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 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!
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.
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!
