Ideas for NYC: Open Letter #6

Dear Zohran Mamdani (Mayor),

We have skated, waded, climbed and slid against our will. And that’s those of us able to do so. Others haven’t been as fortunate and are home and/or bruised due to City failure and negligence. This week solidified my belief that mobility training has never been more needed. In the words of Amanda McCants— we are training for life, sweetie.

Welcome to my letters to the Mayor, Mr. Mamdani. This is your very first one— congratulations. Welcome to the endless pile of ideas being graciously shared. Today, I write to you concerning the snow storm we received this past weekend. While olympians were doing backflips with snowboards in Central Park, broke college kids were using heavy duty trash bags as sleds, and you were telling people to stay home and “watch Heated Rivalry,” snow piled high throughout the five boroughs making life dangerous and hard for those over the age of 20 who hold actual responsibilities.

It’s midweek, and still, nothing is cleaned. People have abandoned their cars in the middle of main streets and avenues, and every day, on my way to work, I ruck through snow mountains taller than me, wade through slush pools at intersections and waddle through wet and slippery train platforms and stairs hoping not to end up on the tracks. Imagine how the elderly feel.

When you pass bus stops, they are inaccessible behind tall walls of snow leaving only the snow covered streets.

Gothamist said it all with its headline: “NYC asks for ‘patience’ clearing snow. For the elderly and disabled, it’s a problem now.”

Tax-paying New Yorkers, hard working New Yorkers, disabled New Yorkers, vulnerable New Yorkers, elderly New Yorkers are falling and navigating obstacle courses. Life is ten times harder in a city where we feel the crumble of the infrastructure every day. The trains fail, the streets fail— this is ghetto.

So while photographers photograph you shoveling snow, I am here to tell you to save us the theatrics unless you are going to hit every block of the city.

I thought for sure Manhattan would be better and was prioritized as it usually is, but no. It’s snowy and hard to traverse as well. So essentially only those who can do or afford private cleaning have ease. Isn’t that exactly what you stand against?

A snow storm came with a lot of warning. You had an assignment, and you have failed the assignment. You get an F- for the handling of the storm. (And we are still waiting— no one should have a one-hour commute turn into three hours). The disabled and elderly are homebound for the time being, and that is unacceptable.

Here is a free and simple idea to improve NYC today— clean the streets. That is what the City does. Take the plows we have, hire men—whatever. Make it happen. Make sure train platforms aren’t solid ice. Do something before it all freezes into something more impossible tonight.

90s Chokehold Was Back Last Night

“Hockey pics that go hard.” Image and caption via @nyrangers.

“They [the Boston Bruins] hit through people to possess the puck.” Dave Maloney on Bruins vs. Rangers on January 26, 2026

It’s called playing, Dave. It’s what we want to see from the Rangers.

Last night, the New York Rangers found luck— they won to redeem the brutal loss to Boston (remember when the Rangers stopped playing, and Boston scored 10?).

What was the vibe, though? (This is what we are here for, right?)

The evening started with a moving (and enthusiastic) tribute to the 1994 Stanley Cup Champion team. Mark Messier was reliving that winner’s smile (you know the one), and some players seemed to have tears in their eyes.

Mark Messier in 1994.
Mark Messier now via @nyrangers.

The announcers went on about how Mark Messier “redefined” the Captain’s role for the original six franchise. Compared to Messier, our current Captain is a bit of a joke. The man just makes these facial expressions as if he is so tired. Tired of what? I am not quite sure because he isn’t scoring (or trying). J.T. Miller always looks like a Kentucky grandpa out on his porch chair, squinting toward a dusty dirt road ahead, trying to see if he recognizes the pickup truck driving by. Miller is theatrical and exasperating.

It was confirmed that we traded Carson Soucy, yesterday. We keep doing this. Trading the players who play, score and have potential and keeping the ones who do not. Chris Drury’s judgment never sees redemption. I would be perfectly fine if we traded away our grandpa Miller (not because of age but attitude).

The man straddled Jonathan Quick (Rangers goalie) last night, trapping the legendary goalie, leaving him unable to defend their own net. He immobilized our own goalie. His own teammate. It’s exhausting. Then, in every press conference he says in a pathetic tone of voice, “I need to do better.” Bro, it gets old. Just do it. Miller gives me the same vibes as Coach Sullivan. Do with that what you will. They just leave you standing there with their word salad.

If you would have asked me a year ago, I would have argued Vinny Trocheck should be Captain (wrote about it here). Today, I say trade him, too. Yesterday, he did nothing other than glare at teammates who passed the puck to him (he would miss the pass). This man had a lobotomy last season. You cannot convince me otherwise. He behaves like a completely different person. Completely demoralized. A shell of himself. Trade him and let him find life elsewhere à la Chris Kreider Orange County renaissance.

Let’s turn to some of the positives— none involve Mika or Panarin. Quick kept us in the game, as he always does. Quick has that swagger that makes me wonder if he fights his own teammates in the locker room. They deserve it. Quick is a fighter, and he got the win he so deeply deserved after being the only player showing up to play for weeks. He also got an assist in that last Matthew Robertson goal that sealed the deal.

