Posts categorized as Community

Mckenzie Dowler gets a photo with Skelly after a surf sesh. It was late at night. I was in bed looking on craigslist in hopes of finding the elusive 12 foot Home Depot Skeleton on the black market. No luck. But then, like a magic rabbit popping out of a velvet hat, there he was, back in stock on homedepot.com. Clicking “purchase” gave me a sensational rush of power. I hit the freedom button. It’s not often that a big box store gives society a big communal gift. There is […]

There’s a new women-owned and operated event/art space now open in Rockaway Beach. I was thrilled when I heard about Vazio’s opening and I’m eager to share some details with you. Experience Vazio NYC on Sunday, October 16th from 1-6pm at the debut reception. Join co-owners, Goodform’s Monice Small and Rock Rock Hair’s Patricia Silva at ‘SNEAK PEAK’, a group art show featuring the works of Victoria Barber, Carolin Wood, Eric Anderson, DJ Schmidt, Saara Untracht-Oakner, Laura Glambman, Matt Jackson, Riley, and Juan Heredia. The majority of artists are Rockaway […]

What do cookies, sea God plush toys, rad guitar riffs, and a surfboard that amps out DJ vibes have to do with each other? Nothing, except that all will be present at the Beach 91st Street Garden tomorrow, Saturday, Oct 8th, from 1-4 p.m. Get Baked With Sea Monsters is the community gardens end of season event. Here’s the skinny: Enjoy delicious homemade baked goods and coffee for sale, made by garden members. Expect corn muffins, caramel apple tarts, chocolate chip cookies, decadent brownies, chocolate rice crispy treats, vegan and […]

Beloved community member, Timothy Miles is leaving Rockaway for a new chapter in his life. Timothy is a Rockaway celebrity,  known as “The Selfie King.” He’s on the A-List with the likes of Rockaway Rod, The Ginger Ladd, Gio Fernandez-Kincade, and The Best Dressed Man in Rockaway. Timothy is a selfie photographer. He has documented the culture of Rockaway since 2015 through his flipped lens – everywhere from the beach to the boulevard and in the bars. One of the many group shots taken of Tim’s friends. There were about […]

 A month ago, I wrote about an experience with Don Riepe, our beloved The Jamaica Bay Guardian. He stopped by the Beach 91St Street Community Garden to give a talk on what we can do as a community to help protect the monarch butterfly. We learned about their habitat, migration, life cycle and feeding. The takeaway – plant an abundant amount of milkweed and goldenrod in your garden. We also discussed the importance of other pollinators and their vital role in our ecosystem. To learn more, Don told us to […]

From Left to Right – Diane Cardwell, Don Riepe, Charley The Dog, Kristi Dickerson   The New York Times published an article last week stating the monarch butterfly has been placed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. The Times informed, “In 2020, U.S. wildlife officials found that monarchs were threatened with extinction but declined to add them to the endangered species list because they said conservation of other species took priority…. Eastern monarchs, which make up most of the population in North America, dropped by […]

The soil is the canvas. The hues of flowers are the paint. The texture of leaves and branches are the brushes. A garden is a painting. Some paintings are completed in a day, some in a year or many years. A garden is ever-changing and its picture is never finished. Each garden I pass on the street speaks to the individuality of the gardener and their personal creative expression. These living canvases, small or large, are intended to be seen by passersby, to call forth reaction or to showcase beauty. […]

Join animal lovers throughout the peninsula for ANIMAL ROCK 2022. This always anticipated event is an expression and celebration of the love that humans and animals share. Expect information on ways to support animals, pick up a raffle to win prizes from local businesses, begin your pet adoptions process, bring your beloved animal for a special blessing, enjoy vegan food offerings from Mara’s Ice Cream and Thai Rock and much animal inspired merriment! This celebration will be held on Saturday, September 24, 2022 from 10:00 am to 4:00pm at Beach […]

“Did you get Anna’s wetsuit yet? Thursday looks good,” Kristi’s text read. “Oh boy, I guess this is really happening.” I say to myself. The anxiety hits me. In the abstract, I’ve been interested all these years in surfing but I never thought I’d be physically or mentally strong enough to pursue it. My friend Kristi had been gently nudging me to get in the water. This was back in May. I’m a people pleaser and I didn’t want to disappoint her. I thought she felt it would be something […]

It’s like dancing in the ocean. Movements in synchronicity with the water – in part controlled by your body and part guided by the rhythm of the ocean. The music blends with the sounds of the waves, birds and planes. If this connection to nature intrigues you, join like-minded swimmers in our community tomorrow, Saturday, July 23rd on Beach 94th Street for the first of five synchro swimming workshops. Artist Ritta Ikonen is the organizer who conceptualized this project. She shares the details: Synchronized Sea Swimming Club is a series of five […]