32 NOVEMBER 10 - NOVEMBER 16, 2017 BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP
VICTORIA’S
SECRETS
Victoria
SCHNEPS-
YUNIS
vschneps@gmail.com
tweet me @vschneps
Remembering Rhona
I mourn the passing of a great friend
and mother and businesswoman,
lawyer and caterer Rhona Silver,
only 66 years old.
Rhona died suddenly of a massive
heart attack in her home literally only
minutes after she responded to my
daughter Samantha's text invitation to
Thanksgiving dinner with our family.
She was a welcome guest at our homes;
just last week, she generously brought
to my house a caldron of chicken soup
she made for my grandkids — with extra
carrots for Addy because she knew
she loved carrots! That was Rhona.
Born in the Bronx to a family in the
catering business, it was in her DNA
to have a career in that world but she
did earn a law degree at
Hofstra and passed the bar
to practice law for a few
years. She went into the
catering business and ran
one of the most sought-after
and prestigious temples
in the Five Towns.
But she heard about
the potential to purchase
the Huntington Town
House, well located on
the crossroads of Jericho
Turnpike and Route 110 in
Melville. And with savvy
and guts, she took on the
purchase of the catering
facility and remarkably
and successfully ran the
legendary place with its
nine ballrooms.
Rhona often talked with
nostalgia how, in her high
heels, she ran from one
party to another making
sure every detail was to
her specifications.
She sold the facility and sadly became
embroiled in a lawsuit with a
man whom she believed conned her
out of the money from the sale. For
almost a decade, she had been fighting
through the courts. He may have taken
her money, but no one could steal her
brains or her talent.
Nonetheless, Rhona
ran a successful select
boutique clientele
catering business,
CaterBid, and proudly
created the wedding
for Rudy Giuliani and
Donna Hanover’s son
Andrew to Zivile at
the beautiful Battery
Park Gardens. She
was sought after by the
Palm Beach, Florida
party scene people and
had just returned from
creating a spectacular
wedding at Mar-a-
Lago, Donald Trump’s
famous resort.
Although her lawsuit
took too much of
her life, she adored
her two children Matt
and Rebecca and her
two grandchildren.
She found love with
Marty Miller and they
were planning their
wedding.
Rhona had an impact on thousands
of people whose lives she touched
through business and friendship. I will
miss her loving presence and precious
friendship.
Rest in peace, dear Rhona, and you
will get justice!
Shopping at the Outlets
The previous Saturday, I went
to Westhampton to close my
apartment since the co-op is
boarded up for the winter and I had
to empty my refrigerator and take
home some summer clothes. With
the sun shining warmly, I walked
down to the empty beach. It felt so
good to have the sand and surf to
myself. I just sat and took in the
scene and sun, shutting my eyes
as I listened to the pounding ocean
against the beach. There is something
calming about that sound and
I just took it all in for a few hours.
What a rejuvenating time!
But then, back on my “horse,”
as I drove to a store in the Tanger
Outlets in Deer Park, where a fundraiser
for Book Fairies is going to be
held on Nov. 16.
Book Fairies is the creation of one
woman, Amy Zaslansky, who saw a
need to bring books to children who
have none on Long Island and in
the boroughs. She has successfully
collected and distributed thousands
of books.
I went to the outlets for the first time
and I felt like I was lost in a maze and
would never find my way out. It was
a terrifying feeling. I’m amazed how
bad the signage is throughout the multiple
aisles. I finally found the store I
was looking for by calling the manager
multiple times, asking where to
park in the huge mall and then how to
navigate to find his store. Getting out
of the mall was even worse in the dark
night, asking shoppers who were as
much in the dark as I was about where
the stores are in the mall. The map I
got was not helpful and there were no
staff people to ask. I finally found my
way out but I’m not going back alone
anytime soon!
Here I am in China with Assemblyman Felix Ortiz and John
and Winnie Lam
A great adventure with a great gala
I had the pleasure of being the
MC at the Chinese American
Hotel Association Gala at my favorite,
recently renovated Terrace
on the Park in Flushing Meadows
Park.
I had been invited to visit Beijing,
Shanghai, and two other cities by
Thomas Chen, CEO of Crystal Windows,
as a media partner. It was great
fun and the two-week trip ended with
the beginning of new friendships.
Several of my travel companions
became Kings of Queens and Power
Women. We dined together and enjoyed
many happy occasions over
the following two years.
So when they were planning
their gala they said, “Vicki, you
know how to run events. Would you
organize ours?” And so I did!
Life is truly a great adventure.