A monsoon in Manhattan – followed by an earthquake days later – and a springtime snow storm in Albany? How will our political personalities fare during the upcoming solar eclipse? Will they retreat to their legislative chambers, working around the clock to produce a state budget, or will they join together in a bipartisan and multi-faith fashion for a little kumbaya? Here’s what went on this week if it’s any indication of what’s to come. And if you haven’t seen Leave the World Behind the Obama-produced movie on Netflix, now’s the time…
JCRC Executive Director Mark Treyger just returned from Israel with Rep. Ritchie Torres – who each had their first trip to Israel together in 2015 with JCRC as NYC Council Members! Assemblyman Steve Stern was spotted in the lobby of the Renaissance for just a moment earlier this week- but limited sighting of members at the Albany local jaunts – perhaps they’re conferencing all day and night to firm up those state budget details!
Former Rep. Carolyn Maloney spotted with Sex and the City’s Candace Bushnell, and entrepreneur Julia Haart at Gracie Mansion for Mayor Eric Adams’ Women’s History Month reception. Following the reception, the two UES blondes – Candace and Carolyn – went to Dowlings at the Carlyle. I would love to know what they were talking about… Also on the Upper East Side, NYCEDC’s Adrien Lesser was spotted enjoying two types of pasta at the bar at Il Postino, the same restaurant where former Governor Andrew Cuomo dined with Kellyanne Conway late last year… At the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Women and the Critical Eye lecture, sports star Venus Williams was a panelist and gave her friend, Jewish philanthropist and activist, Ari Ackerman, a shout out from the stage…
Spotted downtown at Casa Carmen, Councilwoman Inna Vernikov joined Zeldin Cares’ Vanessa Simon and mom, author and activist Jacqueline Toboroff for a double order of guacamole and gossip about one of their favorite topics: men… We hear these Republican ladies may take a trip to Mar-a-Lago together this fall, perhaps joined by Manhattan GOP Chair AJ Catsimatidis and her new Prince beau… at the NYGOP annual gala at Hilton Midtown this week, Texas Governor Greg Abbott claimed to the crowd that he hasn’t bussed migrants to NYC, only to Kamala Harris’ home in DC…
Northport native and career government attorney Craig Herskowitz is officially the Democratic nominee for State Senate District 2 on Long Island, the seat currently held by Republican Mario Mattera, who recently joined a rally hosted by Run for Their Lives, demanding the release of hostages in Gaza.
In the spirit of holidays and community-building, five pastors joined five rabbis… on a bus to Charleston, South Carolina! The 36-hour JCRC trip for these Brooklyn clergy opened an important dialogue that was further amplified at the recent interfaith celebration at the Prospect Park Boathouse. We hear Mohammad Razvi, CEO, Council of Peoples Organization – who was just this week appointed to the Mayor’s first-ever nonprofit advisory council, was on-site along with Daniela Kogan of JCRC, the Mayor’s Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes and the Mayor’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Partnerships.
Political Personality of the Week:
Matt Jozwiak,
Matt Jozwiak has been in the food industry for almost all his life. He started as a dishwasher in Kansas and made his way up in the kitchens. He then completed his professional culinary training with Pierre Orsi in Lyon, France, and worked on the culinary teams of a number of notable restaurants around the world, including Auberge de L’ile Barbe in Lyon, Noma in Copenhagen, The NoMad in New York and Eleven Madison Park, where he served as chef de partie at age 27.
After seeing firsthand how much good food from restaurants goes underutilized for about a decade, Matt founded Rethink Food along with Swiss chef and owner of Eleven Madison Park, Daniel Humm, in 2017 with the objective of transforming excess food from restaurants, corporate kitchens, and grocery stores into nutritious meals for communities impacted by food insecurity.
Rethink Food has provided 23+ million meals to local communities facing food insecurity, directed over 95+ million dollars to small local restaurants and businesses, and repurposed over 2.3 million pounds of excess food since its creation in 2017.
Fast Facts about Matt:
- Grew up in Milwaukee, WI
- First paying job was as a gas station clerk
- Enjoys the history of jazz music
- Named in Business Insider’s ‘100 Coolest People in Food’
- Business partners with Daniel Humm