Swimmy II lives a luxurious life in my living room, in a 10-gallon oasis. He enjoys moving freely and darting around between freshwater aquatic plants and the beautiful rockscape decor I collected on the beach at 91st. Swimmy II is royal, with rich hues of deep blue, maroon, and purple. He seems to sparkle as he glides about. Swimmy is a Betta. He shares his McMansion kindly with The Slippy Brothers. It’s a symbiotic relationship. Three nerite snails slowly chow down on algae and stray bits of tank sludge, keeping Swimmy’s kingdom clean.
It’s a big job for The Brothers, but free food and rent make for a sweet deal. The plants produce organic matter, and along with remnants of Swimmy’s bloodworm feasts, debris accumulates in the tank. The Brothers do a great job, yet every month, Swimmy relies on me to change his life water. Even with a bubble maker and his snail servants, his water needs refreshing, to maintain oxygen levels and to ensure healthy water quality.
Now here’s the hack: when caring for your fish by changing a freshwater tank, consider using the spent aquarium water to water your houseplants instead of pouring it down the drain. This saves by recycling it, and it saves on plant fertilizers. Aquarium water is a rich source of nitrogen, which is what plants need to make chlorophyll, an essential component of photosynthesis. It also contains phosphorus, which supports healthy root growth, and potassium, which makes plants strong and helps them hold water. Used fish tank water also contains beneficial bacteria that break down ammonia and help feed the soil.
I use an aquarium siphon vacuum cleaner to gently suck up debris and water from the rocks. It’s simple to use and lets you target the gunk that settles at the bottom—uneaten food, plant matter, and other nutrient-rich sediment. If you don’t have a siphon, just take a wooden skewer and gently stir the gravel around. This loosens up the buildup so it can be captured when you scoop out the water. Either way, the goal is to collect the “good stuff.” Then simply use that to water your plants.
I love the idea of one living world, sustaining another, and this is exactly that.
Don’t dump it—reuse it. Spent aquarium water makes a nutrient-rich treat for your houseplants.
For a healthy look, rotate your houseplants slightly every two weeks for even light distribution which encourages symmetrical growth.
I know many of us are focused on our outdoor garden now, but take notice. As indoor plants wake from their winter dormancy, the increasing hours of sunlight trigger a surge in growth. In addition to regular watering and fertilizing, be sure to prune your houseplants to encourage healthy new growth. Rotate the plants slightly every two weeks for even light distribution, which encourages symmetrical growth. I also give my plants a shower—literally, in the shower. This washes away dust that has collected on the leaves, allowing for better absorption of sunlight, and it rinses off potential pests like spider mites.
Follow me on Instagram, fishing around – @theglorifiedtomato.
Source: gardeningknowhow.com
Rehearsal in action! Josh Armstrong (left), Eric Dahl (center), Steve Hyltons (Right). Photo by: Jena Cumbo
It’s the perfect, hot, sunny beach day — yet fifteen dedicated actors, some from Rockaway and others from afar, head up the stairs to the small rehearsal space at the Knights of Columbus on Beach 90th Street, as they have been for months. The scene: discipline and dedication, with laughter and serious tone scattered throughout the hours. Sword fights! Stops and starts, iced matcha, tension over creative, 5-inch tan, sparkly high heels, and drama twirled into the must-do energy — all in service of one shared goal: bringing live theater to Rockaway.
This spirit fuels Shakespeare on the Rocks, a new theater company led by producers and co-directors Elwin Cuevas and Robert Bryn. Cuevas is an NYC SAG-AFTRA actor, an activist and boundary-pushing theatre officiant. Bryn, a poet, filmmaker, playwright, and Wild Yak— now channeling decades of storytelling to directing. Both artists live in Rockaway—Cuevas for three years and Bryn for decades—bringing distinct pieces of their lived experiences on the peninsula to the production, which are woven into the subtext of the performance.
Romeo (Ellington-Blue Chapman) and Juliet (Jeniece Brown) running lines. Photo by: Jena Cumbo
It’s the perfect, hot, sunny beach day — yet fifteen dedicated actors, some from Rockaway and others from afar, head up the stairs to the small rehearsal space at the Knights of Columbus on Beach 90th Street, as they have been for months. The scene: discipline and dedication, with laughter and serious tone scattered throughout the hours. Sword fights! Stops and starts, iced matcha, tension over creative, 5-inch tan, sparkly high heels, and drama twirled into the must-do energy — all in service of one shared goal: bringing live theater to Rockaway.
