What I Realized Today

I went to my basement to get a picture I stored there and it was gone.

If you took it by mistake, you would have realized it by now and returned it. 

At first I was surprised it was gone, but then I thought about and realized that’s who you became. 

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Dyker Heights Civic Association – Is It Civil?

The best thing about Brooklyn is it’s people. When we bought our home in Bay Ridge, my new neighbors wasted no time welcoming my family here. Some came over and introduced themselves, offered phone numbers, advice and even invited use over for homemade food when they saw we painted all day. I lived in Sunset Park as a kid and always had a community of great people taking care of everyone on our block. Lee came from Park Slope and few neighbors know each other the same way there. It took him months of getting used to neighbors yelling across the street: “Hey Lee.”   Some of those neighbors have -passed on over the last few years. When my car has been stuck in the snow, without hesitation, several of the men on the block jumped behind the car and pushed it out so I could get to work (Yes I do know I am lucky to have such good neighbors)

Recently,  I read a lot in the news about the Dyker Heights Civic Association and the illegally converted homes in the area. A community meeting was held about the illegal conversions.  Someone in the audience called out at a meeting:

Yes that reads: “I don’t feel comfortable being here with an Asian in the room. I have to admit.” shouted one attendee from the crowd.  An embarrassed silence fell on the room and Vella Marrone quickly responded “No Don’t Do That!”

If you are not shocked by that – you should be. Grown adults allowed their neighbor to feel awkward because some idiot wanted to be inappropriate. There isn’t anything funny about that. Mrs. Vella-Marrone didn’t tell the guy to leave the meeting (Do you know any Italian woman who wouldn’t have taken that moment to turn the tide and tell the guy to leave since he wasn’t comfortable?)  The Italian men  in the room should have spoken up and acted like men. As my Irish father would yell when people acted inappropriate, “WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU!”  I saw the pictures from the meeting and there were a lot of men present who could have spoken up to the bigshot of the community. but didn’t.

 I checked the officers of the Dyker Heights group and there are no Asian officers. WHY NOT?  In an area that has a large Asian population, at least one of the governing members should represent that population. If the president isn’t doing it, why aren’t the other members speaking up and making sure their group represents their community members.   Most people who purchased homes in Dyker Heights invested in your community and will be paying a mortgage for many years (yes some are the people who are illegally converting homes, but not all are).  When things change, you need to change with it or die off like the dinosaurs.

Last year, the president of the Dyker Heights Civic Association was honored. FOR WHAT?  I see a lack of leadership here so I don’t know why Bay Ridge would honor her.  ( I questioned the group giving the award and the head of that group chose to remain silent and not respond. I stopped visiting the merchants who were part of that vote as well)..   The Dyker Civic Association president went out of her way to embarrass a political opponent of her boss, MIchael Grimm. As someone so closely connected to Grimm, she should have hired a moderator for the debate so everyone could see an  impartial party.  Recchia never confirmed his attendance at the meeting and he didn’t show up because he knew it wouldn’t be a fair debate. The president of the civic association made a big deal about it and could not see that what she was doing was wrong. Vella Marrone made a Twitter account around that time and followed me. I wrote to her on Twitter that she apologize to Recchia and she didn’t respond. 

I’m glad I didn’t buy a home in Dyker Heights.

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Senator Golden Sells Out Brooklyn Again!

The residents in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn have complained about the damage being done to their community due to the the homes being used in a different capacity then they were intended. The Brooklyn HPA (Housing Preservation Alliance) was formed for to educate and inform the public about the local housing issues. Recently they held a community meeting that was well attended – some Sunset Park residents attended as well because the problem exists there as we. (More about the meeting here)

Some people will question – who cares what someone does in their home? Everyone cares when it affects them! Illegal home conversions bring many problems starting with overcrowding at school and local children being turned away from their schools because of overcrowding (UPK programs), lack of parking and especially increased noise if the attached home next to you went from being occupied by four people to 15 or 20 residents.  There is also a question about safety if supporting beams from been removed from an adjacent home and even fire hazards. The Bensonhurst Bean pointed out a fire at an illegally converted home killed five people because it took three times as long for a fire to be put out be they as the firemen had to break down more walls.

Senator Golden wrote a bill at the beginning of February to fine home owners who illegally convert homes.  Some Dyker Heights residents think Senator Golden is helping them, but it’s obvious that he’s just appeasing these residents with a  cheap bill.  Golden’s bill will only fine those who are illegally converting their homes $1000 – YES JUST A THOUSAND DOLLARS.   That’s nothing to the home owner who is collected $24000 – $50000+ a year in rent.   Golden also wrote that the penalty could be up to thirty days in jail.,  Jails are already crowded and few people who commit crimes like this actually go to jail.  Most people wouldn’t want these people in jail because that’s more of our tax money being wasted.    

Here’s what legislation with real  fines in NYC cost:

• The fine for someone cutting their curb illegally is $2500 (and then they need to spend the money to get architect plans and submit the plans)
• In 2007, City Council Member Simcha Felder proposed a $1000 fine be given for people feeding pigeons.
• Riding an electric bike got NY’ers a $1000 fine and their bike taken away too

The fine for illegal conversations should rest on the home owner and should fit the crime – the cost of a seat in one of our local schools.  A thousand dollars is a spit in a buck.  A home owner who illegally converts and rents his home with little regard for his/her neighbors should be fined appropriately. While the home owner rakes in the money, schools in the area are being overcrowded.  The homeowner should be charged enough to deter other home owners in the area from doing the same.

