Now open at 117 Beekman Street and running through Sept. 30, FIT will showcase the work of the Urban Studio, an artist collective of students and alumni of the Fine Arts Department. The exhibition title “#wip” is a popular Instagram hashtag used by artists meaning “work in progress.” As social media influences culture, sharing on these platforms becomes an integral part of the creative process. As artists invest time experimenting with materials and content, one idea leads to the next. The documentation of these various stages of work permits an intimate view of moments that were traditionally solitary. The artwork on display ranges from drawing, printmaking, sculpture and painting to video and fiber art. The Instagram account, @fineartsfit, will demonstrate that the show is indeed a work in-progress.
As redevelopment of the neighborhood progresses, The Howard Hughes Corporation will curate a number of installations and activations as a glimpse into the future transformation of the district. These include fashion pop-up Seaport Studios and the only Smorgasburg outpost in Lower Manhattan, open seven days a week. The reinvigorated Seaport will include the ultimate cinematic experience with iPic Theaters opening a movie and dinner theater in the Fulton Market Building, a new restaurant concept from the Momofuku Group at Pier 17, a 2,500-square-foot restaurant by fast-casual, vegan hotspot by CHLOE., and a partnership with acclaimed chef and restaurateur Jean-Georges Vongerichten in a 40,000 square foot food market in the restored Tin Building, and a seafood concept in Pier 17. Popular independent New York bookseller McNally Jackson Books and Amsterdam fashion retailer Scotch & Soda will also open on the cobblestoned streets of Schermerhorn Row.
The Design Market, an innovative retail installation occupying the ground level of the Seaport Studios at 19 Fulton Street, will also remain open through the end of the year. The market offers a carefully curated selection of design objects including furniture, lighting, accessories, artwork and other merchandise. The Market features a selection of original home accessories, decorative gifts, stationary and jewelry curated by WantedDesign.
For additional information and program updates on the Seaport Culture District, visit www.southstreetseaport.com.
A prolific writer and editor, the work of Helaina Hovitz has appeared within dozens of popular outlets. A New York native based in lower Manhattan, Helaina has contributed to the New York Times, Salon, Newsday, New York Observer, Forbes, Huffington Post and Recovery.org, to name a few key outlets; Downtown has proudly featured her work on more than a few occasions this year. She is also the co-founder of the very refreshing Headlines For The Hopeful.
Helaina’s latest project is her newly-released memoir, After 9/11: One Girl’s Journey Through Darkness To A New Beginning, through Carrel Books. After 9/11 covers Helaina’s life before, during and after September 11, 2001. However, it’s about a lot more than 9/11, discussing recovery and other themes that have made her the person that she is today.
Downtown had the pleasure of talking with Helaina about After 9/11 and plenty more. Helaina can be visited online at www.HelainaHovitz.com. She can also be followed on Twitter and Facebook.
How would you describe your book to someone who hasn’t read it?
Helaina Hovitz: After 9/11 is a coming of age story, not just my own, but that of several children growing up in the shadow of the World Trade Center. At ages 11, 12 and 13, our brains are trying to make sense of the world around us and how we relate to it, and trauma changes how we feel about and respond to nearly everything. That day was the catalyst for so much else that would take place after. The impact it had on people physically, emotionally and mentally was ongoing, even though we all very much wanted to just “move on.”
Outside of a direct correlation to September 11 or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, what else do you think might resonate?
HH: The entire book is not about 9/11, nor is everything that I describe or include the direct result of my experience with 9/11 and its aftermath. I felt it was important to write about the entire scope of my life from early childhood to present day to give a sense of how trauma manifests in the bigger picture of an otherwise “normal” life. For that reason, it is relatable in many ways: my first love, high school bullies, my special relationship with my grandma, my first drink, my first dog, my admiration for the “cool” professor in college…There is a lot more to this story than the title would suggest, and at the same time, it is incredibly-accurate: this is what my life looked like over the past 15 years. This book was actually a hard sell because so many industry folks just wrote it off as “9/11 literature.” I always wondered what the reaction would have been if my personal trauma didn’t happen to be one of the worst global acts of war in human history.
Is there something that you’re hoping for readers to come away with after finishing the book?
HH: The ability to identify and know they are not alone, in still struggling with what they saw and felt and lived through that day. We all have our traumas and those moments that change our lives forever, and, in both subtle and obvious ways, influence the way we think and the choices we make. Maybe they’ll consider therapy for something they thought they should be “over” already, or realize you can be an alcoholic at any age, and that no, it isn’t a badge of honor. I hope they also realize that no matter how bad things are, there is always hope if we keep searching for answers, for help, for support, and know where to look.
Was there a lot of pain in writing a book like this? Or did it turn out to be therapeutic process?
