Long Island , NY

quote:

Originally posted by MacTAC

quote:

Originally posted by swirsk53The angle of the slope in their roofs makes them distinguishable, to those who remember, from old Carvels, and McD's.

http://oldstatenisland.tripod.com/Wetson's.jpg

I forgot their Buy A Bagful. Sort of sounds like White Castle's "buy em by the sack."

quote:

Originally posted by markpapo

the texas ranger in island park was right near the giant nathans. and it had better hot dogs imo. does anyone go far enough back to remember that nathan's before it had a roof

I remember open roof Nathan's in Oceanside. It was still going by the name of NAthan's Roadside Rest. It had been the Roadside Rest, more of a dinner and entertainment open air from the 30s or so,. I collect antique postcards and have it both in early Nathan's and late pure Roadside Rest. From the days when a drive to LI was a trip to the country.

Swirsk------------Going to the Roadside Rest was a big deal when I was a kid.
Few people had cars and when someone with one came along and said "Who wants
to go to the Roadside" we all jumped in. From Far Rockaway to Oceanside wasn't
very far, but it was an adventure all the same. When I was 13 -- the summer
between grammar and high school----I organized a bike trip to the Roadside.
I guess there were 10 kids on our Schwinns who went. We also biked over to
Mineola to visit Mitchell Field and check out a new model Air Force plane that
was visiting there.

I will have to go on Mapquest and see how many miles those trips were.

It was still a big deal ( at least to me ) through the point when they tore down Nathan's Roadside Rest to make way for another Waldbaums and the fast food style Nathan's that went up there. I think Nathan's Oceanside was the epitome in a lot of ways. Sort of a self-contained Coney Island, with rides out back and an arcade inside.

I still think that a Nathan's dog and fries are the way to make the best of getting stuck in a lot of airports.

My dad would take us (brother & me) to Steeplechase once a year but I had never been to Nathan's. My girlfriend's parents took me with their family to Nathan's in Oceanside (1960's). They had separate lines for hot dogs, burgers and fries so we all had a job. While someone held the table we went to the line we were assigned and returned with what we told to get. I miss that old place.

i remeber the different windows..one for fries another for hot dogs..ttheye was another with chow mein on a bun...the seafood on the street side they had raw clams and oysters...what a place

quote:

Originally posted by the ancient mariner

Well you have got me thinking now------there were lots of great restaurants on LI that have disappeared with "progress". Not roadfood but places for dates and special occasions.

-Patricia Murphy's in Manhasset----loved their popovers.
-Gil Clarks in Bay Shore--come by car or boat-----great lobster
-Karl's Mariners Inn, right on the water in Northport--they might still
be there
-The Sunrise Village--Great German food and entertainment--John Wile (?)
was great
-Geide's in Centerport (opposite Linck's) wonderful duck
-The San Souci in Bethpage, next to Grummans --- for gourmets
-Guy Lombardo's in Freeport---orchestra leader/speedboat
racer/restauranteur
-Trying to remember the place in Westbury on Jericho Turnpike at Guinea
Woods Road----I think it was owned by Howard Johnson---great drinks and
prime ribs and popovers
-Speaking of Howard Johnson. We drove from Ronkonkoma to Valley Stream
in someone's old clunker---about 6 guys---just because they had 54
flavors of ice cream. It must have taken an hour each way. And then
one of my buddies ordered vanilla. He has never lived it down.
-There was a place on Jericho Turnpike in Huntington called Leo Girards-
"All the chicken you can eat $2.00"--18 of us guys (big 19-20 year old
football players) stopped there one Sunday evening after playing
Huntington to a 6-6 tie. Eighteen 200 pound starving guys ate all the
chicken in the place. Leo had to close down for the night.

There were more--you gentlemen might think of some I have skipped. Long Island was a great place to live ---- oh yea, how about the Milleridge Inn in Jericho---still going strong after about 100 years or so.

GMB-----------Yip Yip Yaphank and Oh How I Hate To Get Up In The Morning.
words and Music by Irving Berlin written during his stay at Camp Upton in WWI.
Glad to have another LIer on board------stay warm my man, Old Man Winter is just
around the corner!!!

GMB, it looks like you're not getting your message out with The AM's quote. Try the quick reply box at the bottom of the page to say hi.

