Posts categorized as Rockaway

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 […]

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 […]

 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. […]

“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 […]

I was watering my hanging baskets when I noticed hundreds of aphids on the underside of the delicate petunia petals. I almost fell off the ladder! Unmanaged infestations will kill plants within a few weeks. Aphids are very small bugs – bright green, burnt orange, or black in color. If you see them, take action quickly. Here you can see aphids on the flower and one ladybug larva enjoying a feast. To combat these garden pests, fill a water bottle and add natural dish soap (1-2 tablespoons). Shake, then spray […]

The first time Jenny Magniccari went to a thrift store was six years ago in Florida with her daughter. She was quite surprised by the quality of clothing for sale and she enjoyed the experience of finding a bargain. Jenny Magniccari, a mother of three, has been a resident of Rockaway for 35 years. And she’s always loved shopping and fashion. Like most of us when the pandemic hit, she was home, with a lot of time on her hands. Here arrives The Cellar Door NYC. Magniccari had the idea to […]

In celebration of Earth Day, the Beach 91st Street Community Garden is hosting a festival on April 23, from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. in the garden. The theme of the event is the Rockaway Ecosystem, which will pay tribute to the biological community and the environments in which they live and we share. The day’s events focus on ecological education, art inspired by the beauty of Jamaica Bay, created by local artists and fantastic live music! The Earth Day guest speakers are: Carolin Wood, NYC Parks Department Gardener. She will be […]

I haven’t had a proper haircut since before the pandemic. I desperately needed a spring refresh and knew exactly where I wanted to go – Rock Rock Salon (88-08 Rockaway Beach Blvd.). I have several friends who had exceptional experiences there and they recommended I go for my new cut. I booked my appointment through Rock Rock’s Instagram page – @rockrocksalon. Did you know that was even a feature?! I didn’t and it was super easy. I also received a reminder via email which, for me, is hugely helpful. I entered the […]