HH: Absolutely the latter, I had lived the most painful parts already and this was another way that I was able to heal them. Between when I first decided to write the book, the times I said, “Okay, now it’s finished,” and the final copy you’re holding, I was still growing, changing, and learning. With memoir, your story is never really over. You just have to decide where to stop the book.
A Young Helaina Hovitz
Were there parts within the book that you were hesitant to reveal?
HH: Please excuse the pun, but — as in real life — I’m literally an open book. In the interest of being relatable and honest, I included things that my mother was not happy about, and I don’t think any mother would be. But the point is, I wasn’t hesitant to reveal anything because that’s who I was, not who I am. Hopefully, people recognize that serious change is possible, and it will foster a sense of compassion rather than judgment; not just for the girl I was, but for the person the reader is now.
Do you have aspirations of writing another book?
HH: If this is the one book I ever write, that’s okay with me. Do I have another book in me? I may have a dozen.
When not busy with your writing career, how do you like to spend free time?
HH: What’s “free time?” Is that something new the kids are doing these days, like Snapchat? (laughs)
As a dog owner, what are some of your favorite spots downtown?
HH: It’s not up to me, it’s up to Wiley. He strongly prefers pooping on the cobblestones at the Seaport, but also enjoys the brisk walk to the Worth Street Vet….until he realize that once again, “Oh crap, he’s at the vet.” How did he not see this coming again?
As a food writer, do you have a restaurant that you count on for a perfect meal?
HH: I have the privilege of trying so many new places that questions like this one are always hard to answer. I love variety and trying new things, and I’ve gotten to experience certain places and foods that I may never have had the chance to otherwise. Locally, I’m more inclined to show love to restaurants on the east side than west, and I do have some regular favorites, but you’ll have to ask me personally about those so you can tell the owner that Helaina sent you!
Helaina Hovitz with Wiley / Photo: Justin McCallum
HH: I always knew I wanted to be a journalist. At the same time, the news was always horrifying and re-traumatizing: suicide bombers, Orange Alerts, nuclear war, anthrax scares, weapons of mass destruction, bomb scares. In high school, as editor of the school paper, I was drawn to stories that felt meaningful, important, positive…I had always felt older and more sensitive to a number of issues that other teenagers didn’t seem to care about.
Fast forward a few years, and none of the places I freelanced for would let me write stories about non-profits or charities, about people turning their lives around to do good with them, the hopeful stories of the world, so I got a day job and started giving it away for free to Forbes and Huffington Post. Fast forward another couple of years, and with no business experience whatsoever, I found a team of three people who believed in the need for this type of inspiring but meaningful content, reported well, produced well, focusing on real solutions to serious social issues, and here we are!
Finally, Helaina, any last words for the kids?
HH: Not all therapists are chronic head-nodders who ask questions, take notes and send you on your way. If you feel like something just isn’t right, or you could use some support, do your research online and find a therapist who you think you’ll gel with, and who does skills-based treatment. If at first you don’t succeed, keep trying. But never give up on yourself. Oh, and don’t scoff when they ask about your childhood!
Gogobot is an innovative planning tool that tailors recommendations for places to stay, eat and play to your specific tastes. It also allows you to share your great experiences with people who have the same interests as you; people in your “tribes.”
Gogobot’s GoGo This Week feature empowers you to discover and take advantage of great events, openings and exhibits throughout the city each week. Visit the website or download the app for more GoGo This Week upcoming events.
Here are some exciting events and sites to check out in downtown New York this week, courtesy of Gogobot:
To celebrate national sandwich month, Kossar’s Bagels & Bialys is partnering with local businesses to create elaborate and very tasty New York style sandwiches. This Sunday wraps up the collaboration with Ivan Ramen, but this week you can bite into a Fung Tu‘s Smoked Chicken Sandwich, a garlic-chive-sesame pretzel, smoked chicken with Szechuan spices, avocado, lettuce, tomato and matchstick potatoes. The following week check out Justin Warner‘s Foie Gras Sandwich. Through Aug. 31.
2. Weekends with Fellini IFC (West Village) Friday, Aug. 19 – Sunday, Aug. 21 at 11:00 AM
As film and lovers and italophiles, we would not miss the rare opportunity to spend the weekend with Italian film boss, Mr. Fellini. This weekend the IFC will screen Roma as part of an 11-film retrospective running through Sept. 25. Tickets: $8
3. Margarita March Parkside Lounge (Lower East Side) Saturday, Aug. 20 – Sunday, Aug. 21 from 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM
We doubt those taking part in the Margarita March will do any actual marching (the kind that would require coordination and regular measured steps) as a ticket to this downtown bar hop entitles participants to 8 tequila drinks at 8 different bars. Tickets: $65
4. Blues BBQ Hudson River Park, Pier 97 (Chelsea) Saturday, Aug. 20 at 2:00 PM
5. India Day Parade Madison Avenue East 38th-East 23rd Sunday, Aug. 21 from 12-6pm
The India Day Parade in New York is the largest parade formed by Indians abroad. A slew of cultural programs, performances and foods will represent the diversity of Indian cultures and language present in New York. FREE!
