Singer-songwriter Ryan Thomas. Photo by Alec Kugler.
This Sunday, September 24th, don’t miss the party at Connolly’s as they close out the season with a record release show for my talented and “lonely no more” friend, Ryan Thomas, who performs under the name, Nobody & All His Friends. The show starts at 4pm and I promise it will be a super cool time, in space and sound. Things get wonderful early evening with performances by Vera Kahn, Tini Vessel and Sangwich & Sons.
I’d like to share a bit about Ryan, his path to music, and his path to Rockaway.
Ryan’s first solo performance was a cover of “More Than Words” by Extreme. He was three years old and sang from his car seat for his mother while they were driving in the family Ford Windstar minivan on a road trip. He knew all the words, start to finish.
In elementary school, Ryan liked singing in the chorus – Beatles hits and Christmas classics were all the rage. As he was coming of age, Ryan was inspired by his friends’ bands, but he didn’t believe it was something he could do himself. That changed when Ryan took his first guitar lesson above a deli in Westwood, New Jersey. Playing the guitar helped him feel songwriting was possible.
I asked Ryan if he was influenced by any pop artists. It wasn’t someone famous. It was his childhood friends Doug and Jared. Doug’s passion for punk was infectious. A memorable moment was when he introduced Ryan to the anarchy symbol, on the chalkboard at school! Jared played a significant role as well. How? By locking Ryan in his basement and demanding he finish writing a song before letting him out. This tough love worked—Ryan wrote his first song that day.
Both Doug and Jared passed away—Doug in 2010 and Jared in 2014—deeply affecting Ryan. Their influence and memory inspired him to return to music after a decade-long break— honoring their impact on his life.
In 2020, after hitting the road for three years, alone (very alone) living out of his car and traversing the country—spending time in places like Montana, North Dakota, Colorado, and California— Ryan gained a deeper understanding of himself. This new clarity gave him something real to write about. Embracing the chance to create authentic music, Ryan crafted songs that he hoped would resonate with others.
Then, Ryan found Rockaway.
Before his time on the road, he previously lived in Bushwick but felt confined by the crowded sidewalks and lack of space. Rockaway, with its open air, surfing, skating, and music scene, offered the blend of freedom and community that he had been searching for.
I asked about his favorite activity in Rockaway, and Ryan laughed and said, “I feel like the required answer is surfing!” Although more surfing is a goal for his 35th year, his most cherished interest is breakfast at Brother’s on the boardwalk at 106th. He loves Sarah’s famous muffins and with a cold brew in hand, watching people pass by, checking the waves, and waiting for friends to stop by. “I love the sense of community here and the spontaneity of it all. Just chilling at Brother’s feels awesome,” Ryan says. He adds that the way the community shows up for each other is what makes Rockaway truly special.
Ryan’s appreciation for country music deepened as he discovered outlaw country, which aligns with his punk DIY ethos. Although initially put off by pop country’s radio-friendly style, he later resonated with the genre’s themes of isolation and travel, especially while driving across the country. The storytelling in country music now connects with his experiences and emotions and this can all be heard and felt in his debut album Alone Again. He considers his style to be country-leaning and is cautious about fully identifying as a country artist, given his New Jersey roots. Ryan aimed to create honest music for this record based on his personal experiences, including the loss of friends while inviting listeners to find their own meanings in his songs.
Nobody & All His Friends is ironic. When Ryan decided on it, he genuinely felt like a nobody, struggling with loneliness and a lack of friendships. It was his self-deprecating way of poking fun at his situation—naming himself something that implied he had a social life he didn’t actually have. But it comes full circle because here in Rockaway, Ryan found his home, his homies, and the rare community connection we all feel and know.
Let’s celebrate not being alone! See you at Connolly’s this Sunday—the sea-salt music rodeo begins at 4pm.
Find Ryan Thomas’s music on spotify, and follow him on IG (@nobody.allhisfriends) to learn about his gigs in town this fall.
I have a fig tree too, just like Fran, and every other Italian woman with a small piece of land in the tri-state area. But mine doesn’t have roots in Brooklyn. Honestly, I can’t remember where mine came from—I think Home Depot. But I’ve had the tree for about 15 years, though she’s more of a twig than a tree. She first lived in a container on a roof deck, a lifetime ago when I was in Ridgewood, Queens. When the move to Rockaway happened, she spent the next 10 years in a large sauce pot, indoors. It’s a miracle she survived so long in such depressing conditions.
One year, she ventured outside, still in her pot, but a squirrel ate the only fig, and a branch broke. Fearing for her life, I confined her back inside.
But this year, I was tired of the sadness and realized that while there was a risk she could die, the possibility of a new life was worth the chance.
It was mid-summer, the worst time to plant a shrub or tree, but I had a strong urge to do it, to put her in the earth where a tree naturally belongs. At first, she struggled to adjust, but with time, I noticed signs of recovery. Her form stopped drooping, and it seemed her roots were finally taking hold. Just the other day, I saw new sprouts—she’s flourishing.
Take the chance.
Fig trees in the Northeast are delicate during winter since they’re Mediterranean by nature (just like me). Though my fig tree is old, she’s fragile from years of captivity, so I’ll be treating her like a young sapling this winter, giving her all the protection she needs.
