Fish Fry Fridays
Why is the fish fry so popular in a town where beef on ‘weck, Sahlen’s hot dogs, and chicken wings suggest a distinct predilection for meat?
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Children of the River
We who grew up alongside the mighty Niagara know it as the artery that pulsed through our childhood. Photo courtesy of Maria Eley.
Strawberry Backs and Blackberry Fingers
As an inner city child, one of the things I looked forward to every summer was a trip to the countryside to pick berries.
Water in the Mouth
All I have to do is think about the authentic street food usually on offer at the Italian Festival—sfinge, cannoli, gardoons, zeppole, pizza bianca—and I begin to drool.
Front Porch Summers
No one had air-conditioning, the windows were wide open, and there were no family secrets in the summertime.
Small Victories
Back in 1943, nearly every yard on the West Side of Buffalo, no matter the size, became what was then called a Victory Garden. My mother and father both recall the vibrant, productive gardens that filled these small spaces, and remember doing what they could to contribute, though they were only small children when World […]
Love in the Time of Coronavirus
How we react and how we behave over the coming months will define who we are, and how we will be remembered, long after we are gone.
Swimming with Sea Lions
I have never been met by a Welcome Committee quite like this one. They seemed very glad to see us–a group of strangers–pulling up in our noisy zodiac boat. They responded to our presence by doing somersaults, waving their fins and popping their heads out of the water in greeting. Perhaps this is the thing […]
In My Room
When I first heard the song “In My Room,” written by Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys in the early 1960’s, I knew exactly what he was talking about. As one of eight children, I desperately wanted a private space where I could be alone. When I reached the age of 16, I got my […]
Merry One-armed Christmas!
I have a friend named Omar who paints houses. He also happens to have only one arm. He fell out of a tree when he was a child in his native Honduras, and his family didn’t have the money to have it fixed. Gangrene set in, and he had it amputated above the elbow. The […]
What Your DNA Test Won’t Tell You
As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, I want to express my gratitude to my ancestors for the many ways they shaped my life.
Beggar’s Night
October 30th brings back memories of Mom putting the finishing touches on our homemade Halloween costumes, and us kids looking at the sky, waiting for it to grow dark. As soon as we finished supper, we would run out the door with a large paper bag—24 hours before the actual Halloween trick-or-treating began. Funny thing […]