We Stopped Banking With Chase Today
I recently celebrated another birthday. Strangely on the night of my birthday, I received a call from Chase Bank. I looked at the clock and could tell that the bank was closed at this time so I thought something was wrong. I picked up the phone and an associate from the Bay Ridge 3rd Avenue branch of Chase was on the phone. I asked him if everything was alright and he told me that my bank account information was incomplete. I thought right away that this was a scam call because we did both our mortgage and the refinance of our home through. When you apply for a mortgage, the bank asks you for every bit of information about you and your assets. When we applied for a refinance just a few years ago, we had to do the same thing again. Even though we were Chase customers we had to provide every document. I asked the bank associate to have a manager call me because something was wrong. The bank manager named Bilal called us and I asked him if he was looking at my bank records on the computer. He said he was. I asked him if there was anything he could tell me about my date of birth. He hesitated and said no. I asked him the question again. It was my birthday, if he was looking at my record, he would have been able to tell me that, right?
Bilal told me that Chase was going to send me a letter. I told him if Chase sent us a letter asking for any info, we would stop banking with them because they have every bit of info in our mortgage and refinance documents.
No letters came that week, but we received a letter on the following Thursday. I called the number on the letter and 877-382=8854 and I spoke to four associates. Most of the associates didn’t know what they were talking about and I suspect the letter was a fake because it was signed by Mike Andrews. Andrews does work for Chase, but in Ohio. The letter has a Texas address on it.
I don’t know if the number is Chase’s or not, but I do know that Chase’ customer service has continued to dwindle as the years have gone one. Remember when you could walk into a bank and the associate knew you? Those days are over.
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May 19, 2015Rent a Bounce House – Near Bay Ridge, Brooklyn
We rented a bounce house from NY inflatables – they came and did the setup and take down. Good company to work with – easy to make the arrangements and work with. Our friends had rented the bouncy castle and recommended them to us.
(347) 623-7300
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May 11, 2015Water Shoes in Bay Ridge
Years ago everyone sold water shoes. You could even go into drugstores and they sold water shoes! Now it seems like it is getting harder to find water shoes or maybe it’s just harder to find water shoes in Bay Ridge.
Payless is selling them for buy one pair and get the second pair half off
Fabco shoes also sells cute kids watershoes.
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April 28, 2015Best Pedicure in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn 11209
Vivid Nail Salon Clean Salon – 545 92nd Street 718-748-2560 $15 for a pedi *Loved by many
Swan’s Nail Salon – very clean 9515 3rd Ave $19 for a pedi (includes quick dry) 718-765-1368 — they do a lot of the fancier pedicures which are more costly of course but can help a person relax.
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April 10, 2015Summer Jobs for Teens in Staten Island 2015
Teens over 14 by July 1st can apply to work in the NYC SYEP Program. Basically, teens help out and run games at schools where there are summer programs. The application is open until May 22nd. Where most jobs won’t take 14 or 15 year olds in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island and the Bronx, SYEP does!)
- Summer Camp Counselor www.statenislanddaycamp.com – must be a Staten Island resident available from JUNE 29 – AUG 21 Be a camp counselor for ages 5-14 during the hours of 8:20-4:15.- Must be at least college age, and at one year of college completed
- Fly High Trampoline Park – $8.75 an hour Party Captain help run kids birthday parties at the indoor trampoline park – fill out (scroll down for online application)
- New Bagel Store, “Staten Island Bagel Cafe” (Victory Blvd and Travis Ave) is hiring the following positions:
o Deli department / Sandwich making Guru
o Cashier
o Delivery
o Stock
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April 4, 2015RIP Little Jimmy
I met Little Jimmy over 20+ years ago when I was a teenager. Little Jimmy worked some odd jobs back then. He handed out papers on 86th Street and I often stopped to talk with him because he was so engaging (he wore an elf outfit at Christmas time and stood in front of a jewelry). Jimmy told my friends and I about his life and was quite pleasant. Over the years, I would run into Jimmy on the train or on the streets in Manhattan or in Bay Ridge and he would remember the last time we spoke. I remember one time he told my friend and I that we could hire him to be a stripper for bachelorette parties. I remember laughing so much after this conversation!
Little Jimmy had many jobs as an entertainer on the Coney Island Museum and Boardwalk. Jimmy was even in the off-Broadway show called Carnival Knowledge (Lee loves Coney Island so I took him to the show in 2003). Bay Ridge often saw Jimmy dressed as elf for a jewelry store on 86th Street. I remember Jimmy telling my friend and I that he was in Charlie and Chocolate Factory – he is the cute oompa loompa.