6. Battle Of The Burger South Street Seaport (Financial District) Thursday, Aug. 18 from 5- 7pm or 8- 10pm
7. New Shopping Center The Westfield World Trade Center (Financial District) Tuesday, Aug. 16 from 12-9pm (regular hours 10am-9pm)
If you’re looking to escape the heat but not the opportunity to do some shopping and eat awesome food, then swing for the grand opening of Westfield World Trade Center. So far the center will house Apple, Aesop, Kusmi Tea, Links, Eataly and a host of other trendy businesses. “Shop. Eat. Drink. Play. All under one magnificent roof.”
If you know of great events happening in your neck of the woods that might be a fit for a future GoGo This Week column, please send details about the event to events@gogobot.com
“If you see people doing Acro Yoga in the park literally anywhere in New York City, and you ask, ‘Where can I learn this?’ You’re going to hear ‘Warrior Bridge.’”
Sean Langhaus, 27, has done a lot more than creative a communal space for yoga, martial arts, and meditation in his studio down by the South Street Seaport. He’s sparked a local movement that has become so popular over the past two years that it requires a larger studio space—and additional basement studio space—to keep up with demand.
Meeting somewhere in the matrix of yoga, martial arts, acrobatics and Thai massage technique, Acro Yoga is exactly what it sounds like, and is just as fun and breathtaking as it looks.
“We’ve seen about 1,000 new people walk through our doors over the past six months just for our Acro Yoga classes,” he said. “If you see someone doing Acro Yoga in the park or anywhere else in New York City, and you ask them, ‘Where’d you learn to do that?’ There’s a 99% chance they’ll tell you ‘Warrior Bridge.’”
Langhaus, who has lived in the loft directly above the Water Street studio for the past five years, is actually lengthening his commute to work by opening an even bigger space on the Front Street side of the building. He can’t cross the roof to get there — his landlord already said no — but what he can tell you is everything you need to know about this incredibly movement that’s found it’s way into our backyard from small pockets of England, San Francisco, and Montreal.
Sean at the South Street Seaport
Tell me a bit about your own personal Acro Yoga journey.
Sean Langhaus: I started this “movement journey” with martial arts and fitness in college at the University of Delaware, and when I moved back to New York City to work a corporate sales job, I very quickly found that I was a lot more interested in what I was doing after work: yoga classes and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I enrolled in yoga teacher training with the intention of leaving my job to teach, and it was during that training that I was introduced to Acro Yoga. So I started teaching it to anyone who came into the studio, and when I met Gary Snyder, our martial arts director, and we opened Warrior Bridge, we knew we had to include it.
I remember how you introducing me to the concept, after one of your regular yoga classes…I barely knew you, but you caught me on my way out and said, “Hey, wanna fly?”
SL: Yeah, that’s literally how I ask people, especially the people who come up to us when we decide to just lay down a mat in Union Square, or Washington Square Park, or at Times Square. They’ll ask me, “How do you do that?” And I’ll say, “Here, I’ll show you.”
I freaked out a little at first, but in a good way, and I remember leaving and feeling like I had done something so amazing I’d never experience anything like it again. I was so glad I trusted you to just loop me in and out of some very tricky, elevated positions.
SL: People often think, “That must take so much coordination and so much balance” but honestly, almost anyone can do it. It takes a very minimal amount of body awareness to do the basics. If you can follow instructions and understand simple body queues, you can do it.
Emily Lesinski, Jeremy Martin & Laura Doyle at Warrior Bridge
Is it realistic to think anyone can walk in off the street and do Acro Yoga, even with no prior yoga practice whatsoever?
SL: If you can hold a plank pose or a headstand for 30 seconds, that would be helpful, but not necessary. Some flexibility is also useful. In short, it’s not required. There are ways to work around it, mainly as a “base.” Of course, if you have a recent injury, it’s good to tell the teacher you’re working with so you can be best supported.
What are the spiritual, physical, and mental benefits of doing Acro Yoga?
SL: Physically, you get stronger, you learn to balance, and you learn how to move with another person, which can be novel to a lot of people. Mentally, some of the biggest benefits are trust and communication, and teamwork. Spiritually, you learn to find balance between doing this high-energy acrobatic activity while cultivating the restorative, healing component of the practice.
Connie Ng & Sean Langhaus at Fulton Street Transit Center
Are people ever hesitant to literally take other people’s lives into their hands?
SL: It’s very empowering to the “base” to see someone trust you, and to realize you’re strong enough to be able to lift someone, even if you walked in there thinking there’s no way I can do this. To be able to hold someone up in the air and leave them there, that does a lot to you. As a “flyer,” that trust in another person is also very empowering.
