Name: Leah A. Karnatski Savia
Neigborhood: Used to Live in Tompkinsville most recently, now at the Jersey Shore
Age: 41
Schools attended: PS3 in Prince’s Bay, IS34 in Tottenville, Moore Catholic and Tottenville HS
Born here? Yes
Work on Staten Island? Not full time, but Staten Island is my Sales Territory for Fantasia Home Parties.
Can you sum up why you live on Staten Island?
LKS: I love being close to the city, a skip away from the Staten Island Ferry, and close to my nieces and nephews. And I absolutely LOVED my apartment and it’s location.
What do you love about Staten Island?
LKS: I love that I can be plopped anywhere and find my way home; I don’t love that Staten Island is trashed in the media or by reputation, but I LOVE defending it. I love that it is an island because I love the ocean and it soothes me to know that I can ride my bike 2 miles and be at the shoreline. I also love that my old neighborhood, Tompkinsville, was found to have the most diverse eateries of all the five boroughs: 20 different ethnic restaurants in a 1-mile radius (according to New York magazine).
What is your favorite hangout on Staten Island?
LKS: I don’t have one specific hangout and I’m not really a bar person, but I frequent Adobe Blues--and although not lately, I used to meet up with friends at The Cup a lot.
Where is your favorite place on the North/South Shore?
LKS: I absolutely love the Boardwalk at South Beach. I take my nieces and nephews there for the playgrounds and parks, I love to walk along the fishing pier, bike ride, meet up with girlfriends to talk about our problems as we walk along gazing at the Verrazzano. I tried to eat at the South Fin Grill twice, but seriously, I wasn’t that impressed.
What do you do for Staten Island?
LKS: In addition to spreading gladness and joy, ha ha, I try to make it a point to make Staten Island women feel comfortable about their sexuality through my work parties for Fantasia. So many women feel like they don’t have anyone to talk to or that they are alone with their sexual issues. . .through talking to me, they realize they are not alone. I feel this is one way I have made a difference on Staten Island.
Tell us something that you miss on Staten Island?
LKS: Farms. I grew up on the southern end of the island, and there were working farms with animals, horses, crops, etc. I always loved Staten Island for having a good balance between city and country, and that’s gone now.
What is your wish for Staten Island?
LKS: To get more of our population to register to vote. I still can’t swallow that we’re the most conservative borough with such a diverse population of people in need.
What would you like to add about yourself?
LKS: I dropped out of Tottenville HS at 16 years old, and still managed to take my SAT at age 21. I got accepted to college, and received my BA in English Literature, with a minor in Journalism. So, anyone can screw up his/her teen years and still right what went wrong!
What would you like to see on the site?
LKS: I like the concept of the Weird NJ publication and website, so I like focusing on that aspect of it. You know, like adventures to have on Staten Island, deals of the week, etc.
And finally the question of the week. What is your favorite place on Staten Island?
LKS: If you want a different answer then above, I’ll say the Ferry Terminal/Promenade area. I love taking a ferry to work and having a consistent view of the Manhattan skyline. I love standing on the edge, so close to the water, down by the parking area and baseball field. I think it gives Staten Island a bit of class and culture. I also think it’s a rather under appreciated area. Oh yes, and SNUG HARBOR! I love to walk through Snug Harbor in the summer when the herb and wild flower garden is in bloom, and the Chinese Scholar Garden. Again, an under appreciated area of SI.
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