Marc Piperno

Let’s all agree, there’s nothing like a great burger. Whether it’s a solid diner burger, or a craft burger patty from a local artisanal kitchen, the carnivore in me is always delighted to find a new, killer burger spot.

It’s September… back to school time already! Boy did that breeze by quickly, but I hope everyone enjoyed a few lazy, hazy days of summer.

Thrilled to announce the opening of Dance Art’s Development Center in St. James, this is “Where Big Dreams Begin Little.” A motto and philosophy of Adriana Koppelmann, owner and director of the new DADC in St. James, formerly TJE Dance Force.

Good nutrition is vital to keeping the immune system strong, the body working optimally and your weight under control. Unfortunately, our little ones do not fully grasp the importance of a well-balanced diet and may refuse to eat the good stuff which can make back ­­­­to school lunches, or any meal, a big source of stress for parents.

What can we do to help our kids through a crisis we ourselves have trouble dealing with? What do we have control over that can give them proper stability?

Some years it seems as though back to school ads begin as soon as the last day of school has come and gone. This year, amid COVID-19, the end of the school year was just another day of virtual learning, and the first day of school is an unknown. How, then, do you shop for your child when you don’t know if they will be walking into their school building or learning from home?

I feel blessed to live on Long Island, especially during the summertime, when it flaunts its lush green landscapes and beautiful waterways. Home to many family owned farmsteads, the north and south shores are certainly the place to be this time of year. So, take full advantage by supporting your local farms and farmer’s markets; they are the ones that provide us with fresh, local grown vegetables, fruits, flowers, herbs, honey, homemade jellies, breads, pies and more.

Everyone is looking for something to happen before they can be happy - “If I just get that raise, new job, or find that wonderful relationship, then I know I will have found happiness.” Especially now, after feeling stuck and having been inside for months, we are waiting for the chance where happiness will find us. Like I tell my daughter, who at three years old, wakes up crying for reasons very small... “Let’s do something to change that”.

Long Island, NY: When school resumes in the fall, children everywhere will be adjusting to a new ‘normal’ due to COVID-19. For children who have been hospitalized or home undergoing cancer treatment, the adjustment will be very challenging. Thanks to a grant to Michael Magro Foundation’s Project S.O.A.R. from Investors Bank Foundation, these children and teens will find their transition back to school more comfortable.

With the uncertainty and melancholy created by the Covid-19 pandemic, university students need a proper living space that will encourage stability. Whether you are moving back into a dorm, or stuck transforming your childhood bedroom into a place for both attending classes and studying, there are plenty of ways to decorate your room.

This summer might feel a bit different, but we can’t complain too much since at least one of (in my opinion) the most important activities wasn’t taken from us… our Long Island beaches!

Sun… Summer… Succulent Shrimp Salad… all create a lovely summer scene. It just wouldn’t be summer without a shrimp roll!