An Abundant Life - Taking A Wayside Walk

I was in Massachusetts for a visit recently, and a beautiful friend asked me if there was anything that I'd been wanting to do. The first thing that came into my heart was that I'd been wanting to visit the Wayside Inn, a place that has a wonderful restaurant and also a beautiful environment to walk and explore. My friend said yes, even though I found out afterward that she hadn't known at first what place I was talking about. She is a gem to have said yes without knowing, just because she knew I"d been wanting to visit.

On the day that we went, she asked me for the address, and when I looked it up for her she saw that it was the place where her daughter had gotten married. The grounds of the Wayside Inn have different areas, and I'd been talking about the historic home part of it, but her daughter had been married by the grist mill. On our way over as we drove, I saw so many reminders of places where I'd been over the years with my Mother, and it brought back so many beautiful memories. When we arrived, and I saw the sign on the house that showed the date it had been built, I realized that the reason I'd been wanting to return is that it was built around the same period as the house where I grew up. 

There is something very special about revisiting a place where you've loved to go that you haven't been to in a while, or at least there is for me. Our afternoon at the Wayside Inn was filled with so many beautiful moments, and I am so grateful to my friend for her willingness to bring me there. We had lunch after our walk around the grounds and after visiting the grist mill, and we took time to view the rooms upstairs where they have a museum and display before walking outside down the paths and roads and fields. One thing that I'd been wanting very much to have is Indian Pudding, something that I always loved to have there and that I'd learned to make because of how much I enjoyed it when I visited. It was still on the menu, and when I asked at the restaurant if they were still serving it, they were, and so I had a beautiful new memory reminding me of days gone by to cherish along with my meal.

One thing I found out this time that I hadn't known, thanks to reading some of the information at the mill and the lovely opportunity to speak with the Miller, is that Henry Ford was an important part of why the Wayside Inn exists. I had no idea all these years that he had walked these road and paths and created the mechanisms that kept things running into a new era, and that was an exciting thing to find out. As I plan for my own project that is part of another historic site, having the experience of walking along in the paths of memory helped me to see that all things are possible. Where once I had walked as a child, a teenager and a young adult, I can now walk and learn in a new way how to create an environment for and with the community that is as special as the places and spaces surrounding it.

A Beautiful Lunch

And A Wayside Inn Walk

Longfellow's Wayside Inn

72 Wayside Inn Road

Sudbury, Massachusetts

https://www.wayside.org

Indian Pudding

Bringing Back So Many Beautiful Memories

Blessings,

Jannie Susan

An Abundant Life - Three Years

 This coming Saturday, August 23, is the three year Anniversary of YES Gallery. I was realizing as I thought about the date and the year, it is twenty years since I went through a very difficult time in my business that started because of a partnership I'd begun in 2003 to create an art and community center, in many ways the way that YES Gallery is today. All those long years and so many adventures with Jesus, so many twists and turns and miraculous appearances and happenings that it could be a Charles Dickens novel. I do want to write about it, and have wanted to, and I've started sometimes, but somehow the fact that each moment is unfolding in so many different faceted ways makes it difficult for me to just sit down and write because I'm living it.

A few months ago I wrote a poem that came to me when I was on my way home from a ver exciting evening during Design Week in Manhattan. I was thinking about a friend of mine who was so dear, someone who I wished was still around for me to share time with. He's in Heaven now, and I'm sure very happy there, but though I am happy that he's happy, and I also know his spirit is still here with me, there is a part of me that misses the physical him so much. We had so many raucously wonderful times together, and some very tender ones too. We loved each other in the way that only very special once in a blue moon friendships can be. 

