Brooklyn Back When - Open Thread

francesca

ANTHONY -
We were long time neighbors of the Riccardi's, they lived right across the street. There was a brother named Nicky Red (deceased), and another brother Louie; he owned the Deli (and I think Liquor store). They had a sister named Marie (vs. Mary) - maybe Joey is her son???

I'm guessing that is it and she may be the Paulucci. Come to think of it,
now I recall that she still 'lived at home' after her 'marriage' and she did have a husband who came to visit their son weekly. That's how I recall it.

The family I am talking about --- the father (think his name was also Louie)owned a fruit/vegtable truck and sold produce on the streets. I think the truck was red (how's that for 60's not affecting my brain)?

anthony umbria

HI
THAT RIGHT ON THE HEAD I REMEMBER LOUIE HE WAS GOOD FRINDES WITH MY GRANDFATHER HE ALSO SOLD VEGS AND PRODUCE FROM A CART THAT HE USE TO STORE ON 20 STREET STABLE

francesca

There also was a fruit stand on 20th Street - I'd say about 220 20th St.
It was a three story home and the first floor was a store-front. Dominick
sold fruit. I recall he was a grouchy old man and I can still remember what he looked like (ooooopppppps, hope that wasn't your grandfather). Dominick actually lived in the house Vs. storing fruit cart at the stable). I remember him waving his cane at us and yelling in Italian.

I spent much time in the stable as a kid, watching them put the shoes on the horses.

Carol Miele and I would befriend the hobo's that hung there too. In those days, there were NO BAD GUYS. One guy's name was Happy - and he would sing "Up in the morning, working like a devil for my pay, and that crazy old sun has nothing to do, but ride along heaven all day." (As an adult I came to know what a classic song that was. I just sang it for you - out of tune and incomplete - but filled with LOVE!

anthony umbria

NO FRANNY MY GRANDFATHER LIVED ON 6 AVE HIS NAME WAS ANTHONY
"BLACKIE" UMBRIA AND HE WAS A GRUMPPY OLD ITALIAN ALSO LOL
A OLD WISEGUY
HE HUNG OUT AT TOTO'S DID SOME TIME IN THE LATE 40S HE ALSO WAS A DRIVER FOR AL COPONE WHEN HE HAD HIS BIZ ON 5 AVE HE WAS A PLUMMER CAPONE THAT IS

anthony umbria

TO ALL THE GRANDPARENT BLOGERS
THIS IS FOR YOU
WHAT IS A GRANDPARENT?
(Taken from papers written by a class of 8-year-olds)

Grandparents are a lady and a man who have no little children of their own.
They like other people's.

A grandfather is a man & a grandmother is a lady!

Grandparents don't have to do anything except be there when we come to see
them. They are so old they shouldn't play hard or run. It is good if they drive
us to the shops and give us money.

When they take us for walks, they slow down past things like pretty leaves and
caterpillars.

They show us and talk to us about the colors of the flowers and also why we
shouldn't step on 'cracks.'

They don't say, 'Hurry up.'

Usually grandmothers are fat but not too fat to tie your shoes.

They wear glasses and funny underwear.

They can take their teeth and gums out.


They have to answer questions like 'Why isn't God married?' and 'How come dogs
chase cats?'

When they read to us, they don't skip. They don't mind if we ask for the same
story over again.

Everybody should try to have a grandmother, especially if you don't have
television because they are the only grownups who like to spend time with us.

They know we should have snack time before
bedtime and they say prayers with us and kiss us even when we've acted bad.

A 6 YEAR OLD WAS ASKED WHERE HIS GRANDMA LIVED. ''OH,'' HE SAID, '' SHE LIVES
AT THE AIRPORT AND WHEN WE WANT HER WE JUST GO GET HER. THEN WHEN WE'RE DONE
HAVING HER VISIT, WE TAKE HER BACK TO THE AIRPORT.''

GRANDPA IS THE SMARTEST MAN ON EARTH! HE TEACHES ME GOOD THINGS BUT I DON'T GET
TO SEE HIM ENOUGH TO GET AS SMART AS HIM!

It's funny when they bend over, you hear gas leaks and they blame their dog.'

