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Cover Image by Jatin Jangid My wife made me return the 24’x18” 2.25” thick Boos Block when I made my first purchase as it took up most of our counterspace☹️ It looked so good and was going to be the centerpiece of my part of the counter and was going to be the start of my John Boos Block Review. Unfortunately, my part of the counter is also where the dishes get staged to go into the dishwasher among other things. So… I reluctantly returned it and got a smaller, more manageable cutting board (below) that I can store in the cabinet just underneath where I work. While it is not the original one, I love my Boos cutting board. Instead of a bigger cutting board, maybe I should be asking for a bigger kitchen😄 Cutting up some fresh vegetables for dinner. We were making pork tacos. Along with loving the cutting board, I am sure you can tell that Mary Beth and I love to cook. There is nothing better than cutting up fresh vegetables. At the time of writing this, for dinner tonight we will be making pork tacos, accented with farm fresh peaches, along with sweet potatoes and corn on the cob (both also farm fresh). I know for many, cooking is a chore and there are definitely some days when it feels like it. However, most days, when we cook, there is a sense of enjoyment, especially when the aroma of what you are cutting and cooking fills the house. Why I Switched from Plastic to Wood I initially made the change from plastic cutting boards to wood based on a lot of research I was reading. The research was stating that tiny pieces of plastic were getting transferred from my cutting board to my food. As a result, I started doing some research on the type of cutting board (as there are many including plastic, bamboo, glass, wood, and composite) I should be using. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Prep time becomes a meditative experience when you remove the noise, leaving only the elegant rhythm of chopping and dicing. There is a quiet luxury to solid wood that changes the entire atmosphere of the kitchen." I landed on wood as it not only looked the nicest, I found it to be very food friendly, as well as great for the longevity of the knives. John Boos Block Review For my John Boos Block review and after selecting wood, there was the choice between End Grain and Edge Grain. The primary difference is End Grain looks nicer (crosscut) and is softer and more forgiving for the very expensive knives you just purchased. However, that also comes with a much more expensive price tag. I settled for the Edge Grain (straight cut) with a walnut finish. I think I still spent about $250 or so on the product but it was at least ½ the price of the End Grain. In the end (no pun intended), I just couldn’t justify the larger price tag but really wanted to buy it. Cutting some fresh sourdough bread with Italian olive oil on a Boos Block. From there, I then needed to select the vendor. After researching a variety of cutting board review sites, Boos Boards kept coming up in the top categories. I then made the decision to move forward with the Boos Block but even then, the decision was overwhelming as I second guessed the End vs Edge grain and then had to decide if I wanted a juice groove catcher or not. We ultimately bought three. I use the Walnut version, my wife uses the Maple version, and we bought a smaller, less expensive one just for bread. We also purchased the Boos Block Food Grade Mineral Oil (called Mystery Oil from what I can tell based on some very old marketing techniques from many years ago) as well as an applicator. Caring for the Board (and Lessons Learned) It is recommended to apply the oil about once a month. I oiled the boards up as soon as I got them. About 2 months later, my wife started to share that her board was getting warped. After consulting with my son and the internet, it turned out that it was just dry and after another application of oil, it bounced back to its original form. All is good and I probably need to do another application soon. Lastly, a great complement to a really nice wood cutting board is a really nice chef’s knife. Unfortunately, I am not in love with the one I have and thus, you won’t be seeing me writing a story about it. I did fall in love with my bread knife and that will be a future post as it cuts bread like its soft butter. I can share that I love taking my Boos Block out of the cabinet and start the cooking process. It becomes an artful experience. I hope you get the same feelings when you make your first cut. Frequently Asked Questions How do you get your cutting board from moving? Wet a paper towel and place it underneath the cutting board. Make sure when you are done, that you dry the wood on the side you did not use to help prevent warping. How do I fix my warped cutting board? A warped cutting board means the wood is dry. This is the best time to add mineral oil to your cutting board. Rub the mineral oil into the board, and let it sit overnight. I place mine on top of a small cardboard box to let it air dry on all sides. I then wipe any excess off with a paper towel. What is the difference between Edge Grain or End Grain wood cutting boards? The primary difference is End Grain looks nicer (crosscut) and is softer and will preserve the sharpness of your knives. End Grain cutting boards are more expensive as a result. Edge Grain cutting boards are less expensive and many chefs use them for some of the messier dishes like working with BBQ or using a serrated knife that may easily damage an Edge Grain softer wood. Start Your Own Boos Block Cutting Board Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your own Boos Block cutting board sensory experience, I’ve listed my favorite boards below. Give it a try and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

Cover photo by Joanna Kosinska *There is a special discount code at the end of this story* The Search for Better Olive Oil My visit with Louie and Tina at their house. I learned about how they got started on this olive oil journey. Turns out as I was writing this and pulling the links to from the website, I just placed an order for the Tesoro Italian Olive Oil. I had to wait 9 months as the farm had issues with shipping internationally. Now that it is back in stock, it will be in my pantry within the week! My journey to get to these high quality, Italian olive oils didn’t come overnight. This was a long process where I didn’t realize what I was missing until we found Madge & Louie’s. The Tesoro olive oil was the best I ever had. The bottle to the right is an organic version from the same producer. Like many of you, I started out with the olive oil and vinegars that were in the local supermarket and then would buy in bulk when we went to the local wholesale club. From there, we started purchasing olive oil and vinegars from those specialty stores that pop up in the highly popular tourist areas, which for me was in Boston and Newport, RI. Over time, while we were seemingly happy with the olive oils, the vinegars just didn’t taste like what we would get in a nice restaurant. The Love of Italian Olive Oil One day a few years back, we participated in a virtual pasta making class from a great local Italian restaurant in the Worcester, MA area called Volturno. As a part of the pasta we picked up, they shared a small sample of some olive oil. We loved their food (they were the first pizzeria in Massachusetts certified by the Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana and I figured they had to use some quality ingredients to make the food that good. I decided to give them a call, and they put me in touch with Louie. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Embrace the peppery finish. Take a moment to drink a small amount of the olive oil by itself. That distinct sensation at the back of your throat is sensory proof that you are tasting authentic, high-quality olive oil." Here is where it got interesting. I sent Louie an email asking for a vinegar recommendation and he asked for my phone number to give me a call. From there, we spoke for about 30 minutes with him asking me all sorts of questions around what I was using it for (ie. cooking, salads, bread dipping). We also talked a lot about olive oils during the conversation with Louie asking me questions which led to me buying a few. In addition, Louie also sent me a bunch of small samples to try. This olive oil changed my life in so many ways from feeling better to being the basis for my TEDx Talk. During the conversation, we also spoke about the benefits of olive oil, specifically some of the olive oils that have a very high polyphenol count like Azienda Agricola Le Tre Colonne 1000+ Olisir. While I am not a medical doctor and would encourage you to do your own research, polyphenols help reduce inflammation in the body. This led me to ultimately give it a try. Taking a tablespoon a day, I felt about 10 years younger in about 2 weeks as my body felt so much looser. I even did a TEDx Talk on it called How Drinking Olive Oil and Curiosity Changed My Life. Meeting Louie and Tina Yesterday (at least at the time of writing this), I had a unique opportunity to meet Louie and his wife, Tina. Tina and Louie run the importing, and Johnny Madge finds the farms/producers. Louie and Tina live about an hour away and I made a special visit to meet them. They were nice enough to have me visit them at their house, which is where they run the business. It was so much fun. I was like a kid in a candy store. Getting to meet Louie and Tina and learn a bit more about their business, how they got started, and even sampling some of their vinegars was a treat to say the least. What a perfect way to end the story with some Italian olive oil for dipping! We first had a tour of the operation. The olive oil is stored in a special temperature-controlled room in the basement with dehumidifiers running constantly. Louie also shared details like purchasing high quality shipping boxes to ensure the product is delivered without damage. Picture of our vinegar tasting in Louie and Tina's house. My favorite was Caterina Balsamic Vinegar. We then walked upstairs to his kitchen where we talked about how they got started. They were on their honeymoon in Italy and the local Innkeeper shared that they should go down to the local olive oil and wine bar run by Johnny Madge. It was at this point in time when the business idea struck and two years later, they were in business. Johnny himself recently got married and moved to Spain where he opened an olive oil and wine bar in Valencia, Spain. He now operates "day" tours in Spain and continues to do week-long tours with Tina and Louie when "Madge and Louie’s" hit the road "off the beaten path" to various locations throughout Italy. Johnny Madge Farm2Table Tours Italy (TripAdvisor). Louie and Tina then offered to do a vinegar tasting with some samples they received from one of their vendors, plus a few of the vinegars I was familiar with and purchased before. After tasting 7 different vinegars, I am happy to say I really liked the one I currently use, Caterina Balsamic Vinegar. The great thing about tasting good quality vinegar is that it doesn’t make your head spin around from the bite. These vinegars are smooth and were very enjoyable. Me holding a bottle of my favorite olive oil, Tesoro, along with wine, Vuaria, from the same producer, FEUDO DISISA Circling back to the Tesoro olive oil. Louie shared with me that the same producer makes wine as well. Once I try it and if it’s as good as I hope, I will share a story on that as well. Elevating Everyday Cooking Fast forward to today, I have a pantry full of these olive oils and vinegars, and it elevated our cooking, salads, and bread dipping. My wife shared with me that this was her favorite of all my purchases. It’s also probably the one that I have spent the most money on since we started a few years ago. And do yourself a favor, ask Louie for some product recommendations. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do! 6 Month Update Since initially writing this post, as well as Josephinenhütte Hand Blown Wine Glasses: Review and Sensory Experience, I found that my favorite Olive Oil, Tesoro, which is from FUEDO DISISA in Sicily, Italy, also has a corresponding set of wines, of which I found one of them in my local wine shop (and just got a bottle from my mom for my birthday)! Frequently Asked Questions Are Italian Olive Oils worth it? Absolutely! Especially ones that have been hand selected. As with any farm based product, selecting one from a small producer will create some much more complexity to the flavor of the olive oil, and in turn, the recipe you are making. Do you have a favorite Olive Oil for bread dipping? Yes, TESORO by FEUDO DISISA is by far the best. It has a complexity of flavor that doesn't require any spices to be added like most olive oils. Just dip, taste, and close your eyes to elevate your sensory experience. Where can I purchase the best Italian Olive Oils and Vinegars? I highly recommend Extra Virgin Olio by Madge and Louie's. Madge is an expert in the selection of the Olive Oils and Vinegars and Louie is the local US distributor. Louie can recommend the right product based on your needs. Does a good Olive Oil have a peppery finish Yes, A good olive oil, particularly an extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), has a peppery finish due to the presence of oleocanthal, a natural phenolic compound found in the olive fruit juice. This finish is an easy way to determine the quality of the olive oil. Start Your Own Olive Oil and Vinegar Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your own Olive Oil and Vinegar sensory experience, I’ve listed my favorites below. Give a few a try and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

"Paying Attention to Birds" Have birds changed or are we just noticing them? Because I’ve been fascinated with birds lately. Not in a “this is my new hobby” way. Just in the morning, with coffee, looking out the window, and somehow getting pulled into whatever is happening out there. There’s a feeder. It’s squirrel-proof, but there’s always a squirrel getting into it anyway. And then there are the robins, already out there doing whatever it is they do this time of year—which, apparently, is figuring out where to nest. Around here, that starts now, and by June there are hungry babies. None of that is new. So why does it feel like it is? ________________________________________ Maybe it’s just spring. This is when birds are the most active. That part is real. But the more you pay attention, the less random it sounds. What I used to think of as just background noise is actually more specific than that. Some of it is territorial—marking space. Some of it is about mating. And they don’t just have one sound—they change it depending on what they’re doing. When you sit and really listen, eyes closed, it’s obviously intelligent. Even the timing of it—early morning isn’t random. The air is quieter, the sound carries further. So what feels calm on our end is actually a lot happening on theirs. And then you realize you can actually figure some of it out. There are apps now that will listen and tell you what bird you’re hearing. You hold up your phone and suddenly it’s not just “a bird,” it’s a specific one, with its own patterns and habits. Which is a strange thing to find yourself doing. And once you know even a little of it, it’s hard to go back to not hearing it. ________________________________________ Or it’s something else entirely. There’s also the part people don’t always say out loud. That birds can start to feel… meaningful. Certain ones show up and it doesn’t quite feel random. A hawk circling overhead. A cardinal landing nearby. And then your brain goes a step further than it used to. You start to wonder if the hawk means something. If it’s someone. You think about your dog—gone a few years now—and then, there’s that cardinal again. Is that a coincidence? Only if you believe that it is. And maybe you do. Or maybe you don’t. And that’s new too. At the same time, there’s actual science behind the idea that they’re responding to things we don’t see. Magnetic fields. Air currents. Subtle shifts in the environment. They’re navigating with information we don’t consciously have. So they are, in a real sense, tuned into something else. Not in a way we need to define. Just… something we’re not part of in the same way. ________________________________________ Or maybe we’re just noticing. Maybe nothing changed. Maybe we’re just noticing. And there’s a part of that that’s easy to resist. Because paying attention to birds feels like something that belongs to a different category of person. People with time. People who aren’t in the middle of everything anymore. Not us. And yet. They are kind of incredible. And we’re standing there, watching them, having thoughts about them we probably wouldn’t have had before. So maybe the category was off. Maybe it was never about “old people liking birds.” Maybe it was about something else that comes with time. ________________________________________ Because this has all been happening the entire time. The same patterns. The same movement. The same songs, every spring. Generations of it, right outside, whether we were paying attention or not. The whole time. And our attention was somewhere else. On what was next. On what needed to get done. On everything that felt more immediate, more important. And now, for whatever reason, it isn’t. Or at least, not all of it is. Now there’s space to see this too. Not as a replacement for everything else. Just alongside it. The fact that there’s this constant layer of life happening—organized, active, repeating itself—right outside. And always has been. ________________________________________ So no, I don’t think birds have changed. But I do think it’s worth paying attention to the moment when you realize you have.