Local newspaper posted the story about Golden’s silly bill and several places shared it without comment including the Brooklyn HPA.  How does anyone share that and not write  SENATOR GOLDEN STOP SELLING OUT BROOKLYN! IMPOSE A REALISTIC FINE ON THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF the NEIGHBORHOOD.  Dyker Heights should be calling for Golden to change the law fairly or step down and let someone who cares about the area create legislation.

Not only does a realistic fine need to be imposed, but residents need to know which homes have been reported so a registry is needed. Currently, someone  looking for a home in the area is able to use the city records to look up the homes surrounding the home they are looking up. People can’t be paying $700,000 and up for a home in the area and find out that their neighbors have converted their homes to make more money and were only fined $1000.  If you are a resident in the area, you should be able to know which homes have been reported and which still need to be reported. Registries like this are used all the time – if someone doesn’t pay their water bill/taxes their names have appeared in the paper (You can see who hasn’t paid here)

I know people think that they are being helpful creating an online petition because they saw Senator Golden and Assemblywoman Malliotakis’ petition for the bridge, but that petition and the Verrazano Bridge toll failed last Spring (yes they even continued to push it the petition this year so it looks like they are doing something), Petitions don’t do anything except give people the feeling that they are doing something. Senator Golden didn’t need a petition to write the bill to give millions of dollars of tax breaks to wealthy developers in Manhattan (see what it sells for sold for $$) – he just did it!  Golden obviously doesn’t care that 1700 people in his community signed it or he would have made a bill with harsh penalties for those profiting from your community.  Maybe Golden thinks he represents Manhattan because why would a Brooklyn senator write a bill for a building in Manhattan?

If I was a Dyker Heights resident who wanted to get change here, I would contact Leticia James or better yet, I would get an attorney to start a class action suit and sue the owners of the homes who are destroying your neighborhood.  

Check out Senator Golden’s current legislation – this one about waiving provisions is interesting and so is the fact that he has several bills for the police department and office of corrections  – you will also notice there isn’t much there for Dyker Heights or Bay Ridge

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Assemblyman James Tedisco Takes the Easy Way Out Proposing a Bill When One Isn’t Needed

Currently parents in NYS can decline standardized tests for their children. 

Assemblyman James Tedisco wants to make it legal for parents to decline the NY tests. 

See what I mean – no law is unnecessary. 

Yet this assemblyman thinks he is saving the day by proposing a fake bill. 

Assemblywoman Malliotakis and Assemblyman Joe Borelli are supporting it claims Tedisco. These Assembly members are playing politics instead of taking care of business.

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Community Party Venues and Restaurants in Bay Ridge

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Assemblywoman Malliotakis Fails to Help Students in NYC with the Dream Act

Assemblywoman Malliotakis continues to fail in the area of education. Malliotakis was one of the few assembly members who ddn’t vote for the Dream Act for NYC students. Marvin Scott has her on the PIX11 and she goes on and on about graduate school.. Malliotakis doesn’t seem understand the Dream Act. the Dream Act is for children of border crossers who have just graduated high school, and want to attend college. Those who are attending graduate school have a job and can afford to pay for graduate school. 

I loved that Scott slams her at the end by reminding her that her own party did not choose her as the Republican candidate to replace Grimm!  Watch here

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Best Gel Manicure in Bay Ridge

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Shopkins in Bay RIdge

Of course Toy R Us has Shopkins, but where can I find Shopkins in Bay Ridge?

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January 30, 2015

The amount of excitement I feel is off the charts crazy!

The amount of gratitude I feel is equal to that.

Lee claims it is all just part of good luck. I know it is much more.

God intervenes in our lives in the most amazing ways.’

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lolo

The best place to get watch battery changed is on 95th Street right off 4th Avenue. It’s the the shoe repair place right by the subway entrance on 95th Street – it’s across from the library.

$7 dollars

Battery is changed in 3 -4 minutes.

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Essential Oils in Bay Ridge

I am always concocting home remedies for colds in the Winter so people often ask me Where can I buy quality essential oils in either Bay Ridge? Peppermint, eucalyptus 

• Apple Tree 7613 3rd Avenue Brooklyn 11209 718-745-5777  

• Bay Ridge Health Food  9220 3rd Avenue Brooklyn 11209  718-491-4175

• FoodTown 2nd Floor is for health and wellness 9105 3rd Avenue Brooklyn 11209 718-833-5080  (tea tree oil is on the 2nd floor)

• Debra Rose Beauty Essentials 7622 3rd Avenue Brooklyn  11209  718-238-3530

• Hom Bay Ridge  8806 3rd Avenue Brooklyn  11209   718-238-4466

In addition scented oils are great for the home:

Zen on 7609 3rd Avenue Brooklyn 11209   (718) 745-1455 has a huge selection of great smelling oils for aromatherapy!

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Best Steakhouse Restaurant in Bay Ridge or Nearby in Brooklyn

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