By Sandra Scott

Toronto is a world-class city closer to Central New York than New York City with just as much to offer. Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario, Canada’s largest city, and one of the world’s most diverse cities. There are museums, historic sites, theatrical presentations, sports venues, shopping galore, and diverse dining options.

Toronto has an excellent transit system with money-saving day or week passes but the best way to get an overview of the city is on one of the bus tours. There are several fun ways to learn about the city. The Sightseeing Toronto and the Grayline offer hop-on bus tours with commentary while Hippo Tours offers land and water tours of Toronto. The 40-passenger Hippo splashes down into Lake Ontario with great views of the city and Ontario Place from the water. The hop-on tours stop at CN Tower where the view of the city is expansive. There are several guided walking tours that explore the ethnic neighborhoods, parks, architecture and art but for a personalized tour check out TAP into TO. The free greeter program pairs visitors with like-minded Torontonians. Public transportation is included. Greeter programs are a wonderful way to create a personal connection with a city.

World-class museums

The most unique museum in Toronto is the Bata Shoe Museum. One does not have to have a shoe fetish to enjoy the museum. The history of footwear starts more than 4,500 years ago with replicas of the Ice Man’s shoes, which are the oldest shoes associated with the museum and follows the evolution of shoes through the years as they were adapted to changes in culture, environment and uses. Ancient funerary shoes, chestnut-crushing clogs, and celebrity footwear are all part of their extensive collection.

Nearby is the Royal Ontario Museum with its Michael Lee-Chin Crystal addition. The crystal is composed of five interlocking, self-supporting prismatic structures that co-exist but are not attached to the original ROM building, except for the bridges that link them. The inside is just as spectacular. Explore world cultures from the early Canadians to the ancient Chinese. Naturalist will love the Bat Cave with animatronics and atmospheric sounds. Discover the real stories behind these mysterious creatures of the night.

Another do-not-miss museum is the Ontario Science Centre where the learning starts before visitors enter the Front Yard. Learn about the urban landscape and play music on a water fountain. Inside there is something for everyone and every age with their newest exhibit, “Nature Unleashed,” that explores the dynamics of earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, tornadoes and other natural forces.

Besides the big three museums visitors can step into the past at Black Creek Pioneer Village, an authentically re-created 1860s Ontario country village and tour Casa Loma, the Edwardian Castle home of Canadian financier Sir Henry Pellatt. The Art Gallery of Ontario is home to over 73,000 works of art,

Show time

Toronto is considered second only to New York City in North America when it comes to theatrical performances. The Entertainment District is home to theater, symphony, ballet and opera. Attending a production at The Royal Alexandra Theatre is a treat in itself. The Beaux-arts building has survived more than 100 year in beautiful shape. The Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts was built specifically for ballet and opera. Broadway shows are always popular with some opening in Toronto before they do in New York City. For sidesplitting laughs check out the Second City, the venue that inspired Saturday Night Live. Step into the 11th century at the Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament, which combines dinner and a show. Cheer for your brave knights as they engage in a tournament of sword fighting and daring-do on horseback. It is just one of many dinner theater presentations.

Neighborhoods

Toronto is a vibrant city made up of eclectic, vibrant neighborhoods. The ethnic diversity means there is great food and fun festivals that include the Corso Italian Festival and the annual Chinatown Festival. Try spanakopita in Greektown, handmade pirogies in Little Poland and dim sum in Chinatown. At the Sultan’s Tent diners can experience dining in a tent and belly dancing while enjoying Moroccan food. Try some of their Toronto street treats including hot dogs, healthy choices, and ethnic foods served by sidewalk vendors in a variety of locations. Take a trip around the world of food without ever leaving Toronto.

More fun

No matter how long the stay, it is impossible to experience all that Toronto has to offer. Take in a sports event at the Sky Dome or Air Canada Centre. Toronto is the undisputed Hockey Town.

Toronto may be a cosmopolitan city but it is easy to escape to the outdoors and still be in the city. Parks and city trails make biking, hiking, jogging and skating fun, and don’t forget the islands, which are only a 20-minute ferry ride to any of the three islands.

Those who find shopping a must-do activity will be spoiled for choice.

Not to miss are the trendy shops of Yorkville, the famed Eaton Center with over 300 shops, and Honest Ed’s, which sports the sign “There’s no place like this place, anyplace!” There is nothing like Kensington Market, a maze of narrow streets lined with Victorian houses with goods from around the world. The Hudson Bay Company is uniquely Canadian but there is more — antiques, paintings, bargains shops — truly something for every shopper.

More information

Adults need to have a passport or an enhanced driver’s license in order to enter Canada. Wolfe Island is part of Canada. Children traveling with both parents do not need a passport but if they are traveling with one parent or someone else they should have a letter of permission from their parent. Visitors planning to visit several museums should check out Toronto CityPass, which offers substantial reduction to the area’s major attractions and can avoid standing in long ticket lines. For more information check www.seetorontonow.com or call 800-499-2514.

By Aaron Gifford

Sophia Tamilia was just 17 months old when the signs of trouble began. She screamed for hours on end after receiving her first flu shot. She wouldn’t eat and eventually stopped interacting with others.

A few months later, Sophia was diagnosed with autism. The devastating news meant major changes to the family’s schedule and lifestyle. Sophia would need professional help, a special diet and almost constant attention from family. It was a monumental challenge for her working parents, so her grandparents were tapped to fill in the gaps.

Problem was, grandmother Teri Geariety, 67, knew very little about the condition. When she was younger, children with mental disabilities were essentially warehoused and schooled together in one classroom, regardless of age or condition.

