Massapequa is home to many things, including the now 55-year-old Massapequa Observer. Two writers for the Observer shared their thoughts on the town that they have called home for so many years.
At the heart of Massapequa you will find Dr. Cynthia Paulis, D.O. and Anton Media Group contributor.
“My family moved here when I was 7 years old. It was a small town then but in a way it has always kept that small town feeling,” said Paulis. “The school system was excellent and I was fortunate enough to have wonderful teachers who motivated me to pursue my dreams and were very supportive of the students.”
Paulis was a student of Mr. Baldwin, the father of actor Alec Baldwin. She fondly remembered his kindness during a difficult family time, after her father had a heart attack.
“I had won a speech contest sponsored by the American Legion and he made sure he attended because my dad was in the hospital. I never forgot that,” said Paulis.
She also spoke highly of Massapequa’s wonderful libraries with reference librarians who were always willing to help, as well as beautiful parks and recreational facilities with fabulous scenic bike trails.
“The great thing about Massapequa is its proximity to so many wonderful things; 15 minutes to world class beaches, three airports close by, which make it easy to travel and it has easy access to NYC by train,” said Paulis, who also recognized the importance the town places on its men and women in service. “Massapequa has many veterans and as someone who served for four years as a military physician, I appreciate how the town supports and honors them.”
Not without its charms when it comes to dining, Paulis recommended Tai Show on Merrick Road. It’s even open until 1 a.m. for those late night sushi cravings.
“Tai Show has some of the best Japanese food around in a wonderful setting that makes you feel as if you are in Japan,” said Paulis, who spent time there as an exchange student. “The food is always fresh and the service excellent but even more importantly, the servers know almost everyone who walks through the door. It has a warm and friendly atmosphere.”
When asked to describe her community in one word, Paulis said it represented home.
“To me, Massapequa represents home. It is a place you always want to come back to, where you feel the most comfortable and where people care about one another,” she said. “There was never a display more evident of that when we were ravaged by Sandy. There was a tremendous esprit de corps of people pulling together to help one another.”
The Observer’s other main contributor, Chris Boyle, has been a Massapequa resident his entire life.
“Massapequa is pretty much in the middle of almost anything you could want to do, generally speaking,” said Boyle. “If there was one place in Massapequa I would recommend to someone to visit, it would have to be the Massapequa Preserve. A great deal of effort has been put into cleaning it up and making it more ecologically sound in recent years, and it’s a fantastic place to get in touch with nature or exercise.”
If Boyle could describe the Massapequa community in just one word, it would be just that—community.
“The one thing that struck me about Massapequa when I was doing news coverage of Superstorm Sandy two years ago was how everyone stuck together and helped one another, despite the fact that they were all busy dealing with their own issues related to the storm,” said Boyle. “It was something that made me proud to be a Massapequa native.”