Looking at your list up there, Mariner, Beau Sejour was virtually on the corner of Grumman property. Sans Souci DOES sound familiar, too. Without rereading, I'm pretty sure pages back we figured it was the Red Coach Grill(e?) by Guinea Woods Road?

quote:

Originally posted by MacTAC

GMB, it looks like you're not getting your message out with The AM's quote. Try the quick reply box at the bottom of the page to say hi.

I think GMB's reply was in the quote box...I edited his post to show GMB's words more clearly.

Welcome GMB...I am still a Long Islander!

quote:

Originally posted by Tony Bad

I think GMB's reply was in the quote box...I edited his post to show GMB's words more clearly.

Welcome GMB...I am still a Long Islander!

Still one myself, probably always.

That was part of Mariner's original post, Tony. Doesn't look like any of GMBs words came through.

quote:

Originally posted by MacTAC

quote:

Originally posted by Tony Bad

I think GMB's reply was in the quote box...I edited his post to show GMB's words more clearly.

Welcome GMB...I am still a Long Islander!

Still one myself, probably always.

That was part of Mariner's original post, Tony. Doesn't look like any of GMBs words came through.

You are right...sorry about that. I thought I was fixing things but just confused matters further!

GMB...have another go at it!

I was born in Long Island but I grew up in Florida, and have since lived in Pittsburgh, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Long Island again, and now Philadelphia... and let me say, there's this place in Suffolk County called the Wellington Bar and Grill. It's on Middle Country Rd in Middle Island, and they have the BEST wings ever. I have not even had wings anywhere else that's came close. Their lunch specials are also super amazing.


Really close by at the intersection of 112 and Middle Country Rd is a place called Kelly's Pub that has great barfood, their french dip sandwich is amazing.

Thanks for the heads up on those, ohhoe. Never have any place in mind when I'm in that area. Now I do...

Ohhoe----Do you pronounce that Oh Ho as in Oh Ho ? And why would
a good Long Islander move to Philly ??? Actually I like it there once I
am away from downtown and heading west.

Thanks for the info on Kelly's and Wellington-----I have a friend in Coram who
I will send the info to. Don't eat too many of those cheesesteaks, or whatever,
they are bad for the waistline.

passed Zorns and never went in? Youve got to!!!!!!
best diner on LI-- not far from Zorns on the other side of Hempstead Turnpike----The Embassy Diner
 
For those now in Fla--------if your near St Augustine's ...........
go to Verrazano's for pizza!!!! My childhood BF from Bethpage and his family own it

My favorite restaurant on Long Island is Grimaldi's Pizza.

jd111358


passed Zorns and never went in? Youve got to!!!!!!
best diner on LI-- not far from Zorns on the other side of Hempstead Turnpike----The Embassy Diner

Hi jd,

As kids, we loved to go to Zorn's to look at the farm animals outside. Demolished to build the 135 Expressway, right next to Zorn's was another poultry place called Nicholson's. Same menu, same display of farm animals outside. Never knew the story of why the only two places like that around, were right next to each other. Nicholson's did survive for a few more years about a half mile or so west, still on the same side of Hempstead Turnpike.

The Embassy was our go to place after dropping our girlfriends off at a decent hour and we'd hang out for hours, eating, drinking many cups of coffee and BSing. I still go there occasionally and it's still good...


 

my mother won a cooked turkey from zorns...i think we ate it during super bowl 7

I love Zorn's in Bethpage.  A little hard to get to if you are heading East on the Hempstead, or HempHead as we out of towners call it.


I have had the rotisserie and fried chicken.  Both were excellent.  Huge portions, one meal could easily feed two people.  


 Great menu http://www.zornscaterers.com/ordereze/Content/PageDetails.aspx?PageID=2 Check out the homemade side dishes.

Joe----from the pictures I have seen, of the meals you have put away, you could have handled the Zorn meal all by your lonesome.  

They have been there a long time and still do a great job.

joerogo


I love Zorn's in Bethpage.  A little hard to get to if you are heading East on the Hempstead, or HempHead as we out of towners call it. 

