You Know You Are From Ridgewood

This list I retrieved from a FaceBook forum so it stands on its on merits:
Beth Roman said,
"I used to attend RHS Alumni luncheons in Sarasota Fl., with my father back in 1998 - 2001. There were a lot of graduating classes represented from 1933 - 1978. My father graduated in 1938. I graduated in 1974.
The longing for real Jersey food came up in conversation among these RHS Alumni's each time I attended with my father.
Top of the list for Pizza was By The Slice from Renatos. With the follow up instructions of how you ate a slice LOL

Mama Rosa's pizza would be mentioned, but mostly in connection to it being closer to Graydon Pool, Vets Field and the Library.
Diners was a toss up between the Suburban and Mathews.
Crumb Coffee Cake from the Bakery across the street from the Library.
Footlong hot dogs all the way from Johnny and Hanges in Paterson.
T&W Ice Cream
Van Dykes Ice Cream
Real Kaiser hard rolls with butter by itself
Real Kaiser hard rolls with butter and a sunny side up fried egg
Talyor Ham (Pork Roll) fried on a hard rolls with butter by itself or with a sunny side up fried egg. Most said Al n Harrys made the best Fried Taylor Ham Sandwiches.
Beefsteak Tomatoes with mayo as a sandwich.
Beefsteak Tomatoes sliced with sugar sprinkled on it
Beefsteak Tomatoes sliced with salt n pepper sprinkled on it
Sweet Jersey Corn boiled in a huge stock pot with melted butter on the top so the corn was buttered as you pulled it out of the water.
Hero Sandwiches
Jersey Blueberries
Jersey Peaches with ice cream on waffles
Jersey Asparagus with butter
Jersey Strawberries with whipped cream or just rinsed with sugar
Bagels
Egg Creams
Last but not least as it was discussed over and over was Donuts and Cider from Tices Farm."

What We Loved As Children

Advice to a nephew who's growing up fast:
Hold tight to those things you loved as a child, or at least when you were younger than you are now. 
I say this because we all have a tendency to lose touch with what we loved as a child. Something about the social pressures of adolescence and professional pressures of young adulthood squeezes this passion out of us. We’re taught that the only reason to do something is if we’re somehow rewarded for it. Remember when simply playing outdoors was its own reward. You may not be able to comprehend life without air conditioning but there was a time when being outside on a hot day made you feel cooler than being inside the house, except maybe in the basement.

Best thing to do with yourself at any age is to find a problem you care about and start solving it. Obviously, you’re not going to fix the world’s problems by yourself. But you can contribute and make a difference. And that feeling of making a difference is ultimately what’s most important for your own happiness and fulfillment.