Laura’s TEN Things
Of all the content I’ve researched and published over the last few years, this has, by far, been the most difficult. Let’s do this…
This is my second home and Gina, Wendy and Phil are MY people. I have been playing at Gina’s for the last 15+ years (but don’t be fooled, I had 4 kids in between there so, took some breaks). Everyone is welcome at Gina’s, and always has been. It is the one place that has been consistently introducing me to awesome and new people – not a single bad attitude, negative Nelly or bitchy Barry. At Gina’s we all play, together – and it’s fun as hell. Phones are off and we connect with each other and, if you’re lucky you’ll make some pretty dope shots (that will be celebrated by everyone – that’s how we roll at Gina’s).
I adore baking, it is a passion of mine, and if someone wanted to pay me I’d probably do it for a living. But, let’s be real for a minute – sometimes I just want to take a fork and enjoy a chocolate cake someone else has made(…for me). I have tried just about everything at Bakehouse since it’s soft opening in May and it’s all good, there are no bad choices when it comes to Joe’s delicious offerings. Although, if you were to twist my arm I would highly recommend: the chocolate-raspberry mousse cake, the parmesan-leek croissant and the apple turnover. The quaint bakeshop is the perfect distance to not be problematic to my existing wardrobe, and not too far that going for a morning croissant after drop-off is out of the question.
This place has had a serious makeover and, to be honest, I miss the “old school” vibes this place used to have. The food – consistently good. This is THE PLACE to go for a classic, only known to Jersey folks, sloppy Joe. I am a vegetarian but I have some “cheats” and the Virginia ham and Swiss single decker Joe is one of them. The rye bread is sliced to order and the Russian dressing is made in house. Pair your sandwich with a secret recipe Gallo tea (2/3 house made iced tea and 1/3 sweet lemonade) that comes in a plastic half-gallon container with a slit in the top for a straw. This place is no frills, but the food is seriously amazing. My husband’s favorite (off menu) sandwich is “the Vermonter” (turkey, cheese, bacon and honey mustard). The owners have been at it for years and clearly love what they do.
BHPD (and all of our first responders)
The BHPD are constantly going above and beyond for our kids and our community and, for that, among countless other reasons, I am truly grateful to each and every one of them. The extras provided to the families in this town amaze me and make me feel proud to be a part of it all; from Trunk or Treat, to Police Santa and the Grinch to the fishing derby and everything in between (especially the all the birthday honk parades you attended during the pandemic!) . Thank you for protecting and serving this community.
My Mom (and Dad) Squad
You know who you are. I have found so many truly amazing, kind and supportive friends in this town and I feel so blessed. From helping to chauffeur my kids around, to morning coffees :), to your hugs, delivering 8lb bags of flour and endless pounds of butter (I really do love baking), 9-hour brunches, chatting at morning drop-offs and pick-ups: THANK YOU. I love BH because you are all here and you are, hands down, why I’m still here!
To hell with Seattle – this is the best coffee I have ever had in my life. The owners couldn’t be more sweet and they have a passion for coffee and it shows. Beans are roasted and ground in small batches. This isn’t Starbucks, this is coffee at it’s finest – no cream or sugar needed! My favorite blend is the Ethiopian, but I’ve tried them all and they are delicious.
Berkeley Swim club is my second home in the summer. You can find me (when it’s not crowded, I love people but don’t like crowds). This place isn’t fancy, like at all, and the bathrooms are scary and the place is in seriously need of an upgrade, but the people that go don’t really seem to care and that’s why I love it. My favorite part of BSC is the Swim Team. For me, it’s a sport that all 4 of my kids can do, together. Sure, meet days are hot and long, and it takes a village to run a swim meet, but when I see the high school and middle school kids on the pool deck cheering for the 6- and 7-year olds, I get super choked up; it’s amazing and touching and makes me proud to be a Swim Mom!
Walkability
This town is pretty unique in that it’s mostly walkable. I particularly like the changing seasons, and I’m a big fan of freshly cut grass (remember when GAP made a perfume that smelled like grass? Yea, had it!), and being near nature – as long as it isn’t crawling, slithering or running in my direction. Our town is mostly quiet, and I love being out for walks and soaking it all in. You know what else is sprawling in this town? TRAILS!!!! There are so many amazing walking paths that are incredible – go check them out. To boot, it’s pretty awesome that our kids can walk almost anywhere.
I am Italian, and I bake my own bread – so, for arguments sake, let’s say I’m a bit of an expert on this. Dimaio’s bread is my favorite in the area. It’s crusty in all the right places and deliciously moist and chewy in the middle. I could live on Dimaio’s bread, room temperature butter and a side of Dimaio’s fra diavolo sauce (it’s a little spicy, like me).
Community
It’s so cliche, but it’s probably my favorite thing about BH. (If Vito’s farm stand was here I would probably have written a full piece on my love of Vito and his farm stand, filled with so many stories – but, for now, those will remain in my happy memories.) I have lived in BH for 15 years and I love how everyone can rally around each other. It is in those moments when we leave behind all the bullshit, and differing opinions and focus on the stuff that’s really important – each other. Whether it’s a flag raising at town hall, a supply drive for Ukraine, or car wash at Little Flower – people SHOW UP, pitch in and take care of each other. There is no lack of passion, commitment and care in this town. While we don’t always see eye to eye on things, when it comes to helping our neighbors we always do what needs to be done. I am proud to be part of this community – thank you, all!
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