“The special ed kids, the only time you saw them is when the teachers took them to the playground, and we weren’t allowed to talk to them,” Geariety said. “They were just kept separate.”

Attitudes over those with disabilities have changed in recent decades, and one of the first things Geariety learned was that autistic children are not necessarily less intelligent than typical children. Thanks to a team effort by educators in early intervention programs, speech therapists and Sophia’s family, the 8-year-old girl is highly functioning now and mainstreamed into a classroom with typical children.

“The journey along the way was just so difficult, especially at my age,” said Geariety, who regularly watches her granddaughter overnight at her Kirkville home. “It’s hard when they can’t tell you what’s wrong. But through spending so much time with her, I began to understand what she was trying to tell us.”

Geariety recalls a weekend hay ride event a few years ago, when Sophia was a toddler. The first ride, she and her grandparents sat in the back of a mostly empty wagon, and all had a great time. But the second time, they sat in the front in a more crowded wagon. The girl had a tantrum as she tried to tell her grandparents that they weren’t sitting where they were supposed to.

Geariety said through such episodes, and with the guidance of professionals, she learned that autistic children are more comfortable with routines.

Throughout Central New York, other grandparents of autistic children are learning the same lessons, and working hard to abandon their old trusted notions about parenting as they learn new things from their own children and much younger professionals. It’s not always easy.

Henry Roane, a psychiatrist who heads Upstate Medical University’s family behavioral analysis clinic in Syracuse, said the first key point to communicate with older caregivers is that autistic children are not mentally retarded and that they can learn. Secondly, he said, they should learn about the autism community — either by visiting Web pages or contacting local support groups — and engage with their peers.

“One of the first things they learn is that it’s important to be consistent with your interaction with the child,” Roane said. “Routines are very important, and there must be some predictability in what activities the child will do with their grandparents and what kind of food will be served. When grandparents watch a kid, things get a little laxed. It’s true that grandparents love to spoil the kids. But that can make it difficult for the grandparents and even the parents when they get the autistic child back.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in 100 children is diagnosed as being autistic, though the term encompasses a broad spectrum ranging from severely autistic where the child doesn’t speak, to high-functioning where the child engages in repetitive mannerisms or idiosyncrasies or struggles with certain social behaviors. About one in 50 children show some signs of autistic behavior but aren’t necessarily diagnosed.

John Conti, of Hamilton, was working as a rehabilitation counselor in the 1970s when the deinstitutionalization movement to move mentally disabled citizens out of large facilities and into small group homes. He probably knows more about mental impairments than most senior citizens, but even he had to embrace a new way of thinking after his grandson, Max, now 5, was diagnosed with autism.

“You have to take the lead from the child’s parents. Don’t be set in your ways. There’s still a feeling of helplessness. You want to apply new ideas — and I find myself reading about everything — but never impose anything until you run it by your kids first,” Conti said. Having an autistic grandchild forces older caregivers to be more resourceful. Many find themselves using the Internet on a regular basis when they would otherwise avoid newer technology.

Patricia Viola, a 74-year-old widow and grandmother of three autistic boys, said she was reluctant to accept the computer that was given to her a few years ago, but now she couldn’t imagine living without one. She’s since learned about gluten-free diets for the boys and shares her experiences with her peers.

“I’m online at least three times a week doing research,” said Viola, who lives in a rural corner of the Adirondacks. “There’s a lot to share with others. I’ve built up a lot of patience over the years and I had five children. I think of the things I let my kids do that I wouldn’t let my grandkids do.”

Support groups encourage grandparents to support the family in any way possible, whether it’s physically, emotionally or even financially. If an older caregiver is not up to watching the autistic child, then they can help by watching the child’s non-autistic sibling so the brother or sister gets a little break and the parents can have some one-on-one time with their autistic child.

Parents of autistic children incur many out-of-pocket expenses for therapists, educators and special diets. Grandparents can help by picking up some of the special food items, such as gluten-free products, during their shopping trips.

Moreover, those who are 55 and up can volunteer to assist with respite care, Teri Geariety suggested, adding that inquiries should be directed to the The Autism Society of America Central New York Chapter.

As an older parent of an autistic child, 51-year-old Marilyn Jeffrey, of Manlius, can attest to the challenges spouses face when trying to get a little break from parenting. Her elderly parents are physically unable to care for her autistic 9-year-old son, Brett, and her other son, Ryan, is too young to watch his brother for more than a couple hours at a time.

“As a couple and a family, you get through this by being very committed,” Jeffrey said, adding that Brett is considered high-functioning and has made tremendous progress in school and with socializing with other children. “It can be exhausting when you’re an older parent. We don’t always manage not to get irritated with each other, but we really work hard on our relationship. This is where breaks are so important. It’s a team effort.”

Jeffrey also said she grew up in an era when people didn’t doubt a doctor’s advice and alternative medicine was rarely accepted. And yet, she supports alternative ideas like treating autism through better nutrition and avoiding or delaying some of the early childhood vaccinations, which many parents believe do more harm to autistic children than good.

“The best advice by far has come from other parents,” Jeffrey said. “I think doctors, at least in the past, didn’t take a close enough look at the things autistic children are sensitive to.”

Joan Kicak, 73, of North Syracuse, cared for her autistic grandsons, Matthew (5) and Dave (4) when they were toddlers, but now she’s physically unable to keep up with them. Although she no longer babysits them, she still supports the family in other ways. Sometimes, it’s as simple as being there to listen to her daughter (Tanya Lafave) vent after a hard day, or to remind her that she’s a great parent no matter how much the boys have tried her patience.

