I attended OLL and lived on Fulton Street until 1965 -- I was twelve years old when my family and I moved to Florida.

I remember going to Spinner's with my mom and looking at the toys they displayed on the top shelves during the Christmas season (pointing to which toy (singular) I wanted for Christmas; I remember walking from Fulton Street to the Lowe's Theater in Pitkin Avenue with my sister and brother to watch a movie and then buying a slice of pizza each to eat while walking back home; I remember shopping for shoes at Miles Shoe Store; I remember keeping my older sister company in the evening at Barracini Chocolate Store in Pitkin Avenue where she worked part-time (she was only 16 years old) and eating as many chocolates that I wanted; I remember buying knishes from the Knish man on Pacific Avenue; I remember walking to school in the snow with my siblings; I remember buying donuts right after church from the bakery to the left of the school yard; I remember going to the park down the street whenever I could with my friend Ann Marie Cook and sometimes getting in trouble for not coming home on time; I remember in the evening after dinner playing stoop ball and hop scotch and adults sitting outside talking with the neighbors; I remember the great Italian ices I would eat on a hot summer day; I remember my younger sister and I sitting on a blanket on top of the radiator in our apartment in the winter watching the snow fall; I remember getting new dresses and hats on Easter and having a Spring Coat and Winter Coat; I remember all the stores we had on the block I lived on -- funeral home, bars on each end of the street, Spinners, clothing stores, pizzaria, meat and dairy store, bakery; I remember how strict the nuns were and Father Barretta handing out the report cards; I remember playing in the school yard and lining up for prayer before going back to school.

It is memories of OLL, friends, and growing up in a working class neighborhood that bond us together.

Thanks for the memories Grace, I too would buy a knish before going to Mass on Sundays............it was a tradition.

My father had a fruit store on rockaway avenue near ariola's............he would deliver orders to the Sportman's Bar on Fulton Street and told me, I never want you to go near that place............almost like in a Bronx Tale, where Robert DeNiro tells his son, keep away from the bar..........

I remember Frankie the florist across the street on rockaway avenue, he was a character............once called one of the priests, Fr. Casale, I think and told them Mr. Ariola wanted his confession heard. There was a riot when Father got there..........

My father was good friends with the Ariolas.......he'd go in and sneak in a few eclairs once in a while..............they were great people to know and now they are in Farmingdale, Long Island.

Did he "confess"? :)

hi phyllis how are you the sportsmans bar was owned by my mothers uncles perozzi brothers when my mother would go shopping in spinners she would leave me there with her uncles they were real tough guys that was many years ago the bar is gone and their all dead take care frank

Sportsmen bar made the best pizza, I would go on friday nights sometime and pick up a delicios pie to take home, I was allowed to go there,, dont know why phyllis was not...they were neighborhood men who hung out there and I felt very safe going there...I wish I had a pc. of there pizza now...

hi margeret i wonder if we know each other i hung out on gunther pl from around 1960 to 1966 there were a lot of kids hanging out there it was a great placei lived on the corner of marconi and atlantic above my uncles dinett store the bar had the best pizza my mothers aunt did most of the cooking there talk to you soon frank

To answer Margaret's question.................my father knew they were all "neighborhood" men, but at the time I had to listen to what he said..........I remember you coming around with my friend, Vicki.

Frank...........what a small world.........I never did get to meet the owners of the place, but I'm sure they were lovely people............

Hi frank, I never did stay on gunther place,maybe my brother Gary did, I did know adele and Barbara and there sister carol.My brother gary went out with Carol. My family moved from brooklyn in l966,but I aways went back to visit my friends.I can still close my eyes and see the sportsman bar..If I remember correctly in the back u can watch them make the pizza.,no one felt unsafe there,the neighborhood men were always respectfull and watched out for the kids.which I was one of...good memories...

Hi Margaret......................are you on facebook?

Thanks............look me up, under Phyllis Isola.

Hy Plyllis, Im not on face book...

Margaret.................ok........so we can correspond through this forum............take care.


Phyllis

Hello Grace:
Did you happen to have a relative perhaps named Connie Marullo? She would have been about 18-20 years old in 1942. She was the girlfriend (or engaged to) of my great uncle by the name of Ernest Calvin Pauley. He was a Navy sailor stationed in NY for a while. The family story is that they met at Coney Island. His ship was lost at sea just a few weeks after leaving NY. We have completely lost contact (since the war) with Connie. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

My family and I immigrated to the United States in 1956. Never met her -- don't think she is related to my family.

my dad stood at the sportsman bar, and many other good people, stood there, , so i would appreciate if you would stop making it sound like a bad place.you can rest assure that the neighborhood was safe, which means you too.my friend. ronnie one arm would deliver the holy comunion every sunday from ourlady of loretta. i was told there was a deli with a cow in the window,which ronnie lived next door. i was baptized io olol.