I'll share the poem here, and will be sharing more about the three year Anniversary when I've experienced it, but for now here is the poem that the title of the Anniversary is from:

Walking At Twilight

I want you to live

Where you used to live

I want you to be 

Alive the way you used to be alive

I want us to go out

Like we used to go out

The way we used to be when we ruled this town

When you'd call me up

And just say Wolff

So much meaning in my name

The way you said it

Wolff and I'd come running

Or you'd come to me

Like that time I was so sick with the flu

And you brought me orange juice

And sat with me not smoking

Because you didn't want to make me worse

You always made everything better

So many memories you and I

So many places I love because of you

On nights like this

When champagne flows

When Spring is new

And everything is golden

I miss you

I miss the way we used to be

Before we knew

That life can change

When we thought

We knew it all

When we were certain

Because what we had was love

And that was all that ever mattered

© Jannie Wolff 05/2025

YES Gallery

Three Year Anniversary

August 23, 2025

Because What We Had Was Love

And That Was All That Ever Mattered

408 6th Street

Hoboken, New Jersey

Blessings,

Jannie Susan

An Abundant Life - Sunset Walk

On my way on Summit Avenue in Jersey City Heights on Saturday evening I saw that the gate to the Historic Reservoir #3 was open. Before I saw the open gate I saw people walking on the path around the reservoir and so I looked for the gate that I'd gone into before. There used to be two entrances to the reservoir, but now it seems there's only one, and luckily the area near that one was where I decided to look for the entrance. When I had walked in the reservoir in years past, the entrance had been closer to the corner of Summit Avenue where the park drive through road is, but this time that entrance was closed and there was another just a little distance away, closer to the middle of the road that goes through the park.

The first time I'd discovered an open gate at the reservoir, I'd been enchanted by the way it was possible to walk through the areas and get very close to the water and the trees and wildflowers growing there. This time around the reservoir itself was closed off by fencing, but there were places where the fencing was more open and in those spaces it was possible to see the beautiful moss covered water in the center more clearly.

Places like this are such a blessing to have in communities, places where people can walk and see nature in a way that is very personal and close, and where you can hear the sound of the leaves on the trees as the wind blows through and ruffles them. The sun seems to shine and to set and to cast its light in a different way in spaces like this, as if nature itself were being dressed in its golden light. As I walked through at the end of the day, the sun had just begun to set, and it was golden hour with a very rosy hue.

There have been many people over the years who have worked hard to volunteer and to advocate for this space to be available for the public, and I thank them all that we can have this peaceful space in the community, and that we can walk there as I did on a chance summer evening as the sun is just setting, and we can see nature in all its lovely array.

A Sunset Walk

Through The Historic Reservoir #3

Jersey City Heights, New Jersey

A Canada Goose

Watching Over The Family

As They Forage In The Bushes

Blessings,

Jannie Susan

    

An Abundant Life - Stylist Star

I've written about the Hoboken Thrift store, or St. Mary's Advocates Thrift Store as it's officially known, in these pages before, and about all of the wonderful people I've met there and the beautiful treasures and clothing I've found over the years. A while ago I'd heard from some of the gorgeous women who I know who volunteer there that one of the volunteers had opened her own store. I had missed seeing her at the Hoboken Thrift, because every time I was there when she was I had a smile on my face just listening to her talk about the clothing and decorative items and watching her showing things to people, helping them pick out outfits and finding the most wonderful combinations of things to share and encourage people to try on and wear. 

Over time I found out that her name was Joann, and it was so much fun when she was there. It's always fun at the Hoboken Thrift store because everyone who volunteers there has such a wonderful and uniquely kind and joyful way about them, and when Joann was there it always felt like I was shopping in a place where everything and everyone was being outfitted for the best days of their lives. 

There's something about people who love fashion and styling that makes every moment when you are around them and they are around clothing feel like a party. Playing dress up was always one of the things I loved to do, and it still is, so meeting someone like Joann at the Hoboken Thrift made one of my favorite places to go even more special. When I heard she'd opened her own store I knew it would be wonderful, and I planned to find a time to go there to see her and enjoy the new space where she was creating her own kind of sunshine.

