by Paula D.
on December 31, 2020 12:40 pm in Food
So many Rockawayites have connections to Puerto Rico. “Am I the only person on the whole peninsula that hasn’t been?” I thought. I don’t suffer FOMO well, so back when things were pretty calm with Covid-19, we booked a trip, and I ended up spending my first Thanksgiving in a bathing suit drinking a pina colada, which, incidentally, is the national drink of PR.
With the current Covid uptick, I did have second thoughts about the trip, but sitting on the beach in the open air seems much safer than sitting indoors around a Thanksgiving table. Definitely safer for my mental health. And we were tested beforehand and afterwards, and followed the guidelines in between. (They are very serious about masks in PR, incidentally.)
We flew into San Juan and stayed one night in the old part of the city, which was unbelievably picturesque. I wish we had more time there. The city has so much to offer in the way of history and beauty. Next time I may spend a week just exploring the capital.
Our Airbnb was a five minute drive from the center of Rincón. What I noticed most about the rural areas was the random animals – dogs, cats, cows, horses, chickens, roosters and the coquí frogs (heard, not seen). Between the frogs and the roosters, the mornings were very “musical.” As I layed in bed awake at 5am, I had the thought that to the locals, these sounds must blend in, just how the planes in Rockaway don’t even phase us.
The food… delicious. The prices weren’t cheap but not tourist expensive, fair. The highlight was mofongo! This was my first time eating Puerto Rico’s famous dish. Mofongo is pickled green fried plantains topped with chicken or fish usually, and pickled onions or cracked pork. We ordered mofongo at fancy restaurants and at beach side shacks. The best we thought was served at El Ancla, a little beach side place at the marina right outside the main town in Rincón. It started raining as it does randomly in Puerto Rico and we took cover there, not expecting a decadent comfort food experience.
Also to note is the fresh fish in general. I think I ate fish everyday. Not sure if it’s that most everything is caught the day of, or it’s the Caribbean waters but the fish is fantastic in PR.
Of course we had to check out Uma’s Playa Jobos (Isabela 00662, Puerto Rico). The first time I tagged Conrad on instagram (@umas_restaurants) and said “Oh hi, we’re here!” He wasn’t around. We ended up in Isabela again. Conrad Karl and his wife Umida (Chef and co-owner) treated us wonderfully. Stiff drinks, great conversation and a special-made coffee by Conrad himself. The coffee he uses is made from beans grown in the center of Puerto Rico. A seriously delicious cup. Besides the fanatic food and hospitality, the beach vibe at Umas is sooooo chill.
Some shops were closed due to Covid, but I have to mention my friend Meredith’s new boutique in Rincón is open and ready for business! You may know the brand from pop-ups on the boardwalk – Del La Mer (@delamer1981). We visited the shop a few times during our stay. I played dress up in her beautiful designer clothing, so much fun and I treated myself to a beachy jumper!! Del La Mer also carries other familiar brands – Goldie’s Soap and items from The Swellife. If you’re “snow-birding” to Rincón after the holiday be sure to check out the shop and support local business from afar! Del La Mer is located at Carretera 115, KM 14.1 Bo. Ensenada Rincón.
Lastly, I have to mention the natural geographic diversity on the island. There are beautiful beaches with aqua blue waters, mountainous rainforest with waterfalls, one being Gozalandia Falls and other-world white limestone rock formations and red sharp cliffs 200 feet above the sea at Cabo Rojo Lighthouse. I couldn’t tell you which is more breathtaking. I had know idea the landscape in PR was so diverse. I love being outside in nature, I could explore the natural world of Puerto Rico indefinitely.
There’s so much more I want to share but I will have to leave it at that for now!
by Paula D.
on November 29, 2020 11:16 am in Rockaway
This time of year we reflect on all that we are thankful for. While 2020 has been a nightmare, I’m sure we can all find the little moments of appreciation that were afforded to us.
For me, I’m thankful for the fascinating nature that surrounds us in Rockaway and our public parks. These spaces have been an outlet for me to cope through the pandemic. In the past 8 months, I’ve spent more time on the beach and on my bike exploring and at National and NYC Parks than ever before. And all of this right on the peninsula. I feel grateful to have the beauty of the coast and the ocean steps away, available for me to escape to, at any moment.
Many friends of mine living in apartments in Brooklyn commented on my IG stories during the early days of Covid, saying how lucky I was to live by the Beach, and that’s when it really clicked, how fortunate I am.
Recently I discovered two outdoor gems. They are both worthy of visitation. The first is under the el at 59th Street in Far Rockaway. The outdoor installation and mural is a collaboration with The Rockaway Waterfront Alliance, (RISE), NYC Dot, NACTO and Underhill Walls (A Street Artist Group @underhillwalls). The art is described by RISE as a statement on the environmental impacts of our technology driven, consumerist society.
It felt liberating to walk slowly in the middle of the street, no cars, viewing the bold mural on the asphalt under my feet. And walking under what I call the “plastic brain” (Sonic Constellation sculpture), looking up at the colored plastic bottle caps into the sky was an impressive experience.
The second place I suggest visiting is the Historic Arverne Fishing and Recreation Area, located on 69th Street and the bay. The Wave recently wrote about it’s refurbishment in an article titled Lifting Up Arverne. After reading, I knew I’d go the following weekend.
My first thought was, “Wow, this is a forgotten New York spot.” There aren’t any signs pointing to its location. The park is tucked always on a residential block. It feels like a local secret. The Rockaway Bay Coastal Association (RBCA), Ladies of Business of Rockaway (LBRB), The Heart of Rockaway Civic (THOR) and Assembly member-elect Khaleel Anderson, along with other community members did a fantastic job sprucing up the bayside recreation area. The new planters, inspirational signs, paintings and picnic tables are welcoming and provide a space to sit and relax. There are upgraded fishing stations too! The best time to visit is right before sunset for the colorful views over the bay.
