50 The QUEE NS Courier • JANUARY 2, 2014 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com come in for our WINTER specials DYNAMIC DENTAL WORK 718-297-4100 • 718-297-4106 175-15 JAMAICA AVENUE • JAMAICA $500 OFF $500 OFF victoria’s secrets VICTORIA SCHNEPS vschneps@queenscourier.com Reflections... twitter me @vschneps I’m glad to say goodbye to 2013. It has been an overwhelming and challenging year, but as life goes, also filled with great joy. This past weekend I took my daughter and fouryear old Jonah to see Spider-Man on Broadway. The creative directing, costume and set design of Julie Taymor held Jonah spellbound. One particular song, “If The World Should End,” by Bono and the Edge, spoke of my philosophy. Spider-Man/Peter Parker’s girlfriend, Mary Jane, sings the line “I can only deal with today.” This is how I have lived my life, especially this past year. At year’s end, I can bring to memory many things to be grateful for. My delight in having my daughter Elizabeth, with Jonah and Addison, living with me is an endless joy. I love the days when I come home from work and Addy is still up. She will run to the door with her arms open wide, ready for a big hug, and cry out “Grandma, grandma.” It makes my heart melt. How grateful I am! Last week I took seven-year-old Blake to see the opera “The Magic Flute” performed at the Metropolitan Opera in Lincoln Center. Stu and I used to go several times a year, delighting in the majesty of the opera house and its performances. Whenever we did go we always had dinner in the elegant Opera House’s five-star Grand Tier restaurant with enormous windows overlooking the main plaza. I loved watching the arriving crowds and people gathering around the well-lit circular fountain. So I decided to take Blake there for the “full” opera experience. I had requested the window seat so we could also get a close look at the enormous, colorful Chagall work of art hanging on the wall behind us. Blake was impressed with its beauty and size, questioning the meaning of the many figures in the work. Taking in the scene, I pointed out to Blake the magnificent crystal chandeliers hanging abundantly above the Grand Tier. He was duly impressed, particularly when we were in our orchestra seats watching the sparkling crystal chandeliers rise to the roof as the curtain went up. The magical Mozart music, with costuming and direction by Julie Taymor, who also did Spider- Man and The Lion King, as just a few examples of her remarkable talent, kept my Blake absorbed for hours even though there was no intermission. He was a perfect date - how grateful I am! To add to my gratitude this year is my darling Hudson who celebrated his first birthday. To see his smiling face and warm disposition reminds me of his dad growing up. Josh was also a loving child. I’m so proud to see how he has grown to be a fabulous father, husband and a partner in our business. This was a remarkable year for Josh. He created and developed a fabulous new business, the LIC Flea and Food Market. It gave so many vendors an opportunity to build their businesses. It operated from June until October and then Josh reopened it for a three-week holiday fair indoors. What a huge success it was! Now that it’s over I miss it as my weekend destination. How grateful I am! Another source of great joy this year was acquiring, designing and decorating our own building for our beloved Brooklyn newspapers to have a permanent home. It’s on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Marine Avenue just a few blocks from the majestic Verrazano Bridge, which we can see from our glass-enclosed conference room. I was very lucky to have a great contractor, Ralph Succar. He delivered as he promised and kept the project under control and on budget. How grateful I am! My friends, colleagues at work and family have watched over me this year and I am so grateful. May we all, my dear readers, find great joy, prosperity and health in the New Year. Take things one day at a time and cherish every minute! They may be leaning on each other, but I leaned on Roseanne and Dr. Perry Frankel during Stu’s illness Morgan dressed as a princess at Disney World Hudson, with mom Tracey and dad Josh, turned one this year Blake and I, off to the Opera I am grateful that Elizabeth, with Addison and Jonah, came to live with me this year Jonah was transfixed by Spider-Man on Broadway
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