Unchained

Is there anything uglier than a chain link fence?  I think not. Especially in front of a period stucco. Or a historic brick.

Chain link fences have their place, of course. On the perimeter of a car pound, for instance. But why in the world would any self-respecting LB homeowner want one on their property line, unless they have a hankering for the good old days in the Bronx?

There used to be a chain link fence around the municipal parking lot on the corner of Walnut Street and Long Beach Blvd., behind Clear-Vu Cleaners. Mercifully, the city replaced it last year with a white PVC fence that much improved the aesthetics of the neighborhood (even if they did inexplicably ground it on a bright blue cement foundation).

The lot on Edwards Blvd. behind Gino's has not been as fortunate - or should I say that we who live down that block and pass the lot nearly every day have not been as fortunate. The lot itself is perhaps the worst blight in all of Long Beach, especially since the garbage dumpsters from behind the Park Avenue restaurants have outgrown the alley and have migrated into the parking area. That atrocity  has occurred on our city's main thoroughfare, the traverse that connects the train station with the beach. It is the garden spot that "welcomes" legions of visitors and affronts local residents daily.  And the affront is thoroughly compounded by the chain link fence that finishes it off.

I'd like to think that a white picket fence is in the cards for our poor, bedraggled Edwards Blvd. Just like the lucky lot on LB Blvd.... which BTW is not looking so lucky right about now.  The city snow plows broke through the fence!  Can you believe it??  

Talk about two steps forward, one step back!

LB North

If it's winter and you don't see the usual faces around town, chances are better than even they're at Hunter Mountain. If you're not a skier, you might not realize that Hunter is home away from home for a sizable number of LBers. Colonel's Hall (the mountain lodge) is a virtual melting pot of seasonally displaced surfers and sunbathers from the barrier island.You just never know who you're going to run into, especially during the 11:30 AM rush, when the ski schools and adult groups break for lunch. In addition to the regular vacation-home-owning cast of characters who have generously taken the Gelfands under their wings for many years now (you know who you are), we have encountered classmates, teachers and camp friends.

It's a close knit group that has found the perfect pastime between summers. But skiing is more than that. It's really the perfect sport, if you stop and think about it. When the kids are small, teaching them the ropes is high quality family time spent in a gorgeous natural setting, breathing pristine air while enjoying exhilerating exercise. When the kids get old enough to be embarrassed being seen with you and take off on their own (as long as you load them up with lunch money), skiing is quality alone time with your honey, followed by happy hour in the lodge :-) and then family regrouping over dinner. You really can't beat it, especially as a segway to Memorial Day... when the ritual migration reduces from 3 hours on the NYS Thruway to 3 blocks on National Blvd.

Ah, summer!