Better Smiles and Something (Meow) to Smile About

DIY smile - The world of do-it-yourself is in your face. Literally, and for real. Take a look in the mirror. Don't like your crooked smile, the spacing between your teeth, the way you bite? Don't fret. You can change all that. The new process looks painless, unlike the time-honored way of correcting smiles, spacing, and bites by sitting in a dental chair in an orthodontist's office and then having to wear wire braces until your smile is straight, the space is closed and the bite gets to even.

For the smile update or correction, just go to the internet, or to a SmileDirectClub to find out how, through teledentistry, this alternative could work for you. (Per Wikipedia, SmileDirectClub produces 3D-printed aligners which are competitive with traditional braces and clear alignment companies.) No dental chair. No office visits. Right now, I'm aware of at least five of the clubs located in Manhattan, from the West Village to West Harlem. And the clubs occupy pretty pricey real estate, like the one that recently opened at the corner of East 61st Street and Third Avenue. Get ready for your debut selfie smile. Or someone's candid camera.

Reader readback - Stuy Town's Hazel Feldman liked learning about the emergency pet walk-ins opening around town in my “Pets, Judges, Retsina and Knishes” column in a recent Our Town,” and is "thrilled that the small hole-in-the-wall Yonah Schimmel's still survives and is definitely thriving," but feels "guilty indulging." Her guilt doesn’t stop there - she has the same guilt about indulging in the slices at the newly re-opened Artichoke Pizza. Originally on the south side of 14th Street between First and Second Avenues, it moved after being gutted by a fire. Luckily, it was able to move directly across to the north side of the street. At least one empty storefront got lucky.

West Sider Alan Flacks, who keeps me informed primarily of UWS community matters, wrote about the M104 bus ride he took with Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal and three dozen passengers, including an MTA board member and several Community Board members and their staff. In response to a report by Rosenthal, Tranist Authority chief Andy Byford talked about his plans to improve service, answered questions, heard complaints. In April of 2018 Byford took a subway ride to hear from the Elevator Action Group with Rise and Resist as reported in Open CUNY.org. That trip addressed problems with signage, separate fare payment systems, and other accessibility issues. According to Flacks, Byford "has more to worry about Andrew Cuomo" undercutting his (Byford's) initiatives than disgruntled passengers. Could be both.

Me and Mollie McGee - After half a lifetime of living with more than one cat at a time, it's one cat time for me. Sixteen-year-old Gracie Allen passed earlier this year and then went Betty Boop, also 16. Now it's just 5-year-old Mollie McGee and me. She's a little befuddled. Looking around, sniffing for the two who aren't there. Mollie came to me from a family that was leaving NY and returning to their native Australia. They left Mollie at the vet for shots and spaying. I was told by Mollie's mom (the one before me) to call the vet to find out when to pick her up. I phoned and said I wanted to know when "Mollie" would be ready to leave. I was shocked to hear that there was no Mollie. I gave a last name. Still no Mollie. After several go rounds, they found Mollie, or I should say "Marley," as it's pronounced in Australia. Accents aside, here's to me and Mollie McGee.

Is that you, O'Flanagan's? - There's an O'Flanagan's opening on Third Avenue and 93rd Street. Has the look of the pub that closed last month on First Avenue in the 60s. Hope it's the same. When the rent's not too high, comebacks happen.