Monday, August 17, 2009

Neil Armstrong is My Uncle Sees the Sights Of Massapequa Park and Massapequa

I was on Long Island this weekend and thought I'd take my book on a tour. Since the story takes place in the town of Massapequa Park, it's high time that NAIMU sees the sights. Here are pics of NAIMU's visit to the towns of Massapequa and Massapequa Park, New York.

We started by relaxing on a nice patch of grass. Dandelions are hard to find in this town.



This is Park Blvd, the main street in Masssapequa Park on a Sunday afternoon. The local residents call this area "town". It's about a block long with the rail road tracks on one end and the funeral parlor at the other.


On weekends, this bakery is packed. That's because the pastries are incredible. DiMonda's bakery has been in Massapequa Park for decades.


Across the street from the railroad tracks is Gannon's Station Cafe, the inspiration for Canyons, the pub in the story. Gannon's doesn't seemed to have changed much since 1969. Can you see NAIMU on the bench there?
Here's the inside of Gannon's. I asked the customers there if any of them wanted to be in the picture but they all declined.

Yep, that's homemade candy in the counter. Krish's of Massapequa also has homemade ice cream. While it wasn't mentioned in the book, Tamara and the gang on Ramble Street would have saved up their pennies to buy ice cream and candy from this store.

Ending the tour, by chilling out on a Massapequa garage roof. Oh who am I kidding? It's high noon on a 90 degree day. That roof was hot!



This isn't NAIMU's first tour. A few months ago, C. Lee McKenzie, author of the terrific YA novel Sliding on the Edge, took my book on a tour of a California garden. Lee posted the pics on her blog. So if you want to see NAIMU hanging out in a fancy California garden, head over to her blog.

8 comments:

S A Putnam said...

Loved the tour, Nan!! Especially the shot taken on the garage roof. Is it your parents?

And CHOCOLATES!! Krishes would be my downfall

Arrooo!!!

MG Higgins said...

This is very funny. Now if NAIMU could drive a tour bus. . . .

Unknown said...

Mom loved the pictures and said "so that's were Nan was this weekend"

Anonymous said...

If I had shouted hello from Suffolk County, would you have shouted back? {}

I don't know if you get Optimum for your cable service in NJ but.. you must have seen the commercial where Barry Bostwick, as the Optimum spokesman, plays with the word "Massapeeee-qqqqqwa!" I crack up everytime he does this and, of course, I think of you.

Pamela

nanmarino said...

S.A., The garage roof is from a friend's house. My parent's garage is very hard to get to. (And I don't have the same climbing ability as I did when I was 12) Krishes has award winning ice cream and it's hard to resist.
M.G. I never thought of a tour bus. That's a great idea. But aren't Lee's CA garden pics cool?
Ritch, Glad Mom liked the pics.
Pamela, Hmm. They don't play that commercial here in southern Jersey. Too bad. And of course, I would have shouted back :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Nan,

Love your walking tour!

Good ol' Long Island! You remember I'm an
Oceanside girl, but haven't been back in
awhile! Did you hit Jones Beach while there?

nanmarino said...

That's right! You're a Long Island person too! :)Didn't get a chance to get to the beach but we visited with lots of people, which was fun. And of course, we had this fun book tour.

Mike Sullvan said...

Brilliant! Very cool.