“It was hard watching them change from happy little babies to the point where they wouldn’t make eye contact anymore,” Kicak said, “so I too feel the hurt that my daughter deals with every day. My advice to grandparents is to give as much support as possible.”

Caring for an autistic child can also be an enormous challenge for non-traditional families. Doreen Mossow, 48, of Baldwinsville, watches her two autistic grandchildren every other weekend and has custody of two other grandchildren who are not autistic. Although she’s not yet 50, she is showing signs of slowing down but manages to keep up with the kids.

Austin, the older of the two boys, does not speak and uses a keyboard to communicate with others. He started having seizures last year, so Mossow is especially careful with him when they’re playing in the swimming pool or on the swings. The biggest challenge is keeping the two boys in close proximity so Grandma can get to either one quickly if there’s a problem.

“It keeps me young and fit — that’s for sure,” Mossow said. “You just have to stay positive and look at any time you have with your grandchildren as being special. They are still intelligent human beings. If you have that bond with them, it’s a rewarding experience. “

By Nancy Haus

Man has traditionally claimed the dog as his best friend. And why not? They define unconditional love: a pal, a buddy who misses you as much for the few minutes you go out to get the newspaper as he does if you’re gone for a week.

He doesn’t get mad or try to get back at you if you forget to feed him or if you ignore him, and he’ll sit at your feet or cuddle with you with no need for commitment. He smiles and sometimes looks sad, but he always loves you. And who can beat that?

We knew the moment we saw him that he was the perfect addition to our family and that we had to share our home with him. At 4 or 5 months old, we were truly bringing a trembling baby home from the hospital. We took turns holding him tightly in the car to help him feel more secure; he seemed confused about where he was headed with this bunch of strangers who’d taken him from his crate full of buddies.

He’d had his shots so we didn’t have to put him through that ordeal. But we quickly decided as a family that it would be best to have him neutered. Since males are neutered at around 6 months, that didn’t give us much time.

We all felt sad that he had to have a surgical procedure and, of course, I — the mom — got roped into taking him to the vet. He stayed for the day and then it took a few days to recuperate. When I picked him up, he seemed a little lethargic and disoriented, just like I do after having a surgical procedure, and he slept as soon as we got home. Six months seemed a little young to be neutered compared to his human counterpart, but we decided he wasn’t going to become a daddy, just our pal.

A yellow Labrador and golden retriever mix with a lot of cream-colored fur, we chose the perfect name immediately. It would be “Bailey,” as in Bailey’s Irish Cream.

We went through the trials and tribulations of raising a newborn but potty training was the hardest. We never quite figured out whether he didn’t get it or we didn’t get it. It took quite awhile for him to get the hang of it, and he much preferred doing his thing inside — preferably on the rug — and particularly in winter. We had many heart-to-hearts about it. Barking was his other (annoying) problem, and at age 14, he still barks, at times for no apparent reason.

As a puppy, Bailey ran through the house with my sons chasing after him. With so much energy, he’d run so fast that he’d slide on the hardwood floors and hit his head on the brick kitchen wall. He probably had many concussions over the years.

As my kids grew and left for college, and my husband left for a new life, it was just Bailey and me, and he became my protector. He slept in my room and barked if he heard strange noises. I don’t know what he would’ve done if anything happened because he’s pretty timid; I could only hope that he would’ve protected me.

When I’d tell him that the kids were coming home for a visit, his ears would perk up. He never forgot their names, and when they came home he acted as if they’d never left, snuggling with them and licking their faces. It was a love affair you just can’t explain — unless you’ve had a dog who loves you.

Now that Bailey is 14, his life is changing. Retrievers are prone to hip dysplasia, and Bailey’s symptoms of that condition are slowly worsening. Getting up off the floor, especially from a tile or wood floor, creates problems. He plods up the stairs now, one step at a time. Sometimes, he needs an extra push from behind and I can see how the years are catching up with him.

A recent visit to the vet for an ear problem revealed a hematoma, which the doctor drained, but it refilled with blood almost immediately. During that visit, I showed the vet what I thought was a cyst on Bailey’s paw. His reaction was not what I had anticipated. He wanted to do a needle biopsy but said that because the mass, something that’s common in older dogs, was so small, he’d have to do it under general anesthesia.

I felt that since he’d have to put a drain in Bailey’s ear under anesthesia, he might as well do both procedures at the same time. But a lack of veterinary insurance combined with limited finances caused me to delay the surgery until I can afford them.

In the meantime, the hematoma seems to have improved a little, but I’m more worried about the mass. Bailey acts fine and, even at his age, he runs and plays with the kids, now adults, and he still loves the snow. He buries his nose in it and digs and runs in it just like he did when he was a pup.

But as he ages, I notice he seeks more attention. He stays right behind me during my daily walk. He’s lost a little hearing or else he has learned the art of ‘selective hearing;’ and he has cataracts. He eats a little less food and drinks a little more water. He’s become set in his ways, a creature of habit, not unlike his human counterparts.

The Washington Post’s Gene Weingarten says, “They can be eccentric, slow afoot, even grouchy. But dogs live out their final days with a humility and grace we all could learn from.”

Older dogs make it easy for you to love them. They think you’re brilliant, even if you’re not. When a dog gets old, the virtues he’s acquired during his life are demonstrated so clearly. Old dogs may not be as cute as puppies but to anyone who’s ever known an older dog, their flaws are of little consequence. They become vulnerable, show intense gratitude, limitless trust and become funny in new and unexpected ways. Most importantly, they seem at peace.

