FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM MAY 21, 2020 • BUZZ • THE QUEENS COURIER 45
vschneps@gmail.com
Anyone who knows me
knows I am a social being
who loves to share time
with my family, friends and colleagues.
But the COVID-19 pandemic
has forced me to quarantine
at home since March 12.
I oft en put in my memory
bank, visual pictures of places
and people I have cherished.
Right before I began my lockdown,
I had a picture-perfect
day on March 11. I had gone
to dinner at the exclusive Jean-
Georges Philadelphia high
atop the Four Seasons hotel
on the 59th fl oor just blocks
away from my offi ce for Metro
Philadelphia, our daily newspaper
in the wonderful city of
brotherly love.
I had met Mayor of
Philadelphia Jim Kenney and
we had an instant rapport. Th e
day we met it was announced
that he got engaged to the wonderful
Letitia Santarelli.
We all shared a magical night
dining at Jean-Georges, with my
Metro Philadelphia Publisher
Susan Peiff er. Th e setting is as
magnifi cent as the design of each
dish. It’s hard to believe that the
picture-perfect delectable meal
would be my last one out for
months. But I keep the memory
alive with a mental picture.
Working remotely now, with
my offi ce closed, I have been
content. I have enjoyed seeing
colleagues, friends and family
through Zoom, but I snuck away
to do a car meet.
Th e governor now allows
drive-in movies to be open, so
my friends and I decided to do a
drive-in meet-and-greet — staying
six feet apart — at the parking
lot of Th e Manes Art &
Education Center at the Nassau
County Museum of Art.
As I drove onto the former
Frick Estate 175-acre lush green
grounds, I couldn’t believe all the
people milling around — there
were groups aft er groups of hikers.
What a diff erence from
when I’ve been there in the
past!
Victoria’s
DIARY
Victoria
SCHNEPSYUNIS
tweet me @vschneps
Making memories before and
during the COVID-19 pandemic
The Manes Art
& Education
Center is
closed, but its
parking lot
has become a
popular site
for meet-andgreets.
The view of Philadelphia from
the Jean-Georges restaurant.
At the entrance of Jean-Gorges with Susan
Peiffff er, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney and his
fifi ancée Letitia Santarelli.
I carefully made my way into
the colorful Manes building
parking lot. In the rear of the lot
were some masked women, one
in her car, the other looking at
the car. I thought for a moment
that they had an accident, but
no, they were my friends hidden
behind their masks!
We all laughed as I sat safely
in my car feeling the warm
sunshine on my face and the
warmth of the friendship. It
felt so good to actually see my
friends in person and chat away,
such a simple pleasure made so
special because of the times we
live in.
Each week day, my staff
has Zoom and phone conferences
ending with a quote of
inspiration. One of my favorite
ones is from mid-1950s
Nobel prize winning theologist
and philosopher Albert
Schweitzer: “Success is not the
key to happiness, happiness is
the key to success. If you love
what you are doing, you will be
successful.”
How profound and what
speaks of my life!
A car meet with friends at the
Nassau County Museum of Art.
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