"Nothing About This Nest Is Empty" “Empty nester” is a phrase we use without thinking. Which is probably why no one stops to question what it actually implies. It’s a strange phrase when you really stop and look at it. Loaded with assumptions we rarely examine. The word “empty” doing most of the work—suggesting absence, loss, something finished. And more often than not, it lands squarely on her. Why her? Because the “nest,” whether we say it out loud or not, has always been hers. The one who kept it running, filled it, managed it, held it together. So when it’s “empty”…what exactly is that supposed to mean? That something is over? That something is missing? That she is? *** I’m speaking from experience. I’m the “her.” My nest has been empty for a few years now. I raised daughters, and like many families, we went through those in-between years—college, summers home, back and forth. A kind of emotional whiplash where they’re gone, then back, then gone again. And then one day, that chapter closes too. It’s bittersweet in a way that’s hard to fully explain—watching, knowing, feeling what it means to have launched two young women into their lives. Out of the proverbial nest. And like any transition, there’s a honeymoon phase. Instead of your days spent freezing on a soccer field, or your butt numb from sitting on bleachers, or mornings full of chaos, or those unexpected calls in the middle of the day—the broken bones, the colds, the heartbreaks, all of it… You now have, well…time. To do whatever. You. Please. Imagine that. It’s real. It’s energizing. And then, like anything, it settles. The novelty fades. Real life returns. And what you’re left with isn’t empty. It’s spacious. In a way that can feel wide. Open. And, at times, unfamiliar. And you might not know what to do with it. So I’m sharing this from that place—not as good or bad, just honest—some of what that spaciousness can hold. ________________________________________ There’s spaciousness in the relationships. What’s left is…well, you. And whoever you still live with. Probably the person you built this life with. And they’re navigating this “empty nest” too—in their own way. Their own shift in routine. Their own sense of freedom, or loss, or something in between. Things have changed. Even if you did all the “right” things along the way. Even if you had date nights. Even if you stayed connected. You can’t really prepare for this. Because for years—decades, really—your relationship existed inside something larger. A shared focus. A constant motion. A life being actively built and managed together. And now, that layer is gone. That phase of life is behind you, and the way you operate together changes. And what’s there now has more room. More visibility. Which can feel good. And unfamiliar. And, at times, a little exposing. Not because something is wrong. But because you’re both seeing things more clearly—without the buffer of everything that used to move between you. Don’t be surprised by that. But it doesn’t mean something is broken. It means something has shifted. And like anything that shifts, it asks something new of you. ________________________________________ There’s spaciousness in the house itself. Rooms that are still full—but no longer in use the same way. Closets, drawers, corners that hold more than just things. The high school sports gear. The art projects. The crafts. The stack of poster board you always kept on hand because someone, inevitably, needed something the night before. The swim goggles and cap from junior year. The ballet shoes still tucked into the pink bag you thought she might go back to. The jibbitz from the purple crocs she wore to Disneyland. All the Webkinz—some still with the tags on. And, of course, everything an American Girl could need, want, or imagine. You know they won’t need any of it anymore. But that doesn’t mean you can just throw it out. Because it’s not just stuff. It’s time. It’s memory. It’s entire seasons of your life—and theirs—sitting quietly on a shelf. Tangible, but holding something you can’t touch anymore. Versions of them—and of you—still there, but not accessible. Almost like little ghosts of a life that isn’t lived that way anymore. Not waiting, exactly. But not fully gone either. And you will be tempted to do one of two things. Or both. Clear it all out, or keep it all there. There’s no wrong answer. For me, there was something freeing about clearing space. And something unexpectedly hard about being the one who had to decide do it. ________________________________________ And then there’s the spaciousness that belongs to you. This one is big. If you’re like me, it might feel disorienting at first. Not bad. Not good. Just…different and unfamiliar. You’re still a mother. That doesn’t change. But you’re no longer needed in the same constant, immediate way. And that creates spaciousness—real spaciousness—for something else. And that “something” isn’t always clear. The questions start small. What do I want (like, for dinner)? And then, without warning, they get bigger. What do I actually want (like, for the rest of my life)? And you may not have an answer to either. That doesn’t mean something is wrong. It means something is opening. This is where you start to trust yourself. And actually listen. Because you’re not just adjusting to a quieter house, or a different rhythm, or even a different relationship. You’re face to face with a version of yourself that hasn’t had much room—until now. And just like any good relationship, there’s no shortcut for that. ________________________________________ So no, it’s not empty. And we should probably stop calling it that. Because this phase isn’t about what’s gone. It’s about what’s here now. Spacious. Open. Alive in a different way. And maybe that’s the point. Not to rush to fill it. Not to define it too quickly. But to let it be what it is— And see what has room to emerge.

"Your Stuff Is Not Just Stuff" There’s a moment—usually when you’re not even looking for it—when your things stop feeling neutral. You pick something up, or even just look at it, and instead of seeing what it is, you feel what it carries. The memory. The association. The version of you it’s tied to. Because your environment is never neutral. It’s in constant conversation with your nervous system. And that’s when you realize—this was never just about stuff. ________________________________________ A lot of us grew up in a different kind of world. Buying wasn’t frictionless. You went to the store. You thought about it. You saved for it. Marketing was something you passed on a billboard, not something that followed you, studied you, and learned you. Now we can have almost anything within hours. And the people selling it to us often understand our desires—and our insecurities—better than we do. So we buy. We build lives that look full. Closets, kitchens, drawers, shelves—all filled with things that were supposed to make life better, easier, more complete. And for a while, it works. Until it doesn’t. It becomes too much. Not only because of how much we have—but because of how often we’re being affected by it. Every object is asking for something, even if it’s just a reaction. Overwhelmed. Overstimulated. Out of control. Tired. Not enough. ________________________________________ There was a dress I used to love. Black and white houndstooth. Tailored perfectly. The kind of dress that made me feel capable, prepared, pulled together. I wore it to an important business meeting. And that day became one of the worst professional moments I’ve ever experienced. The dress didn’t change. But what it holds did. Now when I see it, I don’t think about how it fits. It reminds me of that day. That moment. That version of myself. And I have to ask—why would I keep something that takes me right back there? Maybe you have something like that too. ________________________________________ Some things I’ve let go of in ways that might sound extreme. I’ve burned clothes. Clothes I wore on the days I had to say goodbye to my dogs. Days that held a kind of love and weight that doesn’t need explaining—if you’ve been there, you know. Those clothes carried it. Not just sadness—but the magnitude of that moment. And I knew I couldn’t wear them again. They weren’t meant to be worn anymore. Not because I wanted to forget—but because that kind of moment doesn’t belong in an ordinary Tuesday. ________________________________________ And then there are the things that show up differently. Not tied to one moment—but there, every day. The KitchenAid mixer. The one that reminds you of the person you think you should be—the one who bakes from scratch, who shows up with something homemade instead of something in a box. The jeans that technically fit—but only if you’re standing. Close, but not quite there. Exercise equipment you don’t use. Unread books. Recipes saved for someday. Or the things you keep because you spent too much money on them—quiet reminders that you got it wrong. You wasted money. You believed something you shouldn’t have. None of it demands your attention. But it’s always there. And every time you see it, something in you responds—even if you don’t consciously notice it. A slight tightening. Something in you bracing, just a little. And over time, that adds up. ________________________________________ We’re often told to ask, “Does it bring you joy?” But that question doesn’t always go far enough. A better question is: What does this make me feel? Not in theory—but when you actually see it, touch it, live with it. Because your body answers that question before your mind does. Because sometimes the answer is simple. Not enough. Not yet. You should be more. You got this wrong. And once you start noticing that, it’s hard to unsee. ________________________________________ Living intentionally, in a world of stuff, isn’t about having less for the sake of it. It’s more than just finding your keys, or the best closet organization system, or the right baskets and containers. It’s about creating a space that supports you. A space that reflects who you are now. That means keeping what feels like alignment, and letting go of what feels like pressure. It means paying attention to what in your space feels grounding—and what feels like it’s keeping score. It also changes how you bring things in—not from restriction, but from honesty. Do I actually want this? Or do I want what I think this says about me? ________________________________________ Because the way you live starts to change when you make decisions this way. You bring in less of what you don’t need. You hold onto fewer things out of guilt, cost, or expectation. And what’s left starts to feel different. Not empty. Not minimal for the sake of it. Just… intentional. A space that supports you. A space where the things around you feel like you—how you live, what you enjoy, what you reach for without thinking. Things you actually like. That you chose. That feel good to see, to use, to live with. Things that carry something positive. Or nothing at all. ________________________________________ And that changes the experience of being in your space. You’re not managing it. You’re not reacting to it. You’re just… in it.