Here’s how to care for a young (or young-at-heart) fig tree in NYC (Zone 7b):
- Water Before First Frost: Give the tree a good soak before the ground freezes to help it endure the dry winter months.
- Prune in Late Fall: Trim back damaged or weak branches to reduce stress on the tree and make it easier to wrap for winter.
- Mulch Around the Base: Apply a thick layer of mulch (4–6 inches) around the base to insulate the roots.
- Wrap the Tree: After the leaves fall, wrap the fig tree in layers of burlap or frost cloth to protect it from cold winds. You can carefully tie the branches up to make wrapping easier.
- Insulate with Straw or Leaves: Once the tree is wrapped, you can add straw, leaves, or even bubble wrap around the tree for extra insulation, especially around the trunk. You can also add a cage wire frame to stuff the organic insulation into.
- Cover with a Tarp: On top of the wrapped tree, place a plastic tarp to protect it from rain and snow, but leave room at the bottom for air circulation to prevent mold.
- Unwrap Gradually in Spring: As temperatures warm in the spring, slowly remove the wraps and mulch to avoid shocking the tree with sudden exposure.
Take care and follow these steps to help your fig tree survive the colder months and thrive in the growing season!
Follow me on IG (@theglorifiedtomato) this fall. There’s still so much to do in the garden! If you missed Fran Honan’s column last week, “Roots In Brooklyn” find it here.
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 was a little girl growing up in Bensonhurst. In our mainly Italian neighborhood, fig trees and grapevines were a staple in every garden.
In my Sicilian grandfather’s small backyard he lovingly grew tomatoes, basil alongside the vines of grapes and his prized fig tree. Each summer his children and grandchildren lined up to receive a fig or two; I cherished them.
A gift from Augustin Frans-neighbor.
His death in 1959 put an end to his garden and I always longed for my own tree.
Years after moving to Rockaway my friend and colleague Adam Funtleyder brought figs into our school one day and I was brought back to my grandfather’s backyard. I shared my love of the fruit with him and he gave me a cutting of his tree, which also had roots in Brooklyn.
Adam’s tree came from a cutting from his father Eliot’s backyard, and that tree came from a cutting from his childhood neighbor in Brooklyn, an Italian immigrant who also grew them and shared with his Jewish neighbor.
That spirit of sharing has continued since growing my own figs. Our neighbor Frankie, another Brooklyn Italian, shares his figs and oversized basil leaves every summer. And now we had the basket of figs from Augustin, who hails from Poland. We got to talking about the fruit in church, which spurred his generosity.
When I left Brooklyn for Rockaway after getting married, my Italian-American mother wondered how I could leave my Italian neighborhood for an Irish one. Where would I shop for Italian food?, she asked. She meant everything, including figs.
My mother died 33 years ago and never had the chance to see my fig tree thrive, or to see the multicultural sharing the figs have inspired.
If you are lucky enough to have a neighbor with delicious figs. give them a taste. I have included a simple recipe if you receive a bountiful harvest like I have. MANGIA.
I made a new friend at Seany Pizza. Juliana Rodas is a self-starting entrepreneur who’s hardworking, energetic, kind, and a lot of fun to be around. In my first few weeks, Juliana helped me navigate the POS register – without judgment, sigh – I’m 20 years her senior. I had a hunch that working at Seany’s would open the gate to meet new people, like Juliana in my community that I otherwise wouldn’t cross paths with. It’s so wonderful!
Photo courtesy of IG @for.the.love.of.bread
During our hours crafting pies at Pizza World, I’ve gotten to know Juliana and learned she is a baker! This year she started her own business, For the Love of Bread, sharing her homemade goods at the RISE Market. Juliana loves bananas! Her offerings include four banana options: classic banana bread, banana nut, cocoa chocolate chip banana, and peanut butter banana bread. Can we put bananas on pizza? In addition, finds Edgemere Farm-grown zucchini baked into her soft zucchini breads and she offers sweet carrot bread. I’ve tried many of Juliana’s baked goods – the flavors are rich, the slices are thick and the bread is wonderfully moist. My favorite might be the peanut butter banana bread. It’s hard to choose a fav with so many tasty varieties and flavors! PSA: For the Love of Bread is the only vendor at the RISE market that sells coffee.
Juliana Rodas, a Rockaway native of Colombian heritage, discovered her passion for baking at the age of 11 while spending time with her Aunt Ada. As a skilled home baker and Juliana’s mentor, Aunt Ada introduced her to the craft of baking through a cherished Christmas recipe book. These memories of learning from her aunt have left a lasting impression on Juliana and continue to inspire her love of bread.
Juliana Rodas at the RISE Market
The RISE market, located on 60th Street under the El, offers a fantastic blend of urban energy, music, locally grown fruits and veggies, artisanal products, and delicious baked breads, creating a hip market experience. Visit every Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., through October 12. Supporting local businesses strengthens our community by creating jobs and building meaningful connections among neighbors. Come through and say hi to Juliana and the other talented vendors at the RISE Market (@riserockaway) this weekend!
To learn more about Juliana Rodas’ bread business check out this article in The Wave. And follow For the Love of Bread on Instagram – @for.the.love.of.bread