Send this to other grandparents. It will make their day.

old goat in fl

Subject: Feed the Family

DEBBIE BRODBECK SICIARGO wrote: Hi All.... Just readng about comfort foods that we've all loved. Warren mentioned beans on bread... My grandmother used to eat white bread with smashed bananas. Plain tomatoes with mayo on white was always good. One friend of mine used to put butter on white bread and sprinkle sugar on it. He said his mother would make that for him because they couldn't afford cake. I guess our grandmothers all thought up inexpensive ways to feed large families when there wasn't enough money. Funny though, today they're called luxuries or a delicacy! Thank God for Grandmothers!!!!! Love Debbie S.

Debbie, when we were old enough to work, my two brothers and I always worked on Saturdays. We were close enough to come home for lunch. My Mother used to cover the entire kitchen table (one of those metal tables with the pull out leafs) with bread. Then she would butter all the bread. Then put sliced tomatoes on every other slice. She then would add a little Mayo & pepper, cover the tomato side and put the plain side on top. She would slice them in half and pile them on a huge platter. When we came in for lunch we would have our fill. My Brother Dave would get home last most Saturdays and finish up. One saturday my brother Bob was last and there were no sandwiches left.My Brother Dave had finished them up even though it was a double helping. The tomatoes came from our victory garden in the back yard...

old goat in fl

Subject: 1951 Graduation

Okay folks. The following is a list of names and addresses from my Manual graduation class of 1951. Remember, there were about three hundred and fifty grads so I did not know all of them. Maybe you will find an older relative or friend in the group.

Elizabeth Anderson 359-18th St Dorothy Antonello 274-21st St
Angelina Balassi 1244 Prospect Ave Carmela Basile 208-22nd St
Jerry Casale 3561/2 Prospect Ave Paul De Gennaro 1250 Prospect Ave
Josn Du Bois 308 Prospect Ave Grace Gallaudet 393-17th St
Anna Granato 408A-17th St Ann Kelly 1149 Prospect Ave
Barbara Malecki 233-23rd St Gloria Marty 265-20th St
Carol Mitchell 394A 19th St Philomena Morro 347 19th St
Joel Press 1145 prospect Ave Virginia Puckhaber 1263 Prospect Ave
Joan Quevedo 1228A Prospect Ave Theodore Valenski 353 18th St
John Vislocky 416-17th StBarbara Williams 320-19th St
Lorraine Williams 370-18th St June Willis 416 Prospect Ave

If you find your parent or and old Aunt or Uncle thats great. If not, Oh well I tried!!! There are quite a few on 16th St but I seldom see any of you mention that Street.

debbie bonavita mccarthy

Hey Warren I think my mom graduated in 1952, her name was Diana D'Ambra. Do you remember her?

old goat in fl

Hi Debbie, If she graduated in '52 I probably passed her in the all a few hundred times but I am afraid the name does not ring a bell.

Old Goat

anthony umbria

HELLO

CAPONE WAS NOT A PLUMMER BUT HAD A BIZ IN THAT TRADE IN THE EARLY 1920S

old goat in fl

Hello All, The main reason I posted the names and addresses was so that if your found someone you knew or were related to, I could tell you what it said in the yearbook about them. There is only good stuff in there so do not worry about scandel etc:. If I found a way I might be able to come up with their picture but that would take some doing.

Old Goat-Warren

janet m horan

[quote="Francesca"] Regarding RECIPES:

I know Grandma Horan's hot dog recipe is somewhere back on the Site

Whatever you do, leave Grandmas hot dog recipe out, lol.

francesca

Warren Old Sweet Goat

You're always so sweet and thoughtful - taking the time to list the names, and wanting a chance to share something positive about someone's family member. We all appreciate you, and all you give to us through this site.




Hi Janet -

Gotcha! You're uncovered for the recipe.....

And, I am ooking for suggestions regarding a driving route --- how did you get here/NY from NC (for the reunion)?