My Uncle Ray, my dad's brother, was a really nice guy. When I was collecting pictures for this story, I reached out to my cousins, Liz and Maryann to find a few to add to this post. During that exchange, Maryann shared that she used to set up her Barbie house and cottage on my uncle's billiards (pool) table, where he would have been playing the game of 8 ball. Maryann mentioned the table's green felt was the grass for her house. As you will read below, as important as billiards was to my uncle, family was more important. Below is the 4th story in my dad's series of posts. At some point, I will need to give them their own category on the website. If this is your first time reading my dad's stories, you can catch up on the first one, Family Storytelling Tradition With Papa Fiore. If you want to keep up with the stories as well as my Sensory Experience reviews, please subscribe here. ---------------------- Brother Ray My Uncle Ray, playing billiards at a local pool hall. There is an old saying that rings true now and forever. "You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your relatives". I was lucky to have a brother who had my back his entire life. Ray passed away a couple of years ago, but he remains alive in the hearts and minds of myself and his two daughters Liz and Maryann. Ray's last couple of years were tough and the devotion and dedication of Liz and Maryann gave him the strength to hold on as long as he could. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Playing games and sports is a great way to bring family and friends together." I would like to pay homage to my brother in this the fourth installment of my writings. I am 4 1/2 years older than Ray. This is not an approximation but as real as it gets. My birthday is April 1 and Ray's birthday was September 30... 6 months to the day. Ray (left) and my dad, Tony as kids. When Ray was 14, he took an interest in pool. He watched it on television and marveled at the skill of the players. At 16 years old he started going to the pool hall at the corner of Richmond Avenue and Richmond Terrace. My parents weren't thrilled with the idea since the characters that hung around there had questionable backgrounds. Mom and Dad came up with an idea. Why not give Ray a pool table as a Christmas present. A nice idea but it wasn't cheap since a regulation pool table cost about $800... a lot of money back then. It seemed important enough to make such a sacrifice, and they wound up buying an old fashion pool table with tunnels, not a net. The sound of pool balls rolling through the tunnels could be heard from the basement where it was placed throughout the house. Also, the idea of separating Ray from his questionable friends wasn't working since they found a new pool hall at 252 Van Pelt Avenue... the home of Lou and Flo Fiore. Game of 8 Ball Handwritten story from the first of 6 pages that my dad sent to me. Ray loved the pool table, and he would play from early morning to late night. He became good enough to enter tournaments and win his share. Ray became well known in Staten Island pool circles and he got to a point where he could run 10, 15, 20, 25 balls in a row. Few players wanted to play against Ray so he started to go to bars in Manhattan and Brooklyn and he became a skilled 8 ball player for $5 to $10 a game. The game of 8 ball involves hitting the white cue ball into a rack of 15 balls. Of the 15 balls set up in a rack eight are solids (1 to 7) and the others are stripes (9 to 15). Players must pocket all balls in their designated group (solids or stripes) before pocketing the 8 ball in a designated pocket to win. When Ray aimed the cue ball at the rack he almost always got either a stripe or solid ball in the pocket. Then he methodically ran the other balls and then made the 8 ball. Ray became so good at 8 ball that few wanted to challenge him. Until he met "Sailor Bill". Sailor Bill My Uncle Ray playing billiards. Sailor Bill was sitting at a Brooklyn bar one day watching Ray polish off one player after another. Bill was a retired Navy man who was about 70 when 18-year-old Ray Fiore met him. He approached Ray at the Brooklyn bar and said "I would like to challenge you." Ray said "I don't want to take your money old man." Sailor Bill said "I'll take that chance. How much do you want to play for?" Ray said "One game for $5 dollars." Sailor Bill said, "Come on if its only one game lets play for $20." Ray said "If you insist." Ray said... "You can break". The old sailor studied the board picked out a pool stick and then proceeded to clear the table in a couple of minutes. Ray didn't know what hit him. After two rematches Ray was out $60 without taking a shot. They sat at the bar and Bill bought Ray a drink. He said "Ray you have a lot of potential. I can teach you a lot if you are interested." Ray said sure and for the next couple of months Sailor Bill was a frequent visitor to the Fiore house. Where Ray was able to run 25 balls in a row, Sailor Bill could run 100. He was right out of the movie with Jackie Gleason playing Minnesota Fats. Ray just playing around. Sailor Bill told Ray he saw the pool table in geometric terms, triangles, rectangles and squares and he knew where the cue ball was going to land 5 shots from now. After Sailor Bills lessons, Ray became better than ever. Throughout his life he never stopped playing pool and won many more games than he lost. The Final Hustle At Ray's funeral I gave a eulogy which was about one of Ray's last pool games. Tony (left) and Ray as adults, January 2014 It was great that at the end of our work careers we wound up at the same company... MarketSource Corporation in Cranbury, New Jersey. We had a Christmas luncheon and after it was over Ray asked a few of us to join him at this new restaurant in Cranbury that had a pool table. So about 6 of us joined Ray at this place and we sat at a table having drinks and watching this hot shot named Mikey polish off one player after another in 8 ball. So Ray approaches Mikey and says wanna play. Mikey says, "I don't want to take your money old man". Ray says no problem... How much you want to play for?" "How about $20... You can break". I'm thinking bad move Mikey. Five games later, Mikey is out $100 and he has taken only a few shots. He can't believe what happened to him. Then I look over and in the corner of the bar Mikey and Ray are talking intently. Then I see Ray hand over the $100 he just won back to Mikey... who leaves the place. As Ray returns to our table, we ask him why he gave Mikey his money back. Ray says Mikey told him he has a couple of young kids and the money was for Christmas toys. Then a bar patron who heard Ray's story chimes in... "You got to be kidding... Is that what he told you". Ray said yes and he even gave him $20 of his own money. The bar patron says... well Mikey is not married and has no kids. In fact, he is a big playboy. Ray's smile turns into a laugh. "Well, I guess the hustler got hustled". That was Ray... as kind a person out there. A great brother, husband, father and grandfather. I am so lucky to have him as a brother.

This is the third installment of my dad's stories, which are quickly becoming fan favorites from my audience. I have pulled my dad out of retirement to find a new career as blogger! To catch you up, the first story, Family Storytelling Tradition With Papa Fiore, is worth reading to give some context to this 3rd story. The second story, Discovering Staten Island Roots Through Family Storytelling, gives a bit more color about growing up in Staten Island. --------------------- Family Storytelling As I mentioned in my first article a few weeks ago my grandkids got bored with me reading children's books to them and they asked me to make up stories hence the creation of Little Johnny stories. These stories weren't entirely made up. Little Johnny was a classmate of mine in Mrs. McCarthy's 5th grade class at Public School 44 (known as PS 44) located in Mariners Harbor, Staten Island. The cast of my stories centered on 4 characters: Little Johnny Mrs. McCarthy Bully George Little Papa Little Johnny: He was only in my 5th grade class for one year. He transferred to PS 44 from an elementary school in Manhattan and lived a few houses from me. His father was a cameraman who filmed commercials for a large New York agency called BBD+O. One of their larger clients was Campbell Soup and they became famous for their "Mmm Mmm Good" slogan that became an integral part of every TV, print and radio commercial for many years. My dad's rendering of Little Johnny So, one day Little Johnny's dad thought it would be fun to take Little Johnny to an actual commercial shoot for Campbell's Soup. The premise of the commercial was to show an average family at home waiting for dinner. There was Mom, Dad, big sister and little brother looking somber until Mom announces that they are going to have Campbell's chicken noodle soup for dinner then the frowns all turn to smiles that get bigger when the soup is actually served. A voiceover then says, "That's why Campbell Soup is Mmm Mmm Good." The young boy who has been cast to be in the commercial has taken ill and cannot make the shoot. The director in desperation asks Little Johnny's dad if he can take his place. His dad says Little Johnny has never acted before and the director says there is no dialogue, all he has to do is wear a frown until Mom announces dinner and then he smiles, tastes the soup and smiles wider joining a very happy family setting. Little Johnny's dad tells him what he has to do and he says "Dad, I don't like chicken noodle soup". Little Johnny's dad says you will be getting $50 an hour, most shoots take 5 hours that means you will be making $250. I guess you didn't realize how much you suddenly got to like chicken noodle soup. Little Johnny says, "Right on Dad". So Little Johnny became a quasi-celebrity at PS 44 as the Campbell's commercial he was in played countless times on television. He became a favorite of Mrs. McCarthy who never had a TV star in her class before. He also became a favorite of Bully George who kept asking Johnny to get him into commercials. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Even if it doesn't feel like it, there are always alternatives to difficult situations." As for me Little Papa I liked walking to school with him because he was fun and upbeat and he didn't let his instant fame go to his head. Mrs. McCarthy: My dad's rendering of Mrs. McCarthy Mrs. M was a typical old schoolteacher. She had a big sign on the wall that said: M Y O B Mrs. M also use to call her students out if they misbehaved. Her favorite line was: We have our General Eisenhower's and our General McArter's but you George are a general nuisance. Bully George had to repeat 5th grade because his grades were terrible. Mrs. McCarthy dreaded another year of him in her class, but her retirement was near and she figured she could tolerate him for a few more months. The rest of the class not so much. Bully George: My dad's rendering of Bully George His favorite saying was "If you don't do what I ask I'm going to deck you". He was about a year older than everyone else in the class, about a foot taller and about 40 pounds heavier. His frustration about getting left back made him take it out on the rest of the class especially the boys. He methodically singled out one boy a day to meet him after school and then before a decent crowd of onlookers would wrestle the boy down and make him say I give up. He never involved any girls. The only boys who were immune from this ordeal were Little Johnny because of his celebrity and George wanting to be on TV and Little Papa because I gave him my homework to copy, a small price to pay from having George sit on you. Little Papa: My dad's rendering of himself as a kid in his own stories In order not to confuse the grandkids, I kept the name Papa in all my stories. They only knew me by that name and to introduce Anthony or Tony (my real and nickname) would have created more confusion. So, in all the stories, I was Little Johnny's sidekick and I was "Little Papa". As I mentioned in my other stories, I lived in Mariners Harbor and went to PS 44 for 8 years. Ironically, many years after when I was in the business world, Campbell Soup became one of my company's biggest clients. More about that in future writings. Now that readers would be familiar with the cast after presenting their biographies, here is one of the grandkid's favorite Little Johnny stories. Bully George was getting bored with wrestling the boys in the class to the ground. Nobody even showed up to watch the show anymore. One day Bully George was walking to school with Little Johnny and I and he said I have an idea that could be profitable for me. "What's the idea" asked Little Johnny. Bully George proudly says I'm starting a company called Bully George Protection Company. As you know every day in the afternoon Mrs. McCarthy makes us take a 15-minute break to have a cookie and a container of milk. The cookie is free, but the milk money is 5 cents for a carton. We have 13 boys in the class. I will not include you Johnny or you Papa and of course myself, so that leaves 10 boys who will pay me 50¢ a day or $2.50 a week for protection. "That means they can't have milk with their cookies Bully George," said Little Johnny. I know Little Johnny, but it means they won't have to worry about being on the ground seeing my smiling face. So let me get this straight Bully George you are asking for money from the boys to protect them from you. If Mrs. McCarthy found out, she will march you to the principal's office and you might be spending another year in 5th grade. I know there is some risk but no risk no reward said George. So, George pursues this enterprising venture and is pleased to have all 10 boys participate. He doesn't feel sorry when their mouths are watering for milk to go along with their cookies. Mrs. McCarthy is clueless as to what is happening and thinks the boys might think the milk is sour. After a month, Bully George celebrates his 10 dollars by buying a fancy yo-yo and a Spalding ball. Little Johnny is not so amused by Bully George's business acumen, so he approaches the bully and details a plan for George to consider. He says George "Congrats on your business but if you want it to grow you are going to have to invest in it." "What do you mean Little Johnny" says George. Little Johnny says well you are going to need a salesman to get you new clients. I can do that job, but you will have to pay me 20¢ a day. Then you will need an accountant (Little Papa) to take care of your books and pay your taxes. And, you will need a marketing manager to develop an advertising campaign Bully George Protection Company. That will cost you another 20¢ each for Papa and the marketing manager (Little Sally). George says, "Great idea Little Johnny but I will be losing 10¢ a day". That's what happens to start-up companies George, but the investment will pay out over time. So, George follows Little Johnny's plan and in 5 months he is forced to declare bankruptcy. Little Johnny has outsmarted Bully George once again. Little Johnny and Little Papa returned all the money plus interest to the 10 classmate boys who had to contribute to George. Everyone in the class enjoyed their milk and cookie again- except Bully George who spent milk and cookie time in the principal's office.

This is the second story from my dad, Tony Fiore. If you missed the first one, Family Storytelling Tradition With Papa Fiore, it became a fan favorite. Below, my dad shares a bit about growing up in Staten Island along with his days in college. Staten Island Roots I would like to give a bit of a prelude, to my second story by telling about my family life growing up (Staten Island Roots). I was born and raised in Staten Island, New York. The smallest of the five boroughs of New York City, Staten Island is most known for its scenic ferry ride with views of the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline. Fiore Bros (you can see the name on the two pillars) circa 1950 maybe. If you have a relative from Staten Island that is older than 60, they will know of Fiore Brothers and the orange trucks. I was raised in a modest home in Mariners Harbor... known for its shipyards. My house on Van Pelt Avenue had more visitors than the local diner because my mom, Flo, always had something cooking that was homemade. My younger brother Ray was a great billiards player, and he and his friends headed to our basement where an old-fashioned pool table was located. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Sitting around the kitchen table, smelling the scents of home cooking and great conversations, can elevate the sensory experience." My dad, Louis, was known as Louie the Bookkeeper. He was one of five Louis Fiore’s, all with different nicknames to distinguish them from one another... Louie the Oilman, Louie the Salesman, Louie the Dispatcher and Louie the Bossman. All worked for Fiore Brothers Fuel Oil Company, a firm established in the 1920’s by my grandfather Anthony and his two brothers... Ferdinand and Michael. They also had a sister Rose who was not involved in the business. Rose's husband Frank drove an oil truck for Fiore Bros for 30 years. This was not an easy job as many of the roads in Staten Island are narrow, winding, and have lots of hills. Page 4 of 6 from my dad's handwritten story Fiore Brothers survived the Great Depression of the early 1930’s by becoming a barter company and eventually rose to be the largest fuel oil company on Staten Island with 12 large oil trucks, a few coal trucks and 40 employees, mostly family. Anyone who married into the Fiore family was guaranteed a job which was a testament to the family values of the company. My dad preferred to be called Louie the Accountant, but Bookkeeper stuck for his entire life. When Fiore Brothers customers received their oil deliveries, they usually preferred to pay the Fiore Brothers delivery man after the oil was pumped into their tank. Some preferred to pay at the company office in Elm Park. One of those people was a Mr. P. His son was a Big Man on Campus at the local Staten Island college called Wagner College. His son, Al, was captain of the football team and President of one of the larger fraternities—Alpha Sigma Phi. So one in the early summer of 1959 Mr. P came into Fiore Brothers to pay his bill and he and my dad started chatting. My dad told him that his son Tony had just graduated Port Richmond High School and was enrolled to go to Wagner College. "Great" said Mr. P, "I'll tell my son Al about him, and he will get him into his fraternity." Sounded good but unfortunately it doesn't work that way. Fraternities and sororities have membership drives the beginning of each semester and then the members vote on who should get a bid to join. The President cannot dictate who becomes a member, so I am sure that when Al was told about me, he let his father know the procedure. However, Al's father never said another word about it, and I walked onto campus thinking I was a lock for Alpha Sigma Phi brotherhood. Alpha was one of 7 campus fraternities and what distinguished it from the rest was that 90% of its members were on the Wagner football team—I was a baseball player. The Wagner College Experience The other fraternities, Phi Sigma Kappa was for the brainy guys; Delta Nu was our Animal House, etc. So Al, with the pressure of his dad, tried to sell me to the Alpha brotherhood. It wasn't easy but he didn't want his dad to have to face my dad and say "I'm sorry your son doesn't have what it takes to be Alpha Sig." Al took on the challenge and somehow persuaded the Alpha brotherhood of 70 members to vote me in. I proudly accepted my membership and made some lifelong friends because of it. More about my friends in future writings. This was the winning fraternity, Phi Sigma Kappa, which is not the one my dad joined. Even Delta Nu, which was considered the Animal House of the college fraternities, came in second place with barely any practice. The biggest day of the year for fraternities and sororities is Songfest... a big singing event that is held every May and it packs the Field House and is a worthy fundraiser for various Staten Island charities. Winning is a big, prestigious deal and I couldn't believe how many practices would be held before the big, nighttime event with an orchestra and spotlights. Each participating fraternity was assigned a professor from the music department to coach and mentor us. The song we chose was "Carolina in the Morning" originally sung by Al Jolson. It was a catchy upbeat song, and our fraternity was confident we could win with it. So we are having our first practice and the music professor assigned to us, a stern bespeckled man in his late 50's Mr. Denby, summons me to talk privately with him. He says, "Mr. Fiore I know this means a lot to you to sing at Songfest, but your singing is throwing others off. I am requesting you get up on stage with the rest of the group but please only mouth the words." I protest to no avail, and I sheepishly get back to practice, and lip sync this fun song. Mr. Denby, after a few weeks of practices feels we are ready to go and that we have a chance of winning. The night of Songfest arrives. I didn't have the heart to tell my parents who were attending that I was banished from letting a sound come from my mouth, so I put on my tuxedo and stuck my carnation in my lapel and went off to the big event. The crowd is at capacity, and the orchestra starts playing the prelude and all of a sudden, they start singing: "Nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina in the morning. No one could be sweeter than my sweetie when I meet her in the morning." I can't take it. All of a sudden, I start singing the words and I see looks of dismay from my brothers next to me on stage. I can't believe I defiantly disobeyed our conductor's request. Neither can my fraternity brothers who look like they lost a football game on a last second pass. We wind up finishing 3rd and I became the scapegoat. For years after that at every fraternity reunion someone greets me and brings it up. "I can't believe you would do that Fiore. It is so unlike you. We hardly knew you existed until that night." Oh well, I'm not going to let a bunch of sore losers ruin what could have been a great singing career. Till the next episode, Childhood Lessons and Family Storytelling: A Papa Fiore Memory, which is now posted.

