Multimedia Reporting – Spring 2014

By: Crystal Simbudyal

Listen: Francisco Catedral, the man of many trades

Whether he was working part-time at a Verizon store or providing client services at Sephora in his hometown in Virginia, Francisco Catedral was always day-dreaming about painting faces in New York City. He didn’t know when it started, his passion for makeup. But by age 12, he knew he loved playing with color and cosmetic products. His mother only curled her lashes, from what he can remember, but it fascinated him. Intrigued, he would practice his choice of art on his cousins.

Catedral demonstrates to participants during his private smokey eye seminar.

Despite having three degrees in Science, Applied Science Computer and Information, and Information technology with a minor in Business, Catedral had been juggling two jobs during college and wasn’t happy. It wasn’t long before Catedral was laid off from Verizon. He still had Sephora under his belt. He had been working there, four and a half years. Catedral being laid off, was the push he needed to risk it all and move to New York City to follow his dream. Ever since then, he has been hustling, grinding and working non-stop. He is now a full time makeup artist, skincare esthetician and lash artist.

“Whatever field it is you have a passion for. If you have a vision make it happen, and bring it to reality,” Catedral said at his studio.
“It doesn’t feel like work to me because I love what I’m doing,” says Catedral.

For about two years, he also taught at Christine Valmy, an esthetics school that’s has been around for 60 years. Although he loved working there, he felt that there wasn’t much growth opportunity for him.“That is part of the reason I wanted to move on. I now have a little more freedom to do more than what I was doing at the school,” he says.

Catedral now owns his own studio, Francisco Catedral Lash and Beauty Studio. He also trains at JB Lashes in his free time. He is the only trainer on the east coast for JB Lashes. At his own space, he has been giving one class a week. They are small, three-hour seminars and they are free.

A recent participant in his smokey eye seminar was eager to go home and practice what she had just learned. “I’ve learned so much. Just from the basics of how to shadow the eye, prime the eye. I’ve been totally clueless about lining the eye. I didn’t even know the whole function of it. Looking like a raccoon for a very long time and coming here and getting the proper technique on how to do a smokey eye, please, I’ma be ready for the party tomorrow,” said Mia Bounsell, wearing a bold eyeshadow look, applied by another participant of the seminar.

Walking around the room, Catedral gave individual feedback to the woman applying makeup on each other. “When I started I wanted to give back. Whether it is a newbie or a former student that wants a refresher,” Catedral said.

His classes touch on a variety of different subjects. They are meant equally for aspiring makeup artists and people looking to practice applying makeup for personal use.

“2014, this was one of my focuses, here at the studio. I’m working towards something bigger,” Catedral says.
A former peer, who worked with Francisco during his Body of Art internship, decided to take advantage of attending his smokey eye seminar to brush up on her skills.

“Today’s class was great. It was my first class with Francisco. He is a very informative, experienced educator. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I have to take lots more and I can’t wait to come back,” Karina Rich said.

Catedral gets his clients through word-of-mouth and he has recently started to rely on social media. At first he was against promoting his work online because he didn’t feel he has the time for social networking. He later changed his mind because of his fellow peers demanding to see his work.

“Social media is very important. It helps you to stay relevant. I use those social media platforms to promote my work, show people what I’m doing. Whether I’m working on set, the type of products I’m showcasing. A lot of people are interested on what products are being used. I’ve been getting some great feedback. I get students that come back that have known me since the time I started teaching at Christine Valmy,” Catedral said.
Three years have gone by in what feels like the blink of an eye, he added.

“What I’ve accomplished, it hasn’t hit me yet, having my own studio. But I see the reaction that I get from some of my students in the past. I hope that what I do inspire others. This is just the beginning for me,” Catedral said. “I have so much more to accomplish.”

CLICK HERE TO SEE:

 https://vimeo.com/94985901

Slideshow of the seminar, hands-on

Paulie Gee’s, A Taste of Naples
by Dale Kim

It’s everywhere you turn, on almost every corner and an icon here in New York City. That icon is pizza, yes, the cheesy, gooey, salty, crunchy slice of goodness that every New Yorker can relate to and complements the rapid on-the-go lifestyle that defines this city. A traditional New York City pie consists of 3 things, dough, sauce, and cheese, however at Paulie Gee’s they’ve taken a different approach with a personal pie, funky toppings, and a 900 degree wood burning oven. Listed at number 7 on the top-10 pizzas in New York City from seriouseats.com, Paulie Gee’s is making headlines after opening in 2010.

“I’ve lived my whole life wanting to do something I really loved,” said Paul Giannone.  Paulie Gee is what people call him around his neighborhood in Green point, Brooklyn. In a warm, quaint corner of a warehouse building lays Paulie Gee’s Pizzeria and the roaring wood burning brick oven from Naples made by famous oven-maker Stefano Ferraro. What makes this pizzeria so special is the personal pie that is filled with non-traditional toppings for pizza such as hot honey, arugula, maple syrup, Canadian bacon, and giancale. Paulie Gee’s is no ordinary pizzeria, they only make whole pies and are only open from 6:00PM to 11:00PM every day. The oven burns so hot in Paulie Gee’s that it takes 2-3 minutes to cook a pizza, the crust is charred and the cheese dances on the pizza while being delivered to your table.

