Judge Engoron Turns Out to Support Honorees at Annual Gala of Jewish Lawyers Guild

All rise -The Metropolitan Pavilion in Chelsea was packed with New York State judges, justices, lawyers, colleagues at the Jewish Lawyers Guild 45th Annual Gala as they honored New York’s judiciary. And no NY County roll call of judges these days would be complete without Judge Arthur Engoron who presided at the business fraud trial of Donald Trump, now on a appeal after Engoron found the former presdient guilty last month. Looking rested and in good spirits, he was holding court surrounded by his peers. His prior principal law clerk, now Judge Kathleen Waterman-Marshall, was at the gala. After taking the bench, she was succeeded by Allison Greenfield as Engoron’s principal law clerk. Greenfield, who is headed for a Civil Court judgeship come November, had her trial by fire and took the night off.

While Engoron might have been deemed the celebrity among his peers, he was actually there to honor others on the night. Hon. Rowan D. Wilson, Chief Judge of the State of New York, was the recipient of the Golda Meir Memorial Award. Hon. Michael L. Katz was the recipient of the Benjamin N. Cardozo Award. Hon. Lisa A. Sokoloff was the recipient of the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Memorial Award. Judge Barbara Kapnick, Appellate Division, 1st Dept., presented the awards to Judges Wilson and Katz. And Judge Adam Silvera, Adminstrative Judge Supreme Court, NY County Civil Branch, presented the award to Judge Sokoloff.

The wall-to-wall-to-wall (and then some) all kosher buffet that preceded the awards ceremony was chock-a-block with luscious offerings. The sit-down awards ceremony came with dessert. New York County judges celebrating and congratulating the honorees included Judge Kelly O’Neill Levy, Appellate Division, 1st Dept., and Supreme Court Judges Alex Tisch, Sabrina Kraus, James Clynes, JJ Kelly, and newly elected Civil Court Judges Anna Mikhaleva and Andrea Krugman.

Lunch specials -Patis kosher bakeries known for their dairy and dairy-free artisinal pastries, breads, croissants, macarons and sandwiches, are opening cafes all over Manhattan. Right now, they have locations in Times Square, Midtown, UWS on Amsterdam Ave in the 90s, and my UES go-to on Lexington. Through April 21st, from 2 PM to 5:30 PM, there’s a Late Lunch Special - $15.99 will get you Avocado Toast + Any Soup and a Soda or Water. at the UES location. And catering to their local school population, including Dalton and Ramaz, the same offer’s available from 11 AM to 2 PM through April 21st. That’s NY’s version of an early bird special.

What’s in a Bar-There are some things that you wouldn’t or couldn’t imagine or think of making up. But here goes. Kaia Wine Bar on Third Ave. near E. 91st St. is the only (or one of the only) South African restaurants in Manhattan. It’s owned and operated by Suzann Hauptfleisch and has been a neighborhood and destination favorite for years. They’ve survived the COVID years and the ups and downs of running and being a neighborhood restaurant.

For years, and up until about at least a year ago, there was an art framing and gallery store right next door. When it closed, the space remained empty until recently when Baya Bar moved in. So now there’s Kaia Wine Bar and the rhyming Baya Bar side by side. For some reason, Kaia’s name is nowhere to be seen. Not on the door. Not on the window. Sometimes there’s a sandwich-type chalkboard with Happy Hour and other offerings. See photo. Can be confusing for someone lusting for South African red wine and Bobotie, South African spiced beef with egg custard, and ending up with an Acai smoothie and a Coco Loco Coconut Bowl. Ditto for wanting a Baya Blues Smoothie and a Koa Bowl (banana, protein, granola coconut shavings, peanut butter) and ending up with Dik Nit Spek, thick cut bacon and tomato chutney. There has to be a better way to co-exist.