月別アーカイブ: 2016年1月

Now that January has arrived, it is time to act on our 2016 resolutions. For singles often times this goal means connecting with a compatible special someone. Coincidentally, the start of a New Year ushers in a busy season in the world of dating, either via on-line sites, using an app or by personal introductions. Truth be told, one of the more challenging aspects of being single is determining whether the people you are meeting are legitimately available. If the person whom you are looking to go out with has never been married, or is divorced or widowed, then their status is clear cut. But, when someone is in the category of “separated,” a lot more due diligence needs to happen before concluding if they are free to date. It may be that their circumstances are too complicated for a new relationship. How does one properly vet the people they are being introduced to, so as to gauge if they are truly single vs being in marriage limbo or just unhappily married?

picture: royal blue bridesmaid dresses uk• Living Situations: Those who are serious about leaving their marriage do just that. If one is living in a separate bedroom in the house or in the basement, this is not a conducive scenario for embarking on another relationship. There is no proof as to sleeping arrangements or interactions inside of a home. If this situation is temporary and there is a move out scheduled, that is one thing, but if a lease on a new property is not in the works, do not date this person. In order to start over, one must be present in mind, body and soul.

• Wedding Rings: It is very difficult after years of marriage to take off the gold band that represents the eternity of a union. The gesture of removing a ring is the final threshold that a person must cross in order to be fully released and unencumbered from their spouse. Putting aside one’s wedding band symbolizes that the past is indeed in the past and that there is a readiness to move forward.

• Social Gatherings: There are instances when even a couple’s family and friends do not know that a break up is imminent. Publicly, the duo may still go to functions and parties together, thus giving off mixed messages. These individuals should not be dipping their toe into the dating pool until they are actually living apart. Those who are still concerned about appearances and each other’s feelings are not ready to put an end to their marriage.

• Contacting an Attorney: Before separating, many men and women meet with an attorney to assess the state of their affairs. Note that there is a huge difference between a consult and a retainer (both in your wallet and mindset). A big chasm also lies between saying that you are getting a divorce and actually filing. Do not accept a date with a person who has not crossed this line.

• Custody Agreement: If kids are involved, one of the hardest parts of leaving the marital home is not being able to see the children everyday. Many people say that the love in their marriage is over, but they don’t want to exit until the kids are out of the house. Although staying for the immediate future may be considered a noble gesture, this person is not ready to get a divorce. Do not get involved with someone who is claiming they will leave once the nest is empty. This individual is basically comfortable enough at home and does not want to rock the boat.

Caveat Emptor — Buyer Beware: Be an educated consumer. The same way that you spend time in the produce isle, examining your fruits and vegetables, and asking others’ advise before buying, do likewise with the people that you date. Remember if the peach is riding around in someone else’s cart it is not available for you to purchase. Head immediately back to the produce isle and choose the next best available option. You will be happier with your “fruitful” choice in the long run and you won’t be forced to leave fruitless.

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The family of the man living large in a SoHo loft despite allegedly paying no rent say he’s a con artist who honed his skills of deception on them before moving to the city.

Corey Mayer — who goes by Corey von Furstenberg — continually lied to his family and was prone to violent outbursts, including one occasion in which he locked his hands around their mother’s throat in their Norwich, Conn., home, said his sister Kari Mayer.

“He (looked like he) wanted to kill her,” she said of the incident, which she says occurred in the early 2000s.

“He was literally choking her,” Mayer recalled. “He was just in a fit of rage … I mean explosive rage.”

The Mayer family has been mostly estranged from the 38-year-old since then.

Corey Mayer claims to own a high-flying publicity firm, but the last job his family knows about was at a local Walmart, and he got fired, she said.

The family had no idea Mayer had taken the surname von Furstenberg and moved into a $15,000 a month loft, she said.

Mayer/Von Furstenberg has been sued by his landlord, who claims he’s $100,000 in arrears.

picture: vintage inspired wedding dressesThe landlord also said Mayer secured the apartment by falsely suggesting he was related to the celebrated designer Diane von Furstenberg, the suit said. Kari Mayer says her brother continually lied about having famous connections dating back to his teenage years.

Speaking from inside the luxury unit at 496 Broadway on Monday, Mayer showed the Daily News a passport in the name of Corey von Furstenberg.

“Never did I acquire 496 at any way shape or form using Diane von Furstenberg’s name as any type of familiar anything in a name. There’s no record of it, there’s no nothing of it,” he said.