Old dogs grieve the loss of their friends. They seem to comprehend time’s passage, and, if not death’s meaning, they understand their frailties. They know that what’s gone is gone. Unlike humans, dogs don’t fear death or have a feeling of injustice or entitlement. They don’t see themselves battling against time.
I feel like, even though his muzzle is now graying, he has acquired a certain serenity and he’s even more special than before.

But Bailey does have his health problems and I often think about the life span for retrievers and how I would feel if something happens to him. He is 98 in human years, though he’s in pretty decent shape for an “old man.” He has health issues and health insurance issues, yet his owner doesn’t have the money to take care of the problems.

But Bailey does have a family that loves him — unconditionally — despite the bathroom accidents and chewing things he’s not supposed to. All in all, the good has far outweighed the bad.

Bailey is part of our family and he has made us smile when we were down. He understands what we’re talking about, especially when he’s the topic of our conversation, and he knows exactly who will and won’t share their food with him.

He’s a smart old man, a forever friend, and I am treasuring the days we have left.

Nancy Haus is a writer who lives in Baldwinsville.

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Life is looking up for Steven Flanders. The 57-year-old investment management consultant with a financial services firm in Syracuse had always been a thrill seeker: motorcycles, snowmobiles, you name it. But as he grew older, he realized some of his reckless hobbies weren’t working out for him physically anymore.
In 2006, a friend gave him a hot air balloon flight for his birthday. Flanders was hooked on the hobby.

“When you are up, it’s one of the most peaceful, relaxing things you can do,” he said. “It is a really nice contrast to my profession.”

By the following year, Flanders met Dwight Cramer, a commercial pilot from Munnsville, Madison County. Cramer agreed to teach him to pilot balloons.

After 29 hours of instructional flight and passing the written exam, verbal test and flight test, Flanders earned his private pilot’s license from the FFA by 2008. Flanders also bought his own balloon at that time.

“Your instructor is usually not interested in having you solo in his balloon,” Flanders said. “He flies passengers for money. Just in the event that someone has a problem, it would take his livelihood out of commission.”

A new balloon is about $35,000 to $40,000. Flanders found a five-year-old used balloon and trailer for $18,000.

His wife, Cynthia, and his grown son enjoy the hobby as well, but he said a lot of people don’t understand how ballooning works.

The “envelope,” commonly called the balloon, is the colorful part that flies above the basket. It’s a nylon bag filled with air. Cool air blown by a fan expands the envelope until it forms the familiar bulb shape. To launch the balloon, a burner fueled by liquid propane heats the air inside the balloon. As the air inside the balloon heats, the envelope rises and carries the basket skyward.

“As long as the air inside is warmer than the air outside, that provides lift and it rises,” Flanders said. “It’s a feeling of being in a very slow moving elevator. A lot of people who are afraid of heights eventually realize it’s very different.”

Flanders usually launches from Teugega Country Club in Rome, where he’s a member, and from Munnsville.

“It’s a great area to fly in because it’s mostly rural and they have friendly farmers,” Flanders said. “Having landowners be friendly is extremely important because every time you land, you’re trespassing.”

An even bigger concern are power lines.

“That’s the No. 1 thing you look out for,” Flander said.

He also tries to land in places where his ground crew of two to three friends can easily access. As with any balloon pilot, Flanders depends upon a ground crew that helps him unpack the trailer, launch the craft, and later pack up his balloon in exchange for rides and a free breakfast.

Sometimes, his abrupt landings have caused concern from observers below.

“The first time I took my son up for a flight, I flew over Clinton, N.Y., and the wind died,” he said.

While looking for a spacious backyard, he was flying relatively low over the village. Someone called emergency personnel and soon the local police had arrived. Flanders landed safely as he had planned and the police officers helped him pack up the balloon.

A few times, the crew has helped him walk the balloon close to the ground in wide-open areas to get it back to the trailer, once about half a mile.

But it could be worse.

“Some balloonists have had multiple day extractions where they have to disassemble everything and carry it out piece by piece,” Flanders said. “That can happen if you fly over an area that’s very wooded and the wind isn’t cooperating. There’s always the remote chance that you can run out of fuel before you find a perfect place to land.”

It’s also important to land before dusk for visibility reasons. Flanders doesn’t fly during the winter because carrying the equipment in the snow is difficult.
Weather permitting, Flanders takes friends and business clients up, up and away. He also enjoys flying in balloon festivals such as in Jamesville and at Wolf Oak Acres in Oneida.

Flanders also enjoys golfing, camping and boating, but admits ballooning is “a lot more expensive than a round of golf.”

The hour to two-hour flights cost about $200 in fuel, replacement parts and buying the crew breakfast. He’s always on the lookout for additional crew members willing to help and join in his hobby.

“It’s really hard to explain the feeling you get in terms of the quiet and solitude and when you’re flying, you have to focus on what you’re doing,” he said. “It becomes a great escape from the normal push and pull and hustle and bustle of life.

“It’s one of those things that’s almost spiritual. Anyone who’s ever gone for a balloon ride would agree.”

By Ken Little

Snow may still blanket the ground, but it’s time to start thinking about spring and home improvement projects.

Just be careful and energy conscious, home improvement experts advise Central New York consumers.

“From a common sense point of view, you need to have the work done properly and right. A company should have been in business for a while,” said Robert Tamutus, of New York Homeowners Construction Co. in Syracuse.

Some unqualified people have gone into the home improvement business in recent years, Tamutus said.

“The economy has been bad, so somebody gets laid off. They got a pickup truck and a ladder and they can do some home improvements,” he said. “They are not insured, and later if you’ve got a problem you can’t find them.”

The moral of the story?

“You need to have the job done by somebody with a track record and they are qualified,” Tamutus said. “If you spend the money you want to have it done right. Do business with somebody that’s been around and has credentials.”

The Better Business Bureau of Upstate New York advises homeowners to check references to get a better idea of how a contractor will handle unforeseen problems.

The BBB recommends that consumers verify that a business meets all state and local requirements, including being licensed, insured and bonded.

Additional BBB advice: Ask the business for references from recent jobs and confirm whether or not the roofer will be subcontracting the job or relying on its own employees.

For services like roofing, the BBB recommends getting at least three bids and being wary of lowball estimates “that may potentially balloon or foreshadow shoddy work to come.”

Beware of any contractor who uses high-pressure sales tactics or requires full payment before the work is done, the BBB adds.

Finally, the Better Business Bureau stresses that homeowners make sure everything is in writing.

“Make sure the full scope of the work is explained in the contract, including cleanup and disposal of waste. All verbal agreements need to be included in the written agreement,” the BBB says. “Pay close attention to the payment terms, estimated price of materials and labor and any warranties or guarantees.”

According to a BBB list of the 10 most complained-about types of businesses in 2010 in Upstate New York, general contractors ranked third and roofing contractors ranked 10th.

“Scammers had a field day even though the economy is showing signs of a mend, targeting struggling families who were looking for work and trying to make ends meet,” said David Polino, Upstate New York BBB president.

“While some of the most popular scams are persistent problems that continue to plague consumers, some new additions to the list are signs of our tough economic times,” Polino said.

Many reputable companies in the Central New York area do good work. For more information, go to www.bbb.org/us/consumer-tips-home/.

Some, like New York Homeowners Construction Co., emphasize projects that save energy and, ultimately, on heating and air conditioning bills.

“If you are an older person and the temperature’s down, you’re cold and that’s because there are drafts in the home, there’s improper insulation and the heat’s leaking out,” said Tamutus, whose son, David Tatumus, owns New York Homeowners Construction Co.

As a Building Performance Institute-accredited contractor, and in conjunction with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, Tamutus said the company can offer a matching subsidy of $5,000 to qualified customers, or a 10 percent cash incentive of up to $3,000.

The company’s website is www.nyhomeownersconst.com/.

The website states that as a BPI-accredited contractor, New York Homeowners Construction Co. can provide customers with a comprehensive report that indicates where energy loss is occurring. Many homes in Central New York are older and in need of energy-saving improvements.

Tatumus said many homes may have inadequate insulation, poor ventilation, aluminum or wood windows that may be rotted, or outdated appliances and heating-cooling systems.

He said by insulating attics and basements and other sections of the home, along with replacing windows, doors and light bulbs, a homeowner can save up to 40 percent in energy costs.

“One of the things that’s so important now is insulation,” Tatumus said.

Money spent on energy-saving home improvements will be partially recovered if an owner sells a home, he said.

Springtime is an opportune time to make energy-saving improvements, Tatumus said.

“You need to do it all the time because air conditioners sometimes use more energy than a furnace,” he said.

According to the Home Improvement Research Institute, American homeowners spent more than $270 billion on remodeling projects in 2010.

“We have hundreds of contractors that have a great BBB rating, who are BBB accredited, stand behind honest ethical standards, and are committed to arbitration if something goes sour” Polino said. “Others don’t fare as well.”

Do’s and Don’ts

For Anyone Considering Home Repairs This Year

Do’s:
• Do make a project plan. Know what you want to tackle and how much you have to spend.
• Do check with the BBB. Look up the contractor’s BBB reliability report at bbb.org. Is the business BBB Accredited? If they are, they have agreed to uphold the highest standards, respond to any concerns and arbitrate if necessary.
• Do ask for help. Ask your friends or family for references or get the job started with BBB Request-a-Quote. It’s a free program, available 24/7 on-line at bbb.org. After completing a simple 1,2,3 step process, consumers will receive bids from qualified BBB Accredited Businesses within a few days.
• Do get a written contract. New York state law requires that home improvement contracts must be in writing, include a description of the work, and materials used. You must receive a copy before work begins.

Don’ts:

Don’t fall for common red flags — You can avoid being victimized by illegitimate contractors by knowing common red flags.

• Solicits door-to-door. Be suspicious if a contractor knocks on your door. Legitimate contractors rely on referrals from satisfied customers or word-of-mouth advertising.
• Uses high pressure sales or offer special discounts that only last on-the-spot or for a few days.
• Uses ploys like they have a special deal from leftover materials, or they use a line about working in your neighborhood.
• Offers special financing deals — if you go to “my lender.”
• Lacks a local business listing or has an out-of-town license plate.
• Don’t pay up front — The BBB recommends the 3-3-3 rule. One third up front, one third at a half-way milestone mark, and one third at the completion of the work.
• Don’t pay cash — The BBB also recommends paying by check or credit card. Both have more protections with your bank. Once your cash is gone, it’s gone.
• Don’t assume. We all know that old saying and it’s true — most items like knowing whether your contractor has the proper insurance, permits, licenses and confirming that your money is safe in an escrow account are details you should research and verify.

It doesn’t matter whether you are planning a small repair or a big remodeling job — asking lots of questions and doing your research to hire the right contractor can make all the difference. The BBB recommends that consumers obtain two or three estimates for their project, and to keep in mind that the three day cooling off rule applies to most home repair contracts. To check out the business history for a particular company, or to find more information about hiring contractors, visit bbb.org.

By Sandra Scott

What do wings and Waldorf salad have in common with spiedies and salt potatoes? They all originated in New York state along with other favorites. Every area of New York state has its local favorites but some are world famous.

Buffaloes may not have wings but the Anchor Bar in Buffalo does. The Anchor Bar was the birthplace of the world-famous Buffalo wings. Late on a Friday night in 1964, Dominic Bellissimo was tending bar at the Anchor Bar Restaurant when a group of his friends arrived looking for something to stave off their hanger pangs. Teressa, Dominic’s mother, deep-fried the chicken wings usually destined for the soup stockpot. Flavored with her secret sauce, the wings were an instant hit and the word spread — worldwide. Although many have tried to duplicate the original Buffalo wings, the closely guarded secret recipe is what makes the Anchor Bar home to the “Best Wings in the World.” Regardless, Buffalo wings are on the menu of most restaurants.

Two favorite menu items owe their popularity to New York City’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Waldorf salad was an instant success when it was created by the hotel’s maître d’hôtel, Oscar Tshcirky in 1896.

The original version of the salad contained apples, celery and mayonnaise served on a bed of lettuce. Chopped walnuts later became an integral part of the dish.

Thousand Island dressing was born in Clayton. Legend has it that around the turn of the century, Sophia LaLonde, wife of a 1000 Islands fishing guide, shared her dressing recipe with a prominent stage actress named May Irwin, who dubbed it Thousand Island dressing. Irwin gave the recipe to fellow 1000 Islands summer visitor George C. Boldt who was in the process of having a castle built. Boldt, the owner of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York, instructed that it be included on the hotel’s menu where it was introduced to the world.

Saratoga Springs can boast that it is the home of two American favorites — potato chips and the club sandwich. The original potato chip recipe was created in

Saratoga Springs in 1853. It seems that in 1853 a wealthy guest was dining at Moon’s Lake House where George Crum worked as a cook. The specialty of the house was Moon’s Fried Potatoes, which were cut in thick slices. A guest, perhaps a bit ornery from the summer heat, sent his order back declaring they were too thick and soggy. When the second order was also sent back Crum was not appreciative of the criticism so he sliced the potatoes as thin as he could, fried them to a fare-the-well, and salted them thinking he had made them impossible to eat with a fork. Much to Crum’s surprise the patron loved them and ordered a second serving. The word spread and soon others were ordering Crum’s Chips.

Most sources credit John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, with inventing the sandwich in 1781 but people had been putting meat between slabs of bread for generations. However, the club sandwich owes its existence to Danny Mears, a line cook at the famous Saratoga Club House, an exclusive gambling establishment that did not allow women or locals in their gambling rooms. A traditional club sandwich has three slices of toasted bread with a bottom layer of turkey and the top layer of bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise.

In 1845 Peter Cooper patented a gelatin product but it never “jelled.” Then in 1897, Pearle Wait of LeRoy, came up with a fruit flavored dessert gelatin, which his wife named Jell-O. In 1899 he sold his formula to a fellow townsman for the sum of $450. The formula’s new owner sent out salesmen in “spanking new rigs, drawn by beautiful horses” to promote this new product destined to make dessert preparation easier for the housewife. As the saying goes, the rest is history. Visitors can learn all about “America’s Most Famous Dessert” at the Jell-O Museum in LeRoy.

The Binghamton area is home of the speidie. A speidie is made of cubes of meat, usually chicken or pork but any meat will do, marinated overnight in the special spiedie marinade, grilled — preferable over a charcoal fire — and served on Italian bread or a submarine roll. The traditional spiedie marinade is made of olive oil, vinegar, a variety of Italian spices and fresh mint. A Spiedie Fest has been held in Binghamton every August since 1983.

A New York City favorite, the egg cream is an interesting beverage because it contains neither eggs nor cream. It is made of chocolate syrup, milk and seltzer water. It is thought to have originated with Louis Auster of Brooklyn in the late 1800s. The fountain drink is similar to an ice cream soda without the ice cream. Some say the name is a corruption of “Grade A Cream” which was used to make the drink while others say it comes from the German word for “echt” meaning “genuine” or “real.”

A local favorite hard to find outside Central New York owes its existence to the salt deposits near Syracuse, the “Salt City.” During the 18th century workers in the salt industry on Onondaga Lake, most of whom were Irish immigrants, would cook their lunch of potatoes in the salty brine. The tasty treats are best served with plenty of butter. The salt industry is no more but visitors can learn about it at the Salt Museum in Liverpool.

Some foods such as the Coney Island hot dog and hamburger have such a convoluted past that it is hard to pin down their exact origins.

Others are variations of established foods such as Long Island duck derived from Peking Duck. Long Island was once known as the “Duck Capital of the World” and the famous Big Duck in Flanders is still a favorite tourist stop.

Local favorites or world famous, New York state is home to “food, glorious food.”

By Lou Sorendo

For Dr. Samuel Paris, the phrase “going the distance” embodies his lifetime creed.

Paris, 72, is a family practitioner with North Medical Family Physicians in Liverpool. While he certainly goes the distance for his patients, he has also gone the distance in over 300 marathons.

And there is no slowing down this quick-witted Syracuse native who earned his medical degree in 1967 at the University of California at Irvine and has been practicing for 43 years.

Paris said the major threats facing Americans today are cardiovascular disease and cancer. Not far behind are problems associated with out-of-shape and overweight people, conditions that commonly lead to diabetes.

“My job is mainly defense. My defense is so good that it’s offensive,” he said.

“I believe in life after death and I also believe in life after birth,” he said.

“I want to take good care of my people so they don’t end up in the hospital, in a box or cremated,” he quipped. “Then I work on how they should be living.”

Paris advocates the formula put forth by Hippocrates, who said the secret to good health is a balance of adequate diet, rest and exercise.

