Entry 3 – Letting go of Baked Spaghetti with Eggplant

Pandemic 2020-21 & Post Pandemic

My sister, wife, and daughter dining at Dani’s.

Don’t want to cook dinner tonight

Have you ever thought, “It would be great to eat at [fill in the name of one of your favorite restaurants] tonight?” My wife Sara and I had this thought not too long ago. One weekend night we walked across the street to take out food from this local restaurant called Fresh Mix that served healthy bowls. We’d take out delicious bowls of sushi rice topped with fresh vegetables and seaweed. Sara would add chicken to hers; I liked the cooked edamame that was included. But to our disappointment the restaurant was shuttered. Unfortunately, this business did not get enough customers to survive as it never seemed busy. I did notice their bowls of food decreased while their prices increased. I had one of those cards from there where if you buy ten meals you get one free; I had only four more to go, shucks.

Then the next weekend we decided to get dinner from a local Dominican restaurant called Zolita’s (located around the corner from Fresh Mix). Sadly, Zolita’s was shuttered as well. We actually knew a change with Zolita’s was coming. A for sale sign on the restaurant’s window had been posted for at least a year. I had asked one of the servers why they were selling and they said the owner wanted to retire. Of course my hope was for it to be bought and not closed. Zolita’s food was not only delicious, it was a bargain. If you like moist roasted chicken with crispy skin (choice of dark or white meat), served with yellow Spanish rice slathered with cooked beans in a tasty sauce, and a side of sweet plantains (if they’re not sold out)—all for about $11, then you would have liked Zolita’s. One serving could give you two meals. Zolita’s was also a bakery and I’d pick up a guava stick, pineapple turnover, or cassava bread shaped like a bagel. Each priced under $2 (such a deal!). Their baked goods satisfied my taste for tropical fruit flavors. This “hole in the wall” restaurant had a large number of patrons, many Spanish speaking. We always took food to go and had to get there early or it would sell out of our regular order of roasted chicken. We moved to our neighborhood in 2006 and Zolita’s was already a thriving restaurant back then, and we used to only pay $5 back then. Their prices shot up after the Pandemic.

Speaking of the Pandemic

Another favorite restaurant that was a disappointment was Dani’s House of Pizza. Unlike Fresh Mix and Zolita’s, where we only ordered food to go, we absolutely loved eating at Dani’s and being served in their cozy dining room. Sadly, that stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Actually they’re still open—thankfully they survived—but they are choosing to keep their dining room closed, only offering take out. Dani’s is not close enough that we would go there to take out their food so we lament the loss of a favorite restaurant to dine in.

Ironically, right before the pandemic lock down occurred, I had submitted an essay about dining at Dani’s. The call for submissions was for an anthology about life in Kew Gardens, a neighborhood in the borough of Queens; Kew Gardens is where Dani’s is located. So I submitted my essay a few months before the pandemic lock down started on March 12, 2020. When lock down occurred, many restaurants closed or changed the way they operated so patrons would not infect each other. I think Dani’s closed their entire restaurant at the start of lock down for a long time (I think for at least a year) then later reopened only for pizza and take out.

For months, after I submitted my essay, I wondered if it would be accepted because Dani’s closed. Would they want a story about an experience that wasn’t available anymore? Or I wondered if the book on Kew Gardens was still planning to publish since the entire world was in turmoil in 2020.

Then after surviving month after month of difficulties of the pandemic in 2020, finally on the day after Christmas, December 26, 2020, I received a holiday miracle. The following is the email I received from Carol Lacks and Rosemary Sherman, the editors of the anthology:

Dear Angeline,

Greetings and Happy holidays to you and yours.

This message is to let you know that the story you submitted will become part of the community book Once Upon A Time In Kew Gardens: Then & Now.

The pandemic created a number of challenges that delayed the development of the book. However, we're back on track, working diligently and looking forward to completing it. You will be notified when the book is finished and ready for distribution. Every person who contributed a story will be receiving a copy.

We are very grateful to you and to the many others who took the time to tell their Kew Gardens stories. The book is reflective of the history, people, places, and unique stories that make KG a neighborhood that is loved and remembered.

Wishing you a happy healthy New Year!

Carol Lacks and Rosemary Sherman

Then on July 21, 2021, I received another email from Carol announcing the book, Once Upon a Time in Kew Gardens was now on sale. The book was on sale exclusively at Kew & Willow Books, an awesome woman owned little bookstore in Kew Gardens.

Once Upon a Time in Kew Gardens on sale at Kew & Willow Books.

A description in her email read, “’ONCE UPON A TIME IN KEW GARDENS’ captures memories about growing up in the 1940's to coping with the Pandemic of 2020. You will find stories about favorite places like Dani’s House of Pizza, the Kew Gardens Cinemas, Forest Park and other well-known cherished landmarks.” Carol also said the book was covered on NY1, a local news station and she sent a short clip of the coverage. Dani’s and Kew & Willows Books are in the clip; see the clip below:

That summer of 2021, Carol and Rosemary invited all the contributors to a ceremony held outdoors to celebrate the publication of the book. It was a nice event; a bright spot during a terrible time in history. Since this was the first time (and probably the only time) something I wrote was published in a book, I bought ten of copies and mailed them to family and friends.

Standing with a few of the other story contributors for Once Upon a Time in Kew Gardens. We’re at the celebration for the publication of the book.

The following is my essay that was published in Once Upon a Time in Kew Gardens: