NYC GOV

High Bridge, ca. 1880.

Venus Sutton is a Brooklyn-based entrepreneur and owner of the business Everything Sticks. 

We are excited to have her as a vendor at the reNew Lots Marketplace and Artist Incubator located at 175 New Lots Avenue in East NY, Brooklyn.

[re]New lots in East New York provided Sutton affordable space to sell her signature dishes – like red velvet chicken and waffles on a stick and cake pops – at a physical location. Venus’ daughter recently graduated culinary school, and will also be selling her baked goods at the shop. Sutton now plans to open a storefront in the future.

Try some of Venus’ and other [re]New businesses’ delicious goods! The [re]New market is open 7 days a week, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m on Mondays to Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays.

April is STD Awareness Month

STD/STIs in NYC may be more common than you think. Get the facts so you can protect yourself, get tested, or get treated. NYC also provides free or low-cost services to help you stay healthy:

Download the NYC Condom Finder app or visit findnyccondoms.com to search for free male and female condoms near you.

Visit a NYC Health clinic for services that include testing for those with symptoms or at risk of exposure, as well as emergency contraception.

Download the Teens in NYC mobile app to find free or low-cost, teen-friendly services.

Call 311 or text TESTNYC to 877877 for locations of free HIV testing in NYC.

Learn more about HIV prevention medications PrEP and PEP.

If you’re HIV-positive, text CARE to 877877 to find HIV care and services in NYC.

Stylin’ Seniors - Eduardo Roldos

The following story comes from Eduardo Roldos, a member of the Moriah Senior Center, at 90 Bennett Avenue in Manhattan:

My name is Eduardo Roldos.  I am 76 years old from Cuba, but most of my relatives from both sides are from Barcelona, Spain.  I have a Ph.D. in Philosophy.  

I decided to take Philosophy as my degree and I finished that in Cuba before I came to this country.  I always, since I was in Cuba, liked fashion and nice outfits.  And when I came to this country, after a while I learned very good English I was lucky that I worked for Anne Klein and Perry Ellis.   And then I developed, I don’t want to use the word obsession, with clothes, but I started spending most of my money in clothes and traveling. About traveling I have been all over Europe seven or eight times in my 76 years, plus Russia, Hong Kong, South America, etc.  But I never thought about the future and to save money, and even I was married a couple of times, my tendency to buy clothes increased, and when I moved to my last job that I was Office Services Manager, every day I wore a different outfit to go to work.  I have in my closed around 125 suspenders, matching with ties.  And I have three closets full of clothes, especially for the summertime.  

But most of the time the suspenders and ties are in my closet and I don’t have the opportunity to use all of them, it will be impossible, but always when I go to the center I try to have a different outfit.  

I enjoy coming to the Moriah Center, because most of the people that come to Moriah are from Europe and they know about the Second World War, and they are from Russia, Germany, Vienna, France, Poland, etc.  And these are places I have been to a couple of times.  And I feel very related to them because I have nice conversations about those countries that I have visited.  And besides that, we have a lot in common; they like opera and classical music, we exchange tapes, DVDs, books, etc.  

Early in the morning there is a small group that we enjoy doing a different puzzle.  And the food is fantastic.  It is very well prepared and we always have tea, soup, the main course and dessert.  And most of the time for $2 I am able to take a meal home and I always bring that to my son who is diabetic.  And he enjoys that food also.  

I feel wonderful when I go to Moriah because I am a widower and at least, especially in the winter time, I don’t feel so depressed or down by myself in the apartment because my son is working the whole day and he gets home by seven o’clock.

I love Moriah and at the same time I noticed that they like me very much also.  I don’t want to say that I am their favorite member, but they always have a nice conversation with me, and I was very happy to participate in the Stylin’ Seniors Project, because I guess I will help other people that when they read this they can become aware of these places, and they can go to a center and not feel depressed, and with the multiple activities at the centers hopefully they will have inspiration to join centers like Moriah and others in New York City.

I have a few illnesses that I don’t want to detail, because it would be too long a statement.  But when I go to Moriah I forget completely about my health problems, and I feel on top of the world.

Last week, Mayor Bill de Blasio kicked off New York Fashion Week at Milk Studios with the announcement of a $15 million initiative to support Made in NY manufacturers, students, emerging talent, and growing companies within NYC’s fashion industry.

If you’re a NYC-based fashion designer and or manufacturer, sign up to stay tuned about upcoming Made in NY fashion opportunities and help NYC continue to grow as the fashion capital of the world.

You can learn more at http://MadeinNYFashion.nyc

Art Expo - Recently, the Council Center for Senior Citizens, at 1001 Quentin Road in Brooklyn, New York, held an art expo with pieces created by seniors at the center.

The instructor, Pamela Allen, was originally a resident artist the center had been assigned as part of the SPARC program co-sponsored by DFTA, the Department of Cultural Affairs and the five art councils throughout NYC. 

"We then hired her as a consultant to continue lighting the spark of creativity within our seniors," said Rosemarie Riola, executive director of the center. "The result has been nothing less than amazing."

Rosemarie is amazed by the work she has seen come from her seniors. “Most of our budding artists never held a paint brush in their hands and had no previous interest in painting,” she said. “Now, their creative juices are flowing and they have a new sense of pride and accomplishment.”

Painters included: Sergio Tebesceff, Carl Davis, Phyllis Gaughran, Rachel Smolowitz, Florence Neel, Micki Gershowitz, Sylvia Olster, Sylvia Erani, Shirley Amrani, Howie Zwerman, Celeste Wiseblood, Jean Gerena, Angel Mottola, Ida Marshel, and Philip Polin. 

The Sunnyside Shines BID is requesting qualifications from designers, design firms or advertising agencies with the purpose of creating a new visual identity for our organization. We are seeking graphic designers with expertise in identity work, both offline and digital, preferably with experience in design for other nonprofits.

The deadline to apply is February 27, 2015 at 5 p.m.

The stylishly dressed Roslyn B. Matonis, is a member of the Jay Harama Senior Center at 2600 Ocean Avenue, in Brooklyn, NYC. We took a brief moment to talk with Roslyn about her life. Here is what she had to say: