The Best Pizza in NYCCC!!!!!!!!!!!!!

L&B Spumoni Gardens is located on 86th street in Brooklyn, New York. Spumoni Gardens was founded by Ludovico Barbati in 1939. L&B is now in its 69th year of operation, and has been family owned and operated from the beginning. Since 1939, it has become a Brooklyn Landmark. The times have changed, but not at L&B. Generations later... the Italian Ices and Spumoni Grandpa sold off his horse drawn wagon are still the same. I have been going there for over 4 years now, and every time I eat their pizza and their Italian ices and or spumoni, it still tastes like the first time I had eaten there. Just tonight, I went to eat dinner there with my friends; it was a enjoyable night. Being at L&B is like hanging out with all your friends and family in a sense, because there is always someone you know, that you run into; while eating there. They are famous for their square slices, it’s like no other Sicilian slice you have had before; it isn’t completely covered with mozzarella cheese and dripping with oil; there’s more tomato sauce then anything on there and sprinkles of cheese. So if you’re looking for a good slice of Pizza I definitely recommend L&B!!!

EXTRA EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT!

Growing up in Manhattan where Central Park was basically my back yard Is what I call home. I truly understand when others say that is it “the city that never sleeps.” There is always something exciting going on around you. Transportation? The only thing you need to live in the city is your own two feet. Occasionally I would take a cab or a subway to get to my destination. But other than that it was me and my own two feet. Walking down a New York City block, you have a variety of restaurants to choose from. Depending on what your little heart desires you can choose from Mexican, Greek, Italian, Chinese, etc . Walking down Fifth Avenue Is every woman’s dream. You have the most expensive stores anyone could choose from such as, Louie Vutton, Dior, Gucci, Chanel, Saks, etc. Someone could never get bored in New York City. For entertainment, there is the traditional Broadway shows, comedy clubs, walk around Times Square, take a horse and buggie ride through Central Park, and even visit historical sites such as St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Rockefeller Center. No matter the time, day, hour, or season there is ALWAYS something to do in New York City.

Miss Pulizzi can I go to the bathroom?

Since I was a young girl I always told my mother, “Mom, when I get older, I’m going to be a teacher.” She always used to tell me that if you want to be something, you have to fight for it. My hopes for the future consist of becoming a kindergarten teacher. The reason for this being is that I feel that while you are at the young age, your teachers provide you with the basics; such as your numbers, alphabet, reading, and spelling. These are all the basics that are needed to succeed in life. Not only do I absolutely adore children, I always want to be that person who helps them make a difference. I think that a teacher is also a good job for a woman because the hours are flexible in the sense of her having a family of her own. You have the summers off, the latest you get home is approximately 3:30 in the afternoon, which allows her to still cook, clean, and take care of the children.

Still to this day I can remember my kindergarten days. My teacher, Miss Humphrey was a tall woman with short, dark, hair. She always smiled and always brought us cookies. She was warm and always helpful. Usually children at that age feared entering that doorway, they thought it was the end of the world. But, Miss Humphrey always made us feel welcome and safe. I guess you can say that reflecting on my childhood experiences; I can compare myself to Miss Humphrey. At any family occasion, I am always the one to play with the little children; I’m the first one to volunteer to hold the baby when my aunt needs a break. Some people get annoyed when babies cry, but I always look to help and make them feel better. Plain and simple I love everything about children and want to be the one who helps them learn the fundamentals of life.

Get your pasta here!

Since September of the year 1990 my family has owned a restaurant called Via Oreto. It is located on the Upper East Side in Manhattan, New York. It was and will always be my home away from home. I still remember from a little girl when I would come home from school and my mom would bring me to the restaurant and my grandmother would always let me help her make the meatballs. I would run from the front to the back asking customers if they enjoyed their spaghetti and meatballs because I helped make them. Even at a young age, I would sit down and strike up a conversation with people I didn’t know.

Growing up in that environment has shaped me into the person I am today. I developed strong communication skills. I can easily sit down and talk to someone about absolutely anything. Even though I am not there as I often like, I still remember where everything is and the smell of the delicious food as it is being served. When people go to college they always worry about how to learn how to cook and actually enjoyed what they cooked. I already am ten steps ahead of them. When all of my friends come to my apartment they always ask me, “Amanda cook us up something to eat.” I almost feel as if I am the mother to all of my friends.

Something borrowed, something blue, something new....

Since I was a little girl I always dreamed of being in a wedding. It just so happens that last Saturday my boyfriend’s future sister-in-law asked me to take part in her special day. I am going to be a bridesmaid, wearing a black and white dress. I can honestly say that I cannot wait to walk down the aisle arm in arm and dancing until my feet hurt. I love everything about weddings. From the flower arrangements, to the location, down to the invitation itself, I always seem to get so excited.
Jodi, the bride to be, has asked me to help her plan this wedding. Although the wedding isn’t until next year, we have already started looking at different catering halls in the tri-state area, visited multiple florists, look through books of invitations and cakes, and have gone to look at dresses. Not only do I feel honored to be part of this wedding, but I feel honored in helping to make this a night to remember. An autumn wedding will take place sometime next year, and I already imagine the leaves falling as they walk down the steps as Mr. & Mrs. Riccobono.

New People, New Faces

It’s always hard meeting new people, especially when it comes to college. I was really nervous coming to St. Johns fearing that not that I wasn’t going to make friends but worried about living here on my own with no one to turn to. In Staten Island, everyone has their own click. If you are not part of one, you’re on your own. However, when the first day of school came around, I saw all the people that I met at orientation and I guess you can say we all kind of “clicked.” Each morning, we push together tables to form on of seventeen. We all eat breakfast and crack jokes with one another. There is never a dull moment in our group.
Throughout high school, I used to dread waking up to the sound of the alarm clock at seven in the morning. The reason being, there was always drama in my school. There always seemed to be a problem. I never thought I would say this, but I don’t mind waking up every morning because I know that I am going to be with the people that I can actually call my true friends. Even when I am not in the best of moods, they always know how to make me laugh until my stomach hurts. However, there is one person that I can honestly say that I will be friends with her for the rest of my life. Her name is Alyssa, and I seriously think we were meant to meet each other. We enjoy the same things, have the same habits, and both get annoyed by the same things. I was afraid not making friends, but now I sometimes wish that my phone would stop ringing!!!!!!

Adusting to Staten Island.....

Going from the city that never sleeps where I was constantly hearing horns honking and the clicking of woman’s shoes I somehow ended up on Staten Island. I laugh when people say that Staten Island is “so convenient;” where walking on this island doesn’t exist. You need to have a car, just to go get a gallon of milk. However, where I come from, whenever my mother and I needed milk for our tea, you could run down the steps, out the door, make a right, and a deli is right there. From always having things to do for entertainment such as going to Times Square or hanging out with my friends in the Village, there was always something to do. Now a days, the only time when people actually go out around here is on a Friday or Saturday night. During the week, people usually just sit inside, watch television, go on Facebook, talk on the phone, and I guess do homework. I can’t complain in the sense that I have met a lot of people along the way who have made me feel welcome here. I used to be sick of living in the “Big City,” but there are some days where I wish I was home.
In the city there are people from all types of cultures, religions, and nationalities. However, when you come to Staten Island, everyone thinks that they are Italian. I had to get used to this because my family and I were the only Italians living in my apartment building. But honestly, I kind of enjoy looking at the boys with the spiked hair 4 feet tall, pounds of gel, and pumping their fists to music, I feel as if my culture is revived. I guess I can get used to living on this Island.