Just take the entrance for 135 North, immediately exit and turn into their parking lot. Much better than going further east and making a u turn.

tonemonster2


There used to be a great clam bar on Lido Blvd/ Long Beach Rd. between Oceanside and Island Park. Can't remember the name of it but we'd always stop on the way home from Point Lookout for the freshest clams on the half shell I can remember.

that was peters clam bar which was replaced a long time ago ,how about the mexicana ,and the range burger ,baldwin the BEST CHICKEN at the log cabin    AND ABOVE ALL BIGELOWS seafood

UNCLE TEDDY-------good to have someone on board who remembers the good old days in that part of the world.  We often stopped at the Roadside Rest in Oceanside on the way out to Long Beach to visit the family.  The Roadside became Nathan's and God knows what it is now.  Never stopped for clams because the family would have dug up a mess of them and would have them on ice when we arrived.

UNCLE TEDDY
 

that was peters clam bar which was replaced a long time ago 

Peter's Clam Bar is still on Long Beach Road, though quite a bit larger than the original. Some very nice old photos and stories here, Mr. ancient mariner...


http://www.1960sailors.net/09_our_town.htm

Mac the Tac---Mac the Black Macoa----from a fun musical "The Pirate" starring Gene Kelly and Judy Garland (two of the bestest)  ----didn't make the top 100 but it's a fun movie---That stupid Crouching Tiger did though !!!!

Now back to the subject at hand---I loved the link you linked me into.
Oceanside was a place I knew well and the Roadside Rest a great favorite---went there for the first time in 37/38.  Those were the days my friend those were the days.

Thank you too much. 

the ancient mariner

  The Roadside became Nathan's and God knows what it is now.

It is still a Nathan's but not the large building as it once was.  There's a shopping center on the property with a much smaller Nathan's at the north end.

the ancient mariner


I loved the link you linked me into.
Oceanside was a place I knew well and the Roadside Rest a great favorite---went there for the first time in 37/38.  Those were the days my friend those were the days.

Thank you too much. 

My pleasure to send that link on, especially as your posts are the ones that got me looking. Although my halcyon days are the fifties, I really enjoy hearing earlier reminiscing. Thank YOU... 

Anyone have info on the Port Royal restaurant in Islip?  It was featured on Man vs food.  The seafood looked very good.

Joseph----the last time we sailed into Port Royal I was with Errol Flynn and the boys.  We had a blast, and then a fw more and took over the joint.  Capt Blood cured
the Gov of gout and eloped to Las Vegas with some snazzy blond.  Now why wasn't that on Yahoo's top 100 ????

Can't help with the restaurant, Joe,  but love the name.  I will check with my brother and maybe old Tony Bad will add his three cents (inflation don't you know).

MacTAC

joerogo


I love Zorn's in Bethpage.  A little hard to get to if you are heading East on the Hempstead, or HempHead as we out of towners call it. 

Just take the entrance for 135 North, immediately exit and turn into their parking lot. Much better than going further east and making a u turn.

 
MacTAC ,
 
Thanks for the info.  Worked like a charm!
 
$6.49 for 1/4 dark meat, two sides and a lemonade.  Excellent food, great deal.  I also brought home a couple potato knishes, just $1.50 each, and again, excellent!
 

 

joerogo


Thanks for the info.  Worked like a charm!
 
$6.49 for 1/4 dark meat, two sides and a lemonade.  Excellent food, great deal.  I also brought home a couple potato knishes, just $1.50 each, and again, excellent!
 

 

Good to hear, joerogo, and the food was good, too!


Reminds me to do a Sunday take home soon...

Hey Joe, I see you know where the good food is----but, what are you some kinda nut, drivin' all the way from Pa to get a little lunch ?  And taking home knishes to show the folks out west what good food is like.  I don't know if your allowed to take knishes out of NY. 

Last year you did the (or was that 2 years ago) Brooklyn scene--and found all those great Italian places----now you've moved out east ---
to get the stuff right off the farm.

Joe, seriously---Zorn's has been a favorite of ours for years.  But you have to try Syosset's "Diner Row" ------3 great diners on a 2 mile stretch of Jericho Tpke. 

Then make a right heading toward the LI Expressway and stop at Meyer's Farm Stand and get some real vegetables picked while you
wait.  Manga, manga.  -----Zio 

the ancient mariner


Hey Joe, I see you know where the good food is----but, what are you some kinda nut, drivin' all the way from Pa to get a little lunch ?  And taking home knishes to show the folks out west what good food is like.  I don't know if your allowed to take knishes out of NY. 

