Thank You, Dennis Spilios
York Avenue proprietor departs June 1, though Rafina’s will endure
By Bette Dewing
“You look tired.”
“No, I’m not; it’s this new lighting!”
So went a tenant exchange in our newly renovated lobby. No one older than, say 35, likes to be told they look tired, but naked emperors worldwide will soon ban kindly incandescents for the so-called energy savers which make everyone/every thing they zap look tired when they’re not. Fluorescents are a visual depressant, plus they accent the slightest bit of wear, tear or soil—which is good for the cosmetic, therapy and repair/cleaning businesses. Read more
More School Specifics From Mayoral Candidates
To the Editor:
I applaud the in-depth answers the mayoral candidates gave in Shaydi Raice Sigall’s May 21 article, “The Mayor’s Race: Focus on Education.”
There are two issues I want to address. First, the success of charter schools is still in debate and all mayoral candidates, except Tony Avella, support them. I am concerned about where the candidates plan to open new charter schools. There is severe overcrowding in many parts of the city. About a week ago, a decision was decided to eliminate Pre-K classes in P.S. 3 and P.S. 41 on the Lower East Side to make room for roughly 100 kindergarten students on a waiting list. There are not enough student seats on the Upper East and West sides for the growing student population and many elementary schools in Queens have huge enrollments. Read more
Managing Menopause
What you should know about prescribed and over-the-counter treatments
By Fred Cicetti
Question: When does menopause really begin?
Answer: A woman reaches menopause when a year has passed since her last period. Menopause, like many of the changes in a woman’s body through her lifetime, is caused by changes in hormone levels. Menopausal transition, called “perimenopause,” is the time when a woman’s body is close to menopause. Periods may become irregular. A woman may start to feel hot flashes and night sweats. Perimenopause usually begins about two to four years before the last menstrual period. It ends when menopause begins. Read more
The Mayor’s Race: Focus On Education
By Shayndi Raice Sigall
In 2002, Mayor Michael Bloomberg took control of New York City’s public school system, reversing a 30-year governance structure in which the Board of Education managed 32 community school districts. It was a system that many regarded as marred by political infighting and lacking in accountability. The new law allowed the mayor unprecedented oversight, and through Bloomberg’s appointment of Chancellor Joel I. Klein, he created a system of competition among schools with annual report cards, cash incentives for academic progress and a slew of new small schools and charter schools from which parents could choose. Read more
‘Heroine’ Hoopster Wraps Up College Career
Though Kelly Scott will still take on brother Will, a Collegiate record-holder
By Adam Bloch
Three years ago as freshman at the University of Pennsylvania, Kelly Scott took the court or showed up at practice only with a sense of reluctance. Despite her skills, she felt that she couldn’t ignore one paramount obstacle: neither the Horace Mann School nor the Upper East Side is much of a breeding ground for Division I basketball players. As an un-recruited walk-on, she couldn’t help wondering if she was just wasting her time. Read more
Pet of the Month: May
Owner Sam Katz writes, “Here’s my 10-year-old female African Grey… named Boychik. When I first got her (she was 4 months), I was convinced she was a male. Read more
Pets on the Go
The Pampered Pet
By Nick Broad
You’ve put away the snowshoes, dusted off the bicycle and bought a new pair of sunglasses. Now it’s time to get your pet out of the house.
Carry your dog through the Diamond District in style with a leopard-skin print, faux-fur-lined tote bag sold by Litter and Leashes (896 First Ave., 212-753-7535) priced at $36.99. For a fashion-conscious dog, check out Canine Styles (1195 Lexington Ave., 212-472-9440, www.caninestyles.com), where a Silver Python Cargo Tote will cost you an envy-earning $385. United K9’s $79.99 Houndstooth Brown Rolling Carrier moves dogs that are too heavy to hold. Find it at Three Tiny Terriers (1758 First Ave., 212-410-4576, www.threetinyterriers.com). Read more
Bailout Plan Doesn’t Go Far Enough
State needs dedicated revenue stream to fund MTA’s ongoing capital needs
By Daniel O’Donnell
On May 6, the State Legislature agreed upon a plan to provide consistent, stable funding to the cash-strapped Metropolitan Transportation Authority. I strongly believe that a safe, efficient and dependable mass transit system is critical to the region’s economic health and a major factor in our ability to weather this economic crisis and attract and retain jobs. I was always committed to supporting whatever the legislature ultimately decided to do to fund the MTA. A part of the recent agreement that was very much underreported was the restoration of all proposed service cuts, including the elimination of the M10 bus line, overnight service on the M104 and staffing at various subway station booths. Read more
Tantrums Will Get You Everywhere
On screen and in life, being rewarded for behaving like a 2-year-old
By Lorraine Duffy Merkl
Donald Trump’s The Celebrity Apprentice, shot right here in Manhattan, raises money for charity, which is a good thing. The bad thing is watching the means to the end, which is akin to watching the sausage being made.
What started out as a pretty entertaining contest show eventually made me cringe from the participants’ behavior, especially that of Joan and Melissa Rivers. Melissa went pretty far in the challenge before being fired and was allowed back for the finale to assist her legendary comedian mother, who won the title. Read more
Thoughts on Dewing Column
To the Editor:
Bette Dewing’s April 30 column (“Lend a Helping Hand”) is her usual mix of badly needed truths and gross mistakes with a generous dose of confusing the issue. A few specifics:
1. Based on what I’ve read, the amount of mercury emitted by a typical power plant to power a compact fluorescent light bulb during its lifetime, plus the amount in the bulb itself, is less than the power plant would have emitted to power the “non-toxic” incandescent bulbs that the fluorescent bulbs replace. Read more