This spirit fuels Shakespeare on the Rocks, a new theater company led by producers and co-directors Elwin Cuevas and Robert Bryn. Cuevas is an NYC SAG-AFTRA actor, an activist and boundary-pushing theatre officiant. Bryn, a poet, filmmaker, playwright, and Wild Yak— now channeling decades of storytelling to directing. Both artists live in Rockaway—Cuevas for three years and Bryn for decades—bringing distinct pieces of their lived experiences on the peninsula to the production, which are woven into the subtext of the performance.
The play: “Romeo & Juliet. The stage: Under the sky at the amphitheater (boardwalk at Beach 94th St.), The When: August 22-24, 6:30-9pm.
Artist Carolin Wood (left) with Co-Producer Robert Bryn. Photo courtesy of Carolin Wood. Photo by Tonya Smay
Jeniece Brown, cast as Juliet after self-submitting on Backstage.com, commutes from Washington Heights for rehearsals. Her take on Rockaway’s Juliet: “She starts young, but she’s very intelligent. You watch her take action and agency over her life.” Asked about the famous kiss, she shrugs like a pro: the production works with a certified intimacy coordinator, so “everything is choreographed to serve the story—timed, repeatable, not awkward.”
Ellington-Blue Chapman, who splits time between Brooklyn and Rockaway and teaches surfing, was sought out by Bryn. Chapman showed up to audition with a single goal: “I came here for Romeo.” He points to Act 3, Scene 3 as his northstar—“the turn,” when grief, banishment, and love collide. Acting, he says, feels like freedom—“chasing the dream,” the same way a good set of waves demands your whole attention.
Eric Anthony Dahl (Samson) is the swagger and spark that helps ignite the feud. A veteran improviser returning to scripted work, he’s delighted to discover the joy and rigor of being a part of a scripted play. “It’s a different muscle—no riffing; every word matters.” Eric landed in Rockaway during lockdown and never looked back.
The Nurse is played with warmth by Catherine Yeager McQuaid, a licensed massage therapist who owns a local practice and holds a BFA from Marymount. Classically trained and once a touring Shakespeare actor, she moved to Rockaway for the Boatel Art project at Marina 59 in 2011 and stayed through Sandy—“that kind of rooted me here.” For Catherine, the location of the play is a character of its own: “You hear the shore, watch the sun drop, then sit under the stars. Theater is teamwork. This show feels like the community, working in rhythm.” She nods to the amphitheater and post-Sandy positives—proof that art can be part of rebuilding.
Music Director Dave Treut opens each evening with a 6:30 pm set, then threads music and motifs through the play. He’s written a tone poem inspired by Kahlil Gibran’s “On Love” and is reimagining a Lakota Sioux flute melody as Juliet’s theme. The wireless mics purchased with fundraising money, will carry both voices and instruments, so the surf can still hum through his arrangements.
For the set design, the show leans proudly DIY. Many local, multimedia artists have contributed their talents including prop design by Carolin Wood, poster design by Teresa Farrell as well as styling cast member Sean Flaherty into a living tree. Wood built and created a giant oversized sun “so big two people have to carry it,” among other key visuals to set the theatrical mood.
Co-director Robert Bryn shares the evolution of the vision for this Rockaway rendition of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet: he toyed with color-coding the feuding houses, Montagues (red) and the Capulets, (blue), a reference to our current rivaling political tribes. Then the cast formed —diverse in age, background, and politics—and the idea evolved. “It stopped being about sides. It became about cooperation—how you actually make a town, or a play, unite despite our differences.”
Produced and Directed by Robert Bryn (left) and Elwin Cuevas (Right). Photo by: Jena Cumbo
The cast also includes Peyton Housten (Lord Capulet), Charlene Ruscalleda (Lady Montague), and Lauren Harrison—who also serves as fight choreographer—doubling as Benvolio and Balthazar, along with Myles Rich (Mercutio), Seamus O’Sullivan (Tybalt), Sydney Reeddeleon (Peter), Abishek Ojha (Paris), Vera Kahn (Abraham), Josh Armstrong (Gregory), Eric Dahl (Sampson), and Steve Hyltons (the Apothecary). Also featured, Owen Loof (Prince), Rob Bryn (Friar Laurence), Jerry Rea (Lord Montague), and Ginger Ladd (Lady Capulet).
