Posts categorized as Memories

Far Rockaway through Breezy Point, and all in between – the big ol porches with wicker furnishings are iconic. They hold a place in time—before me, before the boomers, before their parents. These porches are portals. A glimpse into another version of Rockaway: a place where women’s long, lacy dresses touched the sand, parasols twirling, walking next to the gentlemen in tophats. Not a Croc in to be seen! Where summer homes were grand, dance halls held the drama, and fishing piers lined the Irish Riviera. All the porches whispered, […]

I was in the dollar store when I spotted a package of white paper doilies—I love them! They remind me of the Valentine’s Day cards I used to make for my mother and father in grammar school. If you fold a doily in half and cut an angled edge at the bottom, it forms a heart. Or you can find heart-shaped doilies, too. Layer construction paper and ribbon, glitter, and maybe even collage. The lacy texture feels tender and lovely—it’s wonderfully nostalgic and a personal way to tell someone you […]

I was looking for a bowl on the bottom shelf of my mother’s closet to make a salad, and I saw an old, faded blue box. Reaching, I pulled it out and brought it to my mother. “Whose is this?!” I asked. “It’s your grandmother’s,” mom said. My mother doesn’t bake, so I’m guessing that when Grandma Mary passed away in 2012, it went from her kitchen to my mother’s kitchen and hasn’t been touched since. I carefully opened the box with frayed corners. It revealed a mustard yellow mixer. It […]

Fran Honan has been contributing her writings to theglorifiedtomato.com for the past 13 years, and her stories have always resonated with me. I’m excited to share her peice with you. It expresses sentiments about giving, community, and food.”  – Paula A few weeks ago, on a cool night in the fading days of summer, our neighbor Augustin rang our doorbell with some of the season’s bounty. It was a white basket filled with green and purple figs, grown with love and care from him all season. I’ve been obsessed with figs since I […]

Fran Honan has been contributing her writings to theglorifiedtomato.com for the past 13 years, and her stories have always resonated with me. I’m excited to share this heartwarming piece with you. – Paula Recently I was in my kitchen getting ready to saute some canned tomatoes to make a little marinara for dinner and I grabbed an old pot from the cabinet – my mother’s pot, part of a Farberware collection she received at her engagement party in 1947. I have lifted and held and cooked in that pot for […]

Hesitating, I walked delicately towards the crowd of black suits standing in clusters on the sand at 94th Street. Why did I feel so nervous? I saw my friend Elise. She’s 9 years old. We started talking about Surf Camp and how excited she is to start it up again in June. Photo By Frith Fraser. This would be my first memorial paddle-out. Our friend Sean organized everyone. He explained what would happen for the newbies… me. We’d paddle out, following his lead, a bit past the jetty. We’d embrace […]

Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, birthdays, and Sunday dinners at my grandparents’ house – the nuts and fanuk (fennel) were put on the table after supper. This was a “break” period from eating, before the dessert came out (even though you were still eating). It gave the women time to clean up in the kitchen and get the nice dishes out for the finale. When I say nuts, I mean shelled walnuts, almonds, pecans, and hazelnuts. At this time, 35 years ago, I don’t think supermarkets even sold de-shelled nuts, and if they did, […]

The off-season cafe, Others, located at the Beach 97th Street concession wrapped up last weekend until next year. Others brought us the combined culinary talents of Washed Up Beach Cafe (washedup.nyc) and Brothers (@brothersrockaway) eatery. We were fed otherworldly offerings, the strongest steaming hot coffees, breakfast burritos infused with tater tots, creamy ricotta toast delicately topped with sweet carrots, warm pesto eggs sandwiches, so many sweet treats, Zak Daddy smash burgers, and pop-up specials featuring mouthwater foods from guest chefs. A beautiful, etched glass memento of the LOG was gifted […]

Do brides these days still buy china? I remember when I told my mother I didn’t want china as a wedding gift. She was really annoyed. I explained that I wouldn’t use it often and when I did, I would be so worried I’d break or chip it. Instead without my knowledge my mother bought me a set of wine glasses, champagne glasses and serving plates, hand-painted in Italy with beautiful fish illustrations. Now that is totally me. And I’m happy she did it, because it is a special keepsake. […]

Like many Italians in the late ’50s, my grandparents moved out of Brooklyn (Bed-Stuy) to “The Island.” Well, not exactly the island. They moved to Bellerose, Queens in 1957. My father was 11 years old. It must have been a big change from playing outside on Nostrand Ave. My grandfather Mickey followed his brothers there – Uncle Dick, Babe, Pasqual, Severne and Aunt Rosie, and Marie. He doesn’t know why the family picked this particular area of Queens. My father tells me that Bellerose at the time was mostly German. […]