Amityville

Most people know Amityville as the setting for a mediocre horror movie circa 1979 and then again in 2005- as if one crappy horror movie about a tragic story were not enough. Some people even think this is the same place that was the setting for the movie Jaws...that was Amity Island, which does not exist. And most people don't know that all members of the rap group De La Soul are from Amityville.

Amityville is my town. Its where I'm from, I love it. All of my family is from there and most of them still live there. Its a little town on the south shore of Long Island that sits on the Great South Bay, and is a 20 minute car or boat ride away from the ocean, which means that in the summer, you could not pick a better place to be. Well, maybe you could, but I couldn't.

It may not be my home anymore, but there are so many things about it that I love. They have a 4th of July parade and an annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony in the middle of town, and a town Heritage Museum which holds all the history of this sweet little town. Most of the people who live here grew up here and stayed, which is part of what makes the town what it is.

Mike's pizza is the one of the local pizza places, and if you ask me and Wade, its the only one that matters. Its this tiny old school pizza parlor with the crusty old wood paneling and the best pizza and garlic knots on earth. If you have never had true NY pizza or a garlic knot, well, I feel sorry for you. I think the best thing about Mike's is that you can park in the back to pick up your pie and walk in through the kitchen...that's Amityville.

Amityville Beach is where pretty much everyone I grew up with learned how to swim. It was where we went every day in the summer time as kids (until my parents joined a pool..for that I am eternally grateful to them!). Walking in and out of that seaweed infested bay water every day for swimming lessons scarred me for life, but looking back, it was pretty fun to be at the beach everyday with all of our friends.

When I was in college, my Dad got me a summer job with the Department of Public Works. So for 2 summers, I rode around in this big truck with this little guy named Mike (who I think is as tall as I am) and we watered the flowers all over the town. It might have been the best summers I had, getting the see the town early in the morning before most people were even awake.

I feel lucky that I am from this town. I miss it sometimes, but that just makes visiting that much sweeter.