Paulie Gee used to be a software developer for 30 years and decided one day that he would follow his passion, the one passion he had growing up was eating pizza in different parts of Brooklyn. “People saw that I had a real passion for food and encouraged me to do this. I knew that I could do this because I learned over the years that we all have seeds of greatness in us and we can do anything that we put our mind to. I know if you believe in yourself and commit to doing it that you could get things done,” said Paulie Gee.

What inspired Paulie the most was visiting other pizzerias that were taking a different approach to making pizza in New York, such as Roberta’s in Bushwick. He would go on pizza hunts with his sons, on a quest for the ultimate style of pizza. Paulie considers himself a “pizza enthusiast” and he is self-taught, he believes all it takes for a good pizza is “simple fresh ingredients and putting love in the dough.”

After being open for a short 4 years, Paulie Gee’s has changed the hearts and minds of many New Yorkers when they think of pizza. The Naples inspired personal pizza has forever changed the pizza landscape in New York City with the help of Paulie Gee’s passion for food. Paulie Gee’s passion is what drives his business model he said, “Pizza is very very simple, you make it one way, maybe you have to prepare some toppings. But other than that you’re making the dough which is challenging, but you’re making the dough putting it in the oven and taking it out, and that seemed appealing to me. That’s all I wanted, I just wanted to put those ingredients together, good ingredients on good bread, and to me that’s what pizza is.”

Right before my 21st birthday, I spoke to my co-worker about a new tattoo I wanted.  Her response was something along the lines of “You can go to my cousin.  He does great work… but in his basement.”  I was taken aback by this statement; tattoos in a basement?  How is everything sterile?  How is that even safe?  How am I going to get a good quality tattoo at half price?  In someone’s basement?  However, after looking into the situation a bit more, unregulated tattooing is not uncommon.  Although they may not be regulated, artists still follow the regulations put in place by New York City health department, especially considering the reputation tattoos received after a hepatitis outbreak in the 1960s.

Tattoos have become extremely popular over the years. According to American Academy of Dermatology, there was a survey conducted from people between the ages of 18 to 50 in New York City that states 24 percent of people reported of having a tattoo and 14 percent had a piercing somewhere else other than their ear lobe.  As tattoos become more popular, tattoo shops began to increase.  

However, due to a hepatitis outbreak in the 1960s, that was blamed on tattoo parlors, tattooing was illegal up until mid 1997.  Nonetheless, even with the legalization of tattooing, people are still weary of them.  Tattoos tend to be viewed as “taboo,” with many stereotypes attached; however, tattoos parlors are just like any other store. There are rules and regulations that everyone must follow. Equipment and experience are necessary in order to be successful.

According to Health.NY.gov, tattoo artists and piercers need to obtain a permit. For health regulations, they must wash their hands, use clean gloves, use single-use razors, single-use sterilized needles, bandage the skin and provide aftercare instructions. Piercings have the same requirements, with the addition of using sterilized clamps, receiving tubes and body jewelry.

Due to the risks of infections and diseases, tattoo parlors can sometimes get a bad rap, which is why Tazz, who owns Atzlan Tattoos in Sunset Park, believes these regulations are necessary.

“It can be a major pain sometimes, but this is to ensure the happiness of the customer and the livelihood of my store,” he said.

However, he said, even with the best precautions, infections sometimes still occur.

“I’ve had a lot of unhappy customers come in here with an infection,” he said. “Some of them even threaten a lawsuit. But most of the time it’s because they didn’t take care of it properly.”

As part of the health code regulations, all shops are required to provide aftercare instructions.  They offer all the necessary supplies for sale in the shop.

“I have sea salt solutions for piercings and A & D ointments for tattoos,” Tazz said. “If someone comes in with an infection, nine times out of 10, they didn’t follow instructions.  Even if for some reason it was my fault, the creams and solutions will help clear up, or stop, any infections from occurring.”

Although there are hundreds shops all around New York City, every shop has its own story, and every owner has his or her own reasons for opening it.

DeAngel, who owns Scars of Desire in Sunset Park, decided to open his shop after tattooing illegally for several years.  He enjoyed having his artwork on “live canvases.”

Scars of Desire from Jaye Little on Vimeo.

Nonetheless, most negative stories come from those who tattoo outside of shops, with or without a license. This mainly occurs for tattoo parties, however, some artists do prefer to work in their own personal environment.  Leo tattoos in his basement. 

“I absolutely love tattooing and I feel like I am doing something good for people,” he said. “There’s nothing like watching their faces the first time they see their completed tattoo.  Their pain was worth it.”

Leo used to work for a shop, but he ended up on his own after having a disagreement with his employer.

“I felt that he was charging some customers too much and not giving them quality work,” he said. “We didn’t see eye to eye.  He was all about the money, I was about the passion.”