“He said it in Greek, so a lot of people probably didn’t understand him,” Paris said.

“Their’s is no magic thing,” he added.

Paris complained that people put too much food and supplements into their bodies.

He said patients often complain that they would rather treat themselves through natural means. Paris counters by saying medicine is more effective, particularly in situations such as controlling high cholesterol. “With medicine, you can clean out your arteries in a month or two,” he said. “With diet and exercise, which a lot of people probably won’t do, it probably takes three years to do that. And that’s if you lose 50 pounds and exercise a minimum of six hours a week.”

He said when he does visit urgent care or the emergency room, the majority of people there are not adhering to the right balance of diet, rest and exercise.
Paris compares notes with Dr. Walter Bortz, who has written and spoken extensively about fitness and aging. Bortz ran the Boston Marathon this year at 80, his 40th marathon in the last 40 years.

His books include “We Live too Short and Die too Long,” “Dare to be 100” and “Living Longer for Dummies.”

Born to practice—Paris’ pat answer when asked what he wanted to be at the tender age of 5 was a doctor.

He enjoyed and respected his own family doctor, and said he was “horrified” to discover he would not be the one to remove his appendix at age 11.

When he attended medical school in California, he enjoyed every service he engaged in.

The family doctors in California at that time did surgery too, which captured Paris’ attention.

“Family doctors take care of acute and comprehensive medical care. They try to be all things for all people,” he said.

Paris devoted himself to the “one doctor for one family” philosophy. When he first started his practice, he stressed the importance of dealing with families because he wanted to touch on all aspects of medicine, from pediatrics to gerontology.

He has always been attracted to acute medicine, and thrives in the urgent care environment. He used to work in the emergency room and attend to obstetrics, but age and a back injury stopped him from delivering babies back in the late 1980s. He delivered over 2,000 babies.

“I like everything about medicine. There isn’t one thing that I don’t like,” he said.

Back in the day, it was common for Paris to work 100 hours a week. Now, that number has shrunk to 50.

He does make himself available to his own patients, and proudly proclaims that two of his patients are 100 years old.

His oldest patient lived to 105. “God did that, not me,” he said. When his oldest patient got into a fender bender at age 102, it was suggested that he hang up the car keys.

“He probably resented that until the day he died,” Paris said.

Marathon man—Paris participated in track and cross-country in high school and college and said he enjoyed the competition. His passion for running carried over into his adult life.

Paris’ brother died of a heart attack at age 44. “It’s probably one of the things that influenced me to continue running and working with heart patients,” Paris said. He took care of his brother’s three children until his sister-in-law remarried.

While he has run over 300 marathons, he has also integrated his passion for running into his medical practice.

“I started treating overweight men in their 40s and 50s who had experienced heart attacks, and asked myself why,” he said.

Paris then took a page out of Dr. Terry Cavanaugh’s book. Cavanaugh operated a cardiac rehab center in Toronto at the time and trained people who had suffered heart attacks to run marathons.

“I just copied him,” he said.

“I had 50 people who had bonafide heart attacks and trained them to run marathons,” Paris said.

It started when Paris was treating a man in his mid-50s who had had a heart attack. He saw him in the coronary care unit at a hospital and shared a copy of Cavanaugh’s book, “The Healthy Heart Program.”

“I said, ‘Read this if you want, and don’t be down and depressed, because I’ll have you running a marathon in one year.’ He said, ‘You’re on, doc.’”

Paris employed his own cardiac rehab program and after 13 months, had the man running the Marine Corps Marathon.

Paris ran with him, and made sure he had a stethoscope under his sweats along with a healthy dose of adrenaline in case anything wrong happened.

One of Cavanaugh’s charges survived five heart attacks. He is still alive today, and actually beat Paris’ time during the last marathon they competed in together.
Paris took five members of Cavanaugh’s vaunted “World’s Sickest Track Team” and ran the Boston Marathon with them. They all made it between 3:30 and 3:45, remarkably fast times that caused some consternation among healthcare professionals who were in attendance.

Benefits of running—“It gives you a high,” Paris said in regards to the benefits of running. “It releases endorphins, so that’s less tranquilizers you have to put in people.”

Paris just recently was running six miles a day with a 23-year-old Le Moyne College student. “It makes me feel good and young,” he said.

He said if a person gets their legs in shape, “the rest of the body will follow.”

He once read a letter in the New England Journal of Medicine that stated people attending the Olympics in the stands die at the same age as those who participated in the Games. However, a rebuttal letter stated in the next issue that if you looked at the participants in the 10-kilometer run and marathon, they seemed to live six to seven years longer than the people in the stands or the other participants.

Paris once ran the Boston Marathon when it was 100 degrees at the starting line. He finished just 20 minutes behind the winner.

How did Paris master such an endurance test?

“It’s the same thing as working 100 hours a week,” he said.

He competes in the Boston Marathon through the American Medical Athletic Association.

One of his notable accomplishments was participating in an invitational run which started at the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia and ended at Convention Hall on the Board Walk in Atlantic City. The run was 60 miles and took nine hours for Paris to complete.

He was the youngest 40-year-old-plus competitor to complete the run, only stopping to hydrate and urinate while running on the New Jersey Turnpike.
The North Syracuse resident said the key to preparing for a marathon is motivation, the same kind of motivation that has made him a cancer survivor.

Paris has battled both prostate and esophageal cancer.

“I really have to practice what I preach,” he said.

Paris comes from a family that has been stricken by heart disease. “Very few of my people made it into their 70s,” he said. “We don’t have longevity.”

