A Mother Connection, a Pizza Correction

The Mom connection - The next generation of UES political leaders in the Democratic Party is evident on the club level. In 76th Assembly District Parts A and B two born and bred UES’ers are candidates for District Leader. And they both have lots in common. The titles of the offices they seek may be symbols of another era - Male District Leader and Female District Leader - but the two candidates are very contemporary and have much in common. Alex Bores and Rebecca Weintraub have just hit their 30s. Alex is 30. Rebecca’s just turned 31. Both were born and raised on the Upper East Side and attended local public schools. Both work in the field of communication. Alex works for a technology startup that focuses, in part, on criminal justice reform, and Rebecca is a vice-president of public affairs at a news organization and much of her work focuses on nonprofits and corporate responsibility. Alex’s mother and Rebecca’s mother have both been active in the Yorkville community and were PTA members. Alex’s mom, Lori Bores, is currently a member of Community Board 8, and Rebecca’s mom, Sarah Steiner, is an election lawyer. Both moms were passionate about politics and nurtured civic and political engagement. When asked if their mothers encouraged involvement in politics, Rebecca’s reply was that both of her parents were always passionate about politics, but her mom “always took it to a different level. As a preteen, one of my mother’s friends borrowed me,” she said, “to teach me how to review petitions, just to prove to a campaign that ‘even an 11 year old could do it,’ and after that I was hooked.” Alex’s mom was a writer and producer for TV news, and while Alex didn’t get into any family lore, he sent a photo of his mom petitioning with him and his Democratic club members for a slate of candidates in 2019. Rebecca’s photo shows Rebecca, her mom, and Grandfather Henry Steiner voting together in the Nov 2018 election. Started with mom.

Uncle Paul’s Pizza correction - With everybody phoning for food delivery, it’s pretty devastating when a story about the restaurant includes an incorrect phone number. The days of calling “Information” or looking up Yellow Pages or even checking the internet for the correct number are no longer efficient or doable. But after reporting about the great pizzas and menu and the new outdoor structure at Uncle Paul’s Pizza at 45 Vanderbilt Ave in the Grand Central area, I gave the wrong number. The correct number is 212-922-1200. Call ahead for hours for dining at the location and for take-out and delivery. That’s 212-922-1200, Uncle Paul’s Pizza.

Here’s to the Margarita, the frozen one - The go-to drink all summer, at least from my experience, was the frozen Margarita, a to-die-for slush sipped through a straw sometimes resulting in a forgivable brain freeze. Before or after summer, there’s no better frozen one than at Dallas BBQ on Third Ave and 73d St. And in these days of enclosed street structures it seemed the perfect setting. However, although it has a permanent outdoors enclosed structure, it still has to deal with heaters, heat lights and whatever other precautions have to be taken these days. So, when my friend and I got there, it was clear that the frozen Margarita would have to await another Gov. Cuomo edict about keeping the heat up and on. Until then, it was coffee after coffee after coffee and Diet Cokes in between ... all the while observing a nice young man seated at a nearby table Instagramming a friend as he shared the delights of his frozen Margarita. Not one to engage with folks at another table, I couldn’t resist telling him how we came for the icy drink but just couldn’t do it. We chatted on, laughing and talking. He left. We continued on our coffee-Diet Coke routine until the check came and our server told us, pointing at the frozen Margarita man’s table, that our drinks were paid for. No Margarita, but a forever warm memory.