Stories

Two days ago, I had one of those moments that doesn’t look like anything from the outside… but it sticks to you. It wasn’t a stage. It wasn’t a studio. It wasn’t even inside the building. It was out...

Most people think restaurant stories start with a dream — a chef’s passion, a family recipe, or a long-awaited opportunity. Ours started with something much simpler: a plan to celebrate our 10th anniv...

When I was about eight or nine, our family had a tradition of escaping the northern winters and heading down to North Miami Beach to visit my grandmoth...

When I think about the Squirrel Nut Zippers, it’s impossible not to feel a wave of nostalgia and gratitude. Their music came into my life at a time when I was searching for something unique, something...

New Year’s Day is supposed to be a time of renewal—a day to leave the past behind and embrace the possibilities of the year ahead. For me, it’s always been a quiet, reflective holiday. The revelry of ...

Chapter 1: Arrival at Tabletop Mountain The Adirondack wilderness stretched endlessly, a vast expanse of shadowed valleys and rugged peaks. Tabletop Mountain stood tall among them, its summit cloaked...

It was one of those evenings that felt ordinary until it wasn’t. The kitchen was alive with the clinking of silverware and the soft hum of conversation, the kind of comforting noise that made home fee...

I didn’t love football. To be honest, I didn’t even like it. But there I was, standing on a grassy field with a helmet too big for my head and a pair of cleats that felt awkward on my feet, trying to ...

Once upon a time, in a kingdom tucked between tall, fluffy mountains and a shimmering blue lake, there lived a kind and curious little prince named Leo and his best friend, Princess Clara. They weren’...

In a small, sun-drenched garden tucked behind a red-brick house, a clever cricket named Caleb lived among rows of colorful flowers and vegetables. Caleb wasn’t just any cricket—he had a knack for solv...

When my family gave me the gift certificate for a day at the track, I was touched. They knew my history as a racer and wanted me to experience that thrill again, even if just for a few laps in a high-...

Midnights at the Scotchwood Diner The Scotchwood Diner, perched on the corner of Park Avenue and Route 22 in Scotch Plains, NJ, was more than just a place to grab a late-night bite. It was a haven, a...

The summers at Camp Wawayanda in the 1960s felt timeless. Nestled deep in the Catskill Mountains of Frost Valley, New York, it was a place where the air smelled of pine and earth, where the dense fore...

It began innocuously. Early 2020 felt like any other year, albeit with an undercurrent of unease as news of a strange virus began to filter in. The stories were distant, almost abstract—a market in Ch...

A Journey from Tradition to Truth Thanksgiving was always a special time in my household. It wasn’t just about the food, though I’ll admit that the turkey and stuffing were a big part of it. It was a...

From the very start, I was different from many kids my age, largely because of the company I kept. Most of my closest friends were five or six years older than me, and their influence shaped me in way...

There are moments in life that leave an indelible mark, shaping how you see yourself and the world around you. For me, that moment happened in fifth grade-a day that began like any other but ended wit...

Miami in the 60s and 70s was a city of contrasts, a dynamic and vibrant melting pot where cultures from all over the world converged. The influence of Cuban immigrants was profound, shaping the city's...

There's a kind of freedom you only feel when the open road stretches out ahead of you, the engine purring, and the landscape blurring at the edges. For me, the road was more than just a path from one ...

Finding a New Companion and Embracing His Unique Spirit: Losing a beloved dog is an experience that defies words. Anyone who’s loved a pet knows they are far more than just animals; they are family, ...

Living near the water for over two decades, the sea becomes a second home, and for me, it truly did. Over the years, I had the privilege of owning several motorboats. Each one brought a sense of adven...

There are certain moments in life that leave an indelible mark on your soul, shaping who you are and how you see the world. For me, the summers I spent at Frost Valley YMCA in the early 1970s are amon...

Several years ago, I embarked on one of the most challenging and rewarding journeys of my life: running a horse rescue in Florida. This journey didn’t start with a grand plan or vision-it started with...

I am blogging because my daughter wants to know more about my history and what "made" me so I am including everything I can think of. Please, don't be judgmental.

High school in the late 1970s was...