I am going to be driving down to Southwest Florida mid -January and wondering what route you suggest. I'd prefer to not take 95 most of the way through to DC, so I will start out going West then South towards Harrisburg (I live in Northwest NJ, so I am west) (I got Trip Ticks, Mapquest, etc. and have recently gone this route down through Maryland, but it has been many years since I've gone that far South)

And what's most important, I need a pet-friendly route (which I know you understand). I will be traveling with my girlfriend and my two 14 year old yorkies. One is diabetic and blind; the other takes meds for various reasons. But either way, they are still like puppies and are my heart; so I must keep them safe. I will have to check for hotels that take pets (or sneak them in). I just borrowed a AAA Traveling w/Pet book also.

Thanks and have a good evening. Hope it's warmer there than here. Brrrr.





Bob Horan

I finally got to see Charm's Greeting a few weeks ago (viewed numerous times and saved as a 'favorite'). I've also sent to my animal loving friends. That is Love! Thanks for sharing it.

francesca

Janet,

Per my previous message:

I am looking :cyclopsani: , not ooking as typed.

Even though I do ook very often. Especially when......

bob horan

Franny Bruno: Glad you liked Charm's Greeting. My wife Arlene went to a clicker training clinic upstate recently and an artist/ photographer took a great photo of all the women running with this all white horse. I will put it on Facebook.

Arlene goes to this clinic 3 or 4 times a year and the main trainer has trained a mini-horse to be a seeing eye horse. This horse, named Panda, is one of only two such trained horses in the world. Panda is like a very big dog in size and can go where other "normal" sized horses can't go.

santina enea

Banana Split Pie Santina

Shopping List:

Graham Cracker Crumbs, 1 ¼ cups Sugar, 1 stick butter, 2 pkg 8 oz cream cheese
1 20oz can crushed pineapples, 6 bananas, 16 oz. Milk
2 pkgs vanilla instant pudding, 16oz cool whip

Prep time: 15 minsServes 24
Refrig time: 5hrs before serving

1 ½ cups Graham Cracker Crumbs mix with ¼ cup of sugar and ½ cup (1 stick) Butter melted. Press on bottom of aluminum tray. Freeze 10 minutes.

Beat 2 pkgs of 8oz (room temp) cream cheese and 1 cup of sugar in bowl w/electric mixer until smooth or well blended. Carefully spread cream cheese mixture over crust.

Top with 1- 20oz (drained) can of crushed pineapple. Slice 4 bananas on pineapple. (I used 5 bananas)

Pour 2 cups of milk in bowl; add 2 small pkgs of vanilla instant pudding mix; whip with wire wisk 2 mins or until well blended; Add & Stir in 1 cup of thawed cool whip. Top with remaining or until completely covered; might have some cool whip left over.

Just before serving slice 2 bananas on top (I didn’t bother slicing bananas) I crushed walnuts & sprinkled them on top of cool whip. Then I shaved refrigerated heresy bar over nuts. I put just enough for color.OR you can melt the chocolate and drizzle over top instead of shaving. I also ran out of graham crackers crumbs and added crushed walnuts to crumbs to equal 1 ½. Cups. These are just some changes you could make.

This is very good

santina enea

Santina’s Vegetable Bean Soup

Soak a bag of 15 Bean mix

Clean, peel and dice all of the following:
4 stalks celery + leaves
4 carrot sticks
1 lg & 1 sm onion
3 potatoes
Large handful of parsley
3 zucchini

Rinse vegs and beans put in a deep pot; add cold water to just covering
Add 2 cans of diced tomatoes plain
Add 1 can of College Inn Chicken Broth (low sodium)
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 or 3 bay leaf if you need more liquid add more water or broth

Cook on high till it’s a rapid boil, then on low to a simmer for 2 hrs or until beans a cooked

*Optional boil Whole Wheat elbows. Don’t add to whole soup add to your dish only. (Pasta will absorb all the fluid; just add some liquid to keep it from sticking) Recipe makes a lot of soup. You can put them in small containers and freeze, and use as needed.