Paris was told by doctors when he was sick that if he had not trained as a runner and built his lung capacity, he would probably not have survived his ordeal.

“They didn’t think I would make it. The doctor gave me lousy odds,” he said jokingly.

After surgery, however, he was determined to jump back in the race.

“I had all these freaking tubes, and when I was walking with the nurse, she couldn’t keep up with me,” he said.

He was also told after back surgery to correct a pair of ruptured discs that he would never run again. Again, he proved the doctors wrong by being motivated enough to overcome obstacles.

The golden years—At 72, Paris said he feels the “heat is off” as far as expectations are concerned on the marathon circuit.

“I finally realize that I can’t do what I used to do, and that is run an average of eight-minute miles,” he said.

Instead, he is content with running a 10-to-12-minute mile pace and finishing the 26.2-mile challenge.

While he intended to slow his pace at the last Boston Marathon he ran, a nasty spill and a muscle pull hobbled him on the course. Despite the bleeding gash and limp, he managed to avoid being pulled from the course and finished.

Does that deter the veteran marathoner?

“Next year, I will probably go a little faster,” he said.

“Everybody has a little touch of competition and an ego,” he said.

He also tells his patients to set a goal of finishing, even if they have to stop and walk to get there.

Paris cautioned that running seven days a week increases the chances of injury. Going five or six days is safer from a health standpoint, he noted.

He noted that one surgeon general suggested exercising an hour for five days a week.

“Anything is better than nothing,” he said.

He gets a kick out of people who insist they are in shape because they play basketball once a week.

“Those are the guys I worry about. They go out on the court and drop dead,” he said.

Paris said, “You don’t play anything to get in shape. You have to get in shape to play,” he said.

Lifelines:

Birth date: Dec. 27, 1937
Birthplace: Syracuse
Current residence: North Syracuse
Education: Bachelor’s degree, Le Moyne College; master’s degree, Syracuse University; degree in medical technology, University of Southern California; medical degree, University of California at Irvine
Affiliations: American Medical Athletic Association; American Medical Association; American Academy of Family Physicians; diplomate, The National Family Medicine Board; Society of Teachers of Family Medicine
Personal: Married to Susie with 10 children, three of which are stepchildren and two of which are adopted.
Hobbies: jitterbug dancing.

By Suzanne M. Ellis

When Lucienne Maley is tap dancing during her lessons at the Syracuse Dance Factory, other tappers keep a close watch on her feet so they can follow her lead.
And when she’s not tap dancing, Lucienne is sewing, reading, taking walks, cooking, baking, visiting family and friends or practicing the tarantella — an Italian dance where the pace gets increasingly faster — and it’s a dance she plans to do at her grandson’s upcoming wedding.

None of that sounds particularly impressive until you learn that on May 13, Lucienne celebrated her 90th birthday.

Vibrant, energetic and always smiling, Lucienne credits her youthful attitude and healthy mind and body to one thing: Staying physically active throughout her life.

“I came from the Old Country, and I’ve just always been active,” said Lucienne, who was born in 1920 in LaLouviere, Belgium, and came to the United States when she was 26.

Lucienne started taking ballet lessons when she was 9 and by the time she was 10, she was dancing for Belgian royalty.

“I danced for Prince Leopold of Belgium and Princess Astrid, a Swedish princess,” said Lucienne, who lives in Lysander. “They were there for the centennial celebration of LaLouviere, and they eventually became the king and queen.”

Lucienne met her future husband, an American soldier, in 1946. Not long after that, they came to America and settled in Central New York.

“When the American soldiers came to Belgium, the people of LaLouviere would have them over for dinner and sometimes they would stay over to sleep because the Army didn’t have very good conditions for them,” she said. “We had friends who had soldiers stay with them, and one of them was Lucian Maley. They said I should meet him because we had the same first name.”

Lucian died in 1995 at the age of 77. They were married for 48 years and had three children. Lucienne has four grandchildren.

Over the years, Lucienne has taught dancing to children, adults and senior citizens here in Central New York and also during winters in Florida. At various times, she taught ballet, tap, ballroom dancing and line dancing.

Much to her dismay, she eventually had to give up ballet.

“It got to the point where I just couldn’t get up on my toes anymore,” she said, laughing. These days, her only teaching is a volunteer stint when she substitutes for Sandra Tedesco, owner of Syracuse Dance Factory on East Manlius Street in East Syracuse.

“Lucienne is an absolute inspiration to me and the other dancers,” Tedesco said of the oldest student she’s ever had. “She’s always positive, she’s extremely kind, and she’s very generous. She’s just an overall awesome person.”

Barbara Becker, of Jamesville, has known Lucienne for 17 years. They met in a tap-dancing class at a senior citizen center in Syracuse that has since closed.

After that, they enrolled in the Showtime Tappers, the class for seniors at the Syracuse Dance Factory.

“She is an amazing woman, and all I have is admiration for her,” Becker said. “When she was going south in the winter, she’d come back from Florida in the spring or summer and immediately pick up [the tap dances] that we’d been working on all year.”

Lucienne’s dedication to dance, it seems, hasn’t changed much in 80 years.

“Before she falls asleep,” Becker said, “Lucienne goes over all the dance steps in her head, and she is definitely the most skilled of all of us. She is always so positive and never complains, even though there are some days when you know she might not be feeling her best.”

Lucienne never smoked and doesn’t drink except for “an occasional beer with a hot dog.” She does admit to consuming “a lot of chocolate” and eating pretty much anything she wants, even food that might not be good for her, but always “in moderation.”

She offered her advice for a long, healthy life: “Keep busy, stay active, and keep on dancing!”