Thought I forgot about you didn’t you. Toti Nonna and I are on the Cape surrounded by the treasures that make a house a home. Back next week.
Who’s luckier than us?
Nobody.
Author Archives: Sandi LoConti
Best of Summer ~ Anticipated Bounty
Over and over I find myself wandering through the Bergenfield senior housing community gardens. They still won’t let me help, not even pick one weed or drag them to the compost.
They tolerate my camera and are damn happy that I usually come at a time when the sun is getting too high to continue working so they can scatter practically as soon as I close my car door.
They don’t want their picture taken.
They allow me to roam around and capture the beauty of their toil and their ingenuity.
They allow me to photograph their tools, probably laughing to themselves, but never their hands holding them.
I’ll take what I can get…such is my love of this tiny little garden and its gardeners. To see more of the garden click here.
To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow…Audrey Hepburn
Best of Summer ~ Hot Dogs
If you live in northern Bergen County you know I’m going to talk about the cart outside Ehmer’s in Hillsdale. You know I’m going to talk about the smoky smell of the variety of hot dogs, sausages and wursts wafting down Broadway. I’m talking about that moment that comes each year when you know like you know you’ve got to start the summer off right and get over there for a dog and a cream soda. My Father and Cookie were the officiators of that moment for many years.
Mostly, though, when you think of the Ehmer’s cart you’ve got to talk about all that happening under the watchful eye of Dolores Santucci. The matriarch of the cart for the last 15 years is out there six days a week no matter the weather. And if you think it’s only for the summer, think again.
Standing at the cart is a shared local experience usually enhanced by music from the American Song Book, mouthwatering anticipation, and people from all over the county waiting patiently and cheerily eavesdropping on Dolores’ conversations.
Dispensing wisdom, quips and good humor she truly understands living her life the way she wants her story told. If you don’t use it you lose it she’s fond of saying when asked what keeps her going. This is what you do for your kids, if they’re good you help them out, if not you throw them out. Needless to say no one’s been thrown out…well maybe a customer once or twice. Make sure you read the signs…
Walk across the street to the memorial park and enjoy your feast, do some people watching and just get caught up in the delicious nostalgia.
July 4th ~ Summer Begins
Happy Birthday America! Thought it might be nice to take a look back at a moment, THE moment, in time. Philadelphia, the birthplace of our nation, was a perfect place for a photo walk. Spending a day in Old City Philly is always well spent.
To see the entire photo walk click here.
We’ve learned that not much happens on the blog during the summer so we’re going light, highlighting the best of summer through photos more than words.
All the while we’re going to stretch and poke and prod our format to see how we can wake it up, tell more stories, perhaps take on a new project. By the time the new year starts in September, because isn’t that really when the new year starts?, we should have something new yet familiar, exciting yet comforting, entertaining yet informative…because we know like we know like we know that’s what makes a good story.
Enjoy a safe and memory filled summer…because, well you know.
Sometimes the Something is Memories
Each year in that crazy time between the end of school and the beginning of camp I have the privilege of spending time with Dina and Daniel, two of my favorite people. We’ve got it down to a science, Bye-Bye Mommy, then Starbucks, summer reading, then whatever strikes our fancy.
I’m happy to say that rarely is our time spent in front of a screen unless, of course, it’s the big screen. As life goes on it seems more and more time is spent in front of a screen, but these two days had almost none of it. If there was a bit of screen time it was spent with a dog alongside providing a warm and furry distraction.
There was coloring.
There was eating.
There was swimming and relaxing by the pool.
There was more coloring and reading and lounging.
There was a trip to the animal shelter to check out a potential new companion for Toto. This included lessons on rescuing and avoiding pet stores that most likely get their puppies from puppy mills. What’s a puppy mill…,what I thought might be a tough conversation was received so well by these two compassionate kids, and the need to always go with a good breeder or rescue/shelter dog.
There was baking and learning knife skills and how to use a pastry bag. Because we absolutely had to make Mommy’s favorite cookies.
There were take-charge moments at Starbucks, because who was going to stay in the car with Toto after taking her to work for …”take your dog to work day”. More take-charge moments at Shake Shack, thanks for handling lunch Daniel and dog walking.
The Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage came through on Friday and Dina and I had a heartfelt conversation about it. Through the eyes of children all faith in humanity is restored. #lovewins
The realization that my time with Dina and Daniel may become a piece of my legacy is incredibly important to me. I have a favorite Aunt persona to maintain and a responsibility to be a safe place for them. More than that the older they get the less time I will have them to myself, soon these ordinary moments in time will make way for busy schedules and no need for camp. I hope the lessons learned stay with them and the memories are as precious to them as they are to me.
When I was in Houston recently I met a woman, Laurie Goldman Smithwick, who was hell bent on starting a movement to Step Away From the Screen and Make Something. The irony is not lost on her that this is curated on-line but she is gathering quite a following of people who feel exactly the same as she does. It’s wonderful to pop in and see some of the innovative ways people are using their time off screen. And so we joined the movement this time too, to step away from the screen and make something. What we learned is that sometimes the something is memories.