by Paula D.
on July 9, 2019 9:37 am in Community
I’ve wanted to buy a pair of skates since my roller skating birthday party, over two Rockaway summers ago. I would go down the “rabbit hole” of online shopping, trying to find the best quality, and style (style being top priority) for the best price. I’d save searches but in the end, never purchased a pair.
This year, I went online and just bought whatever!
I had the vision of my maiden voyage. I’d gracefully glide along the boardwalk passing all my favorite spots – La Fruteria were my friends would admire my moves. I’d twirl on the dance floor at Low Tide with my ladies, then to Rippers for a beach juice or two. Hungry from all the roller skating, I’d ride up to 106th for a delicious Arepa – well deserved. My hair would be blowing in the wind. My skin sun-kissed. I’d have my daisy dukes on, and white striped socks, just like Farrah Fawcett. Beach-goers would be giving me the thumbs up, as I stylishly zoomed by.
Boy was I delusional. Roller skating is really hard. And I’m pushing 40, what was I thinking? The reality unfolded like this: The package arrived just as my husband and I were heading to Rockaway Beach Bakery for our late morning coffee. I couldn’t resist trying on my new skates. I put them on and road the four very bumpy streets to Tracy’s, clenching Matt’s arm the whole way. He was so pissed, “This is absurd, you’re going to hurt yourself.” My husband went back to the house to get my flip flops for the way home, so I didn’t break my neck.
After that mishap I was determined to improve. My first ride on the boardwalk was during Rockstock Festival. I was shaky, clinging to the handrail on the boardwalk. The picture was not even close to my Farrah Fawcett fantasy. But my friends and other Rockaway folks at the festival were cheering me on. All positive vibes.
Since then, I’ve been skating about three times a week, each time improving. A few of my friends have expressed interest in joining me and we’re even creating a Rockaway roller skating girl gang! Riptide Rollers? The best spot to practice is the hockey rink on 108th. I was flying! I even did a turn and almost went backwards. The boardwalk is a little bumpy. The bike path linear to the boardwalk is smoother but that’s less fun, I can’t “strut my stuff” down there.
Summer is here and it’s the perfect time to roller skate on the catwalk — I mean boardwalk! If you want to join our roller skating gang, email me (pdigioia[at]rockawave.com). We’re just starting to organize. All are welcome (even inline-ers, lol!)
Our first roller-gang meeting. (Left to Right) Olga Krieger, Erin Silvers, columnist of Zingara Van Adventures, Paula DiGioia. Bethany Scott and Melissa Draugsvold roller-gang members absent from photo. Photo by Sasha Okshteyn.jpg
by Paula D.
on July 9, 2019 9:27 am in Gardening
A few weeks back, my co-worker Mark Hogan told me he crushed a snail in his garden by mistake. We both felt bad for it. (Ugh… that crunching sound.) Since then, I’ve noticed tons of snails in my own garden. Now I’m so worried about stepping on them when I’m weeding. But then I thought, how harmful are all these snails?
Land snails (terrestrial molluscs) are herbivores mostly. They eat a range of host plants – fruit trees, vegetables, roses, and other flowers. Ok, so this doesn’t sound good. They also feed on rotting organic waste and dead animals like worms, bugs and even other snails.
In turn, land snails are food for many small wildlife such as squirrels, birds, mice, beetles, flies and centipedes. Snails are slow moving and low on the food chain. They’re an easy source of protein for many, including us.
After a bunch of reading on the garden-verse, I came to this conclusion: if you have an ecological balance in your garden and you don’t see plant damage, there’s no need to get rid of the snails. Let nature run its course. But if you do see troubled vegetation and know snails are the cause, then you need pest control. There are effective natural measures – laying down grit or ash around plants or a beer trap are common organic ways to tackle gastropod infestation.
We had a new visitor to the garden last week. Matt and I were out at dusk and noticed a bizarre little thing swarming around the walkers low plants (which by the way, are in full bloom and looking gorgeous!). Was this creature a friend or foe of the garden?
Matt thought it was a hummingbird but I said it was too small to be a bird. I thought it was some type of wasp or hornet – it has two bright stripes on it’s back which seemed “bee-like”. Matt said it’s head was too flat for a bee and thought maybe it was a moth … we googled.
To our surprise we were both kind of right! The mystery garden bug is a Hummingbird Moth, specifically, a Nessus Sphinx. It moves and sounds just like a hummingbird and sips nectar with its long thin “tongue” but it is in fact a moth. The insects tail fans-out and appears like birds feathers. The moth is large, 1 1/2 inches with two stripes meant to mimic a wasp. It’s a defense display. It’s as if a hummingbird, wasp and moth fell into a vat of Ghostbuster ectoplasm and emerged as a trihybrid!
Photo: Wikipedia
Hummingbird Moths are pollinators, therefore a friend of the garden. But there’s a twist! The larvae of this bizarre bug is the hornworm and any gardener knows they are a foe of the garden. There are many hornworms that feast on host plant before metamorphosis, most noted is the tomato hornworm (very bad.) But Nessus Sphinxs’ larvae live and feast on cherry and cayenne pepper plants, honeysuckle and hawthorn. I’ve definitely seen the latter two in Rockaway.