Last year you did the (or was that 2 years ago) Brooklyn scene--and found all those great Italian places----now you've moved out east ---
to get the stuff right off the farm.

Joe, seriously---Zorn's has been a favorite of ours for years.  But you have to try Syosset's "Diner Row" ------3 great diners on a 2 mile stretch of Jericho Tpke. 

Then make a right heading toward the LI Expressway and stop at Meyer's Farm Stand and get some real vegetables picked while you
wait.  Manga, manga.  -----Zio 

 


Zio!  I thought that Port Authority Cop at the Throgs Neck was lookin at them knishes kinda funny.  I guess I had an honest face


Whenever I'm working in the "high rent district" of Westbury, I usually end up at Zorn's.  Great food and extremely friendly people.  Sorta explains their 70 years in business.


I will have to venture over to Syosset.  So far I have not been overly impressed with the diners I visited.


In Pittston, we don't buy no stinkin vegetables.  You have to grow them yourself, it's the law.  My Ga-Ghootz are as big as my head!  And that's pretty darn big


Giuseppe

My next door neighbor in Huntington was from-a the other side and he grew ga-ghootz juat about 10 feet from my house---I'd wake up every morning all late summer and fall with his goo-ghootz hanging right outside my bedroom window.  Mamma Mia those were some ga-shootzes.

If you decide to go to Syosset I will google you a map with all the shortcuts. 

the ancient mariner
But you have to try Syosset's "Diner Row" ------3 great diners on a 2 mile stretch of Jericho Tpke. 

Then make a right heading toward the LI Expressway and stop at Meyer's Farm Stand and get some real vegetables picked while you wait.  

I think the best diner in that area is On Parade. It's actually in Woodbury (just north of Meyer's), but I think maybe one of the three you mentioned? Actually a lot of good eating in the area.

Across the street is Dugan's Sandwich Shop which is good. They have a lot of old photos and memorabilia including an old Coke machine. Unfortunately it doesn't dispense. For that you can go to Tek Serve on 23rd Street in NYC, an Apple Computer repair and sales store. Ice cold 8 oz. Cokes for 10 cents, sometimes free. Mmm...

On Parade was my favorite, but I had forgotten the name. 
Right next to a Funeral Home----mourners as well as Roadfooders welcome.

Joe----are you listening---On Parade and then south to Meyer's farm. 
Ya can't miss them.

Dugan's is in a shopping center that was once a farm also.  Van Sise I think.
There also was a bowling alley where the super market is.  

On the corner of Jackson and Jericho in Syosset was a petting zoo.  Actually that whole area was pretty wide open. 

Also had one of the best restaurants on LI ---The Viennese Coach----where Office Depot was the last time I was out there. 

the ancient mariner


On the corner of Jackson and Jericho in Syosset was a petting zoo.   

Also had one of the best restaurants on LI ---The Viennese Coach  

Lollipop Farm is a wonderful memory...

http://syossetscrapbook.f...ers.com/LOLLYTRAIN.JPG

http://syossetscrapbook.f...com/VienneseCoach1.jpg

Mr. Ancient Mariner, do you remember this place? If you do, you're the only one besides my brother and I remembering our Dad enjoying his beer and us enjoying our cokes, hamburgers and the jukebox...

http://syossetscrapbook.f...rs.com/HarmonyRest.jpg


These are all from this website which I have a sneaking suspicion you might enjoy ;-)


http://syossetscrapbook.f...m/SCRAPBOOK.HTML 

MacTAC




These are all from this website which I have a sneaking suspicion you might enjoy ;-)


http://syossetscrapbook.f...m/SCRAPBOOK.HTML 

For some reason the link messes up when I copied and posted. Even after editing and trying again.


After you click on it and get that message, just go to the address bar, delete all characters after HTML and hit enter. That seems to go to the right place...

Mac----------I got it and loved it.  I don't remember some of the stuff from the 1800's but then my memory ain't what it used to be ---just like the old gray mare.

Actually I moved to Huntington , on the Cold Spring border in 1954 so anything before that is not part of my notorious past.  But, certain things stand out like the old sore thumb. 

Thank you very much, I have spent a very mind shaking (trying to get it to work) hour this quiet Saturday morning reminising.  I will go back and check out more
after I find out if the world is still going around outside.

