New York - 7 Febbraio Super-Rich or “Average”, Condo and Coop Owners in NYC All Share the Same Woes And now it appears that these rich and famous folks who purchased at 432 Park, are singing songs of sorrow, adding to an unusually stressful year. From excessive swaying on windy days to metal clanging in the night, the design flaws that have reared their ugly head are too numerous to detail… But last year, on January 1, 2020, I was hit with an assessment on my coop apartment that even for those of us familiar with building increases, was breathtaking. People ask me, “what are your options?” I answer: I have none.”
New York - 14 Dicembre 2020 Covid in NYC, What’s Life Like? On Real Estate, Safety, Culture, and Entertainment… The city has suffered tremendously from the lack of entertainment and the need to remain indoors. In a city that thrives on its cultural offerings, the majority of many institutions have remained closed, and the museums that have opened are on very limited scheduling. The Metropolitan Opera is closed until next Fall, movie theatres remain a high-risk factor, and social distancing although mandated, is still not insurance that one will be safe. But I don’t believe that one insurmountable event will ultimately alter the entire course of our lives.
Lifestyles - 18 Ottobre 2020 Who Are These ‘Friends’ That I Thought I Knew? The Covid ‘Personality Makeover’ For many, the company of others is a necessity not an indulgence, and for more, living alone presents a list of conundrums. I’m beginning to believe that the ‘side effects’ of the coronavirus coupled with too much time to ponder, might be worse than the disease itself. I’ve been thinking of it as ‘the onset of homebound hostility’ – a 2020 disease onto itself.
New York - 30 Settembre 2020 Confronting a Downward Spiral: Life, Loss and Sadness in NYC During Covid-19 Many of us in NYC are now beginning to wonder if our pre-pandemic life may ever return. This ‘new normal’ may become our future. It’s the waiting that has paralyzed some of us with fears of the unknown. My hopes for the future are clear, I simply want a world in which science is led by scientists, health care is an entitlement for all who live in this country, and the environment to be managed by panels of experts educated to combat global warming.
New York - 3 Agosto 2020 Tackling the Reopening of NYC Schools in the Fall: A Dilemma with Many Facets As I write this article there are news breaks daily; in the latest Mayor de Blasio announced that schools in NYC will open only if the city sustains a coronavirus test positivity rate below 3%. Governor Cuomo has promised “not to use children as guinea pigs”. Parents want their kids back in school but teachers are afraid. And what about the kids’ perspective? Everybody has a different view…..
New York - 3 Luglio 2020 (The New) NYC: Perpetually a Work in Progress, But We Rise to the Challenge Over these months I have had long and serious thoughts about the current state of our (beloved) city, and have come to realize that we are presently shrouded in a veil of sadness. As an optimist, I am hopeful that at some point we will regain our status and return to the vibrant and electrifying city that we are loved for. And without the need to add sorrow to our universal situation, suffice to say, the streets are unrecognizable, the empty store-fronts and ‘out of business’ signs devastating.
New York - 11 Giugno 2020 Covid-19, Protests and Urban Crowding: What is the Forecast for NYC Real Estate? Many fled after 9/11, but history showed that they returned. Using the past as a guide, New York City real estate is typically the last to plunge and the first to regain momentum. Our hope is that we will be better and more diverse, greener and more aware of the mandate to reduce fossil fuel and for many urban dwellers, to resort to rooftop gardens for produce.
Lifestyles - 12 Aprile 2020 On 9/11 We Had the Comfort of Friends, During Coronavirus, We Suffer in Isolation I am beginning to contemplate the meaning of returning to life. What lessons will we store for the future, and how long will we remain grateful that we survived this crisis? My optimism overrides fears, and I believe that before long we will have the opportunity to clean our slates, and perhaps refresh the ‘start’ button.
Travel - 4 Marzo 2020 The Coronavirus Scare and Travel: Stay Home and Worry or Enjoy an Adventure? Just think of the many wonderful stories yet to be told about traveling abroad during the Coronavirus scare, and coming home with glorious tans, exquisite photos, and best of all, memories to last a lifetime.
News - 18 Gennaio 2020 “I Like Mike”: My Opinion on Why a Vote for Bloomberg Will Benefit the Country I’ve always admired Bernie, based on his grit and gumption and ‘tell it like it is’ style, but sadly, I do not think that middle America agrees with me, as I am not sure they ‘get’ Bernie…Nothing would delight me more than to witness a debate between the informed and articulate Bloomberg and the fact-challenged and incoherent Trump. It would be a public slaying that would rival the slaughter in the Roman arenas.