This moth was a fun surprise to see and I’m hoping this year as the garden expands I’ll discover more garden creatures, friend or foe.
by Paula D.
on June 18, 2019 9:02 am in Community
Book 1: Friday night my husband and I drove to The Strand in the East Village. I walked into the bookstore and remembered how much I loved browsing the aisles in college. I could’ve spent hours looking around but we headed upstairs for my friend Amber Scorah’s book reading.
Her memoir, entitled Leaving the Witness, begins with her undercover work in China, proselytizing as a Jehovah’s Witness. While there, she begins to question her faith and ultimately leaves the organization. Her family and friends shun her. Amber, alone, starts a new life in NYC. Her story continues with the unimaginable loss of her baby and how she struggles with this tremendous burden without having a religion to look to for answers.
Amber has been on the The Daily Show with Trevor Noah and on NPR, promoting her book. She’s written on various websites such as nytimes.com, believermag.com and theglobeandmail.com about her memoir.
I can’t imagine the courage it has taken for my friend to pen her story. I’m so proud of her! You can order Leaving the Witness by Amber Schorah on amazon.com.
Book 2: Saturday I randomly stopped by Avoid The Day – the pop-up bookstore located at 211 Beach 90th St., Rockaway Beach. It’s so lovely. The space is open but feels inviting with couches, tables and rugs – the perfect place to avoid the day, truly. The main table showcased Rockaway-centric books. Coffee and wine were for sale (My kind of place!). I spoke with Jianna Heuer, who’s venture, along with her husband, has been a longtime dream. The pop-up is just the beginning, their goal is to have a permanent brick and mortar. Jianna and I were chatting about how much fun it would be to have a women’s book club / wine night events. I picked up Patti Smith’s book Just Kids. It’s been on my reading list for a while and now I finally have a copy and thus, no excuse. Be sure to check out Avoid The Day pop-up bookstore this weekend and show your support.
Book 3: Sunday, I went to the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Center for the art exhibit and book reading of The Horseshoe Crab’s Crown. The children’s book is written by Heather Feather and illustrated by Valentina Gallup, both Rockaway ladies. The room was so crown-ed! Valentina’s artwork lined the walls and the watercolors are beautiful. I love the bright colors and intricate brush strokes. People were walking around with horseshoe crab “crowns” on their heads. In one corner, there was a table where you had the opportunity to write down your first experience seeing the prehistoric creature. I bought a book for my niece but now I want to keep if for myself! Heather read while Valentina turned the pages of an extra large version of the book. The children gather up front and the adults stood in the back. We all watched each page turn, to reveal another underwater wonder.
If you missed the exhibit, it’s open for another two months. You can order the children’s book, The Horseshoe Crab’s Crown and learn more about the project online here – horseshoecrabscrown.com.
by Paula D.
on June 9, 2019 5:40 pm in Food
I have two quick and easy recipes to share with you. They’re perfect accompaniments for your summer BBQ.
The first is my fiesta corn. It’s a spin-off of a spiced corn I had at PICO a while back. (419 Beach 129th St, Belle Harbor). It’s best to buy corn from a farmstand or from a farmers market (ahem… Edgemere Farm). Maize loses its sweetness rapidly after harvest so the sooner it goes from the farm to your table the better flavor it will have. Choose corn that is in bright green husks and check for a stem that is still moist. Look out for blemishes or wormholes! Here’s what you’ll need for this sweet and spicy treat.
Fiesta Corn on the Cob
(serves 6)
Ingredients:
6 pieces of corn
4 tablespoons butter
Salt
Black pepper
Cayenne pepper
Romano cheese
(Sprinkle to taste as far as spice measurements go)
Directions: Put the corn on the top cooking rack of your BBQ grill in the husk. Cook for about 20 minutes. You can also bring the corn to a boil on the stove top. Let it cool for 10 minutes. Peel back the husks. You can leave them on for a “handle” or take the husk off, whichever you prefer. Liberally rub the butter on the corn. Lay the cob on a platter and sprinkle all the spices and cheese. Rotate and sprinkle again. Corn is tasty alone but with extra spice pizzazz you turn the normal into something extra special that you’re backyard BBQ guests will enjoy.
The next summer side recipe I’m recommending is seasoned watermelon with mint, lemon and salt! You may be a little hesitant to try this but I assure you it’s delicious. There’s a big debate on whether to salt melon or not. I’m pro-salt. My friend Dave introduced me to seasoning melon a few summers ago and I’ve been hooked since. A little salt brings out the flavor and sweetness. Add a healthy amount of mint and lemon and you’ve created something from nothing in a matter of minutes. The combination is so refreshing in the summer heat.
An interesting aside – did you know that the whole watermelon is edible? The rind is packed with nutrients, and in China the rind is stir-fried or stewed. Watermelons are part of the gourd family and in the Middle East, the seeds are dried and roasted, as we do with pumpkins. In the southern parts of the United States, where watermelon grows in abundance, the rind is pickled. I’m feeling another watermelon recipe column happening from these interesting facts!
Here’s what you need for the Minted Watermelon recipe.
Ingredients: (serves 6)
1/2 watermelon
½ cup diced mint and a sprig for garnish
Salt to taste
1 lemon
Directions: Cube the watermelon and toss in a bowl with salt, diced mint, and lemon. Serve chilled. That’s it!