I’ve always thought the bay side of Rockaway is underutilized. It has so much potential as public park land. I’m glad to see things are mobilizing and I hope to be a part of the volunteerism next time. It’s important now more than ever to support local efforts to continue the beautification and environmental preservation of the peninsula.
Rockaway is a natural wonderland and I’m so thankful to be immersed in it.
by Paula D.
on November 29, 2020 10:51 am in Food / Recipes
A friend of mine posted a video on his Instagram story showing sizzling cheese and roasted tomatoes hot out of the oven. It looked decadent – heart-eye emoji sent. He responded and shared the recipe with me. It’s from grilledcheesesocial.com and it’s called Baked Feta Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes, Garlic and Basil.
The blogger MacKenzie Smith, annoyingly beautiful and seemingly perfect, is a two-time Food Network Champ, Cookbook Author, Cheese Expert (really??), and Executive Chef in Florida. She writes that this is a quick after-work meal that is delicious. Well, I’ll give her that. It’s a weeknight homerun. But I would argue this is more than that – an impressive dish worthy of a dinner party main course.
I have the directions outlined below but basically, all I did was douse the baking dish with olive oil (Colavita is my fav), placed the feta in the center, and threw in a bunch of tomatoes. While that was cooking, I chopped the garlic, poured a glass of wine, placed Billy Joel’s Turnstiles on the turntable, put on the water for the pasta, and sat down with the NY Times while I waited.
Once the feta started bubbling (45 min.), I took it out of the oven, added the garlic, and combined it with the pasta and fresh basil. I think the fresh basil was the key ingredient. That pop of herbal freshness with the rich, tart cheese is fantastic. So I recommend adding a generous amount of basil.
Baked Feta Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes, Garlic, and Basil
Ingredients:
- 1 pound bowtie pasta
- 2 thick slices of fresh feta (you can find this at a specialty market or at most deli counters at your supermarket)
- Cherry tomatoes
- 4-5 cloves garlic
- Basil (1 bundle, to taste)
- Salt
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Olive Oil
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400. Add olive oil to a baking dish and toss with whole cherry tomatoes, salt, and pepper until coated.
- Add the feta in the middle and top with a splash more of olive oil plus more fresh pepper Bake for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, boil a pot of water and make the pasta.
- After the 30 minutes, crank the heat up to 450 and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until the feta and tomatoes have browned.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and add garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir so the residual heat cooks the garlic and releases the flavors from the red pepper flakes.
- Toss in the pasta and stir again. Finish with fresh basil, another splash of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
I have a tendency to overbuy when I’m working on a special recipe or for the holidays. I ended up with way too much feta. A few days later I tried the same recipe concept again but with different veggies. Essentially whatever I had in the fridge I used – broccoli, artichoke hearts, and tomatoes. This version also turned out delicious! So you can get creative and experiment with this homerun vegetarian dish.
by Paula D.
on November 29, 2020 9:48 am in Animals / Cats
In August I wrote about Sweetie, a ”teenage” cat mom who appeared in my backyard with a batch of kittens. I wanted to follow up and share the rest of Sweetie’s journey with you.
It’s been a long road. We rescued Sweetie and her three kittens July 6. It was difficult to get appointments for spay/neuter and vaccines due to Covid-19 delays. And it took some time to get the kittens adopted into good homes. Meanwhile, I grew very much attached to Sweetie. She’s a special cat – very friendly, cheery and mild-mannered. In the four months since her rescue, she learned how to love people, to cuddle and play. Milestones like her discovery of going inside paper bags and the first time she kneeded on my lap were truly “proud mom” moments for me.
We considered keeping Sweetie in our backhouse bungalow but after much back and forth – me wanting to keep her, my husband being pragmatic – we felt it wasn’t fair to her. Sweetie was alone a lot. And it wasn’t ideal to have a cat in Matt’s place of work. Sweetie deserved a real forever home where someone could give her all the love, attention and cat treats she deserved.
Finally, I worked up the courage to write the Facebook post explaining Sweetie’s situation. I typed and cried.
Two days later we hear from our good friends Maggie and Or. Maggie’s parents were seriously interested! This was my ideal dream for Sweetie. I wanted a family that would give her an abundance of care. As Mr. and Mrs. Carson are retired, they have the time to dote over her. And I believe with Covid-19, being more confined than normal, the company and comfort of a cat was something the Carsons were searching for! Also selfishly, I wanted Sweetie to live with someone I could keep in touch with – to get updates, pictures and videos. This was the purrfect match!
As I thought, with Sweetie’s easy-going demeanor, it only took one night for her to settle in. This is quite rare for cats, as they’re territorial. Normally it takes a minimum of a week for a cat to feel comfortable in a new environment.
Something really big happened on her first morning in her new home: Sweetie caught a mouse and presented it to Mary as a gift!! Mary was surprised and delighted! She took photos of Sweetie with her kill and sent them to us!! I responded, “Now my heart is healing.” That was the moment I knew Sweetie was happy with her new life! I cried again, but this time, they were tears of joy… mostly.
The mouse kill has a quirky connection. Mary Carson has a Youtube channel where she performs puppeteering. Her puppet is a mouse! Mouse performs skits, other times he sings. In one recent video “Shine On Harvest Moon” (great song), Sweetie makes a cameo in the background! I have high hopes Sweetie will become a famous Youtube cat influencer! Check out Mary Carson’s lovely videos here. If you can help out a furry feral before the cold of winter, please do! Here are some helpful resources on TNR: animalalliancenyc.org and faithfulfriendsny.com. Note: If you see cats with their left ear tipped, that means they have already been fixed.