I could tell you stories, but they would not mean anything to anyone but me-----

Thanks again. TAM

Scott_R


I was recently distressed to discover that Chaophaya Thai Restaurant in Lindenhurst closed. It was one of my favorite restaurants. I loved the peanut-dressing they put on their salads, loved their soup, and just rotated through the menu--I hated to miss things. They made this *wonderful* "Incendiary Chicken*, which was a whole Cornish game hen on a vertical skewer with vegetables in a chile sauce around it. This was one of those places where you'd use a spoon to eat the sauce that was left.

Other places:
Classic American (North Babylon?); very good fish and chips.

 
Hey Scott:
 
Classic American was featured on Kitchen Nightmares with Gordon Ramsay last night.  Been there lately?

I have not been there in quite a while. It was good, then they changed the look and menu, and it wasn't anything special. 
 
You can see it online here...
http://www.fox.com/kitchennightmares/full-episodes

kozel

Hey Scott:
Classic American was featured on Kitchen Nightmares with Gordon Ramsay last night.  Been there lately?

 
I've been there twice since Ramsay's visit, and once a month or two before.
 
In a very general sense, I am again bemused by how disconnected "reality TV' is from reality. It wasn't as utterly silly as last year's visits to Peter's Pasta in Babylon or The Mixing Bowl in Bellmore--and I have plenty of stories about those--but there was enough fakery. There's some insider info that I can't share, but suffice it to say that the food wasn't nearly as bad as Ramsay let on (yes, I'm explicitly stating that Ramsay overdramatized things). I hadn't been to Classic American as much in recent years as in the past, but that was mainly due to a change in my own circumstances and not in their food. I used to stop by there with a friend from time to time several years back. He was a fish and chips fan, and every couple of months would have to fly to England, staying near Oxford. He said that the fish and chips at CA were every bit as good as what he'd had over there.
 
So, how's the food now? I enjoyed it. I missed some of the items from the old menu which, for all intents and purposes, doesn't exist anymore. The new menu definitely has that celebrity chef feel, with unnecessarily complicated flourishes (why must all sandwiches have cheese on them now?) --and I in no way prefer plain, simple items, but I think there can be a real elegance in quality ingredients prepared well and those flavors highlighted, not hidden.
 
Most recently I had the smoked half chicken, which was moist and had a very nice smokiness, but too salted for my taste (my palate simply prefers less salt than the average).
 
When I'd heard he was going there, I'd been certain he would pare down the menu--that seems to be SOP for him on this show. I didn't count on how much he'd gut the menu, which you can see here.
 
Side note: when I'd gone there right after his visit, I saw that they'd added blackboard specials (using that erasable blackboard paint on a wall). Compulsive editor that I am, I pointed out several misspellings. It wasn't until I saw the show that I realized it was Ramsay's team that had made those multiple misspelling.

Thanks for the update. 

If anyone has any stories about The Big Bow Wow in Massapequa, I'd be really happy to read them. My grandfather, who is no longer with us, owned it and I have fond memories of playing there as a little girl while my parents worked there. My grandfather loved food and really put his heart into that place. Thanks very much!

i lived in bellmore until 1973.....big bow wow i remembered as being on sunrise highway...we would take long bike rides on our stigway bikes to big bow wow(great burgers)..nunleys in baldwin....ans sandy's drive in in wantagh

markpapo


....ans sandy's drive in in wantagh

Where was Sandy's Drive In, Mark? Or Mr. The Ancient Mariner :-)

I never heard of Sandy's Drive In,  MacTac.  But Mark says it is, or was, in Wantagh.  I lived most of my life on the exclusive, high-class North Shore.  When we crossed Hempstead Turnpike heading south we were in no man's land.  And since Wantagh is south of the great divide I never heard of Sandy's.

the ancient mariner


When we crossed Hempstead Turnpike heading south we were in no man's land. 

Hmm. Gil Clarks, Barnacle Bill's, The Sunrise Village, Guy Lombardo's, Oceanside Rest. I'm getting suspicious here. Do you need an alibi, TAM?
 
That reminds me, remember Frank's Alibi on Old Country Road in Hicksville? Coming back to the 21st century, last night I hit All American just before closing for a Double Double and fries. Very satisfying.

