Magazine Archive
Magazine Archive
Building a Life in Longmeadow - One Slice at a Time
For the Ferrentino family, it was always Longmeadow - and nearly every morning - it’s coffee at the Shoppes. “We get morning coffee every day at Starbucks with a group of friends known as the “Delaney Market Club,” said Marissa Ferrentino, 31.
Traditions like this are important to the Ferrentino family, and there are plenty of family members taking part! Marissa and Frankie live in Longmeadow with their two-year-old daughter, Francesca - but when you add in Frankie’s Italian family, and Marissa’s Portuguese family, the Thanksgiving table gets pretty long.
Discovering "Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser"
I’m a Star Wars nerd. I’ll admit it. I love binge watching the movies (in order of course!) and whenever I’m at Disney World, I love hitting up Hollywood Studios. Hollywood Studios is now the mecca for anyone Star Wars fan. There are Star Wars themed rides, restaurants, and loads of characters walking around.
Bring Boston’s Books to You
Storrs Library gives you access to bunches, boatloads, buckets, and bushels of beguiling books and materials. We can even help you get access to the Boston Public Library (BPL) system. Wait! Drop those car keys and take off those boots. No need to drive across any slushy streets to get to Boston. The BPL is as close as your nearest computer.
Education & Empowerment: The Londraville Family
If you haven’t seen the Londraville family, you might need to have your eyes checked - because they are everywhere from the soccer fields, to the hockey rink, basketball courts to Batch, classrooms, author talks, and sidewalks. They’ve been in town for a decade - and they don’t plan on leaving a place they’ve come to love.
LIVING BEYOND 120 - BUILD YOUR LONGEVITY PORTFOLIO
We are living longer. The average life expectancy in 1860 was 39; today it’s 81!
Personally, I’m planning to live to 148 and my wife Lorie to 156. I often get a reaction of shock from people, as they picture me as a shriveled 148 year old prune in a wheelchair. But I’m talking about living to 148 healthy, active, and vibrant.
Impossible? Think again.
Is Solar Right For You?
Everyone has an opinion…or more like, everyone shares regurgitated facts based on the opinions of those whom have caught their ear…
The facts are that, like most things in life, every scenario is different - not just based on the house, location, shading or even amount of electricity needed. Your goals should be the deciding factor. Ask yourself these questions:
Is this my “forever home"?
What are my immediate and long term goals for my monthly budget?
Is there a home improvement project such as a new roof that I wish I could make happen without bleeding money?
Longmeadow Dad's Club: Creating Connections
Meeting new people and making friends isn't easy. Getting to know people can be even more difficult in communities that pride themselves on families who remain in town for generations. Luckily, the Longmeadow Dad’s Club gives parents the opportunity to settle in, to find opportunities for their little ones, and even to gain some new skills along the way.
Stay Warm & Save: Tips for Heating Your Home
It seems like EVERYTHING is more expensive these days, and while there are certain costs we can cut down on, heating your home is an essential task no matter the cost of energy. However, with a few simple suggestions, you can still heat your home without burning through your budget this season. An added perk? These tips also help to cut down on your carbon footprint - so you’re saving cash and the planet at the same time!
Digital Gift Ideas
The holiday season is upon us and if you're struggling with gift giving ideas we've got a few ideas that are not only easy on the wallet this year, but priceless for years to come.
Here at MorningBird Media, we eat, breathe and sleep authenticity, and what better way is there to gift someone you love with something that is just as unique as them? Here are a few ways you can use every-day technology to make memorable digital keepsakes this holiday season.
Community Through Food - The Barkett Family
There’s a good chance that when you walk into The Kitchen, you’ll see Bobby Barkett, dish towel slung over his shoulder or tucked into his apron, and a smile on his face. Moreover, he’ll probably know you, or your order, or your neighbors. If most towns have a local burger joint or a watering hole - a “Cheers''-type situation - then The Kitchen is Longmeadow’s, and that makes Barkett our resident Sam Malone.
Revenge Travel is Real
As I was looking into a Disney World vacation for a local family, I was shocked at how limited the availability was for February during school-vacation week in 2023. No matter how many times I refreshed the page, nada. 2023 seems so far away, but is it? Not when it comes to planning a vacation! March of 2020 brought a halt to travel, and now it is getting a breath of life again. Travel right now is surging as many countries and most recently cruise lines have loosened their restrictions. I am hungry for a vacation, you are hungry for a vacation. Americans are starving for a vacation. What can you do to assure you get the accommodations you want at the price point you desire? Get moving.
Much More in Storrs, Nov. 2022
Many of us here at Storrs Library love reading before going to bed, and we bet you do too. Did you know Storrs offers a digital resource that will allow you to read thousands of ebooks and digital magazines, or play an e-audiobook on nearly any device? If you’re tired of propping up a copy of A Tale of Two Cities on a pillow, you can instead be lulled to sleep listening to it read aloud. Intrigued? It’s time to download Libby.
President in Residence: Meet Bay Path’s 6th President
When we think of “college towns,” we think of Boston, Amherst, or Northampton. We think of dive bars, marching bands, and funky coffee shops. But amongst our Longmeadow Neighbors, and nestled in between historic Longmeadow homes, lives Bay Path University, an institution celebrating its 125th birthday. We caught up with one of your neighbors, a newer resident of Longmeadow, Sandra Doran, the 6th president of Bay Path University.
Much more in Storrs
Many of us here at Storrs Library love reading before going to bed, and we bet you do too. Did you know Storrs offers a digital resource that will allow you to read thousands of ebooks and digital magazines, or play an e-audiobook on nearly any device? If you’re tired of propping up a copy of A Tale of Two Cities on a pillow, you can instead be lulled to sleep listening to it read aloud. Intrigued? It’s time to download Libby.
Steven & Jenny Creelman: An inventor lives next door
Steven Creelman was raised in Longmeadow, and returned to town after stops in Florida, Chicago, and Eastern Massachusetts. While as a young person, he never imagined he’d move back into town, after falling in love and starting a family, he returned to a town where he felt a strong sense of community and support - and square footage for his growing family.
This “slimy” job is really a “numbers'“ job
You know that gooey stuff that kids love to play with? Slime is having a heyday, largely due to its supporting role in Hollywood blockbusters and television productions. It’s used as a substitute for almost any liquid that wouldn’t be practical, such as blood, liquid gold, lava, oil, mucus — even giant quantities of guacamole and mashed potatoes.
Brendan Abad: Building a better future
They say that when you’re young, you want to escape your birthplace, explore the world, and always vow never to return to your hometown. But in our town, even those who leave the nest tend to realize that later in life, especially if they choose to raise a family, that they don’t know how good they had it in Longmeadow.
Neighbors in Need: Seeking A Kidney Donation
There are many patients across the country waiting to receive an organ transplant. Donors can be both living and deceased. It is an incredible act to consider being an organ donor for someone in need. You can truly save a person’s life, in more ways than one. As a patient with chronic liver disease awaiting a liver transplant, please listen to my story and consider organ donation.
Dakin Humane Society: Celebrating animals and humans
The Pioneer Valley is home to more than 500 nonprofits working to improve the 413 - and each has its own, rich story to tell. One of the largest and most adorable nonprofits can be found just one town over, in Springfield, and has transformed, over decades, into a national leader for animal welfare that is meeting the needs of a changing community.
Protect your family online
With the school year out and summer in full swing, filling the hours can sometimes be a challenge. As, four to six hours a day in front of a screen has become the norm over the past couple years, it may be harder to structure that screen time during the leisure of summer.