As I look out the window just now, I am watching the tree branches whisk together in the constant wind from today's weather. It reminded me of trying to fly a kite when I was a kid. Each of the kids creating their own Newport kite flying experience at Brenton Point State Park Flying a kite when you are little is one of the great fun, sensory experiences we didn't realize we were having. Most of us were probably trying to fly kites that cost only a few dollars from the local store and tried with all of our might to run as fast as we could to get it up in the air and fly. We would run, and it would fall, and we would try again and again, sometimes in our yards when there was no wind at all. Wind or no wind, the problem most of us experienced was that the kites we were trying to fly were not really designed well. However, if we did get the kite to fly, even for a few seconds, it was the greatest accomplishment of the day, bringing smiles through dinner and stories to our friends that it was flying miles up in the air. Here is the open field outside of our kitchen window. The lack of obstruction causes the wind to whip onto the side of our house. There are a few places I think about when I think of the best places to fly a kite. The first as it turns out is the big open field next to my house, with nothing to slow down the wind, it often whips across the field to the side of our house. We notice it more lately from the windchimes we set up to prevent (unsuccessfully) the woodpeckers from making our house look like Swiss cheese with all of the holes they are creating. The second really windy spot we visit is in Aruba. In the area of Palm Beach, there are trade winds that flow 24 hours a day, which really help the heat feel manageable. Because of these trade winds, there are so many kite and wind surfers which are so much fun to watch. I tried kite surfing once and found it extremely challenging as I kept smashing into the water more than I was standing on the board. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Reconnect with kite flying to experience the joy of curiosity and wonder that comes with your childhood self." The third place, which is going to be the focus of my story is the winds at Brenton Point State Park in Newport, Rhode Island. Before I get back to the kites, I would like to spend a few minutes to share my love of Newport. I didn't start going to Newport until I met Mary Beth. She grew up in Rhode Island and her mom, dad, and her would go to Newport on a regular basis for as long as she can remember. On a Saturday morning multiple times a year, they would pack it up the car with a picnic and spend the entire day there. Their favorite spot was at Brenton Point, which boasts a rocky coastline, a view of the island of Jamestown, and a beautiful state park, which is usually full of people just enjoying the weather, view, and a Del's Lemonade. Del's is a Rhode Island staple consisting of a semi frozen (slushy style) lemonade, mixed with the juice and the rind of the lemon, and sugar, served typically by a local high school or college student. There is a Del's Lemonade food truck every time we go to Brenton Point. Of course, Mary Beth and her parents were always in line getting at least a few Del's during their visits. I met Mary Beth at Bryant College (now University) in Smithfield, RI, about 40 minutes from Newport. It wasn't long before I started to visit Newport on a regular basis, sometimes just the two of us, and others with her parents on those same Saturday picnics in the summer, and then with the kids. Newport has so many great activities. Outside of Brenton Point State Park, there is the scenic drive on Ocean Ave (sometimes referred to as Ocean Drive), as it winds around the coastline. On Ocean Ave is the iconic Castle Hill Inn, as well as some beautiful old homes including one owned by Jay Leno. As you drive up from Brenton Point, past Jay Leno's house is what Newport is probably best known for, which is the historic mansions on Bellevue Avenue, with the largest one, The Breakers, at over 65,000 square feet. These mansions are available for tours and weddings (if you can afford it. I heard the average wedding in these mansions cost about $250,000). The Newport Mansions are now a part of the historical society but were once owned by New York's elite like the Vanderbilt and Astor families, until inheritance tax caused many of the children not to be able to afford them. On the opposite side of the mansions is the Cliff Walk, which is a 3-mile paved (mostly) trail on the ocean with one side of a view of the ocean (and view of Middletown) and the other side a view of the mansions. Bowen's Wharf in downtown Newport during the winter off season, which is why it is so quiet on the streets. Newport is also home to a great downtown on the waterfront, with so many boutique shops, restaurants, and bars off of the famous Thames Street. The most famous area is Bowen's Wharf, which is home to one of our favorite restaurants, The Mooring (actually on Sayer's Wharf according to their website, but just a few steps away), and a great tour company around the harbor and island, Sightsailing of Newport. One of their boat captains is also my friend and one of my college roommates, Jeff Sevich. Jeff is the Captain of the Starlight boat, which can host 2-6 guests. With so many great topics on Newport to talk about, maybe I will do a separate post on the Starlight tour, bringing in some of my college memories. Jeff and his wife Nancy (who we also met and became friends with at college), both "retired" 10 years ago and moved full time to Newport and now fix up and rent homes. If you have an interest in staying in the Newport area, I would highly recommend renting one of their two rental properties, Open Concept Beach House and Beach House, both located in Middletown, RI, just one town over from Newport. Emma and me at one of our picnics. For me, I think it's now been 30 years since I have been going to Newport and have so many other places and activities to share in future posts. For this story, I will stick to Brenton Point. I started joining Mary Beth and her parents for the picnic's each year and as we started having kids, the one car ultimately turned into two having to fit 7 people and all of the picnic items. Picnics with her parents were events, not just packing a few peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Her dad, and now passed on to Mary Beth, would make Italian subs with all of the fixings and chips. We upgraded from a card table to an 8' table, tent, chairs, and a few TV trays to eat off of. This is why we needed two cars. I keep trying to convince Mary Beth that we should bring down the Ooni to make pizza's but in the back of my mind, I know that is a project when we are at home and it would be a bigger challenge for us in a secondary location. We would spend all day there, typically getting there around 11:00 in the morning (following our 90-minute drive from home), usually getting the same spot at the end of one of the parking lots so we could have the extra space on the side to play games or fly kites. Newport Kite Flying Experience Kite flying at Brenton point has a combination of little kids getting their first kites to experienced adults using two hands to do tricks. We did invest in some good quality kites from Newport Kites when the kids were little so they could actually fly the kites. I can remember having to hold the string with one hand while the kids would hold onto the handle because if they let go the kite would certainly fly away, especially being hundreds of feet in the air. Emma running with her kite at Brenton Point State Park As an adult, it was so fun to watch the excitement in our kid's eyes and the smile on their faces when the kite was up in the air. As well, it is also fun to watch the experienced adult kite flyers perform their tricks and realize how much skill is needed to make such beautiful art in the sky. I think the last time we went; I let the string go as far as it could unwind which was really fun to see how high it could go and then spend what felt like hours trying to bring it back to Earth. Newport Kite Festival Every year in July, Newport hosts its annual Kite Festival. This year will be its 40th anniversary, held at Brenton Point State Park. If you want to see a visually spectacular event, spend time with family and friends, take some amazing photos, or just sit in the wonder and awe of kite flying at its best, this festival is for you. And the best part, it's free. This year's festival will be held on July 11-12 at Brenton Point State Park, rain or shine. To plan your event, visit Newport Kite Festival. "I'm changing lives one kite at a time. When families feel the wind's power through a simple string, something profound happens." - Ron Kitt, Festival Director Frequently Asked Questions Is Brenton Point State Park free to visit? Yes, Brenton Point State Park is free. Many families come for large picnics, and every spot has a view of the ocean. Are there trash facilities at Brenton Point State Park? No, it is a carry in, carry out policy. This means that if you have a picnic, your are responsible to bring your own trash bags. Can I buy a kite while I am at Brenton Point State Park? Yes, Newport Kites has a mobile truck right on the field at Brenton Point State Park. What activities are at the Newport Kite Festival? In addition to watching the kites and being near the ocean (what more could you want), there will be a candy drop for the kids to enjoy. Plus, you will be there with your friends and family, so it is bound to be a great time. Start Your Own Kite Flying Sensory Experience If you are looking to reconnect with the wonder of your childhood self, a Newport Kite flying experience will allow you to reach for the sky! Try it today and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