Thanks, @Markpapo! Yes, The Bow Wow was on Sunrise Highway, and if you rode your bike from Bellmore, I envy you. My mom would have had a fit if I rode my bike that far. Which is ironic as I don't ever remember her buckling my seat belt once in the family car.

Demonkatz----you probably couldn't buckle what wasn't there.  My first seat belted car was a 63 VW Bug.  And it saved my life. 

sandy's drive in was located at the corner of merrick road and wantagh ave...near the entrance to the parkway that took you to jones beach...it had burgers(pizza burger was my favorite) and zeppolas...and by the way i didn't know that long island extended north of roosevelt field

my mother didn't know what we did in those days as long as i was home for dinner...it was a long ride...besides summer days were very long

How about these fine 60s LI establishments that I did not see mentioned?

• McCluskey's for their porterhouse.  Line out the door every Sunday.

• Dick and Doras of Massapequa with the original owner Helen and her husband.  Can picture him but forget his name.  He used to fly small planes and had heard he died in an airplane fire.  Had been open for years under the woman that bought it from Helen, but they sold it ~ 3 years ago, heard it went really down hill, and the town knocked the building down.
• Kuong Ming still there.  Loved the pu pu platter.
• Supreme Pizza, Bar Harbor Shopping Center 20 cents a slice!  It was a big deal when it went up to 25!
• North Shore Steak House, Great Neck
• Yes the BigBowWow (was mentioned) of Massapequa.  Burgers with fried onions and great fries.  Garage doors. Delicious!

 
 
 

I had some great Long Island Italian Food last week at Mamma Lombardi's.
 
Mamma Lombardi’s Special Zuppa Di Pesce, clams, lobster tail, shrimp, mussels, scungilli, calamari served with linguine alla marinara & salad (hot or mild) ......26.95


 
This meal was huge!  Delicious......and HUGE!  Just to give you an idea of how huge, that side of pasta in the picture is a regular size plate.  For $26.95?  I told the waiter to tell Mamma she just lost 20 bucks on this meal  That's a whole lobster on top with all seafood underneath.  And a whole head of garlic
 
I forgot where my Zio(The Ancient Mariner) posted about an Italian Restaurant on Long Island.  I believe he posted because the woman who runs the place was like 90 years old.  I forgot to bookmark the place.  Zio?  Anybody?

Try this   http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/tm.aspx?m=636431

Hey Joey, Baby----how could-ya forget Stango's ?
You can't miss it cause ya get to the top of the hill and the first thing you see is a fig tree with tar paper wrapped around it.  Your home, baby---your in the Orchard. 
 
Mama Lombardi's was a little pizza joint last time I was there, they added and aded and Mamma Mia it's preitty  big now.
My brother lives about 1/2 mile away and on a clear day you can smell the garlic cookin' away.  Smells llike we was back in Brooklyn. 
 
When we were kids Holbrook (where Mama Lombardi's is) had one gas station. Bello's chicken farm, and a 2 room school house..  And back then no one in that town knew what a lobster was. 
 
 

kozel, Thanks for the link!
 
the ancient mariner, I think I was havin a senior moment!  I have Stango's in the cross hairs now(can I say the on RF).  I just didn't feel like driving around looking for fig trees  
 
I don't know how Mamma delivers so much food for the price.  I felt bad because I didn't even touch the pasta, and even left some seafood on my plate  But it was delicious.  I call it typical Long Island Italian.  Huge portions and tons of garlic.  
 
Mamma has built quite an empire on LI...http://www.mammalombardis.com/MammaLombardis/links.cfm
 
 
 
 

Ancient, does this link bring back any memories?
 
http://nycshore.blogspot....y-boardwalk-bites.html

Yes Sir Mr Kozel---those were the days.  We lived just off Beach 19th St in Far Rockaway from '34/40 and I rode my Sears Roebuck balloon tired 2 wheeler the 5 mile length of the boardwalk from Bch 19th St to Bch 116th or thereabouts  It was lovely back then.  I went to the Park Inn Baths on 116th St for swimming lessons given by Jackie Hayes a member of the 1932 Olympic Swimming Team. 
 
We went to Coney Island and Riis Park often when we lived in Brooklyn.
Amazing thing we never got skin cancer even though we sat in the sun all day.  That one shot, from the air, of Coney on a hot Sunday afternoon is amazing.  I remember dragging stuff while my parents looked for a spot to settle down.