Mayer insisted that he got the lavish penthouse — a two-bedroom, two-bath unit with three sky lights, a fireplace, a chef’s kitchen and a rooftop deck — in November 2014 on his own merits.

He paid the rent from his earnings as a publicist, he said. From May to August that year, he had no gas, so he began to withhold rent in September, he told The News.

He pointed to the opulent furnishings — inculding a graceful chandelier and hanging artwork — as proof of his solvency.

“I just kind of laugh about it. I’m laughing out of anger but it doesn’t strike me as funny and you just go with it. They wanna ‘Mean Girl’ me in the press? Mean Girl me,” he said, of the landlord’s lawsuit.

As for his family, Mayer claimed that both his sister and his mother have mental health issues, and he denied the allegations they made against him.

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For being a relatively small town, Jacksonville is becoming kind of a big deal.

On the heels of winning national competitions for such things as a summer music series and a dog park, the new year is bringing attention, too.

A lot of the credit is pinned to social media boosterism as a way to bring statewide and even national attention to the city.

One of the latest is a competition pitting dozens of communities as having the best shopping on Main Street. Dozens of towns have been nominated, including Jacksonville, for the chance to be featured on the program “Small Town Big Deal.” The show has been on RFD-TV since 2012 and is being syndicated on ABC.

Its hosts, Rodney Miller and Jann Carl, share stories about what makes communities unique and are planning an episode on the best small-town shopping in America.

People can vote for Jacksonville online at wshe.es/y3tStiNH.

Some of the honors have been the result of polling. Others are unsolicited, such as the naming of Buena Vista Farms as one of onlyinyourstate.com’s top unique spots to get married in Illinois.

“We are honored and pleasantly surprised that we made this wedding location list,” said Teri Gutierrez, wedding planner and owner of Buena Vista Farms, which is about 3 miles northwest of Jacksonville. “I give all the credit to the couples we’ve served and our staff.”

picture: bridesmaids dressesBuena Vista Farms, established in 2006, hosts a variety of events besides weddings, including anniversary, retirement and birthday parties, and also offers camping sites and furnished cabins.

But it’s the weddings that are building Buena Vista Farms’ reputation.

“I think a sophisticated bride understands the savings in budget and, more importantly, stress to utilize all the services we provide,” Gutierrez said.

Buena Vista Farms’ vacation wedding weekend packages include lodging, a rehearsal dinner, camp fire, elaborate decorations and a Sunday brunch, among with other amenities.

“We work very hard so that the bridal party and family can simply come and enjoy their guests for a weekend of memories,” Gutierrez said.

Buena Vista Farms began hosting weddings in 2007 and since then has been the setting for about 150, most of which have been for couples from outside of Morgan County.

“My husband, Nestor, is a visionary and thinks outside the box,” Gutierrez said. “It was his knowledge of farmland that led to the development of the two lakes, the campgrounds and the setting at Buena Vista Farms, which is unique.”

The original goal was to host business and team-building meetings, not weddings.

“But the scenery is so beautiful and rustic, outdoor weddings are very popular these days,” Gutierrez said. “The weddings we’ve hosted have given us a good reputation. Couples have written positive reviews of the Buena Vista Farms staff on social media, and I believe that’s why we made this top 10 wedding location list in Illinois.”

Brittany Henry, executive director of the Jacksonville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, said communities always appreciate being the talk of other towns.

“All this brings money into the Jacksonville community and makes us a more thriving locale,” she said. “By having attracted such events and venues, the quality of life in Jacksonville is improved and they bring tourists to the Jacksonville area who will visit our local shops, stay in our hotels and dine in our restaurants.”

Jacksonville is compiling a growing list of competition victories and recognition for some of its unique businesses.

In 2011, the city was named one of 100 U.S. cities to win cash in Reader’s Digest “We Hear You, America” contest; in July, the city won the $100,000 prize in the PetSafe Bark for Your Park contest; in November, Soap Co. Coffee House was listed in “These 10 Coffee Shops in Illinois are Perfect to Wake You Up” by onlyinyourstate.com; and in September, Lonzerotti’s Italia Restaurant was named one of the top 10 Italian restaurants in Illinois by the site.

Jacksonville has also been named one of the top 50 small towns in America under 20,000 population by discountmyflights.com; Blessings on State Bed and Breakfast has been recognized several times by the travel industry; and the city just this month won $25,000 from Levitt AMP for a summer outdoor concert series.

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