Also, we always have someone working as a “spotter” on the team to help you feel safe and at ease. They can usually see when there might be some tipping or a fall before it happens, things you can’t see from within the pose itself. The spotter is a pretty integral role within the practice.
Is there a lot of tipping and falling during class?
SL: Oh yeah, definitely. Especially if it’s your first time. Since I’ve done it so much, I can foresee when the fall is going to happen, and I’ll just put my leg down. So I’ll “fly bird” on anyone. I’ll let someone put their legs in the air and jump right into a shoulder stand on their feet.
How would you describe the energy in the room?
SL: It’s definitely high-intensity, some people are eager, others are scared…There are a lot of different emotions.
Are there any reactions during or after class that have really surprised you?
SL: Multiple people over the past few months have told me that I’ve changed their lives, and it’s almost uncomfortable to hear. It’s a big deal! These aren’t even just young people, they’re people in their late 40’s. Everyone has different reasons as to why it’s changed their lives, but it has.
Sean and his Acro Partner in Times Square
When you practice in public, is it essentially like you’re creating your own tiny playground for adults?
SL: Definitely. Someone recently hashtagged a photo #AdultOnsetAcro. We don’t see super young people like teenagers, mostly people who have already graduated college.
You’ve really built a community-within-a-community down here.
SL: To be honest, I hang out with very few people I don’t know from our Acro classes or Acro Yoga Jams. Last night, people stuck around until 11:00 PM, when I had to kick them out. The citywide Acro community has really rallied around us.
Is there anything else people should know before they start to come back from their “summering” and repopulate your studio space?
SL: Just know that you don’t need to come with a partner. It’s not couple’s yoga. It’s a community practice.
Sophie Slotnick and I have both been on the lookout for candid street style and summer fashion trends exempt from any premeditation. So on behalf of Downtown, we took our skeptic eyes to the streets of Lower Manhattan to seek out our favorite fashionable strangers.
From Washington Square Park to Battery Park, from Union Square to SoHo, and from Flatiron to South Street Seaport, Sophie and I left no stone unturned. She did the talking, I did the photography, and together we’ve compiled the trendy, the daring and the elegant.
Gogobot is an innovative planning tool that tailors recommendations for places to stay, eat and play to your specific tastes. It also allows you to share your great experiences with people who have the same interests as you; people in your “tribes”. Gogobot’s ‘GoGo This Week’ feature empowers you to discover and take advantage of great events, openings and exhibits throughout the city each week. Here are some exciting events and sites to check out in downtown New York this week, courtesy of Gogobot. Visit the website or download the app for more GoGo This Week upcoming events.
1. Patriotic Burlesque City Winery (South Village) Monday, Jul. 4 from 7-9pm
For fire, sparks and glitter before the fireworks, check out Doc Wasabassco’s monthly Burlesque show at City Winery. The Pre-Fireworks 4th of July Celebration promises a patriotic “night of tease, spectacle, and couple-friendly risqué fun.” Tickets start at $22.
2. New French Bistro Mimi NYC (Greenwich Village) Monday-Saturday from 6pm-2am; Sunday 12-5pm
We are using French Restaurant Week as an excuse to check out Mimi NYC, a new French bistro in Greenwich Village. The mouthwatering menu includes innovative renditions of standards like Pâté en Croûte, Cured Sea Trout, and Veal Oscar.
3. 4Knots Music Festival South Street Seaport (South Street Seaport) Saturday, Jul. 11 from 1-10pm
4. Swim Sale 260 Sample (SoHo) Tuesday, Jul. 5 from 10am-8pm; Wednesday, Jul. 6-Saturday, Jul. 9 from 11am-7pm; Sunday, Jul. 10 from 11am-5pm
British swimwear Orlebar Brown’s sample sale couldn’t have come at a better time. Stock up on men’s and women’s beach essentials, bathing suits, cover-ups, pants and more, at bargain prices.
5. Rooftop Bar Hopping Check website for locations Thursday, Jul. 21-Saturday Jul. 23 from 6pm-12am (check website for times)
You’ll want to start preparing ahead of time for this sky-high bar crawl. The Rooftop Crawl will hit up all the best rooftop bars with killer views and drink menus. Choose from Happy Hour Thursday, Weekend Starter or Sunset Saturday. $45
For those of you who don’t want to spend 4th of July weekend grilling dogs and corn in the backyard, tag along on this patriotic East Village pub crawl. Drop in on local East Village bars, meet new people, drink cheap booze and, who knows, you might even set off some fireworks yourself… $3
If you know of great events happening in your neck of the woods that might be a fit for a future GoGo This Week column, please feel free to email details about the event to events@gogobot.com
