This past weekend was a very busy one for me and my family. It featured a wedding, two visits to Hoboken and of course, the tenth anniversary of 9-11. We had a lot of fun, but also took time to remember all those who lost their lives on that horrific day a decade ago.

My thoughts and prayers are with all of those families who lost someone, and I am so blessed and grateful to have my family.

On Saturday (9-10-11), my wife and I attended the wedding of our good friend at a very nice place called Regina’s in Teaneck. It was an intimate afternoon affair highlited by fantastic food in a great ambiance. I enjoyed a juicy filet mignon and Megin had an awesome fish dish of salmon in a mustard sauce. We danced up a storm to some doo-wop tunes by a great DJ and we were honored to celebrate with the new bride and groom.

 
Following that, we decided to continue the evening with our own little date night, considering the kids were staying at Nanny’s house. Where else would Johnny Meatballs decide to spend his leisure time than at an Italian feast? Yep, when I’m not working them, I’m usually attending them, so we took a ride to Hoboken for the Italian festival at Sinatra Park.
 
We walked around, ate some more (of course) and listened to the live band. It was a real change of pace—an evening with just my wife and I, and I think the most special part was all the somber moments displayed by the people around us for the upcoming 10th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks. We saw countless couples and families sitting on the benches and just looking at the skyline…talking and reflecting and taking lots of pictures. We took our own moment of silence and photographed the strange skyline, where the beams of light reflected from the space where the towers once stood.

 
The next day was 9-11, and I did not have a chance to watch any of the memorial services on TV, as I had my regular Sunday farmers market in Fort Lee at 8am. We considered not going, and expected a very empty day, but it was actually our busiest Sunday at this market all season. Perhaps it was a testament to the perseverance of all the folks out there who continue to live their lives and not let the date handicap one’s actions with fear. While we should never, ever forget, we must still eat, work and play…and the crowd that showed up in Fort Lee—just a stones throw from Ground Zero—was quite impressive.
 
I posted last week how we should not sweat the small stuff and try to be nicer to our neighbors, and I did my best to assist one of my neighbors when we first got to the market. This is actually a funny story but it did not start out very funny. A frantic old lady stopped me and asked if I would mind helping her open her car door. She had the key but just couldn’t unlock the door and seemed very shaken up with a bunch of grocery bags in hand…
 
We just had no luck trying to open the door after a good fifteen minutes, and we decided to call roadside assistance—however her phone was locked inside the car. Without hesitation, I offered for her to use my phone and when we got a technician on the line, she ended up realizing we were at the wrong car. A few parking spots down was her car—the same make and model as the one we were attempting to get into—and it opened right up. The lady was a bit embarrassed but very thankful that I was there and kept holding my Crucifix on my gold chain and saying “may God bless you.”
 
I am not sharing this for any accolades of any kind, I just think we as people should be more united like we were ten years ago. Unfortunately, for a lot of different reasons over the past ten years we have become a divided country. I can only hope that we can all begin to be just a little kinder to each other again because life could end in the blink of an eye at any time.

 
That day we left Fort Lee at about 12:45, even though the market runs until 2pm. The reason was because we were all sold out and although there were a lot of customers still there looking for their meatball fix, our workday was done. Now what was I to do for the remainder of the afternoon and evening? What else? The wife and I headed back to Hoboken, this time with the kids.
 
We had another amazing time, played some games and yes—you know it—ate! Another funny story occurred while we were again looking at the skyline. Matthew accidentally dropped his flip-flop into the Hudson River. My wife, “Megin MacGyver” fashioned a shoe for him using one of the baby’s diapers. It worked well! Big props to an always prepared mom!
 
The drive home concluded with a discussion we had about 9-11, where we tried our best to explain it to Matthew who is seven. I think he understood, but as he gets older it will become more clear. What I was doing and where I was will forever be a crystal clear moment etched into my mind. I hope my kids never have to experience anything like that as they grow up.
 
God Bless America!
 
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Upcoming…
There will be even lots more going on next weekend for Johnny Meatballs…On Saturday Sept. 17th, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Montclair will hold a mass for Padre Pio. At the mass there will be rare relics on display for veneration. The Replica of St. Padre Pio in His tomb will be on display and at 2pm, the statues of St. Padre Pio and Maria SS Dell’Assunta will be brought in procession for the first time in Montclair escorted by an Italian Festival Band. Following that, there will be a dinner in the church hall. I am very excited to be catering this event, with all food prepared fresh by yours truly in the church kitchen. The menu will include meatballs, baked rigatoni and eggplant rollatine. For more information, contact Joe Santoro at 917.459.1123.
 
On Sunday Sept. 18th, I will be set-up with the meatball cart at the park on Livingston Avenue in Lyndhurst. This event is known as “The American Diabetes Awareness Day,” which lots of different stands for the entire family to enjoy and all proceeds going to diabetes. My grandmother has diabetes, and this is an organization that is extra special to me as awareness should definitely be more widespread. We need to help those with diabetes live the most productive lives that they can, and also help prevent individuals at-risk from developing it with healthy lifestyle choices.