18 The QUENS Courier • may 7, 2015 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com Il Vesuvio moving, expanding and changing name BY LIAM LA GUERE [email protected] @LiamLaGuerre Il Vesuvio Pizzeria in Bayside is saying ciao to its small location and doubling in size just a few doors down on Bell Boulevard. Owners are moving the restaurant to 39-28 Bell Blvd., the site of former hibachi steakhouse and sushi bar Okinawa, and expanding it to include a bar, restaurant and pizzeria. Pat Fabiano, an owner of the restaurant, also said they are also changing the name from Il Vesuvio to Il Borgo to reflect the new start for the business. Il Borgo is expected to open in about a month and a half. Fabiano purchased Il Vesuvio about a decade ago. The restaurateur also owns Organico in Port Washington, which is a formal sit-down organic Italian restaurant that has received high ratings. Il Borgo will be less formal, and Fabiano envisions a sit-down eatery on Bell Boulevard where everyday Il Vesuvio is moving and expanding to the space formerly occupied by Okinawa. families and friends can gather. “I feel that people need that option of an easygoing place and to not be scared because they see tablecloth,” he said. “I want people to walk in with their regular T-shirts.” The new restaurant will have an “industrial look,” with brick, metal and wood features. The expansion will allow for about 120 people, and THE COURIER/Photo by Liam La Guerre there will be a party room. The sixperson staff will more than double as well. Fabiano said there will be a grand opening party for Il Borgo. Nail salon safety gets attention at City Hall rally BY ANGELA MATUA [email protected]/@AngelaMatua Public Advocate Letitia James wants your local nail salon to improve its health and safety conditions. James joined advocates and elected officials outside of City Hall on May 1 to rally in support of the Nail Salon Health and Safety Bill. The bill would require all nail salons in New York City to register with the City Department of Health. Currently, New York State is in charge of inspecting the 5,000 nail salons in the state. New York City is home to 2,000 of those salons. There are only 32 inspectors dedicated to this task and only 25 percent of the nail salons are inspected each year. “New Yorkers from all walks of life patronize our city’s nail salons on a regular basis, but most do not know that many of these businesses are rife with unsanitary conditions and hazardous chemicals that endanger the health of both customers and employees that work there every day,” James said. Lois Christie, owner of Christie & Co. Salon and Spa in Bayside, said this bill is an important and necessary step to keeping customers safer. “In my opinion, many nail salons really don’t follow the proper sterilization license rules and in fact, many put other products in other bottles so you think for example they’re using something like a gel but they’re using acrylic or something else,” Christie said. Christie & Co. has been in business for 45 years, and Christie said her salon takes extreme measures to make sure their tools are sterilized. She uses autoclave to sterilize her instruments, which is the same process that dentists use for their tools. Though the machine used to sterilize her tools is very expensive, Christie said she believes her clients deserve that level of care. Christie said people should ask for the licenses of technicians working at the nail salons they visit and also be aware of how they sterilize their tools. “People should have a level of safety just like a food business, you want to know if somebody’s kitchen is clean,” Christie said. Public Advocate Letitia James and nail salon safety advocates gathered outside of City Hall to rally support for the Nail Salon Health and Safety Bill. The bill would also require the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to develop guidelines to improve the health and safety of nail salons. Nail salons would be incentivized to install a new mechanical ventilation unit to improve air quality and can be reimbursed for up to $500. According to a report released by James, hazardous chemicals such as toluene, formaldehyde and dibutyl phthalate are used regularly in nail products and have been linked with reproductive harm, respiratory problems and cancer. Salon workers are most at risk since they deal with these chemicals and do not wear any protective Photo courtesy of Twitter/@TishJames gear. A task force of physicians, practitioners, government and advocates would also be required to gather data and produce a report on nail salon health, safety and standards of practice under this bill. “Nail salons should not only help New Yorkers feel beautiful, they must also keep nail salon workers safe and healthy,” said Miriam Yeung, executive director of the National Asian Pacifica American Women’s Forum. “Intro 304-A is an important first step in creating healthier salons for consumers and workers.”
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