If you are following along with my family stories, I recently shared about how I helped Matthew and Michael start small businesses while they were in high school in a 2-part series (Part 1 and Part 2). Papa with Emma, Michael, and Matthew on a hike, October 2009. I share all this as a backdrop to my next topic, family storytelling, which is my dad, or as the kids call him, Papa. I have shared a few mentions of him in my stories, most recently, about our trip to California last week and the connection to us buying the most comfortable bed. During this visit, I was sharing with my dad some additional details about this website and his interest to learn more. On the plane ride home, I came up with the idea that he could be a guest writer on the site. My dad is a great storyteller, though it is sometimes hard to determine where the real story ends and the exaggeration begins. I also think that each time my dad tells a story, they have gotten a bit more exaggerated, always keeping us wondering how real or how imaginary his stories are. As I was pondering what angle I could have him share his stories, nestled in the Rooted & Refined Living lifestyle section, I initially thought his 60 and 70-year-old friendships that started in high school and college respectively could be a great starting point. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Don't worry about accuracy. Preserving family history through storytelling can be a great way to pass on memories and feelings of nostalgia to future generations." We bounced around a few ideas and within a few days, my dad shared his first story, and true to form, he wrote about an imaginary person that was born from real life events of his childhood. My kids heard these stories all the time and now they will be chronicled as a part of this website as my dad shares his stories growing up in Staten Island through his friendships today that have lasted 60 and 70 years. With no additional introduction, here is my dad's first story. There will be more to come. One last thing. My dad writes all of his stories on yellow legal pads and then takes pictures. I then use AI to convert it to text which is a huge time saver for both of us. Papa's handwritten notes. He also writes in all caps as you can see. I used Google Gemini to translate this photo to the text below. Papa's Introductory Story Hi, my name is Tony Fiore. I am Steve's Dad and I live in Orange County, California. Steve lives in a small town west of Boston. He recently came to visit me and enjoy some sunshine after enduring some very cold periods in the Northeast. His web site, Rooted & Refined Living, is doing very well and he asked if I would like to contribute some articles based on my life experiences. I agreed and this will be my first contribution. Steve and his wife Marybeth have 3 children... Matthew 23, a recent Bryant grad and currently employed in Human Resources. Michael, 21, a senior at Keene State College and Emma, 19, a sophomore at University of Connecticut. About 15 years ago, I was visiting Steve on a cold January day and the kids who were 6, 4 and 2 wanted me to tell them a story. So I made up a story about a young boy named Little Johnny. I introduce other characters who interacted with Little Johnny such as George, the school bully, and Mrs. McCarthy, his teacher. The stories became so popular with the kids that when I finished one they wanted another. I got a kick out of how much laughter they got out of these made up characters and stories. Little Johnny was always in trouble but somehow figured a way to come out on top at the end of the story. Then, on a cold wintery day as I was nearing the end of my visit, Marybeth said Matthew would like you to walk him to the school bus stop. I said sure and bundled myself up for the walk to the bus stop with little Matthew who was in first grade back then. When we got to the bus stop there were about 10 moms and dads and their sons and daughters waiting for the bus to arrive. I exchanged a few hellos and stood in line for the bus. At that moment Matthew in a clear, loud voice says "Papa (that was my grandfather name), my mom says 'All your friends are imaginary'." Everything went silent and I could see moms and dads yanking their kids hands and pulling them away from me. I'm thinking, OMG what must they be thinking? Should I try to explain that I have real friends? How the heck does a 6 year old know the word imaginary? When the heck is this bus coming? So I did nothing – just stood there looking guilty waiting what seemed like an eternity for the bus. Here is a visit to Lake Mead on our trip to Las Vegas. We flew out and my dad drove to meet us. Then, the bus came and as Matthew was boarding he said "Papa are you going to pick me up when I get out of school?". Before I could answer some woman with a scowl on her face says "I hope not". I'm sure those parents had a good chuckle at my expense. Anyway, that's my first contribution. I have a few others and maybe some of my imaginary friends will pop up. If you enjoyed Papa's first trip down memory lane, you can read his next story here: Discovering Staten Island Roots Through Family Storytelling Do you have a funny story that your parents or grandparents tell over Sunday dinners? If so, please share in the comments section below.

Me enjoying a glass of Cabernet with the Josephinenhütte No 3 Glass Cover photo by David Kohler Childhood Memories: Glass Blowing and a Jug of Wine When I was a kid growing up, my best friend, Paul, lived a few houses up from me. Each Christmas, he had a real tree with all hand-blown ornaments in different colors. His Uncle Lennie was a glass blower and made them enough balls to fill the tree and it looked amazing, like a picture from a lifestyle magazine. Fast forward to just 18 months ago, I was in search of finding something special for our 26th wedding anniversary and found a gift rooted in that same craftmanship. That deep appreciation for the art, coupled with the elevated sensory experience is what led to this Josephinenhütte hand blown wine glasses review, but I will get back to the glass blowing in a bit. Just about the same time as my memory serves me about the glass blown Christmas balls, I also have a recollection of going to my grandparents’ house. During those visits, we would sit around the kitchen table, and my grandfather would take out the $2 gallon jug of wine and would pour a glass for every adult. I never remember trying it, but I do remember it smelled awful, not just because I was a kid, but because I think it smelled like vinegar. Our Journey into Wine Fast forward a bunch of years. My wife and I were married in our mid 20’s and we started drinking red wine. We started drinking wine pretty much by default at functions because neither of us really liked hard liquor or beer. For the next 25 years, we slowly started to improve our taste in wine. Unlike a future post where I mention I am a pizza snob; I am nowhere near self-proclaiming myself as a wine snob. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "The Josephinenhütte glass is a work of art. Feel the glass and give it a light ping and notice the pure instrumental note. Notice the kink in the glass. Don't just smell the wine, follow the aromas releasing the hidden notes. Slowly savor the taste, taking a moment of serenity, elevating your sensory experience the way the winemaker intended." Paul read my post and mailed me one of his Uncle Lennie's glass blown Christmas balls. In time, we started to become more interested in wine, being able to tell at least a good wine from a bad wine, and over time, being able to pick up some of the tasting notes for each wine. We went to a few local wineries and started to learn about the growing of the grapes and how even slightly different elevations can make a difference in the taste of the grapes. In two weeks, we are going to the local winery to pick the grapes off of the vines and then taste the same wine. There is so much to learn about wine, and we are by no means experts. About 10 years ago, we bought ourselves a nicer set of wine glasses but nothing out of the ordinary by any means. It probably came from Target or Bed Bath and Beyond. My wife and I both like Cabernet and the wine glasses we purchases were specific to a Cabernet where you could swirl the wine to open it up. I then learned about an aerator and a decanter, both making significant differences in the taste of the wine for the better. This is my wine glass for my side of the couch About a year ago, I had a recollection of a memory from a former colleague who mentioned he traveled with his own very expensive wine glass. I thought he was crazy at the time (but now can appreciate his passion). That got me thinking about doing some research for an upgraded wine glass. As with all of my product research process, I search through multiple product recommendation sites to find some commonality. You have to dig through the ones that just pull from someone else’s site but through lots of time, you can pull out the ones that keep coming up. Hand Blown Wine Glasses This is where the hand-blown (yes, you read that correctly) wine glasses from Josephinenhütte kept coming to the top of the list. After seeing the reviews and then reading more on the website, I was sold. I purchased two Josephine N° 3 glasses for our 26th wedding anniversary and the experience is no less than amazing. So much of the experience in drinking wine is the smell and these wine glasses deliver. There are two aspects between the shape of the glass itself where the smell is captured by the curved shape but there is also the break towards the bottom of the glass that does a phenomenon job in opening up the wine. Our Josephinehutte No 3 Hand Blown wine glasses on our kitchen table overlooking the trees in the background. As I was reading before our purchase, one comment that stuck with me is that these glasses will even make a not-so-great wine taste good…and its true. We even did a taste test with the original glasses and the Josephinenhütte glasses and there is no comparison. Small Details, Big Experience This next part is important. Because the glasses are hand blown, they are thin, and therefore delicate. This means extra special care when in use. It also means my wife won’t let me wash the glasses (partly because of how thin and breakable they are but also because I never did a great job washing the wine glasses). My job is to dry them with the Linen Cloth & Brush Care Set they offer (I have not used the paint brush to dry the very minor spots it comes with). Future purchases (someday) are the Josephine N° 7 Decanter and while I never think I will purchase it, the Josephine N° 5 Water glass. It is really hard to justify a $50 water glass, but I have a really strong feeling that the water will taste 100 times better. I haven’t done any research on it as of yet but if I ever buy it, I will be sure to write about it. Also, there may be a future post about Tequila from a friend of mine, and I am sure the Josephine N° 10 Eau de Vie glasses will make it taste amazing. Me holding a bottle of my favorite olive oil, Tesoro, along with wine, Vuaria, from the same producer, FEUDO DISISA If you want to elevate your wine experience, I highly recommend the Josephinenhütte wine glasses. It will give you the sensory experience of dining at a MICHELIN star restaurant in the comfort of your own home. I would love to learn about your wine glass experience or if you have a favorite small farm or family-owned wine that you are in love with. Cheers! 