On Saturday, April 4th, I heard that Little Jimmy had died at Coney Island Hospital. I was sad to hear the news, but I guess I didn’t realize that Jimmy was 67 years old. Over the years, sometimes when I ran into Jimmy, I could tell he wasn’t feeling well. He wasn’t as chatty and sometimes seemed like he was in a bad mood. The last time I saw him during the winter, I thought he looked tired. RIP James Mastrangelo.
Thanks Kathryn for sending the link to this video.
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March 28, 2015To My Dyker Heights Neighbor with the Unsecured Gun
Dear Neighbor,
I don’t necessarily write this letter to you because I know your type and I know that you don’t listen to anyone. It’s common sense to lock up your gun so your son doesn’t shoot his sister. It’s even the law, but the law isn’t for you – it’s just for the other peons in the world.
You live less than a mile from me on 71st Street near 12th Avenue. And when your son took your gun and shot your daughter with it, I bet you were glad it was your daughter and not someone else’s kid who would sue your for your stupidity. Your poor daughter suffered because your gun wasn’t properly locked up.
Before you think I am anti-gun, I’M NOT. I support my right and my neighbors right to have a gun, but that’s because we are responsible adults.
The point of my post today isn’t to insult you openly. My point was to discuss what the consequences of your failure to follow the law should be. Adults who allow children access to weapons should be arrested and serve jail time – Yes neighbor, it’s that simple. If your daughter wasn’t the child that was shot and someone else’s child was shot and killed, someone would be serving jail time. That someone would have been your child. But this isn’t your child’s fault – it’s yours and you should have been arrested for improperly handling a gun in your home.
I do hope someone who can change laws in our state will hold you accountable before another child gets hurt or killed.
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March 25, 2015Happy Anniversary!
It’s our anniversary today – a big anniversary too. I just wanted to take a moment and thank God for the man who makes every day better by always making me laugh. Regular laughing and dancing are what keeps people together.
A friend asked me what I bought Lee for our anniversary. I bought him a bunch of things, but I only told her one thing. Ketchup. Yes I bought Lee a ketchup. My friend couldn’t understand why and I am sure she didn’t think it was very romantic, but Lee loved it…..and that’s why I love him
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March 15, 2015Communion Cakes from Bakeries – Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights, Brooklyn 11209
Where is the best place to get a communion cake in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn? Pinterest Cake ideas for First Holy Communion
Pasticceria Rocco in Bay Ridge
9402 4th Avenue
Bay Ridge Bakery – 7805 5th Avenue
Leskes – 7612 5th Ave
See Leske’s cakes on their blog
Jean Dante – jeandante.com -and https://www.instagram.com/jeandanet
Sugar Coated Bakery 1078 65th Street 718-259-9885
Pic from here
Tasty Pastry 8216-18 13th Avenue – many choices – look
718-833-9493
Jackie’s Cake Boutique – fancy fondant cake – the deliver
Brooklyn Dipped First Communion Cakepops & Cupcakes
This local Mom makes cakes
BJs – inexpensive sheet cakes
Cake pops.facebook.com/sweetbitesbrooklyn
Mimma Giuliano-Ruggieri makes cakes – you can see here: www.facebook.com/mimmas.sweet.creations
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March 15, 2015Green Bagels for St. Patrick’s Day in Bay Ridge
Having a green bagel on St. Patty’s Day is traditional around here! When you are Irish, you love having green anything on St. Patty’s Day – green beer, bagels, cream cheese – whatever. If you have kids, they will get such a kick out of having a green colored bagel. Where can you find green bagels in Bay Ridge?
1. Bagel Boy – 8002 3rd Avenue Brooklyn 11209 718-748-0366 5AM – 10PM Bagel Boy has green bagels for several days before St. Patty’s Day and they are so good!
2. H & L Bagels – 8818 3rd Avenue Brooklyn 11209 718-748-6626 – they started the weekend before St. Patty’s Day
3. Bagel Supreme 9401 5th Avenue Brooklyn 11209 718-745-1108
4. Bagel Schmagel 7510 3rd Avenue Brooklyn 11209 718-833-1774 opens at 6 Am
5. Tasty Bagels – 1705 86th Street Brooklyn 11214 718-236-1389 Opens at 5 AM
6. Steve’s Bagels – 6907 4th Avenue Brooklyn 11209 718-680-5010
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Sunset Bagels on 87th and 5th does not have green bagels.
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March 12, 2015Make a Christening Gown from a Wedding Dress – Bay Ridge, Brooklyn
Where in Bay Ridge can I go to have a baptismal gown made from my wedding dress?
Brooklyn Stichery 458 – 87th Street 718.833.1996
Born Yesterday in Staten Island 4255 Amboy Road Staten Island
Lily Collections.com in Staten Island [email protected]
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March 12, 2015Old Students
I ran into an old student today who blessed me with the kindest words that a teacher could hear.
Grateful.
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