Tattoos can be extremely expensive.  There are several things taken into consideration: size, colors, intricate details, the amount of time and the placement.  For example, places that have more muscle, such as one’s calf would be slightly more expensive than a tight piece, due to the amount of time and ink that would be needed to protrude correctly.  Also, pieces that follow an awkward pattern, for example, a spiral of some sort, would also be more expensive due to the artist needing successful create this pattern on one’s skin.

Though Leo does not own his own shop and is not looking to own one right now, he still follows all the health regulations.

“Whenever people ask me to do their tattoos and I tell them to come to my basement, I always get a weird look. But I can assure you, I follow all the health code procedures.  I probably follow them more than legal stores.  Not only is this my personal artwork, that I am proud to show off, this is also my means of support.  I wouldn’t want to risk it,” he said.

The Mayor’s Alliance for New York City Animals joined with Frankie’s Feline Fund and Cauz for Pawz thrift shop on 23rd street between 2nd and 3rd Avenue to host the first ever “Strictly Seniors” cat adoption event. This adoption event was the first of its kind because it featured only cats that were seven years old and above. The cats were not available for same-day adoptions unless under special circumstances, but the purpose of the event was to match the senior cats with prospective owners who could provide a permanent home.

Bunny Hofberg founded Frankie’s Feline Fund two years ago after she began volunteering for the ASPCA in 2005. She started the rescue organization after hearing the story of the cat that she named the organization after.

Frankie was adopted from a New York City animal shelter, but was surrendered by his owner at the age of eight and placed back into the shelter. It was later discovered that Frankie had diabetes. The diagnosis is a death sentence for many animals who are no longer seen as adoptable, but Hofberg rescued him and created Frankie’s Feline Fund, the only rescue organization in NYC that deals with only senior cats.

The main issue that arises when trying to find homes for older cats is that many people associate older animals with large vet bills and proximate death. But according to Hofberg, you never know what’s going to happen.

Older animals shouldn’t be deemed as worthless because “those animals have life experience just like humans do,” Hofberg said. She added that older cats are ideal for people who can’t commit 15 to 20 years to taking care of an animal.
The Mayor’s Alliance is considered by many to be a single entity, but this is not the case. According to Steve Gruber, the director of communications for the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC Animals, “The Mayor’s Alliance is a collaboration, a coalition of 150 rescue groups and shelters”. All of the rescue groups and shelters that are a part of the mayor’s alliance, including Frankie’s Feline Fund, all share the common goal of putting an end to the euthanization of animals when it is not needed. Gruber added that he believes Hofberg’s organization is unique because she deals with only senior-aged cats and is the only organization of its kind in NYC.

The Mayor’s Alliance supplied a van for the event that was equipped with built-in crates that housed the cats available for adoption. Although all the cats at the event were adoptable, they were not available for same-day adoptions unless under special circumstances. Hofberg does not offer same-day adoptions because before adopting out a cat she likes to make sure that the cat being adopted and the prospective owner are going to be compatible.
Hofberg preapproves prospective owners before an adoption with what usually includes a home visit. Frankie’s Feline Fund, according to Hofberg, is “probably a little bit more cautious than other rescues because cats can get sick.” Hofberg feels the need to ensure the health of her rescue cats because since they are older it is important they receive proper medical care and attention. She doesn’t understand the people she has heard say “I would never adopt anything but a kitten or puppy” because there is “something to be said for the older cat,” Hofberg said.

Paulie Gee’s

Stop and frisk was a controversial topic throughout the time Michael Bloomberg was the Mayor of New York City. However new Mayor Bill de Blasio and his newly appointed police commissioner Bill Bratton plan to move away from it.

In the first quarter of Mayor de Blasio’s time as Mayor, stops have been reduced by 86 percent. According to the Wall Street Journal, from Jan 1st to Mar 31st, there were roughly 14,000 stops in 2014 compared to nearly 100,000 in 2013 during the same time frame.

Back in early August 2013, Judge Shira A. Scheindlin of Federal District Court in Manhattan found that the policy was unconstitutional and “a policy of indirect racial profiling.” The city is also planning to settle a class action suit, agreeing to reform the stop-question- and frisk policy.

Bratton said the practice would not be used in a discriminatory way.

“We will not break the law to enforce the law, that’s my solemn promise to every New Yorker, regardless of where they were born, where they live, or what they look like,” he said. “Those values aren’t at odds with keeping New Yorkers safe, they are essential to long term public safety.”

But many people have already been affected by this policy over the years when it was at its height.

The New York Civil Liberties Union reports that nine out of 10 stops end with the person being innocent. Since 2002, over 80 percent of people stopped are either Black or Latino. 2011 had the most stops with 685,724, with 88 percent being black or Latino and more than half being between the ages of 14-21. During this time only 9 percent of people stopped were white, 2 percent lower than its usual percentage of about 11 percent.

Despite these numbers and the drop in stop-and-frisk numbers since de Blasio took office, Bratton believes components of the policy are needed.

Bratton wants to reduce the number of stops by reforming the policy. Previously, he told Here & Now’s Jeremy Hobson, it was an overused and a flawed system that relied too much on young inexperienced officers sent into high crime areas.

“You cannot police without it, if you did not have it then you’d have anarchy,” Bratton said.