**Make sure you remove bay leaves before eating

janet m horan

Francesca: I take 78 ( through the Holland Tunnel not to pay for the Verazano) But if you live in SI, you can pick up 78 and drive all the way to 81 South.
This is my trip:
26N to 81 N to 78 East. That's my whole trip.
I go through Tenn, Virginia, West Virginia (26 miles), Maryland (12 Miles) Pennsylvania (78 miles on 81 and approx. 80 miles on 78= 158) and into NJ for the last 50 or so miles.
It is a more scenic route with newer highways and 65 to 70 mph.

janet m horan

I have gone down to Florida from here through Atlanta. You can also go around it using a nypass.
The whole route I take has plenty of nice rest areas with Pet Walks. I used to stop in Virginia overnight.

janet m horan

The only toll you pay all the way is 75 cents going into PA.

janet m horan

Thanks for ooking by the way, lol.

guzzo here

Subject: Remember HappY?

Francesca wrote: There also was a fruit stand on 20th Street - I'd say about 220 20th St.
It was a three story home and the first floor was a store-front. Dominick
sold fruit. I recall he was a grouchy old man and I can still remember what he looked like (ooooopppppps, hope that wasn't your grandfather). Dominick actually lived in the house Vs. storing fruit cart at the stable). I remember him waving his cane at us and yelling in Italian.

I spent much time in the stable as a kid, watching them put the shoes on the horses.

Carol Miele and I would befriend the hobo's that hung there too. In those days, there were NO BAD GUYS. One guy's name was Happy - and he would sing "Up in the morning, working like a devil for my pay, and that crazy old sun has nothing to do, but ride along heaven all day." (As an adult I came to know what a classic song that was. I just sang it for you - out of tune and incomplete - but filled with LOVE!

Oh Francesca, my brother John and I were recently talking about that guy "Happy" - we remember him well. Everytime he walked, (or should I say, sprinted,) up the street on 21st, we would yell to him, "sing us a song Happy," and would be oh so obliged to do so, no questions asked! We actually looked forward to him passing by. Don't know if he was wacked or not, but he was a definate good memory from my past.

PS) I cannot believe you actually remembered one of his songs!

lv u fes xxoo

ralph

Mildred,
See what you started from making Gravy on Sunday , LMAO.

Suize,
Thanks so much for posting picture (Gravy Train ), but you right, I didnt have that in mind.Was thinking of a Train with the words all aboard the Gravt Train, also, my wife's family put's a carrot in thier gravy, yuk lol.

Anthony,
Grandparents, way to funny, thanks for sharing.

RT

suzie

Hi Steve

Thanks for keeping in touch with me on here...it certainly means alot to me. I also want you to know that we think so much alike....I believe things happen for a reason also, one night while I was dispatching the cops I got a job about 2 girls in a cemetary being stabbed & possibly raped... my mind went into overdrive to try and get the responding officers to their location...in a dark cemetary...everyone was going aviation, k-9 u name it they went...thank God they found the girl and later caught the perp. On my way home I passed the hospital and had to go in and see her....turns out her 1st name was the same as mine and we both had something in common....we both had close to 100 stitches on our faces...something happened for a reason that night ...that job will live with me forever!

Now you...congratulations on your little girl....your gonna go broke with her....My Granddaughter is 6 months old...I cant stop shopping...lol.
Im still trying so hard to remember you...but all I keep seeing is a guy that looked like Steve McQueen....lol....thats not you is it??

As far as Franny & John...I havent seen them in years....wonder how they are doing....

I found a trailer of a movie you might like ...watch the 1st part ...its about a gym Teacher I think from Bklyn in the 70's ....notice the name of the book directly in back of the student when he is older.....the movie looks good you might even like it......lol

http://www.moviefone.com/movie/mr-woodcock/27340/trailer?trailerId=1755561

stay in touch.....
Sue

suzie

Hi Ralph ....

...here's your Gravy Train....all aboard!!!!



your very welcome....lol

suzie

Hi Festina, Franny and Janet hope your day went well ...as well as the Men on here !!!

suzie

OhhhSugar! Dont get quiet on here now ...I swear not to mention sauce or gravy again ....I swear!

ralph

Suzie ,oops spelled your name wrong , thanks for the train posting, very cute, when I have more time have to figure how to post pictures from Photobucket.

Nite

RT

suzie

No problem...nite Ralph!

francesca

Hi Suzie -
sorry you are out there alone tonight. Have a good evening!


Hi Janet -
Thank you for driving info. That is exactly how I want to go because I live off of Route 78 West (Northwest NJ), just about 15 miles outside of PA. I will also note the other info you shared. Good Night to you too!