During our recent 10-day sojourn to NYC, we had the pleasure of attending the Mass celebrated by the then Archbishop, now Edward Cardinal Egan. He had a fine homily about World Marriage Day and honored Pauline and Julian Prior for their 76 years of marriage. Both are 97 years old. We were able to get up real close as we sat with the press Channel 7 and Bolivar Arrelano of the New York Post in a packed St. Patrick's Cathedral.

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Visited the fantastic Russian Tea Room with its giant 30-foot ice sculpture bear. The wait staff are dressed in Cossack-like uniforms. The music, beautiful lighting, colors and vodka makes it seem like old Russia.

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There's a wonderful Space Show at the Hayden Planetarium in the Museum of Natural History. A small donation allows you to see the show and the exhibits which takes about 90 minutes.

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Riverdance on Broadway is a terrific show. You don't have to be Irish to enjoy it. It's mostly Irish step dancing, but with a mixture of Spanish Flamenco, Russian and African-American numbers rounding out the program.

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It costs nothing to go to the Bauman's rare book exhibit at 535 Madison Avneue. Hundreds of first editions are there from Alice in Wonderland to Charles Darwin's Origin of the Species and the Descent of Man. As the books cost from $3,000 to $35,000, we decided just to browse.

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Our hotel was a block from that wonderful Central Park. We walked through the park many times on the street of Poets, past the statues of William Shakespeare, Robert Burns, Walter Scott and Fitzgreene Halleck. The Shakespeare statue was erected in 1864, the 300th anniversary of his birth. We enjoyed looking at the carousel, the dairy, the boathouse, the castle, the Tavern on the Green and the Alice statues along with the white rabbit, the dormouse and the mad hatter. What a whirlwind of activity in the park. There are joggers, walkers, skaters, bicycles, mounted riders and, of course, the famous carriage rides.

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Lynn Ruthkowski lived in Mineola from the age of 9 to 18 before her family decided to move elsewhere. She attended elementary and high school in our village. Twelve years ago she returned to Mineola and she and her husband live on Latham Road. Lynn is the receptionist at Tres Belle Hair Stylist. She says she loves this village and will never leave it again.

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Neil and Raphaela Piloto of Clinton Avenue were at the last Chamber of Commerce meeting. Thirty years ago Neil was our Newsday carrier boy.

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Anne Frey and her daughter Caroline lunched at the Jericho Diner. Caroline and her husband Richie live on Latham Road.

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Former Mayor of Williston Park Tom Muldoon and Mrs. Muldoon also dined at our favorite spot.

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Anthony Bencivenga spent most of his working life with the post office. He retired a few years back after a 40-year career and part of that time he was our mailman. Anthony lives on McKinley Parkway. Following in his dad's footsteps, his son Tom is a supervisor at the Mineola post office. Tom lives on Brown Street.

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Prominent realtor Peter Owens has moved to a newer and much bigger location at 499 Jericho Turnpike, Mineola. This is the space that Dan Greenhauff had when he ran Paragon Home Builders. Pete is also happy to announce that two of his sons, Kevin and John, have joined Peter Owens Brokerage Ltd. * * *

There is no more St. Moritz Hotel in NYC. The name has been changed to the Ritz Carlton and will now be a combination of hotel and condominiums.

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There is an excellent exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art featuring Van Gogh's The Postman, while the Metropolitan has a fine Renaissance display.

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Gallagher's Restaurant still has the best steaks in the city.