Robertson gave it his all and won the game with Quick. A young player with so much skill and potential who is just wilting here with the moronic veteran players who surround him. The camera captured Robertson’s large white smile as his team pressed him senselessly against the glass when he scored the winning goal. His wildly white mouth guard always throws me off. Watching that man smile is like that episode of Friends where Ross gets his teeth (overly) whitened. Someone give that man a Colgate deal already.

And lastly, speaking of young players with potential— Matt Rempe was back. He kept puck possession and saved Will Cuylle from getting his ass kicked. Welcome back to the Remps. His presence always increases the entertainment value of the game, even if it’s just watching the camera zoom in on him when he is upset and cursing as the commentators talk over his muted image. Rempe always tries, and we love him for that.

Dave Maloney kept saying “snappy” every time someone tried to score. Made me think of turtles. Dave is trying hard to make “snappy” happen.

Basically, last night had everything that had New Yorkers in a chokehold in the 90s— the Stanley Cup Rangers Team (with the opening ceremony), a Kodak moment (at the end with the Quick pass to Robertson), and a Colgate smile (Robertson smashed up against the glass after his winning goal).

It was a glimmer of nostalgia in a sea of losses. We’ll see if Lady Luck left the arena last night on Messier’s arm.

Bury Me in the Swamp

Image via @dairyboy

“To understand the lowcountry, you have to move through it.” Dairy Boy Campaign

Florida is one of the few states where the bar licensure has no reciprocity with any other state. Why? Because Florida is “unique.” There is no arguing with that.

A few days ago, Dairy Boy’s new campaign turned my head. This was all I saw, and I understood—

Via @dairyboy

One of the things I love about the Dairy Boy’s brand is that it has an all-American feel, sort of in the way Ralph Lauren does. Ralph Lauren channels and creates an American elegance tied to rugged practicality.

Dairy Boy goes for American cool with a side of country, and at times, Nantucket. This time, they are honoring the best state— Florida. Feral Florida, Zora Neale Hurston’s Florida, Lauren Groff’s Florida, Carl Hiaasen’s Florida. My Florida.

Bury me in that swamp.

“Of all the places in the world, she belongs in Florida.” Lauren Groff

The lowcountry camo is an ode to a wild place. A place where seemingly improbable things occur. A place where nature reigns. A place where animal sounds will make your heart beat out of your chest, and where you will experience the darkest night.

Via @dairyboy

“Florida’s a weird place. It’s like a melting pot inside a boiling pot inside a nuclear reactor.” Carl Hiaasen

As someone who claims the state as a home state of my most formative years, I often get a lot of questions— “Do you like Florida?” “But isn’t it so backwards?” “What about all the botoxed women in Palm Beach?” (A special one from my boss— ironically, our colleagues are some of the most botoxed women in the city). I always say glowing things about my state. Palm Beach is a (pretty) spec in the grand scheme of the state. People who only think of South Florida miss the true beauty of Florida— its wilderness.

Via @dairyboy

Paige Lorenze, the founder of Dairy Boy, seems to, at times, find herself in Florida in support of her tennis pro fiancé. I was excited to see that she didn’t just stay in the city. She went to the swamp, and found an abundance of inspiration.

“I was born and raised here [in Florida], so I still have tremendous affection for the state – especially the few wild places that haven’t disappeared under concrete. What’s left is still worth fighting for, and that’s why I stay.” Carl Hiaasen

I am excited to see someone celebrate Florida’s feral side. It’s a strange and healing place. Once you go camping where the mosquitoes sting you through your clothes— once you swim or walk near an alligator and hear its grunt— once you have been baptized by the crystal clear springs— once you have had the wind in your hair while on a boat— there is no going back to tame.

Paige Lorenze via @dairyboy

Here’s to wild. Here’s to humid. Here’s to splashes of mysterious water. Here’s to Florida.

Paige seems to be in her element!

Some songs that always remind me of home:

Poetry by Javed Akhtar: Ghazal

From Quiver (Translated from Urdu)

“If dreams are ready for the harvest, know

The time of pain has come. Prepare to sow.

This life is a strange business when I see

That gain and loss are all the same to me.

Someone is shattered with grief, still smiles with joy.

Just like the face upon a broken toy.”

Regaining the Funny Plot

“Every episode of Seinfeld could have been solved with a cell phone […] We used to have miscommunications that couldn’t be corrected instantly. We lived in that chaos and it was funny and we were happier.” Kelly Oxford

Seinfeld image via Pinterest

By: Gabriela Yareliz

The wellness online world is fantasizing about going analog. Back in the day, the inability to communicate in real time made for good tv and funny and chaotic living. We survived by telepathy, planning and deeply knowing each other. There was a trust and code. People showed up when they said they would. We practiced patience and gave each other grace.

Now, we have phones on us 24/7 in shows and life, but the plot still revolves around the inability to communicate, period. We have become our worst selves.

In real life, we talk past each other, and it’s no longer funny. Our attention span sucks, and time feels like it is flying. Everyone is bored, but no one knows how to be bored.

What if going analog goes beyond writing in a notebook and using stamps? What if it’s a training ground for planning, assuming the best and deeply knowing and being known? What if that is how we regain the funny plot?

Keeping Calm

“Calm isn’t a personality trait. It’s preparation.” Natalie Dawson

By: Gabriela Yareliz

A lot of our own stress can be manufactured. The next time we feel calm depart, we should ask ourselves how adequately we prepared. More often than not, therein lies the answer.