fall season with French onion soup – Downtown style.

This was my first time attempting this dish that I had only seen in ominous pubs and restaurants, but just never thought to try it. It didn’t help of course, that I have Celiac Disease which prevents me from having gluten and therefore the bready, hearty, decadent soup such as this one.

It wasn’t until I saw a TikTok of the dish being made that I decided I had to have it – and modify it to be gluten-free – regardless of the fact that it is July.

I gathered my nearest family members and got to work. My family is full of restaurant industry veterans, two of which helped me achieve such a task. We didn’t follow a recipe and just went with our gut!

Recipe

Here are the ingredients you will want to add to your grocery list:

  • 3 onions; one white, one yellow, and one sweet.
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • Beef broth (or bouillon)
  • 1 cup of Swiss
  • 1 cup of gruyere
  • Fresh thyme
  • 1 gluten-free baguette
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Butter
  • White wine (we used Riesling)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

 

The first task was to cut the onions. We used three variations; one white, one yellow, and one sweet. Slice them into slivers and toss them into a large pan on low heat. You’ll want this to be ideally large enough to house your whole soup. Prime your pan with a douse of EVOO and two pats of butter. Sweat and sauté the onions until they turn golden and completely caramelized.

Before

After

In a pot on the side, prepare your broth. You can use beef broth for this, but instead, we boiled water and added beef bouillon. Add more or less to taste. Throw in some fresh thyme.

Once your onions are decadently caramelized, add in 3 cloves of minced garlic, a pinch of salt, pepper, and sugar. Let this flavorful mixture combine before de-glazing the pan with a splash of white wine. We used Riesling.

Thyme for the broth, garlic for the onions.

Mince garlic

De-glaze with white wine.

Next, you’ll want to ladle your broth into the onion pan. This will help to gradually introduce flavors before you pour the rest in. Go ahead and do that now. Let your soup simmer while you prepare your other ingredients.

Ladle…

… and pour.

Slice your baguette on the bias at about one inch. We used one from Against The Grain, the brand I go-to for all of my gluten-free recipes that involve bread. The bread is made from tapioca starch and mozzarella cheese, so it mimics that glutinous stretchy texture. It’s delicious. Pop the pieces on a baking sheet and drizzle your olive oil over them. Bake until lightly golden and crispy.

Deceptively gluten-free.

Drizzle with oil

While you wait for your bread to toast, grate your Swiss and gruyere. Combine them in a separate bowl and set them aside.

Swiss and gruyere

Once the bread is out of the oven, rub a fresh-sliced clove of garlic to each face of every slice. This step is crucial and adds so much necessary flavor that really comes through in the end.

Rub toast with garlic

Ladle your soup into oven-safe bowls or ramekins, and top each with a few slices of bread. Work quickly as you can to avoid letting the bread sink into the soup. Top the ramekins with a generous helping of cheese. In hindsight, we could’ve topped ours with even more. Don’t be afraid to be generous.

Ladle in soup

Add bread

Top with cheese

Top each with more fresh thyme, and throw them back into the oven to broil for roughly five minutes.

Finish just in thyme – with thyme. 🙂

Take the bubbly bowls of love out of the oven and dig in. Find that the bread soaks up the rich broth and that the umami flavor of the cheese pairs wonderfully with the sweet onions. I hope you love this dish a much as I do, having had it for the very first time. I certainly don’t think it will be my last. Bon appetit, Downtowners!

Enjoy!

For more Downtown recipes, click here.