The name of Joann's store is OliJon's and is named after Joann and her husband John's two children, Olivia and Jonpierre. Inside it is bright and airy, and filled with the gorgeous treasures Joann finds. As she has experienced the complications and challenges of treatments and surgeries due to a breast cancer diagnosis 15 years ago, Joann also wants to give back to the community, sharing time and donating, helping to give people a smile and encouragement with whatever issues they are facing. When I was visiting and speaking with her, I found out that during prom season she had shared items and styling with prom goers who were on limited budgets to make sure they could go to the Prom feeling special.

Knowing someone like Joann is a treat in so many ways. Her style sense and sense of fun are beautiful to experience, and she is also so strong and resilient underneath her natural beauty and easy glamour. There is a beauty that shines from within that makes a beautiful woman a star, and Joann is one of those beauties who stands so strong in the face of the challenges of her life that she gives others a light to help keep them going.

Joann Saitta

Owner and Stylist Extraordinaire

Of OliJon's Thrift Store

138 Park Avenue

Hoboken, New Jersey

https://www.instagram.com/olijonsthrift

A Seemingly Effortless

Style And Beauty

Photograph Courtesy Of Joann Saitta

A Corner Storefront

Shining A Light For The Community

Blessings,

Jannie Susan

An Abundant Life - A New York Neighborhood

A number of years ago I lived in SoHo, something that I've written about in these pages before, and something that always brings back beautiful memories whenever I visit a friend in that neighborhood or write about one of the people I know who lives there, works there, makes art there, shows art there, or one of the restaurants, boutiques, galleries or other wonderful places that make that part of the city so special.

I've written about the marvelous Photographer Benjamin Oliver in these pages before, and just a few months ago I wrote about him again because I'd happened to see him in SoHo when I was on my way to an art show that one of the Artists who has work at YES Gallery had his work in. That day was such a wonderful day, and it was such a beautiful time, and seeing Benjamin on the street almost right out front of where I used to live made it even more special.  

This past week Benjamin had an opening party for some of his work that was being shown at a very special and exclusive custom menswear store in SoHo, this time about a block away from where I used to live, and diagonally across the street. It's always so much fun to see Benjamin and his work is so beautiful and inspiring, and the store was really a wonderful place too. I saw some of Benjamin's friends that night that I'd met at his birthday party he'd invited me to on the day that I'd seen him in SoHo a few months ago. As I wrote at that time, they are all such wonderful people, and seeing them again in this place with Benjamin's photographs all around was a very special experience.

It's times like this when New York still feels like my neighborhood home, when I am reminded of how lovely the world can be when wonderful people gather together in wonderful places to celebrate art and design and fashion. That's the New York I always loved, and that I still love when I experience it. It's the place of dreams that is still a neighborhood, an exciting and inspiring adventure that can still be called home.

Benjamin Oliver

Sharing His Inspiration

And His Photographs

On A Very Special Evening

At The Very Inspiring Acustom Apparel

330 West Broadway

SoHo, New York City

https://acustom.com 

Blessings,

Jannie Susan

An Abundant Life - Pizza Of Dreams

When I was a very little girl, my family used to go to a restaurant in Massachusetts called Kitty's for special occasions and sometimes just because we wanted to have pizza. I used to ask to go there all the time, and we didn't ever have much of the menu, our choices were always pretty much the same. We'd order two pies, one mushroom and onion and one other one, it's escaping me now but I don't think it was just a plain one. Maybe we'd try different things for the second pie and that's why I can't remember, but it was always at least one that was mushroom and onion. Along with the pizza we'd have an Antipasto, and to this day that's the only Antipasto I really ever want whenever I see it on any menu. Sometimes we'd get the pizzas to go and have them at home which was very nice to do too, but going to Kitty's and sitting at a table or in one of the booths was always the best.

Over the years as I grew up and went back to Kitty's on occasion I'd try other kinds of pizza and other things too. I've always loved onion rings, and I think I began my love for them there. Other places just don't know how to make onion rings like Kitty's does, and although I sometimes will order them in other places, it's always Kitty's that I really wish I was having.