6 Month Update Since initially writing this post, as well as Italian Olive Oil Review: The Peppery Difference, I found that my favorite Olive Oil, Tesoro, which is from FUEDO DISISA in Sicily, Italy, also has a corresponding set of wines, of which I found one of them, Vuaria, in my local wine shop. Frequently Asked Questions Are Josephinenhütte hand-blown wine glasses worth it? Absolutely! Drinking wine is all about the experience. When you start with a hand-blown wine glass, there is an immediate connection to the glass as it has been made with the love and care of the glass blower, not mass produced. Pair that with your favorite wine from a local producer, and you have elevated your sensory experience. How do you care for your Josephinenhütte wine glasses? We hand wash the glasses with soap and a dish towel, and then hand dry them with the Josephinenhütte Linen Cloth and Brush set. What is your favorite wine to pair with Josephinenhütte hand blown wine glasses? We love drinking wine from small wine producers for the same reason as selecting Josephinenhütte, it is made with the love and care of an individual. We often buy wines based on the recommendations of Simone Linsin, who owns Pecorino Cheese Shop and Fine Wines in Grafton, MA. Her selection is based on all small wineries, mainly from Italy and France. Start Your Own Wine Glass Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your own wine glass sensory experience, I’ve listed my favorite glasses (as well as a few aspirational ones) below. Give one a try and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: This post reflects my personal productivity routine and is for informational purposes only. It is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a professional before making significant changes to your diet or health routine. This story is a bit like creating a LEGO set as every topic was a building block for the next to ultimately build high-performance productivity. It started with many of the topics I shared previously such as Blue Zone Inspired Smoothie with Black Beans and Garbanzo. From those building blocks, I shared my TEDx Talk, wrote some LinkedIn posts, and then created a Udemy course. This is the story of how I decided to create my Udemy course. A few years ago, I had two overlapping jobs at the company I was working for. I had just started a role in January and in June, I took on a different role, but I couldn't fully exit the first role until they hired my replacement. This lasted until the end of the year. 5:10 am sunrise on Cadillac Mountain on Acadia National Park, Maine (which is just outside of Bar Harbor). The air was crisp in the July morning. Following the sunrise, Mary Beth and I headed into town and had a delicious pancake breakfast with Maine maple syrup. It was the busiest I had ever been in my career. As I had time to reflect following the turn of the next year, I realized I was highly productive, keeping the same pace and productivity all day long, regardless of if it was 8:00 am, 1:00 pm, or 6:00 pm. This pace and productivity didn't just last one day or one week, but for months. I wasn't tired nor was I burned out, two things I unfortunately had experienced in the past. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Reclaim your childhood sense of freedom when you leave your phone behind to jump into the water." At the same time of this reflection, my alma mater, Bryant University had just sent out applications for its TEDxBryantU program, with the theme being Reboot x Refresh. I always thought it would be great to share some of the building blocks that allowed me to reach this sustained productivity and participating as a TEDx speaker would be very cool to be a part of. After being accepted to speak, I spent months curating the right message and then working on my speech. The topics I cover include sleep, taking vacations, managing distractions, and confidence. You can watch the TEDx Talk below. Hopefully from watching the talk, you can see that I have a passion for helping people and educating where I can, with the balance of not being too preachy, which I get sometimes with my immediate family. Following the TEDx Talk, I created a series of blog posts on LinkedIn on the same topics, and as it turns out, I found a love of writing which ultimately turned into this lifestyle blog website. As well, a few years ago I was an adjunct professor at Bryant University. I taught for 3 years and loved it, only having to give it up due to my travel schedule at the time. Sometime in the future, I hope to go back to it but in the meantime, I just spent the last semester as a student advisory to an International Business capstone course. That was a great experience as I got to help students without having to grade papers! Putting all of these topics together, with my personal experience in maintaining a high level of productivity, my TEDx Talk, the LinkedIn blog posts, and then the teaching experience, I thought it was time to create a course on Udemy, which is now merging with Coursera. Building this course offered another set of new challenges for me, everything from putting myself on camera, to building a course that would actually be helpful to others for them to buy. As I learned with this site, along with a few other prior not so successful ventures, marketing the offering is just as important as the content itself. For this course, I honestly didn't do a great job promoting it but do have 5 stars across a small number of people who have taken the course. The basis of the course is the following: Are you tired of feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and stuck in a fog by 2 PM? Welcome to "Invest in Yourself," the practical guide to reclaiming your energy and elevating your performance. The goal is to Master Sleep, Hydration, and Focus to Eliminate Burnout and Achieve Peak Performance in Personal & Professional Life, to achieve high performance productivity. Here are some of my thoughts on each of the topics to achieve High Performance Productivity: How Quality Sleep Boosts Productivity and Performance We have all heard statements from experts as well as our parents, "you need 8 hours of sleep a night". I know some of you may require less but most of us need to be close to that 8-hour mark. However, as much as we hear the 8-hour target, do you invest in your sleep? You invest in other things like the stock market but what about investing in your sleep? Do you have a quality mattress, comfortable pillow and good sheets? Drink Water to Boost Energy, Focus, and Productivity For me, here is my approach (and I am better in the work week than the weekend). I drink a glass of water when I get up, 1 after my walk, 1 after a 15-minute calisthenic type exercise, 1 while making my tea, maybe a 1/2 during the 4 hours of work in the morning, 1 at lunch, maybe the other 1/2 during the afternoon, 2 at dinner and 1 while watching TV. I have also started putting some lemon in my water at times during the day which I enjoy. Finding Clarity Through Walking For as long as I can remember in my professional career, I would walk at least a few days a week before work. I do remember in my 30's though, there were some days when I just didn't feel like it and would wake up to a much longer hot shower than normal and bypass the walk. I thought it did the same thing, but I was wrong. When I walked, it was a brisk 15-minute pace around my neighborhood which consisted of a pretty big hill for half of the 3/4 mile (1.2 kilometer) trip providing me mental clarity and focus for the day. How Lighting Boosts Productivity and Focus I would encourage you to do your research (and there is a lot of it out there) on what the best lighting is for you. To help you get started, I will share what I did. When I started working in my home office, I always tried to sit facing the window. Unfortunately, the way my basement is set up, my window is underneath my porch and doesn't provide a lot of natural light. Couple that with all the trees in my backyard, it is not as bright as I would like it to be. As a result, I have to augment my office with my own lighting. I outfitted my 4 lights (2 overhead and 2 behind me on the wall) with the brightest "daylight" light I could find at the store. The Ten-Minute Phone Free Walk Practice How can we disconnect? First, you have to make the mental shift that the world is not going to come to an end if you are not connected to your phone. I know this is really, really, really hard but I am sure you already disconnect and don't even know it, maybe when you jumped in the pool or ocean this summer, or even the shower each day. We are all so protective of our phones, not just because of the need to be connected, but because they are so expensive and we don't want to get them ruined with water and thus, we willingly break the connection with the phone to go into the water. In the course, I teach you how to replicate that sense of freedom without needing a swimming pool! Start Your Own Personal Productivity Experience If you are ready to reclaim your focus, energy, and productivity, I would love for you to join me. Below are the details to get started. For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.