Bensonhurst- Then and Now
It's wonderful to have memories of a happy childhood, living in a neighborhood that was as comfortable as your own home.
But life moves ever forward and change is a constant thing.
I hope to document the place of my past and show the cultural diversity, some of which always existed and some of which are new. I hope the photos alone can capture the changes and also capture the feel of the neighborhood.
(Above) My Nonnie
I'm always being told that change is a good thing. We shall see.
I'm asking for contributions to this site. Please leave comments about your experience in Bensonhurst, good, bad or indifferent. You will not only be helping me to focus on key points but I think it would be a fun experience.
Thanks..... Terie
posted by Terie at 9:50 AM
6 Comments:
It was great. Remember Hy Tulip? Probably where you got the great Kosher hot dog. And L & B Spumoni Gardens wher your grandchildren frequent when they visit Brooklyn. They sti;; have the best pizza around. There was a chinese restaurant around the corner. But the name escapes me. "Canton" something. It was the only one around.
Thanks for sharing. T
I loved going to Jahn's for the best cheeseburgers in the world!! and don't forget the kitchen sink.
Yes, I was going to mention Jahn's. Remember. If you ate the whole kitchen sink, they gave you another one free. Who could eat another one?
My friends and I would play cards during the week after school(when we were teens) and YES, BEFORE homework. Whoever won the most games got treated to a Jahn's cheeseburger on Friday night. I won many free cheeseburger dinners. And at Jahn's you got hot melted cheese from a pump to top the burger, which made it extra special. Good memories. Thanks. T
What a treat for me to find you! I spent what I consider the best years of my life (from 4-8 yrs old) on 82nd St, between 18th and 19th Ave in Bensonhurst. Even though I was so young I can remember so many wonderful things about our home and our neighborhood. Most of our neighbors were either Italian or Jewish (we were both), many first generation Americans, like my Nonna, Josephine who was born in Sciacca Sicily, and my other grandmother Yetta, who was born in Jassy Rumania. Nonna lived with us in a two family house, we were on the second floor. I went to school at PS 186. I loved our street because we had a park on each corner across from each other. One of them had a sprinkler built in to the concrete where we could cool off in the summers! I also remember my great-aunt Elvira who had this huge house on the corner of 82nd St and 19th Ave, in her driveway the men would play bacci (sp?) ball every Sunday. Of course there was also the Good Humor man who came ringing his bell every afternoon, and whose ice cream was the best in the world. There was St Finbar's Catholic Church about 2 blocks away where Nonna would take my sister, JoAnn, and I every Sunday. I always remembered it to be a big beautiful building, but a recent photo shows that it was actually small! Strange how children see things so differently. Any weekday would find my mom and I walking to 86th Street where she would shop and go to the bank, and then there was another great surprise waiting...a hole in the wall, or at least this is how I remember it) where you could get the best thin crust pizza in the world, and a bakery where they sold Charlotte Rousse, which was a cup lined with lady fingers and filled with cream! OMG, and then there were the REAL NY Italian ices!!!! And every 4th of July my dad would drive us all to Far Rockaway where we would watch the fireworks from across the water. How good life was!!! I've never been back, well....not physically, although I've been there many times in my mind. I miss the old place so much. That's why I'm really glad I found your site. I 'm looking forward to more!
Hi Naomi,
I am so happy that my work has so much meaning for you. I didn't realize what it would do for me personally as well to do this project. I still live in Brooklyn nearby Bensonhurst. However, just by revisitng through a camera lens has been an endearing reality for me.
I intend to shoot more footage. It will be a pleasure to share with you.
Naomi, I justed wanted to say that your childhood memories were endearing to hear for me as well. I went to St. Finbar's School. I also went to P.S.200. I think the Charlotte Rousses' you speak of were from Reliable Bakery under the "el" train, where my mom would take us to get them as well.
Having a Nonna and a Yetta had to be a wonderful experience.
Thank you again for your comments.
Terie
Post a Comment
<< Home