I've had pizza in New York, New Haven, Oregon, Pittsburgh, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Long Island and New Jersey. I think I may have even had it in Europe and possibly London. There are some wonderful pizzas I've had, don't get me wrong, but there is no place like Massachusetts for pizza. Any hole in the wall place you walk into, any bar, any place that is making pizza makes a wonderful one. Some are fancier than others, but they're all really wonderful. Kitty's is the creme de la creme, at least in my book, and in a way I'm very lucky that I don't live near there because I'd probably have it every day along with an Antipasto salad and some onion rings.

Last week I had some meetings in Massachusetts, and I shared some time with some old and new friends. We were all in the mood to get together with all of us at one point and decided that we'd have dinner. When I was talking to one of my friends about places we loved to go to, she mentioned Kitty's and I asked her if it was still open. I seemed to remember looking it up a while ago and seeing that it was closed, but she told me it had closed for a time and was now open again and just as good as ever. I said that all I ever really wanted when I went there was pizza, and she said that's what she liked to get too, along with an Antipasto and onion rings. I told her that was always my favorite choice and we decided that we'd check with the rest of our group to see if Kitty's would be all right with them. We laughed when we said there's lots on the menu so they could have something else if they wanted but we knew what we were having. I sent messages to the others and Kitty's it was.

When we arrived it looked exactly the same, as if no time had gone by at all. I remember it being darker inside at night, but perhaps that was just in my childhood memories. We all decided on the same things which made me smile that here we were after all these years and we all thought the idea of pizza, Antipasto salad and onion rings was a great one. So much fun to be there with these friends, and so wonderful to have these flavors and textures that I've dreamed about be with me as part of my life once again.

A Night With Friends

At Kitty's

123 Main Street

North Reading, Massachusetts

https://kittysrestaurant.com

Time Shared With Beautiful Friends

So Sweet

And An Antipasto

So Wonderful

I Forgot To Take A Photograph

Until The Salad Was Nearly Finished

Blessings,

Jannie Susan

An Abundant Life - Art of Design

I wrote a few weeks ago about a visit to the marvelous Italian Design Showroom Rimadesio in Manhattan, and this past week I had the beautiful blessing of being a part of an event there with the marvelous Artist Marco Luccio who has been visiting from Australia and the marvelous staff as we collaborated within this beautiful space to show Marco's art within and around the lovely design pieces there.

For many years I have worked with Artists of all kinds, producing events and helping Artists to find spaces and audiences to showcase their work and their performances, films and objets d'art. Since I opened YES Gallery in Hoboken in August of 2022, much of the work that I do with Artists has been in and around that space, but I still always have my eyes and heart open to finding new places and people to collaborate with to bring art and design to ever new audiences and geographies.

When I first saw the space at Rimadesio it was for a beautiful art event that I'd been invited to, and I'm so grateful to the gorgeous Curator Adrielle Nicole who extended the gift of her welcome so that I could be a part of that beautiful evening and meet the wonderful staff there. After that event I was in a meeting to discuss future events with the marvelous CEO and others marvelous people who are in charge of the space and the events that are planned there, and on the day we met, I had just heard from Marco Luccio that he was in New York. 

In thinking about the space and his art, it just seemed like it would be a beautiful combination, and I share some images and links from his website and Instagram in the meeting that day. Later, he and I met in the space to take a few minutes with some of his pieces to see what they would look like there and the result was so lovely! With the blessing of the wonderful CEO and other wonderful staff, we planned a date and Marco made a beautiful invitation, and this past week we celebrated this gorgeous collaboration of art and design during an afternoon and evening.

Everyone involved in this beautiful event was truly wonderful to work with. It is so rare to have things go so well every step of the way unless you are working with the best of the best which I was blessed to do. I'm so grateful to everyone who went out of their way in so many ways to create the beautiful collaboration of art and design that we experienced in that space during those lovely hours we shared together, and to the wonderful guests who brought their beautiful light to shine in this glowing place.

At The Marvelous Rimadesio

For An Art Event With The Gorgeous Work

Of The Marvelous Australian Artist

Marco Luccio

https://www.rimadesio.it

https://marcoluccio.com.au

Blessings,

Jannie Susan