The Wave Flows Over The Irish Riviera

Rockaway's classic newspaper, "The Wave" (1893) re-published my love letter to the peninsula, "The Irish Riviera." Thank you, Ray Vahn, Community Editor, for reaching out to me. My family's connection to Rockaway goes back to the early 1920s.

More old photos to follow.

Thank you, Mr. Beller's Neighborhood for  publishing this story and your 15 years of strong support for my New York City neighborhood stories. 

If you like my work check out my memoir, "I Hate the Dallas Cowboys - tales of a scrappy New York boyhood."Available at Logos Book Store, 15 75 York Avenue or online at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

The book has 135 Amazon five star reviews out of 135 total reviews posted. We're pitching a perfect game. My old world echoes TV's "The Wonder Years" ~ just add taverns, subways and Checker cabs.

"The Irish Riviera"

Thank you, Mr. Beller's Neighborhood for publishing my new story, "The Irish Riviera." 

"On a muggy summer morning in 1961, with my parents still asleep, I crept into the kitchen and turned on the oven. I was seven years old..."

Rockaway memories warm my soul. 

This is my 20th Mr. Beller's Neighborhood story. 

My first, "Developing a Habit", May 2006. 

That was the kick in the ass I needed to push my writing forward.

Thank you, Tom & everyone in the MBN family.

 Your site makes our city shine.

My family at Rockaway back to 1924. Plus a few 2012 shots taken three months before Sandy.
 

The Irish Riviera: Rockaway Beach

I’m in denial. I don’t like summer leaving especially with rainy weather pounding it into submission. Out my window, I see kids in yellow macs under umbrellas walking to school but I’m thinking about the Irish Riviera.

My family’s been going to Rockaway Beach for close to 100 years. It started with both sets of grandparents before World War I. The Irish Riviera was the beach of choice for the Yorkville neighborhood. Lots of bathhouses, rough surf, and cheap beer in countless taverns between 98th & 116th Street. A terrific boardwalk, playland and half the neighborhood lived there in the bungalows from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Dads went to work during the week and made like the Life of Reilly on the weekend.