In addition to those already mentioned, the production team includes costume director Sam Burgoon, set designer Tim Reckel, and intimacy coordinator Connor Percifield.
Backed by months of work, this production delivers three evenings of community collaboration, effort and art. As Bryn puts it: “There’s something precious about a short run. It’s like an arrow flying—here for a moment, then gone. That makes it special.” If the goal is to expand what feels possible on the peninsula, this play does just that.
Romeo & Juliet by Shakespeare on the Rocks — outdoors at the Rockaway Beach Amphitheater, Experience it Friday through Sunday, August 22–24, 6:30pm. Admission is free, and all ages are welcome. Plan for the ocean breeze—bring a blanket, a chair, some snacks, a friend; sit next to your foe or hold hands with your lover—and enjoy this wildly creative interpretation of love, tragedy, and unity.
Fund the drama (the good kind): Venmo @robert-Bryn, follow @shakespeare_on_the_rocks and see what’s next at shakespeareontherocks.org.
Over the past few weeks in the community garden, I’ve heard many people say some version of, “I’m so happy to have my hands back in the soil.” Gardening is good for wellness. It reconnects us to the earth, to nature, and to our natural state as human beings.
All the sensory experiences associated with gardening or just being outdoors are calming—the scent of the soil, the texture of the plants to our touch, the warmth of the sun on our skin, the colors of the flowers focused in your eyes, the sound of the wind moving through the trees and the birds humming in our ears.
Hands in the Soil, highly recommended.
For me—and I think I can safely say for many others—gardening is therapeutic because it brings you into the present moment. It can be simple and freeing, with no need for overthinking. That’s what I enjoy so much about my time in the garden – the repetitive process and the quick, satisfying rewards of pulling a weed or potting a plant. This helps shift my mind into the right place, and I feel grounded.
And if you don’t have a garden space, just get outside and get close to the earth.
The other day, I was in Prospect Park, lying flat on my back with only a thin sheet between me and the damp soil. I felt the coolness. I looked up at the tree branches as the leaves waved back and forth. I saw shadows and shades of green overlapping like a dance performance just for me. I saw a bird’s nest—it was large, and a few birds passed by. Finally, after two days, my nervous system returned to baseline. What a relief.
Sunday looks perfect for a park visit. Here are a few of my recs, off the beat and quiet:
I hope you find some calm this weekend. Get grounded with the soil and all the things us humans were supposed to be immersed in.
Follow me on Instagram @theglorifiedtomato—on the ground and growing.
This Saturday, May 17, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., visit the Beach 91st Street Community Garden for our Plant Sale Fundraiser! Soak in the spring, connect with neighbors, and make a day of it.
We’ll have a mix of plants to inspire your garden. There will be veggie starters and culinary herbs, perennials, including walker’s low, autumn joy, milkweed, daylily, and coastal grasses. We’ve also got some houseplants and garden pots!
Adding to the fun this year:
- Holland Ave Soap Co. (@hollandavesoapco) will be on-site, offering ocean-inspired cold-process bar soaps—some made with purified seawater, others infused with herbs grown right here at the Beach 91st Garden. Clean, coastal, and handcrafted by our leadership member, Mike Benigno.
Photo by Mike Benigno
- Dengo Botanica (@dengobotanica) will bring their botanical treasures—plant-powered skincare rooted in Brazilian traditions. Each product is handcrafted with herbs, flowers, and intention to naturally nourish both skin and spirit.
Photo Courtesy of Dengo Botanica.
- Bella’s Lemonade Stand – run by the young entrepreneur, offering fresh, tart lemonade served with a bright smile!
Stay awhile, bring a picnic, and spend a relaxed afternoon in the garden. It’s a great chance to meet new neighbors, catch up with friends, and enjoy the calm, surrounded by plants, birds, and community magic.
Proceeds from the fundraiser go toward enhancing the garden’s infrastructure and supporting our community events and educational programming. The Beach 91st Street Community Garden is grateful for the continued support from our neighbors and the greater Rockaway community.
Follow @beach91communitygarden on Instagram to stay in the loop on community outreach, garden projects, and all things growing. Keeping Rockaway Green Since 2009.
